Best Rifle Scope Under $500: 10 scopes tested head-to-head

[@tec9944]

This is literally probably the best scope review ever, I can't even fathom how much effort and time and detail went into testing all of this for all of us, so for that thank you you got my like!

[@corystump8253]

Literally….😢

[@jasonbubb1275]

I really hope you do this video again in 2024. Scopes have changed and we NEED another review.....Please

[@bigkhuntry72]

Agreed. Shopping for scopes now and would love an updated

[@DirtyBirdDiesel]

​@bigkhuntry72 literally same came here because of this need a 2024 update

[@TheProudNorth]

Yes update needed

[@sikaseeker3598]

Yes please! I’d also like an update

[@ariankozlansky6348]

Agreed. Need update

[@blantant]

We appreciate the time and effort that went into this. This is really one of the best scope reviews I have ever seen.

[@dansherwood9851]

The leupold freedom 6-18x40. I've got several with custom turrets. Lightweight, decent glass. Great for a lightweight mtn rifle.$500

[@Jags4don]

Thanks for the review. I purchased the Arken Sp5-25 as I no longer can afford the higher end scopes and was very pleased with the quality of these scopes. I bought a second one and am still at 1/3 the price of many scopes. I find I can go out and shoot more as I have several rifles with a good scope versus one rifle with an excellent scope.

[@dakotaman4861]

I paid $530 for my Arken 5-25x56. I did a detailed comparison with the Nightforce ATACR. Pretty much the same in terms of quality, precision and operation. I was shocked at the exceptionally high value. It shoots in the .1 MOA to .2 MOA range and acts like a $3500 scope. Amazing! My only issue is the reticle dot on 25x covers more than .5 MOA at 1000 yards so scoring high on NRA 1000 yard targets is tough. It's also covers prairie dogs at that range. Ideal for hunting or PRS competition.

[@tassolovesar15s]

I loved my Arken! I only sold it to get another with higher magnification.

[@petergeorge1544]

An important consideration is warranty. I decided to test the Burris forever warranty. I had a 2-7 Burris that I took of a rifle 20 years ago that would no longer hold zero, this scope is now about 40 years old. I took it to my local gun shop, they sent it to the importer for examination and they subsequently replaced it with a new 3-9 scope at no cost. That is an unbeatable warranty. I subsequently bought a 4.5-14 Burris and am very happy with both scopes

[@edstimator1]

I had a similar experience with a Leupold. I was told if I found a Leupold scope on the side of a freeway, they would replace it.

[@johnmorgan8075]

@@edstimator1 I had someone leave a busted vari-x 2 at the gun shop I used to work at. I sent it back and leupold rebuilt it no questions asked. They told me the serial number was from the 60’s

[@davidgribble263]

Like Burris scopes. No problems !!

[@keithprinn720]

used to sell and use sage fly rods similar warranty so great.

[@grubalaboocreosote4774]

I was looking at Vortex because of their warranty. I wasn’t aware that other scope companies have just as good warranties.

[@kweeks10045]

Good video. A couple of years ago I took out a newer Redfield($199), Leupold Marksman($229), vari-x I, II, III, and new Mark 5 ($2099) and tested them side by side. Even the difference between the Vari-x I and II was considerable in low light transmission and clarity. For the bulk of people, I would guess that the $199-$299 offerings were sufficient. But a scope like the vari-x III or "better" can really make the difference, especially in low light conditions.

[@richrudley2650]

Being a competition shooter and were spending $2000.00 plus on a target scope. It would be a Night Force. Or other top quality scope. It depends on the use of the scope and your wallet.

[@Deltathegoldenretriever]

That’s the only thing I care about the most is how it does in low light situations and the Vortx that I have had don’t even compare to the Leopold’s in low light transmission

[@ulflyng]

Low light is generally the problem

[@gk5891]

I see myself as a typical hunter. I'm not a competion shooter. These are my priorities: 1. Ruggedness 2. Optical Quality 3. Coatings Whether or not I get 55 MOA or 60 MOA for 240 clicks isn't really where I want to spend my money. I want it to hold zero and not break when it gets dropped down the side of a mountain. I want to be able to judge a rack through the scope at 400 yd and I want to be able to shoot at legal light in deep woods. I don't want to pay for 2,000 yard glass clarity or Zeiss Diavara light gathering ability. I'm not going to be shooting 1 mile targets at midnight.

