Best Rifle Scope for the Money 2024

You have your new rifle, and the next question is obvious: what is the best rifle scope for the money?

This will depend greatly on what you’re planning on hunting for. Are you after coyotes, whitetail, or elk? What location will you be hunting in, the open prairie for pronghorn or maybe the scrub brush marshes of the Midwest?

What rifle you will be putting the scope on is also important. If you’re going hunting with a muzzleloader, you are going to want a scope that is fog proof, shockproof, and waterproof. Yes, a waterproof scope won’t save your powder but will save the scope.

Also, shooting out to 1000 yards will probably be low on your list of needs. On the other hand, if you are going out with a .30-06 or a .270, then you’ll need toughness, but now you have the range to consider, and 100-500 yards is not an unreasonable shot to take and still be effective.

So, let’s look at some of the best rifle scopes for the money.

Our Pick: Nikon Prostaff 2-7×32 Rifle Scope BCD 200

First things first, why is a shotgun scope on a list of rifle scope reviews? Hear me out, but this is a great scope for rifles, muzzleloaders, and rifled slug guns, for a few good reasons.

The Nikon ProStaff Hunter Riflescope is one of the best optics for hunting. It comes with quick focus and a 3.8-inch eye relief which will come in handy with any of those shots and still bring home the trophy without having the telltale black eye. This makes it a great deer hunting scope, and the bullet drop compensator works great on rounds moving around 2000′ per second. And the Nikon name behind it means quality. That is why this is one of the best optics for hunting.

Runner-Up: Vortex Crossfire Ii 4-12x50mm AO Rifle Scope

Being one of the best rifle scopes for the money, it has an F.O.V. of as much as 8.4′ at 100 yards if you crank it up, but you can also reduce it to 25.7′ at 100 yards.

The Vortex Optics Crossfire II AO is one of the best optics for hunting long-range: great for coyotes or elk moving across the mesa.

This scope has a great sight picture with its multi-coated lens and low reflection, but its fast focus eyepiece also makes acquiring the target quick and easy, so your game won’t get away before you get on target. And with decent low light, you can stay in the stand a little longer than your buddies, making this one of the best rifle scopes for the money.

Value Pick: Redfield 115208 Revenge Rifle Scope 3-9x42mm

In the world of best rifle scopes for the money, the Redfield 115208 Revenge Rifle Scope could be it. First, it is a Redfield, which has been around for over a hundred years. Also, Redfield is owned by Leupold, so, in a way, they doubled up the quality and backed it up with their reputation. This truly affordable, high-quality scope has a waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof lifetime guarantee.

This scope doesn’t need tools to get it sighted in as it has a solid click of 1/4 turns that holds firm. This is one of the best optics for hunting and just being your everyday rifle. This makes it a very utilitarian scope, reaching out to those longer ranges and those fifty-yard shots, ensuring you come back victorious.

Also Great: Vortex Viper 6.5-20×50 PA Rifle Scope Mil-Dot Reticle

The Vortex Viper 6.5-20×50 PA Riflescope is a great long-range scope, making it very useful for long-distance target and hunting applications. Its Mil-Dot is great for estimating range and windage, helping compensate for distance and bullet drop.

However, the Mil-Dot loses accuracy after 14x, so this must be considered when using windage. That is a small thing for such a powerful and one of the best rifle scopes for the money. Having a 95% light transmission makes near-dark or early dawn lighting problems only a problem for everyone else but not for those with a Vortex Viper.

This is the long-range affordable scope that will let you see your prey very clearly, allowing you to take that crazy shot at that pronghorn standing out there at 600+ yards. Something in the past you never thought would have been possible. This is an impressive value; many have paid three times as much for the same features.

What is the Best Rifle Scope for the Money?

As you can see, these optics are designed specifically with the outdoorsman in mind. They have the toughness you need, with a couple of them being able to handle even those less standard rifles that carry the nickname of “elephant gun,” where one shot can disassemble a lesser scope.

Some of these scopes can even handle rifles like an AR-10, where the shock from the fire rate can shake the scope to pieces. These scopes are also relatively easy to zero, meaning less time sighting in and burning ammo and more time in the field making memories. That is what makes these not only the best optics for hunting but for the range, too. Hopefully, this rifle scope review helps you choose the best rifle scope for your money and needs.

Sources and Official Brand Websites:

Aimpoint  |  Nikon  |  Vortex | Optics Talk | Sniper’s Hide