Riflescopes with Variable magnification

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LPVO Rifle Scopes

Compact Tactical Rifle Scopes

Medium Range Tactical Rifle Scopes

Introduction

People enjoy going outdoor and observing life outside of four walls. You do not need any particular skill to get in touch with the nature that surrounds you. However, for you to properly observe the subtle happenings you would otherwise miss and to successfully hit a target when hunting, experience, as well as proper gear, is definitely needed.

That is where variable magnification rifle scopes can come in handy, particularly when hunting in a smaller area, as they let the user adjust the magnification so as to focus on the target when moving closer or farther away from it. These rifle scopes can be recognized by the range in their specification, not a particular number. This setting is endless, signifying that the magnification of the rifle scope is not locked.

History

In the beginning, only rifle scopes with fixed magnification were manufactured but as time has moved forward, rifle scopes with variable magnification were produced. As a matter of fact, Kahles was among the first manufacturer to introduce variable magnification rifle scopes and later, all major manufacturers followed in its footsteps.

Now the tables have turned, fixed scopes have fallen out of flavor, and at the moment, only a few manufacturers still produce fixed magnifications rifle scopes and later on, you will be able to see why. We would not call ourselves psychic, but we can certainly predict what the future holds in this scenario and that is that variable magnification scopes will prevail. Let us see why:

Pros

The use of these scopes is extremely versatile. When observing on shorter ranges, the magnification should be turned down, and up when observing on longer ranges. Also, these rifle scopes tend to have a wider field of view, which provides less restriction when observing, which is always an advantage.

Even experienced hunters can get sidetracked and lose focus, but with variable magnification rifle scopes, you get complete and utter control of the device. If the target moves closer, you can just adjust the magnification and regain the focus, so there is no need to worry.

These rifle scopes offer you multiple options – hence the name. On the one hand, at high magnification, you are able to observe the animals as you please and observe the fine details on the target. On the other hand, at lower magnification, you are able to take a shot even if the rifle scope is rested on a shooting stick, or even without support.

Cons

In spite of its many excellent features, the variable magnification rifle scope still has a few drawbacks. The first one is that these scopes do not produce the same light transmission rate as the fixed ones. Because adjustments cannot be made on the latter, they feature only one glass, in comparison to variable magnification scopes, which have numerous glasses in front of the lens, resulting in a lower light transmission rate.

These optics are also bigger in size, as well as weight, and they also sport a bigger tube diameter, usually at least 30 mm. That is why you should always make sure you choose the rifle scope you are comfortable using. Also, you need to set one more setting before the shot, which can prove to be troublesome. There may also be times where the cheaper second focal plane scopes have the option of a movable point of interest when magnification is changed.

Kahles K1050 10-50x56

Zoom Factor

Variable magnification rifle scopes have come a long way, as the zoom ratio they started off with was 2 x and 3 x, now there are scopes with a 10 x zoom ratio. It used to be a standard to have a 3 x zoom in 1-inch tube scopes and a 4 x zoom in 30 mm tube rifle scopes.

More and more manufacturers like Swarovski and IOR began producing rifle scopes with a much wider zoom ratio. Soon after, others, such as Zeiss, Leica, Schmidt & Bender followed. Today, even a 10 x zoom factor is not uncommon, thus the versatility of the rifle scopes is greatly enhanced.

Conclusion

Variable magnification rifle scopes are of great help when wanting to dodge the ongoing debate about which magnification should be used for your hunt, as they provide a lot of diversity in said magnification. It can be adjusted based on where you are at, and what you are after.

These scopes are great for hunting in smaller areas, and for those who love a good challenge of chasing. Even though these scopes may be a bit pricier, they make up for it, as they can be used anywhere. But remember: at the end of the day, pick the scope that meets your level of experience and the intended use.

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Elcan Specter DR 1.5/6x42

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Elcan Specter TR Tri 1/3/9x33

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VIDEO

General properties of Tactical Rifle scopes

Tactical rifle scopes are meant for tactical situations where the importance of the first shot hitting the target is much higher than consistent pinpoint accuracy. Tactical - scope also offers the possibility of range estimation or shifting of the aim point in the reticle to compensate for bullet drop or wind drift.

The most common features of tactical scope are:

Tactical (uncapped) turrets
Tactical reticles (Mil-Dot, etc.)
Tube mounting (30mm, 34mm, 35mm, 36,mm or 40mm)
Minimal magnification from 1x to 6x
Maximal magnification from 12x to 30x
Bigger click values (usually 1cm/100m)
FFP reticle configuration is frequent

A special case of Tactical - scope is also MIL/MIL scope, which could be described also as fully tactical - scope.

Tactical rifle scope- Delta Stryker scope with illuminated reticle

Delta Optical Stryker HD 4.5-30x56 Tactical rifle scope

What makes a scope tactical?

The tactical scope is a scope that features tactical (exposed) turrets, which is the one basic criterion. But there are more.

The optics is tactical if it meets the following requirements:

a magnification between 5x to 25x,
uncapped turrets on the riflescope,
an illuminated reticle,
one-centimeter clicks,
riflescope with the reticle in the first focal plane, and
on more expensive models, a zero stop.

What is the difference between a tactical scope and a hunting scope?

Hunting riflescope is, of course, meant to be used for hunting, whereas a tactical scope is intended to be used in all tactical situations. A hunting scope features a lower magnification range, so hunters can also use a scope in poor light conditions. A tactical scope, however, features a magnification that is on the upper side of the medium range.

Reticle position and turrets on tactical- rifle scope and hunting scope

Hunting scope is also the only type of scope that can be mounted with rails. The reticle is in the second focal plane, which is not the case with tactical scope, as they have a first focal plane reticle.

The turrets on hunting scope are capped low-profile hunting turrets, whereas tactical scope features uncapped turrets.

Tactical scope Kahles

Kahles K318i 3.5-18x50 tactical rifle scope

What is the difference between a tactical - scope and a target scope?

As mentioned, the purpose of the tactical scope is to be used in all tactical situations. Target scope, on the other hand, is meant for precision shooting. Compared to tactical scopes’ 5x to 25x magnification, target ones have an extremely high one, which is up to 55x.

Reticle position in Tactical scope and Target scope

The tactical scope features a first focal plane reticle, and target scope a second focal plane reticle. What is more, with a target scope, if the user has enough knowledge and experience, they can also use it for hunting.

The characteristics of tactical riflescope (the main one being the FFP reticle), make them suitable only for tactical shooting purposes.

Riflescopes with Variable magnification

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