[@meagleo]

Watching you punt all the scopes into the pool was oddly satisfying.

[@richardscoresby]

I was estimating the $$$ thousands in potential loss.

[@mrtundra3157]

I looked and researched for felt like ever glad I got the vortex funny thing is I only use the parallax the other adjustments are set and forget just use the hold overs.

[@ceaton39]

1:18 seconds into the video and I nearly threw up my crayons.

[@gmanchurch]

Yep

[@jeremyhawkins9246]

@@richardscoresby r

[@cfrank925]

That Burris looks right up my alley! Thanks for putting this together for new guys trying to get out into the field.

[@KendallGray1]

Bro you're the goat! Thanks for doing this!

[@brassvulcher8207]

yeah be sure to use the link😂

[@Bitter_Blueberry]

Flaunting that money again. "Look at my house!" "I bought all these myself!" "Look at my pool!" No one cares. It's a scope video.

[@Mrmf_king]

@@Bitter_Blueberry somebody’s angry

[@2017Toy]

@@Bitter_Blueberry that's a stupid reply nothing wrong with having money as long as money don't have you I love this channel awesome review

[@pistoreroloco]

Primary arms top budget unless you want to drop tht$$$ on the gold

[@fstarockaburns425]

you are the reason me and the wife bought 2 hunting rifles last weekend! Thanks for all the gr8 info - u helped us narrow our choice down to 5 which cabelas all had - we walked away with the last 2 7mm tikka t3x's! Just incredible weight and feel - thanks a ton!

[@seeratlasdtyria4584]

Damned fine choice!

[@erikleirmo9147]

Love Tikkas they’re the best for the money

[@stephenhorvath391]

Hey Jim! Just want to thank you for all the time you put into your videos and how honest you are about the experiences you have with all test subjects. I have referred a bunch of people to your channel and I love the mentality that Backfire operates on. Special thanks from Canada!

[@backfire]

Thanks Stephen! I really appreciate the support.

[@mikolajorzechowski2423]

also from canada and also recommend to all shooters i know! plus kinda fun to see that the scope on my 308 be the winner

[@aaronfox5559]

@@backfire Can you do a video on the best yards to sight a scope in at? Or how you sight your scopes in? Thanks for all the content!

[@robertsmentkowski312]

@@aaronfox5559 One way to sight in a scope for range is to set it so that the distance from the top of the bullet's flight to the bottom is 8 inches (20cm) over that distance for deer. Thus, within that distance, the bullet will ALWAYS be in the "kill' zone, which is 8 inches for a deer. Other game, different size critical zones. While there is a name for this practice, it escapes me. So, a bullet sighted in for 200 yards may likely be flying (impacting) 1.5 inches high at 100 yards and is 5 inches low at 300 yards. So, if the animal is at 300 hundred yards, aiming at the center of the target area (on a deer is 8 inches, top to bottom), the impact will be too low by one inch (4-5= -1). OK, bear with me . . . When that scope on that rifle is sighted in at a range where, from 0 yards out to (let's say) 320 yards, the bullet's rise and drop, when aimed at center mass of the 8 inch 'kill' zone, is 4 inches up and 4 inches down, a hunter can aim at that center and be CERTAIN that the bullet's impact will always be within that 'kill' zone from 0 to 320 yards. One doesn't have to aim high or low; one aims center and the bullet will impact from +4" to -4" out to 320 yards. Consider drawing out on paper what I wrote to clarify this method. Beyond 320 yards, one must know the drop beyond 320.

[@stevensaxon8888]

@@backfire what is your thoughts on aHi-Lux Uni-Dial 5X-30X56 Ballistic Turret Rifle Scope or Hi-Lux PentaLux TAC-V 4X-20X50 Rifle Scope?

