If you’re a rookie hunter and don’t want to spend insane amounts of money on a rifle scope, then we have the article just for you.
Riflescopes are by no means cheap hunting equipment that you get from the dollar store. It’s very hard to find quality gear without spending thousands of dollars.
The sport of hunting is quite possibly one of the most expensive out there. So naturally, a lot of enthusiasts are Google searching budget buys that will satisfy their needs.
This article will showcase to you the top 5 rifle scopes that fall under the $1000 category. Not only that, but these next 5 items are also deemed the best ones for your money. So stick around and let’s find out what they are.
1. Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II
Vortex Optics is a well-respected company that every hunter in the United States can get behind.
Regarded as a high-class brand that has hundreds of thousands of customers, the Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II is quite possibly the best long-range rifle scope that you can get for just under $1000.
The unit costs $999 on Amazon and it will be the best $999 you’ll spend on such gear this season. The Gen II is an upgrade from the Gen I and we can clearly see the improvements made.
The Gen II has a 5-25X 50 extra-low dispersion glasses that is a clear upgrade on your current gear. The scope provides you with HD quality imagery and eliminates chromatic aberration.
The price is well-suited for this category, it has a 30 mm tube body, perfectly suited for long-range hunting, and an illuminated reticle. The only downside to the Gen is that the unit weighs 2 pounds, which will significantly increase the weight when aiming.
2. Meopta MeoPro 4.5 – 14×44 HTR
Let’s downgrade a bit on price and go towards the $800 mark with the Meopta MeoPro 4.5 – 14×44 HTR rifle scope.
The acronym HTR is well-known to enthusiasts and it stands for hunt, tactical scenarios, and range. It is the best rifle scope for the price and it will be the best buy if you cannot afford the previous one.
It comes with four reticle options that can be used easily with the dials on the scope. It features high-quality glass that provides high-quality imagery.
The scope is capable of 4.5 times magnifying that goes all the way to 14 times. The objective lens diameter reaches 50mm and it has upwards to 100m field of view when using the 14 times magnification.
For a brand that specializes in budget buys, the Meopta MeoPro is a beauty that we all know and love.
3. Vortex Optics Viper 4-15×50
Yet another Vortex Optics Viper product, but this time a significantly cheaper alternative to both previous units.
This rifle scope costs $650 and we cannot explain to you how good this product is for the price. The HS line of Vortex Optics isn’t known for its cheap prices. But the 4-15X50 is a unit that will be more than capable of meeting your hunting needs.
The 4 times – 15 magnifications are more than perfect when you need to extend your aiming to longer distances. This unit has been used by hunters that want to improve their long-range aiming skills.
The unit comes with an XD glass that renders objects and animals crystal clear at excellent ranges. If you’re into long-range hunting, then this is the unit to buy.
If that’s not enough, then do know that this unit was deemed the best budget-buy on the market several years running.
If you have a hard time figuring out the best features to look for in a rifle scope, then make sure to visit Targetfrog.com for a brilliant guide into the world of rifle scopes.
4. Zeiss Conquest V4 4-16X44
A well-respected brand in the sport, Zeiss specializes in high-quality gear that usually comes at a higher price.
Such is the case for the Zeiss Conquest V4 4-16X44 scope that falls just under the $1000 category. Priced at $999, same as the first unit on this list, the Conquest is more than capable of delivering success when needed.
If you’re a Zeiss fan and looking to buy one of their awesome products, then this is the one to get. The price is right for the right person, the 4-16 magnification is more than the industry standard, and the HD glass is capable of providing 90% light transmission.
If we take into consideration that most Zeiss units cost upwards of $2,000 then we can safely assume this is a budget buy by their standards.
But don’t let that fool you as the SFP reticle, MOA reticle, 30mm tube, and ballistic stop are all high-quality features that you’d expect Zeiss to associate with their products.
5. ATN X-Sight 4K Pro 5-20X
If you thought 4-16 was impressive, then wait until you try the ATN X-Sight 4K Pro 5-20X rifle scope.
Deemed by many hunters as their preferred choice of gear, this beauty offers far more than what the price suggests. Conveniently priced at $750, the ATN X-Sight 4K Pro is a unit that comes with an obsidian 4 dual-core processor 4K sensor that provides you with superior resolution and faster optics.
If you thought ATN didn’t listen to its customers, wait until you hear that they implemented dual-stream video recording to this unit. This was something that their customers demanded, and they delivered. The video recording is capable of capturing HD and SD resolution and can deliver the records straight to your mobile device or computer.
This sight feels like the ultimate gear to have and the price is definitely something that the community can get behind. Smart technology is rarely implemented in rifle scopes, but the ballistic calculator-hunt technology implemented in the ATN X-Sight 4K Pro is capable of delivering expert analysis on where to aim.
If you’re after a unit that is capable of all that plus an abundance of digital features, then the ATN X-Sight 4K Pro is the rifle scope to own.