Long range rifle scopes have come a long way from when they were long, thin brass tubes that went nearly the full length of a rifle’s barrel. Windage and elevation were accomplished through outside knobs and these ungainly creations were typically of a low fixed magnification. However, this is not the days of the free-ranging buffalo hunter. This is the modern age where computer aided machines build optics to a precision our ancestors could only have dreamed of. We are looking for the best long range scope for the money and will be examining some monsters that you don’t normally find sitting on top of your deer rifle. High magnification, enormous objective lenses, sunshades, and big 30mm tubes are all going to make an appearance, and you’ll get to pick from the fruits of modern science and technology to scope your long range rifle:
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LEDSniper Riflescope

These low cost, feature rich scopes have been taking the shooting world by storm of late. These are some of the best long range rifle scopes for the budget shooter. Featuring six to twenty four power magnification, an enormous 50mm objective lens, a huge 40mm tube, two sets of Weaver rings, included sunshade, red and green illuminated reticle, protective lens caps, and the usual industry standard water, fog, and shock proof construction. I picked up a used hunting rifle a while back and stuck one of these on there in hopes of bagging a deer this fall.

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Nightforce SVH

When it comes out to serious reach out and touch something NightForce is a tough name to beat. The SVH (see full specs) is an excellent choice for a long range scope. Featuring 4-14 power magnification, an enormous 56mm reticle lens for optimal light transmission and a huge, crystal clear sight picture, a center illuminated reticle for low light shooting conditions, and a large 30mm aluminum alloy tube, this is the sort of high end optic that make grown men weep with joy. No matter if you are shooting at the range, on the trophy hunt of a lifetime, or simply a person who enjoys the finer things in life, the NightForce SVH demands your attention and further scrutiny.

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Athlon Optics Argos BTR Scope

When it comes to finding a discount, one of the best means to do so is finding a scope packaged with all the necessary goods. This Argo BTR comes with everything you need to get rolling out of the box. This includes a set of high mount scope rails that can typically cost anywhere from 40 to 100 bucks, which again you get for free here.

The Argos BTR is a powerful, high-quality scope that comes in 8 to 34 power and is perfect for long-range shooting. The optic has a 56mm objective lens that offers a bright sight picture as well as a wide field of view.

The Argos BTR scope is a first focal plane scope that means the reticle will be useful and accurate at any level of magnification. The Argos BTR comes with an advanced reticle system that allows for compensation for both range and wind. The pyramid style reticle system is perfect for advanced shot placement in the field and makes compensation very simple. The Argos BTR reticle is illuminated and easy to use. This is a great scope period.

Barska Mil Dot Varmint Scope

Barska makes great scopes, and this is no exception. Clearly another possibility in the best long range scope for the money category, this scope has a whopping ten to forty power magnification, 50mm objective lens, limited lifetime warranty. Also included are lens caps, fine precision 1/8 MOA adjustable turrets, adjustable objective lens, and an easy to mount one inch tube. When looking at affordable and feature packed long range scopes, I find it hard to find a better one than the Barska for the money.

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Vortex Optics Crossfire

Vortex killed the budget optic game a few years back. Since then the industry has been struggling to keep up. The Vortex Optics Crossfire is their budget long range optic. The Crossfire is a large line of optics that range from scout scopes to the powerful long-range options like this specific model. This Crossfire is a 6-24 power optic that features the Dead-Hold BDC for being able to dial in your dope. The Vortex Crossfire has a slightly longer eye relief than normal. This is perfect for those high recoiling long range round.

The Vortex Optic’s Crossfire is a single piece tube which adds a degree of precision to your build. A single piece tube has less give than multi-piece tubes. This results in a more precise platform. The Crossfire’s 50mm objective lens is perfect for long range low light performance. The turrets are capped, but sports fingertip adjustable turrets for quick and easy adjustments in the field. This is perfect because you don’t have to break your sight picture to make those adjustments. The Crossfire comes in at a killer price and is an excellent long range scope all around. This is among the toughest and best long range rifle scopes you can buy.

Why Long Distance Scopes are Awesome

During the American Revolution, the tale of the lethal American rifleman, with his hard hitting, long range rifle buoyed American spirits and struck fear—and sometimes lead into the hearts of enemy soldiers. Since the days of the Revolution, the rifle has held a special place in American culture. During the Civil War, advances in technology finally made rifles readily available as a standard military issue item, and soldiers clamored for the best rifle they could get their hands on. Today, we own rifles our ancestors could not have even dreamed of and casually buy the best scopes that surpass even what our grandparents used during the Second World War. Our cultural love affair with the rifle has lead to a demand for ever more powerful and long range scopes.

To that end, many Americans are looking for the best long range scope for the money. We touched on some elements of those already, but the two biggest things people are looking for are high powered magnification and enormous reticles. While a common hunting scope might have three to nine power magnification, most long range scopes start at about ten power and will go all the way up to forty or fifty times magnification, which means you may be looking at a target magnified fifty times larger than life. Heck, you could study the surface of the moon with some of these monsters.

The next “big” thing on the top-end long range scopes is the front reticle lens. This is where all the action starts. The bigger the lens, the bigger the sight picture, the more light that can be brought in, the better the image quality. Remember, these scopes are used for ranges of five hundred yards or more, even thousand yard shooting competitions are not uncommon.

A long range rifle is a dance of many things brought together at once. You need a damn good rifle, with a good stock, high quality trigger, carefully hand loaded match quality ammo, and of course the optic brings it all together. The long range rifle scope is what allows you to take all the precision in your rifle and your ammo and actually deliver a round down range with accuracy, and so you need to make sure you’ve carefully matched your rifle to your scope, and then to your intended use, be it hunting or punching holes in paper. Truly, this is a great time to find the best long range scopes for your rifle!