I spend a lot of time behind rifle scopes peering at distant targets in hopes of making the perfect wind call and elevation hold, and as a result I’ve developed some specific notions as for what makes a great glass for precision rifle shooting. The list in this story and accompanying video showcases ten scopes that have served me well, whether in competition, while hunting, or doing my day-to-day work reviewing guns, ammo, and associated gear.
Top 10 Precision Rifle Scopes
Cutting to the chase, here’s the list of my favorite scopes, which are ordered roughly by price, from least expensive to most.
What Matters In A Precision Rifle Scope
Obviously, the quality of the glass makes a big difference. Any good scope should deliver a crisp, clear image while maximizing edge-to-edge clarity and minimizing optical distortion. We’re fortunate that today’s mid-level glass is head and shoulders above its peer group from a generation ago. Lens coatings and other high-end manufacturing processes have trickled down so that scopes with moderate price tags are built to what would have been premium standards 20 years ago.
As a result, the gap between the best glass and very good glass has narrowed significantly over the years to the point where it is unusual for a mid-price scope to be an optical dud. From the standpoint of engineering, the main shortcoming to be on the lookout for is poor eye relief or an uncomfortable eye box, which can induce fatigue and generally make the primary job of a scope – helping deliver your bullet onto target — more of a chore. These shortcomings are not super common with better glass but can still occur.
A Scope’s Prime Directive
When picking a scope some shooters focus so heavily on its optical qualities that they lose sight of its raison d’être. It is worth remembering that a scope is a marksmanship device above and beyond everything else – and not an observation tool. A scope can give you a wonderful image, but that won’t count for squat if it doesn’t help you shoot faster and more precisely.
Ergonomics Are Key
Because of this, I place great stock in how I interact with the scope when I’m on the gun. This includes how easy it is to manipulate the controls, such as focusing the reticle, adjusting parallax, establishing zero, dialing corrections into the windage and elevation turrets, setting the desired level of magnification, and, when applicable, illuminating the reticle.
With these mechanical functions, you want the controls to provide positive feedback with no mush or hesitation. They should all operate in a smooth manner, but with the right amount of stiffness too. Elevation and windage turrets, for instance, shouldn’t move too easily – you want the ability to dial quickly while keeping track the exact number of clicks you’ve input. The same goes for the magnification and parallax focus. You want them to rotate smoothly without being sloppy or too stiff to manipulate.
Legible Numbers and Markings
I’m at the unenviable stage of life where my close-up vision is degraded. For those with similarly aging eyes, bold clear markings on a scope are critical. But even for those with perfect vision, large numbers and easy-to-read hash marks on the turrets make the optic faster to run and less prone to user error than those with less impactful engraving – especially in low light conditions.
Reticle Ergonomics
Precision rifle scope reticles have become quite sophisticated of late. The classic Horus H59, developed sometime around 2010, was the first Christmas-tree style reticle, with an array of grids, dots, and hashmarks to holdover for elevation and hold off for wind. Roughly 15 years later, it is a relic, having been surpassed by numerous designs that are easier and faster to use thanks to their superior ergonomics.
The trick for any such reticle is to minimize the chance of the shooter getting lost in the grid when shooting under pressure. So features like bold numbers on the horizontal crosshair and going down alongside the edge of the “tree” are essential. Tick marks that make it easy for the shooter to identify and hold the desired value are also critical. Shooters using milliradian-based scopes, for example, should be able to quickly find and hold a wind value with 0.1 mil granularity.
Examples of excellent intuitive reticles include the Nightforce Mil-XT, Zeiss ZF-MRi, and Vortex EBR-7D (MRAD).
Judging the Whole Package
A good precision rifle scope is more than the sum of its parts, however. Based on the desired application, it might not adhere to everything I outlined above. On a hunting rifle for instance, the second-focal plane Swarovski Z8i 3.5-28×50, with its old-school duplex reticle, is an outstanding option for precise shooting when outfitted with the company’s ballistic turret system. And the Burris Eliminator 6, with its integrated rangefinder, takes reticle design in a completely different direction.
Best Precision Rifle Scope Highlights
Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS3 6-36×56
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 34 mm Tube Diameter
- 41 ounces
I have a soft spot for this scope. The Bushnell Elite Tactical Series, which has been around for many years now, is the optic I cut my teeth on when I first got into precision rifle shooting. The qualities that drew it to me then: bombproof design, useful reticle, first-focal plane milliradian configuration, and reasonable price all still apply.
