How to Choose the Best Varmint Hunt Rifle Scopes
Beyond sports, hobby and means to earning a living, Varmint hunting is primarily a way to control the population of pests and prevent them from getting out of hand. Reducing the pest population around you will help prevent the risk of transmission of diseases associated with these pests and also reduce cases of predation on livestock.
Varmints refer to animals that have the tendency to damage crops, predate livestock and generally constitute a threat to human health as a result of their great numbers. Now, the solution to these environmental threats will be to get rid of them. While there are different ways you can go about this, one way is by hunting them using rifles. In this case, you will need the best varmint rifle scopes to make your quest successful.
Before looking at the best rifle scopes and making a choice of which one of them will be suitable for your rifle, the first thing we will do is define the type of varmint hunting you will indulge in.
This is critical because if you’ll be shooting within your yard, you’ll probably require a scope that’s most suited for shooting within short ranges. But, if you’re hunting feral pigs or wild coyotes, you will require a longer range type.
Another important question to ask yourself is if your target will be pacey or still. The answer to that question will further help you in making your choice.
Features to Look for
Having defined the type of varmint hunting you will be embarking on, the next step will be to choose a scope for your rifle. A suitable choice should come with a range of unique features some of which include the following:
Efficient Light Gathering
This feature is critical if you’ll be shooting in conditions of low visibility.
Reticle Configuration that’s Correct
This feature becomes very critical as the distance between you and your target increases because any minute misalignment will lead to errors in the point-of-impact along the horizontal axis.
Design of Crosshairs that Enables Adjustment for Parallax
A good crosshair design will make it easier to make adjustments in other to get rid of any optical illusion while aiming.
Adjustability and Magnification
This feature will enable you to adjust for short or much longer range shooting when necessary.
A Completely Coated Lens
This is important because without coatings, the lens is likely to lose up to 5 percent of the light passing through it.
You can learn about more features here.
A Few Recommendations
Now that we have seen the necessary features that the ideal scope should possess, it’s time to make a choice of one for your rifle. Let’s take a look at some of the best options available
(V4 6-24×50) Zeiss Conquest
This is regarded as among the best options available in the market. It has about 90% light transmission as well as a diverse specialty coating that enables it excel in any condition including low visibility and moist weather conditions.
In addition to its light transmission which is about 90%, it has a side a parallax adjustability and as much as 24x magnification which can enable you get the best of accuracy from the rifle, ensuring that you don’t miss that shot at the varmints from any range.
Crossfire II 3-12×56 from Vortex Optics
Regardless of the target varmint, this product from Vortex Optics is a good choice for your varmint hunt, especially during low visibility or sun down when most varmints such as hogs are very active.
With its V-Brite reticle and oversized objective, it allows the hunter to rapidly acquire its target when much light isn’t available. Additionally, its Waterproof, fogproof, shockproof as well as nitrogen purging feature enables this scope to perform in all conditions that may arise during the hunt.
VX-Freedom from Leupold
This choice is perfect for squirrel hunting as its parallax is adjustable to up to 60 yards, making it perfect for squirrel hunting. Like the Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12×56 Hog Hunter Riflescope, the riflescope is 100% waterproof, shockproof and fogproof. The reticle it uses is the Rimfire-MOA which makes it possible to take accurate shots from different ranges.
Apart from these 3, other good options include: the SWFA’s Ultralight SS 2.5-10×32, Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Multi-X Reticle 6-18X 50mm, Nikon Black FX1000 4-16×50 M Illuminated Reticle FX-MOA, NightForce SHV 5-20x56mm, Burris 200261 Ballistic Plex 2-7x32mm, BSA 6-18X40 Sweet 17 and ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night.
To understand more about the best varmint rifle scopes check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rxRxWiBf40.
Final Thoughts
Several types of great calibers for varmint hunting exist and this implies that several scope options to fit all those calibers exist as well. Be sure to carefully consider the purpose of your varmint hunting and the best varmint rifle scope you require before making a choice. This will ensure you get the best match for your rifle.