There are some important things you need to consider before selecting a scope to mount on your rifle, in order to prevent some unwanted problems or challenges.
Reticle
In scopes, the reticle is one of the parts that assist in sighting in targets more accurately. The reticle is a pattern of markings built into the eyepiece of scope for easy sighting of images/targets. It is the aiming point of a scope. There are four basic types of reticle namely; BDC, Mil-Dot, Dot, and Illuminated reticle. It is best to pick out a scope with a good reticle to make sighting in easy for you.
Each reticle has a specific function or role it plays, but it is better to pick the best reticle that suits your needs. The scope that has an illuminated reticle is a good one to use in achieving clarity as it has some kind of light.
Turrets
scopes must have a turret that can be easily adjusted. Some scopes may come with turrets that cannot be adjusted easily. It is advisable to look out for the turrets when selecting a Rimfire scope. There are three kinds of turrets adjustment each functioning specifically; elevation, windage, and parallax adjustment turrets. In choosing a scope, it is good to select one that comes with easy-adjustable turrets.
The knobs on the top and right side of the scope are called elevation turrets. Turrets are one of the important control settings to a scope, it allows you to zero your scope easily. It also assists in making necessary adjustments. The top turret is the windage turret which can also help in range adjustments while the side turret is the windage turret. It helps in any kind of windage condition, you can adjust the windage turrets to move the reticle either to the left or right.
Lens Coating
In selecting a scope it is good to look out for the lens if it is well coated or not. Using a scope that has excellent optics is very essential in meeting targets. The coating of a lens will help reduce the reflection of light, to prevent eye damage.
Lens coatings vary in quality, some can just have a single layer of coating, fully coated, multicoated, and fully multicoated. Although the quality of a lens coating can be expensive, it is best to get a scope that has the right lens coating.
When shooting or hunting in low light conditions, it is advisable to get a scope with an appropriate lens coating. If a lens is well coated, you can prevent eye damage especially when a scope does not include a fast-focus eyepiece.
Magnification
A certain magnification of a scope plays a huge role when you are shooting. Having the right magnification for your scope is highly recommended as it allows you to sight in targets more clearly. In aiming at a certain target it is advisable to use a scope that has the level of magnification you need. A 6-12x magnification can be very useful in target acquisition.
For shooters who prefer long-range shooting around 100-1000yards, a higher magnification should be used. Most hunters aim from a faraway distance, using the right level of magnification will aid faster target acquisition.
Focal plane
The location of a focal plane of a reticle is very vital to its operation, it can be in front of or behind the reticle. A scope that has a front focal plane is the best for long ranges. Having a scope with a reticle at the front focal plane gives the same measurement at all levels of magnification. In the second focal plane, the reticle will be the same size at the range of magnification.
If I could tell you to get a great scope, I would say you pick a scope that has a first focal plane reticle. The first focal plane is appropriate at all levels of magnification.
Eye relief
In firing a gun with a scope, eye relief is very important, if you don’t want to get your eye damage. The distance between a scopes ocular lens and your eye is just a bit, so you have to get one that has enough eye relief.
Eye relief varies along side scope. A scope may come with just 1-inch eye relief or more than that. I recommend the use of a scope with infinites eye relief to enjoy a better and faster performance during shootouts. For the best performance with your rifle scope, it is advisable to get a 4-inch eye relief.
Accuracy
One of the major goals of shooters is meeting targets points without missing. Most times the accuracy of a Rimfire scope solely depends on its features. Choosing a clear and quick optic for your scope will allow for accurate and clearer shots. Getting long range shots has been a concern of most shooters. The thoughts of missions an aimpoint is very alarming. I suggest you get a good focused scope just perfect for acquiring targets quickly and more accurately.
Do you find it difficult to choose the right scope for your Rifle? I have prepared a list of the best 10 Rimfire scopes you can select from.