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A good 1000 yard scope will make the shooting experience a lot more pleasant for you, and will improve your accuracy. When you are choosing a scope, it is important to consider accuracy, the quality of the optics, weight and durability. Here, we will look at some of the best 1000 yard rifle scopes on the market, at a range of different price points, to help you find a scope that will suit your needs, and fit into your budget.
Finding an optic that works can be quite a challenge. At the lower end of the price range, many optics are inaccurate or difficult to calibrate well. At the higher end of the price range, the basic quality is typically better, but figuring out which scopes are worth the extra money – and which are ones where you are ‘paying for the badge’ can be a challenge.
A lot of selecting a scope that works comes down to preference , but once you know what you are looking for, it’s possible to find a high quality scope at any price point.
There are several things you should consider when buying a scope – adjustment, magnification, and budget are a few of the core considerations. You shouldn’t be thinking just about the features of the scope, though – what you are shooting at, the ammo you are shooting with, and where you are shooting also make a difference. Think about the real-world applications you will put the scope under, and buy for those, rather than purely looking at the numbers.
A good scope should have at least 40 MOA you can use for adjustment, with a 100 yard zero. This is key. If you can’t get a 100 yard zero, then shooting in a lot of circumstances will be a pain.
In terms of magnification, you will want to have a magnification of 18x to 25x – to an extent this is a matter of preference. Some people prefer to go to lower than 18x – even as low as 10x, because higher magnifications can make problems such as mirage more noticeable. Some people prefer closer to 25x. Sometimes, it’s a trade-off between budget and field of view.
To an extent, the best 1000 yard rifle scope is ‘whatever scope you can afford that will get the job done’. When your budget is at the higher end, you have a whole wealth of choices and can get bells and whistles that aren’t necessary but that might save you time and make the scope a little easier to use. When you’re on a tight budget, sometimes, the difference between a more expensive scope and a less expensive one is a trade-off that doesn’t make much sense. Pick the features you will use and buy the scope that does the job you need it to do the best. This even applies at the higher end – the Hensoldt 3-26x is a good scope, so is the Vortex GEN2 Razor – yet one costs more than twice as much as the other. Depending on what and where you’re shooting, the more expensive scope might not be the best.
Many people assume that a scope that is made in the USA is better than a scope made in Japan or some other country. That’s not always true. Yes, quality control is high in the states, but it’s also high elsewhere in the world too. When we’re looking at firearm accessories, the country of origin alone is not enough to determine what’s good and what’s not.
By the same token, more magnification doesn’t automatically mean ‘better’. You want to look for a scope that has good lens quality with coatings that will offer good performance in the environment you will shoot in (camo, low light, bright light, etc), and you want to buy something that has a reticle you find easy to read, and that offers easy adjustment for elevation and windage. It takes time to learn how to use a different style of a reticle, so try to get a reticle you’re already familiar with – or expect a little frustration while you get used to it. You may feel that a simple reticle is all you need, or maybe there’s another type you find is much easier for you to read and to line up a shot with. Don’t buy a fancy reticle if you don’t understand what all the markings are – that would be like buying pro running shoes to do a local fun run.
Other useful features include zero stops – that will prevent you from being off a turn, and locks and breaks. The choice between a locking turret and a double turn turret is a matter of preference – locks aren’t something that everyone uses, so if you can save a few dollars by getting a double turn turret instead, and you’re someone that doesn’t use the locking feature, then why not?