The most common use of rifle scopes by the average person is for big game hunting. In this article we will discuss the basics of hunting optics and what makes sense for a big game hunter. We will then weed through some of the hype regarding hunting scopes. Unlike long range target shooting applications where shooters could be hitting targets at 1000 yards, typical hunting is done inside the 200 yard mark and rarely approaches 400 yards. When thinking about what scope to get, many people feel that more is better -- convinced by magazine reviews and advertising that high power scopes with huge lenses will somehow make them great shooters. The effect is similar to advertising for golfers suggesting that the latest greatest golf club is going to turn them into a pro. The fact is that, in both cases, only practice will improve your game and allow you to make great shots. A huge, high-power scope could actually reduce your accuracy and effectiveness. Before getting into more details on what is needed in a good hunting scope, let's discuss optics in general. When light travels through a lens, several things happen (this applies to scopes, camera lenses, binoculars and any other similar device). As light passes through each glass-to-air surface, some portion of it is lost. Part of the reason for this is due to reflection. Whenever this happens, the quality of the image produced suffers. Optics designers use several techniques to minimize this effect. The insides of scopes are painted a flat black to minimize reflections. Baffles are often employed to stop reflections from bouncing around inside the scope. One of the most important treatments that modern lens designers use is to coat their lenses. A lens coating changes the refractive index of the air-to-glass junction, thus reducing the negative effect. A few decades ago this was accomplished by depositing a layer of magnesium fluoride on the lens surface. Today, high tech multi-layer coatings prevail on the highest quality optics. Rifle scopes, depending on price, may use different levels of coating on their lenses. Since light is lost and distorted every time it passes through an air-to-glass surface, it is clear that the more complex the scope and the more lenses it has internally, the more of a problem this becomes. High magnification, zoom scopes have more lenses than fixed-power or low magnification scopes. High quality scopes will exceed 90% light transmission in their design. Getting a 6x24 scope to exceed 90% light transmission is harder than doing it with a fixed 4x scope and therefore is either going to result in a much higher price for the same optical quality or diminished optical quality at the same price.  The amount of light, and therefore the brightness of the view, of any given scope is a function of several factors, other than the optical transmission of the lenses described above. A lot of advertising dollars are spent by scope makers pushing this concept. The theoretical maximum amount of light a given scope can transmit is a function of the size of it's objective lens. Simply put, a 2 inch diameter lens can transmit more light than a 1 inch lens. The other factor in this equation is the magnification of the scope. The higher the magnification, the less light will be transmitted for a given objective lens size. All other factors being equal, a 4x scope with a 1 inch lens will transmit more light and be brighter than a 12x scope with a 1 inch objective lens. Scope makers and gun magazine gurus push the concept that you need a high power scope, and since the laws of physics are against you with such a design (resulting in reduced light transmission) they also push the concept of very large objective lenses. The end result is a bulky and heavy scope that, because of it's size, sits high above the bore of the rifle -- making both carrying the rifle and shooting it more difficult.
As a scope goes up in magnification, the field of view is reduced. Field of view is an important factor in being able to pick up your target. You want a large of field of view as possible so that when you put the scope to your eye you can instantly see the target and the area surrounding it. In addition, magnification does two things. It brings the apparent image closer to your eye and it amplifies every movement you make. Looking through a high magnification scope and holding the image steady is not an easy task. Imagine zooming in your high power scope and having the crosshairs moving across the entire body of the animal because you can't hold the rifle steady enough! The final thing to bring up about scope design is the eye relief. This is the distance between your eye and the back of the scope where everything is in full view and focus. When it comes to eye relief -- the more the better. The recoil of your rifle should never cause the scope to get close to your eye. Eye relief averaging less than 3.5 inches across the range of the scope should be avoided for all but the softest recoiling guns. So what does this all mean for the big game hunter? Simply put it means keep it short, light and simple. A 7x scope is more than enough magnification to reliably hit your target out to 400 yards. However, it's a rare hunter that has the experience to reliably hit a target at this distance regardless of the scope and gun used. When hunting at ranges below 200 yards 4x and less is ideal. In our view, there are only two ranges of scopes for a big game rifle. The first being something in the range of a 1-4x or 1.5-5x and the other in the range of a 2-7x scope. These two scope types will cover any big game hunters needs. They will provide excellent field of view, typically have excellent eye relief, are compact and light and deliver more light in a smaller package than bulky high magnification scopes. Some currently available scopes of this type that we have used include: Burris Signature Select Safari Scope 1.75-5x
Burris Fullfield II Scope 2-7x
Bushnell Elite 4200 Scope 1.25-4x
Leupold VX-2 Scope 1-4x
Leupold VX-3 Scope 1.5-5x
Leupold VX-2 Scope 2-7x
Nikon Monarch Gold Scope 30mm Tube 1.5-6x
Simmons Pro Hunter 2-7x
Weaver Grand Slam Scope 1.5-5x.
Many others are available -- check out the manufacturers links on the right side of the page for more scopes and information. A few last tips on rifle scopes. These optics need to perform under the heavy recoil of a big game rifle under wet and often cold conditions. While the actual optics of a scope are important, the quality of the scope is also of great significance. If the scope can't handle the environment or the recoil of the rifle it will let you down at the moment you need it most. In general, higher priced scopes include features that make the scopes very rugged and suited for tough environments. It is also important that rifle scopes maintain their zero and that adjustments are consistent every time you make them. Two clicks left today should equate to the same amount of movement in the point of impact as it will be 5 years from now. Since the scope is what, in the end, will make or break your hunt -- skimping on this important piece of the hunting system is not a good idea. | 
