The best hunting optics help you see more, shoot straighter, and make every moment in the field count. Our editors picked their favorite binoculars, scopes, and rangefinders for clarity, performance, and durability you can count on.
Best Hunting Optics
Leupold VX-6HD Gen 2 Rifle Scope, 3-18 x 44 CDS-SZL2
This 2nd focal plane scope has a 6:1 zoom ratio. The model we tested has the illuminated TMOA reticle. VX-6HDs have nice aluminum lens covers, and the illuminated reticles are powered by a CR2032 coin battery. The main tube is 30 mm in diameter. It has adjustable elevation and windage knobs, with zero-locks on both. One of the great new features of the Gen 2 is the SpeedSet dials, which enable you to slip the turrets without having to use any tools. It would be great if all scopes had these. Models with illuminated reticles have an electronic reticle level in which the reticle blinks if the scope is not level. This aides in both mounting the scope on the rifle, and in shooting accurately.
The TMOA reticle is reminiscent of a Duplex reticle, but with 1 MOA subtensions on both the vertical- and horizontal axes on the center portion of the reticle. This provides a traditional view, but with advanced capability for drop and windage. The glass is very clear, and the scope is waterproof and fogproof. It includes an integrated throw lever, and flip-back lens covers that can fold flat on top of the scope, so they don’t bash your hat bill into your cranium upon recoil. Editor George Krumm mounted this scope on a custom 6.5 PRC and took a Baranof Island Sitka blacktail at 300 yards. He also mounted it on his custom 300 PRC and shot 1.5 MOA targets to as far as 1,015 yards. This very capable rifle scope only weighs 22 ounces.
Leupold VX-3HD 4.5-14X40 CDS-ZL Duplex
This scope combines excellent performance in a tough, lightweight, economical package. The magnification range and objective lens are well-suited to Alaska, where shots from 100- to 500 yards are common. The Leupold duplex reticle was invented in 1962, and the Leupold website states it’s the most popular reticle in the world. The second focal plane reticle has a 3:1 zoom ratio and is defined by heavy posts and thin lines at the center, which stands out against cover in low light. In addition to operating efficiently in low light, the scope also offers glare reduction in bright conditions, and features Leupold’s CDS ZeroLock dial. Simply push a button to unlock the dial when you want to move it; rotate it back to zero when you are done.
Bushnell R5 4-12X40 Riflescope with Illuminated DOA LRH800
One of the things we like most about this scope is the illuminated reticle with aiming points which allows you to get on target easier at dusk and dawn, the times when you are most likely to encounter game. The scope features a floating center dot with BDC drop points out to 800 yards and 5/10 mph wind holds out to 800 yards. Another excellent feature of this value-priced scope is the EXO Barrier lens protection. The coating repels water and oil, which minimizes water, fog, dust and debris from sticking to the lens. Anyone who has hunted in the rain knows that scopes are prone to fogging and get blurry when wet, so any treatments that help combat the elements are welcome to hunters in Alaska.
Leupold Mark 4 Mounts, Aluminum, 30 mm, Medium
Editor George Krumm uses Mark 4 rings on several of his rifles. He used the 30 mm ones to mount a Leupold VX-6HD 3-18×44 to both a 6.5 PRC and a 300 PRC. Says George: “These rings have never failed me. None of my scopes have moved in Mark 4 rings, even after firing several hundred rounds. The keeper clamp that attaches to the Picatinny rail on receivers has also never come loose. Being made of aluminum, I was skeptical that they wouldn’t hold as well as steel mounts, but for my hunting and shooting, they’ve been solid, and they weigh less than comparable steel mounts.”
TRACT Optics TORIC UHD 30mm 2.5-15×44 FFP Illuminated MOA Eagleman Long Range Hunting Rifle Scope
This great scope was designed for long-range hunting with input from noted Barbour Creek Shooting School instructor, James Eagleman. It’s a first-focal-plane scope. The turrets are large and have big numbers on them, which is quite helpful for those who need readers or in low light. It weighs 28 ounces. Not the lightest scope on the market, but not bad, and it comes with a ton of excellent features including: SCHOTT glass; parallax adjustment from 10 yards to infinity; large, precise turrets with easy-to-see large numbers; illuminated reticle with 11 brightness settings; the Eagleman reticle which we think is an excellent hunting reticle for a first-focal-plane scope, especially for those shooting at longer ranges. The reticle has 1-MOA subtensions on both the vertical- and horizontal crosshairs. The vertical crosshair stops 10 MOA above center, leaving open glass to more clearly see trace.
