Choosing the Right Tactical Scope
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Choosing the Right Tactical Scope

Posted On April 5, 2017 at 11:25 pm by / No Comments

By JD Strassel

When you are thinking of buying tactical scopes, you first need to be sure of the need for them and the sort of shooting that you intend to do.

Tactical scopes are used by military and law enforcement agencies, but among the general public they are more likely to be used for hunting. It will also be useful to know the maximum range that you are looking for and likely light conditions, which may sometimes need other devices for enhancing light. The caliber, weight and length of the rifle that you plan to use is also important as the tactical scope you buy must suit the rifle in every way.

Tactical scopes can be those that have a fixed magnification scope or others that have variable magnification scope capabilities. The scopes that have a fixed magnification are easier to handle as they do not need to be adjusted. That is the reason that law enforcement officers or military users may prefer them so that their hands are free when the rifle is being used. Hunters on the other hand may prefer to have a variable magnification scope so that they can accurately target their prey. There have been a lot of technological advances that have led to variable magnification scope devices becoming easier to us and thus being more favored. If you have decided on a tactical scope with variable magnification you will then need to decide on the range that you require. Hunters will find a range that gives them magnification between 2.5 times to 10 times ideal for both short and long distance shooting. Ambient light also plays a large role in the clarity of images and the larger the objective lens, the more light it can gather and thus be effective even in low light conditions.

The size and weight of the tactical scope on a rifle can also make a lot of difference to a hunter or other user. So if you have to follow your quarry in wooded conditions, a heavy tactical scope can at times be a disadvantage. The heavy tactical scope can also cause uneven weight distribution and make it difficult to maneuver the rifle. The weight of tactical scopes is noted in the scopes dimensions and weight descriptions, so choose according to your needs. The field of view also becomes very important when you are hunting fast moving targets, as they can move out of view very easily if your field of view is small.

Tactical scopes will come with different types of reticles, which are the devices that you used to focus on the target. Some tactical scopes will come with range finders. This allows you to compensate for wind and bullet drop. This is very important when the targets are a far distance away and can make the difference between hitting the target and missing it. Reticles are made of wire or etched on to the glass. Some of them have small dots on the cross hairs and can be used to roughly judge distance depending on the number of dots that are covered by the target. Some tactical scopes may also have bullet drop compensation or ballistic elevation marked on them, but these must match the cartridge and rifle that is being used.

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