This new iteration has an updated reticle — the G4P designed by George Gardner — which is one of the more minimalistic and uncluttered Christmas-tree layouts.
The bold numbers on the elevation turret, smooth controls, and good glass make this one of the best values for a precision rifle scope under $2000.
Trijicon Tenmile HX 5-25×50
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- MOA Controls
- 30 mm Tube Diameter
- 27.4 ounces
This scope is a great option for a hunter who wants to extend their ethical range by dialing for longer shots while remaining in an MOA ecosystem. Built on a 30mm tube this is one of the lighter precision scopes in this roundup, so it’ll be right at home on a hunting rig that’s meant to be carried on your back.
I’ve mounted this scope — and its MRAD brother — on many of my big-game rifles and have a lot of confidence it its performance.
It comes with a capped windage turret, solid zero-stop, and simple crosshairs with hash-mark references.
Burris Eliminator 6 4-20×52
See It
- Integrated Rangefinder
- Second Focal Plane Reticle
- MOA Controls
- 34 mm Tube Diameter
- 30 ounces
This is the most innovative scope in this roundup. Burris has long been a category leader in scopes with integrated rangefinders, and Eliminator 6 is the newest iteration of that tech. Once the scope has been fed a ballistic profile and zeroed — neither process is overly complicated — it delivers impressive point-click-and-shoot capability.
The second focal plane reticle contains a multitude of LED illumination points. When you range your target — which is done via a large button on the left side of the scope or through a remote Bluetooth switch — one of those dots lights up indicating your hold. It is remarkably idiot-proof.
I know we live in an age of technological marvels, but the fact that you can roll through the scope’s magnification range and the aiming dot will slide up and down the crosshair continuously displaying the correct hold is remarkable.
Targets beyond 1,000 yards can become difficult to laze, and you’ll likely need to fine-tune your ballistic profile to keep the scope’s solutions spot-on. But within 800 yards this system couldn’t be quicker or easier to employ.
Zeiss LRP S5 5-25×56
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 34 mm Tube Diameter
- 40.8 ounces
This is one of the most refined precision rifle scopes on the market. It has Zeiss quality glass contained within a sophisticated instrument that emphasizes the ergonomic qualities I detailed above. The bold numbers on the turrets and magnification ring, coupled with directional arrows showing how the bullet’s impact shifts are terrific.
More impressive is the tactical feedback when dialing the scope. Detents at each one mil increment allow you dial a precise solution even with your eyes shut. The reticle also embodies best-in-class design with a layout that’s easy to get oriented within for fast and precise holds. This in-depth review covers this optic in greater detail.
Leupold MK5 HD 7-35×56
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 35 mm Tube Diameter
- 31.6 ounces
This flagship precision scope from Leupold strikes a great balance between weight, performance, durability, and value. I’ve run more Leupold glass on my optics over the years than any other brand for this Goldilocks consistency. The Mk5 HD 7-35×56 is a great choice for any type of long-range shooting but really shines when weight is a concern. I’ve run a ton of Mark 5HDs on my NRL guns for this very reason (and more recently Mark 4HDs, which are an even better value).
The zero-stop on this scope is a marvel for its simplicity, and the uncluttered reticle provides a great window into what’s going on downrange.
Leica PRS 5-30x56i
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 34 mm Tube Diameter
- 36.5 ounces
When Leica first introduced the PRS series I wasn’t sure what to make of it, since I didn’t associate the brand with tactical field shooting. It didn’t take long for this scope to grow on me and other Outdoor Life staff and it went on to win an Editor’s Choice award during our tests. The optical clarity is excellent and the scope’s controls are as precise as one could hope for.
The turrets give terrific tactile feedback and the reticle is well configured, though it is a little faint, meaning at the lowest power settings it loses some utility. But at mid- and high-magnification levels it shines. The central aiming point consists of a tiny open circle that does a great job centering up on whatever target you have your designs on. The windage turret contains an Allen wrench for setting the zero stop, which is a very handy feature.
