A wise hunting buddy once told me, “Buy the best glass you can afford. You can’t hit what you can’t see.” That golden nugget emphasizes the need to top your predator guns with optics that will allow you to obtain optimal performance. It doesn’t make sense to invest a bunch of money in a predator rifle capable of punching minute-of-angle groups and then equip it with substandard glass that inhibits that capability. There are factors to consider when purchasing a scope: the type of firearm on which it will sit, the critters you will be hunting and the type of terrain in which you will be hunting. When hunting Big Sky country, it’s important to employ a riflescope with the power and clarity to reach out to the neighboring zip code and guide your bullet to the promised land. Only when a rifle’s optics are of optimum quality and the hunter’s trigger tug is true will it be possible to squeeze every bit of accuracy from a tack-driving fur gun.
While this selection of riflescopes is far from all-inclusive — just a few of the many models that caught my eye at the SHOT Show this year — the following are some fine examples to start you down the road to acquiring top-shelf optics for your predator rifles. Also, since there was no 2021 SHOT Show, some of these models were introduced a year or more ago.
So, if it’s time to top your fur gun with a new riflescope, carefully consider those qualities that make sense for the types of long-range hunting you do before laying down your hard-earn Benjamins. Here are seven top-shelf options you might want to consider. And stay tuned for future “Best of the 2022 SHOT Show” gear posts in the weeks to come.
Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x40mm
The all-new Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x40mm second focal plane riflescope features the Company’s new Windhold etched glass illuminated reticle and includes turrets for five popular calibers. The foundation for this scope is an aircraft aluminum 1-inch tube with large, exposed mil turrets. Magnification changes can be made quickly with the included short and long throw levers. In addition to a 6-mil turret, included are four additional BDC caliber-specific elevation turrets for custom dialing-in rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, .224 Valkyrie, .308 Win. and .223 Rem. Other features include a fast focus eye piece, fully multicoated optics that deliver crisp images in a wide variety of light conditions and a lifetime warranty. MSRP: $269.99. Contact: www.bushnell.com
German Precision Optics Spectra 7.5x50i
German Precision Optics (GPO) has entered the fixed-power scope market with the introduction of its new Spectra 7.5x50i, a slim and sleek configuration that offers simplicity to shooters who do not need a variable-power scope. It features a 50mm double HD objective lens system for enhanced resolution coupled with GPObright high transmission lens coatings. A 30mm main tube maximizes optical performance while supporting incremental elevation adjustment capabilities. It is crafted from a solid, one-piece dust-proof, waterproof, nitrogen-filled body for strength and durability. An illuminated general use G4i reticle powered by the GPO iCONTROL illumination system assists shooters in low-light conditions. Custom designed turrets are made to easily reset to the zero indicator mark on the scope body. Retail: $599.99. Contact: www.gpo-usa.com
Hawke Optics Frontier
The Frontier 34 FFP 3-18x50mm riflescope from Hawke Optics is built on a 34mm mono-tube chassis that is machined from high-grade aluminum. It is fully water, shock and fogproof and is nitrogen purged. It features a side focus adjustment and Zero, Lock ’n Stop turrets and is available in two first focal plane illuminated reticles. The Frontier 34 FFP has 11 levels of illumination, a generous 4 inches of eye relief and locking ocular focus and comes with an easy-to-use zoom lever, 4-inch sunshade, reticle battery, flip-up lens covers and a lens cloth. It is backed by Hawke’s No-Fault Lifetime Warranty. MSRP: $1,299. Contact: www.hawkeoptics.com
Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm
The Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm riflescope has been crafted to redefine accuracy, precision and optical performance for long-range shooters — and doing so in a package that embodies rugged reliability. All models in the Mark 5HD line deliver edge-to-edge clarity and extreme low-light performance. The Mark 5HD was designed with a 35mm main tube for increased adjustment travel and ships with a high-speed power selector ring featuring an optional low-profile throw lever. The heart of the Mark 5HD is in its ZeroLock adjustments, which provide precise, repeatable tracking with a dead-on return to zero. Weighing just 30 ounces, it features 3.6/3.8-inch eye relief (low to high) and 20.4/4.2-foot field of view at 100 yards (low to high). Retail: $1,999.99. Contact: www.leupold.com
Meopta MeoSport R 3-15x50mm RD
Meopta Sport Optics’ new MeoSport R 3-15x50mm RD riflescope with illuminated 4C reticle features a 30mm main tube with European-quality optics that perform well in low-light situations. Reliable, accurate and rugged, this 5X zoom scope with MeoBright lens coating delivers bright, crisp and clear images, even in inclement weather thanks to Meopta’s MeoDrop hydrophobic lens coating which aggressively repels rain. The riflescope features a side focus that adjusts from 10 yards to infinity, exposed 0.1 mil windage and elevation adjustments with locking zero-reset turrets. The MeoSport’s lighter, sleek design incorporates a low-profile power ring that is easy to adjust, even when wearing gloves and it is nitrogen purged, shockproof, and fully sealed for fogproof and waterproof performance. Retail: $449.99. Contact: www.meoptasportsoptics.com
Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XP50
Pulsar’s Thermion 2 LRF XP50 PRO is a potent thermal imaging riflescope that combines a classic, sleek design with a built-in laser rangefinder. Its extremely powerful 640x480 microbolometer resolution detects heat signatures up to 2,000 yards away and displays them on a crisp 1024x768 AMOLED display. With 10 hours of battery life, this thermal riflescope boasts high-precision, ambidextrous lens focusing and a variable magnification of 2X-16X. The included laser rangefinder has a range of up to 875 yards. The Thermion 2 LRF XP50 PRO features built-in photo and video recording and it has Wi-Fi connectivity to upload data to the Stream Vision 2 app. It has a IPX7 waterproof rating and features 10 reticle shapes in nine color modes, Picture-in-Picture mode and five unique shooting profiles. MSRP: $6,599.99. Contact: www.pulsarnv.com
Sightron Premium Sports Optics SIII PLR
Sightron’s new Precision Long-Range (PLR) SIII riflescopes, with 8-32x56mm, 6-24x50mm,10-50x60mm and 6-24x50mm FFP (first image focal plane) models, are built on 30mm tubes and feature a new internal Zero-Stop mechanism with an audible positive stop for dead-on zero setting. Large, oversized tactical knobs are easy to adjust in any weather condition and are resettable to zero. For superior performance, Sightron’s new Zact-7 Revcoat Plus enhanced lens coating provides increased light transmission and improved clarity, and its ExacTrack windage and elevation system is standard on all models. All reticles in the PLR series are illuminated with a side-mounted 11-position on/off rotary-type dial which uses a CR2032 battery. All Sightron riflescopes are nitrogen-charged for a 100 percent waterproof and fogproof system. MSRP: Starting at $1,149.99. Contact: www.sightron.com
