Finding the best rifle scope, continued

No light is actually projected onto the target, but the floating dot gives the impression that this is the case. Subtly different is the true red dot laser sight, which comes in two flavors – with and without an optical lens.

Those with can correct in wet conditions and have a more accurate dot over distance than those without.

In short, the extra cost of a laser sight with optical correction will only make sense if the hunter is going to be using the sight under certain conditions – usually humid or night hunting. The major difference is that the true laser sight will beam a dot onto the target, which means that it is easier to acquire and track the target over a certain distance, in conjunction with a magnifying optical rifle scope.

In fact, the two together can make for an unbeatable combination to the extent that some hunters frown upon them as being a little too easy.

A laser sight is normally mounted on the underside of the rifle barrel, since they tend to be too large to mount on top of the scope. It is also a good idea to keep them vertically as close to the barrel exit as possible so that bullet drop over distance is minimized.

In order that the bullet ends up on the dot, it is necessary to take the rifle to a range and make sure that you know (or can record) where the dot needs to be, when you look through the reticule, to guarantee a hit. Magnification or Not Typically, the best rifle scope tends not to magnify very much, if at all.

The principle difference in terminology between rifle sight and rifle scope is the fact that a sight will not magnify, and a scope is assumed to perform at least some magnification. However, the two terms have become interchangeable, as in the phrase night vision rifle scope – this may or may not magnify.

Magnification is only helpful when hunting with guns that are exceedingly powerful and accurate over long distances. Most times you will not want to magnify the varmint at all because, unless you are a very experienced hunter, it gives a false sense of perspective and makes natural compensation for drop very difficult.

This is why many sights and rifle scopes magnified view or not, are marked with lines to give a range estimate; it helps estimate distance and hence drop, making aiming easier.

Hunting at Night
Finally, we need to mention that there are also special scopes available for hunting in low light and night conditions. Those familiar with binocular and telescope theory will be aware that a large objective lens (close to the object) can be used in conjunction with good quality optics to produce an image which is brighter than when viewed with the naked eye.

This is the same principle that allows owls to have superior night vision – larger eyes soaking up all available light – combined with good use of eyepiece magnification which condenses the light into a smaller area; hence making it brighter. Such rifle scopes are good for use at dawn or dusk, and can even give good results when the night is lit by the full moon. H

owever, for use in absolute dark, the only option is an infra red night vision rifle scope, which uses projected light which lies just outside the human visible range and can also combine it with whatever light there is in the visible spectrum to produce an excellent image. There are two kinds of night vision rifle scopes – passive and active.

Passive night vision scopes simply amplify what light there is, rather like an enhanced version of the owl eye that we discussed above. Active night vision scopes are sensitive to infra red light, and produce an image which is electronically enhanced on a screen inside the scope.

Cheaper models are only useful when the subject is likely to be slow moving, since fast movement will cause the image to smear across the sight, making it impossible to aim with any reliability. It is worth spending the additional $200 to $1,000 and getting a good quality sight with additional features.

The best of the best can be used as standard scopes, or with full night illumination switched on, which will mean that you only need to carry around a single scope on your hunting expeditions.

Remember – always carry fresh batteries; the disadvantage with active night vision equipment is that it needs to be powered.

As you can see there are many aspects to consider before coming to a decision about which equipment is best for you. Hopefully this article will have made your job easier.

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About the Author: Guy Lecky Thompson is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers regarding binoculars His many articles give information and tips to help people save money and make smarter decisions.