Optics Buying Guide

It wasn’t until the 1920s that telescopic instruments used as aiming devices began to be widely accepted in the United States, but since then scopes have become the primary means of aiming rifles. In fact, they have become so popular and there are so many choices, it is difficult to decide which to buy.

The Vortex Fury HD 5000 is a compact unit that offers a crisp, clear view for spotting and evaluating game or targets and a powerful, fast rangefinder to determine a precise range to those targets. Two fantastic tools in one small package.

I still remember the moment. A package arrived at my remote home amidst the rough, high-elevation mule deer and elk habitat of my youth, dropped casually on the porch by the United Parcel Service driver. We lifted it, my brother and I, to a place of honor on the kitchen table, and carefully removed the contents from the packaging. Dashing to the back porch we pointed the new marvel at a distant hillside and exclaimed with glee at the result. It was the first laser rangefinder we owned, and it changed our hunting and shooting lives.

I love new toys. While in the hunting and shooting world there are many tried and true brands and models, I’m always eager to give new stuff a try. Riton Optics is most definitely the new-kid-at-school in the optics world, but that’s not always a bad thing. Founded by a team of veterans – of [...]

Vortex Optics has been growing by leaps and bounds, steadily chipping away at the market by dominating PRS and Hunting. Not so much new this year, but plenty improved.

Steiner has long been a leader in military optics and more recently has been establishing a presence in the U.S. civilian market. We had an opportunity to test several models this summer, and the clarity of glass and quality was outstanding. New for SHOT Show 2018, Steiner announced the M6Xi.

At range day, we got a chance to catch up with Night Force Optics, who had the new 1×8 riflescopes on hand. Night Force has been very quiet on the 1x front, for a very long time. This year, however, they have come back strong.

I don’t envy the Aimpoint engineer who drew the Micro S-1 assignment. Developing a plug-and-play red dot for a wide variety of shotguns must have been a nightmare. Most shotguns aren’t designed with optics in mind. Fortunately for us, Aimpoint’s engineers figured it out.

So, how do you get a good grasp of the world of optics? Well, we have you covered right here at GunsAmerica.com. By reading this exhaustively researched and detailed 12-part series on optics, you will get the info you need to not only make an informed purchase.