Vortex Optics AMG UH-1 Gen II Holographic Sight
This is an awesome holographic sight for Armalite Rifles (ARs). It’s designed for military, law-enforcement, and competition use. It mounts via Picatinny rail. We first used this sight while shooting an Aero Precision M4E1 PRO rifle during a tour of their facility. Impressed with its capabilities during that short use, we acquired one to test. This one has a 1 MOA red dot which is powered by a CR123A battery which provides runtime of 1,500 hours. Adjustments to the sight are made in ½-MOA increments. The sight is essentially parallax free. It weighs 11.6 ounces and is 3.9” long. The finish is matte black. It is night-vision compatible, waterproof, and shockproof. This sight is at its best at close range.
Sightmark Ultra Shot M-Spec Pro MDS-LQD Reflex Sight
We mounted this optic on a Henry Supreme Lever Action Rifle .223 Rem/5.56 NATO, and were able to shoot accurately with it out to 100 yards. We intend to take it out varmint hunting before too long. The unit quickly attaches and detaches from a Picatinny rail, making it easy to move between firearms. It features a wide-angle lens system and an illuminated red 65-MOA circle-dot reticle with 10 brightness settings, and parallax correction. It is shockproof, dustproof and waterproof. The sight offers 1-MOA windage- and elevation adjustments up to 120 MOA, motion sensing auto on/off activation, and a CR123A battery that provides many hours of running time.
Skinner Sights Picatinny Rail with Integrated Peep
We added this rail to our new Henry Supreme Lever Action Rifle .223 Rem/5.56 NATO and then mounted a Sightmark Ultra Shot M-Spec Pro MDS-LQD Reflex Sight. It was fast and easy to mount and has worked perfectly. And if we remove the reflex sight, then we’ve got an integrated peep sight ready to use. The Henry .223 is a sweet gun to shoot, and the ability to add a reflex sight increased the gun’s versatility, making this Skinner Sights Picatinny Rail a very valuable accessory. Accurate, durable, attractive yet rugged, these mounts are available for almost every Henry, Marlin, Smith & Wesson, and Rossi R95 lever-action rifles, plus a few other options. The mount is fully windage- and elevation adjustable, easy to install, with no gunsmithing required, and all mounting screws and wrenches included.
Leupold RX-5000 TBR/W Digital Rangefinder
“This is the most capable stand-alone rangefinder I’ve ever used,” says Editor George Krumm. “The ability to range a location, then drop a pin into OnX (or other mapping system) opens up doors for planning stalks or recovering game that simply didn’t exist before. Imagine shooting an animal at fairly long range, and the animal runs off, out of sight. Simply drop a pin, and you’ll have the exact last-known location of that animal. This greatly improves your situational awareness for recovering that animal.
In the same way, when planning a stalk, you can drop a pin on an animal’s location, then keep track of exactly where you are in relation to that animal as you execute a stalk. No more guessing, “Is it over this ridge, or the next one?” This rangefinder can mark reflective targets as far away as 5,000 yards, and deer-sized targets out to 2,000 yards. It has a bow mode. It has built-in ballistics for rifles using Leupold’s TBR-W engine. TBR mode accurately accounts for both angle and range for your bullet’s characteristics. It’s waterproof. The lens is 8x power. Leupold packed a lot of capability into this rangefinder.
Vortex Optics Viper HD Spotting Scope, Straight, 11-33×50
This is a very compact spotter that is outstanding for remote, backpack hunts. It weighs just 27.4 ounces! It comes in both curved- and straight models. Included in the box is a neoprene cover, lens covers, and a lens cloth. It has an ARCA-Swiss compatible foot, making it useful for any tripod that has an ARCA-Swiss clamp. We used this on a remote Sitka blacktail hunt in Southeast and it was definitely a great choice for that remote backpack hunt.