Nightforce ATACR 7-35×56
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 34 mm Tube Diameter
- 39.3 ounces
The Nightforce ATACR 7-35×56 FFP for a long time has set standard for this category. It’s durability under the worst battlefield conditions is the stuff of legend. No type of sporting optic is as complex (or subject to failure) as a rifle scope, and Nightforce built its reputation with products that could stand up to serious abuse. Beyond that, the controls on these scopes are superlative – the ATACR hits the ball out of the park with its ergonomics.
And the Mil-XT reticle is among the best out there. The zero stop is complex by today’s standards, but not difficult to set once you know how. In the not-too-distant future I suspect Nightforce will update the ATACR platform given its age, but it is still one of the most capable pieces of glass out there and one I turn to again and again when it counts, as when shooting ELR matches.
Swarovski Z8i 3.5-28×50
See It
- Second Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 30 mm Tube Diameter
- 24 ounces
An astounding magnification range, great optical quality, and simple ballistic turret system make this an appealing option for a hunter seeking long-range capability without undue complexity. The Z8i 3.5-28X has a bold duplex reticle in the second focal plane so it remains visible and useful no matter the magnification setting. The shooter sets the ballistic turret up by stacking numbered rings to correspond with the yardage of the shot. So dialing to the “3” is good for 300 yards, the “4” for 400 yards, and so on.
This process isn’t difficult and adjusting the rings is easy should you change loads or need to make tweaks based on environmental conditions. Once set you have one rotation of the elevation turret on tap, which translates to a bit more than 7 mils of travel – more than enough for any hunting scenario. A quarter turn on the ring at the base of the elevation dial locks it in place to keep it from getting bumped while lining up the shot. All this comes with a hefty price tag, but you can’t argue with the elegant simplicity you get in return.
Kahles 540i 5-40×56
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 36 mm Tube Diameter
- 39.1 ounces
This scope is a true game changer. The Kahles 540i 5-40×56 is engineered with a remarkable field of view larger than any other scope in this roundup. The performance benefit is significant. At 25-power magnification, the FOV has a diameter of 20 mils, compared to 15 mils in the Leica PRS, for example. Being able to see that much more real estate dramatically improves the ability of the shooter to stay in the optic under recoil and call their shot. Alternatively, the shooter can dial up to a higher magnification with a field of view they know they can spot impacts with, giving them additional detail regarding their shot placement. It is difficult to overstate how important recoil management is in disciplines like the PRS, NRL, WPR, RTC and other series. With most podium finishes being determined by a handful of points (or less) over the course of a two-day match, a scope like this Kahles provides a real edge.
In addition to the generous FOV and excellent image, this scope has tack-sharp controls, a smart reticle, and clever touches, such as an innovative lock on the windage turret, that make it a joy to operate.
Vortex Razor HD Gen III 6-36×56
See It
- First Focal Plane Reticle
- Milliradian Controls
- 34 mm Tube Diameter
- 45.1 ounces
This is another optic that occupies the upper strata in the precision scope world. The Gen III has everything you could want for long-range shooting: great glass, smooth controls, precise turrets with sharp tactile feedback, and the most precise zeroing system in the category. Where other scopes can only adjust their reticles with whatever granularity one click provides — typically 0.1 mils or .25 MOA — the Razor HD Gen III is designed to be infinitely adjustable.
When the appropriate set screw is loosened, the reticle can be fine-tuned to whatever fraction of a click you desire. For the obsessed rifleman in search of a perfect zero (which you can learn about in this story and video) this is a godsend.
Final Thoughts on the Best Precision Rifle Scopes
This list is based on my hands-on use of these specific scopes, and their optical kin. In some cases that includes previous generations of these models or hands-on time with other scopes in these companies’ catalogs. Like any complicated mechanical instrument, any precision rifle scope can experience problems. A hard impact can shift a zero, crack a lens or even cause one to pop out. Indelicate handling can strip screws, whereas a lack of diligence at the shooting bench can result in a turret slipping. Over the years, I’ve witnessed all that and more.
That said, I have a lot of confidence in all the scopes listed here — though I admit my experience with the Burris Eliminator 6, which is new to me as of a few months ago, isn’t as deep as with the other glass. These scopes have served me well on high-stakes hunts, and under the stress of competition, and I can heartily recommend them to anyone who wants to master the art of placing bullets exactly where they want on distant targets.
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