[@Theother1089]

Thanks for all your hard work, here in the UK we pay far more for anything firearm related, so it's great to have a starting point to work from. In my experience, scopes earn their money from 100 yards onwards, I generally shoot 22LR out to 100, but i'm toying with the idea of a 22WSM to compliment it and a 223 for 300 yards, peace and love from Surrey ( where Harry Potter lived) lol.

[@louiscapasso4452]

Jim, I'd like to say thanks for the opportunity to come and participate in this. It was a blast, and a tough time with that many choices. Your choices are spot on.

[@jerrymayo4571]

Lucky-dog, I'm envious! Jim's personality intelligence, and dedication shine in his videos, I would love to meet him The community is very blessed to have this man

[@KevinWood44]

All jokes aside....THANK YOU!!!! This is pure honesty for a change!! Arken and Blackhound, like Vortex, has bought the opinions of so many youtubers...I greatly appreciate your honesty!! The Blackhound and Arken, while both decent scopes for the money, have terrible chromatic aberration and both have reticle issues (Arken too thin and Blackhound too 'busy') As far as what u mentioned about the larger objective lens bringing in more light. I know that has always been the what people think but I personally do not. **Here is how you should look at it....if you held a straw north/south at noon and next to it you held another straw with a HUGE funnel on top of it to pull more light down the straw....the result of light coming thru the 2 straws would be IDENTICAL!!!! You can not force more light through the same size straw, regardless of the objective lens!!! And the larger body 34mm vs 30mm vs 1" DEF does not effect light, only allows more turret travel.

[@rubenalonso722]

This channel is slowly but surely sneaking to be one of my favorites to watch.

[@craigdaugherty1656]

I have an Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50 FFP in MOA Reticle and it functions perfectly for me. As for turrets, I removed the heavy grease from the turrets and used a light weight oil. It made the clicks louder and more tactile.

[@gerrygadget]

I've been waiting for this review FOREVER! Thank you so much!

[@tristnsedora7790]

This is the first of your videos I have seen and I love it.

[@Mrkelsmiller55]

Good video, I have Vortex Tactical in a MRAD on my 6.5 CM and my .300 Win Mag. It is an amazing scope. It took me a while to learn the MRAD (Mils) but once you learn it, to me it is better than the MOA. Thank you for another great video.

[@Nicholas-im8bd]

It’s easier to calc adjustments... and you don’t have to move the torrents as much to get to your desired adjustment. That said... one click on a 1/4 Moa scope is .25”.... and one click on a MRAD scope is .37”... so the MOA scope has more/finer adjustment

[@BornHandy]

Great video. I kept finding videos that were just compilations of scope advertisements, but you actually took the time. Thank you.

[@darrylpacholko5495]

I have 2 Diamondback HP 4-16 x42 Vortex scopes. I mounted 1 of them on a Weatherby Vanguard 7mm rem mag. Our whitetail season starts on the 15th of November. 7 minutes into legal shooting time a buck steps out and I harvested him. The light transmission was excellent in the low-light conditions. I love Vortex, the price, quality and warranty are comparable to anyone else. I paid 429.00 for mine here in Canada.

[@walkdowntuck799]

have you tried the hog hunter, if so what do you think about it?

[@darrylpacholko5495]

@@walkdowntuck799 haven't tried it.

[@adamgross393]

Hello, I watched this after completing my scope shopping and some of the scopes I was looking at during my research were in this video! I ended up with a bigger version of the diamondback tactical over the Arken! At the end of the day I would have been very happy with either of these. Awesome video with great information!

[@Jakefrc]

I actually own both of the Vortex scopes in this video. The crossfire is on my air rifle and the diamondback is on my 6.5 creedmoor. I find the glass to be pretty nice to look through on both of them. The lack of parallax on the crossfire is a shame especially on an air rifle but it’s only on a plinker for a bit of fun, so it does the job.

[@JeepsCafe]

One year later this vid is still helping me decid on which scope to get for my next bolty or boltie. Thanks again for this informative video.

[@backfire]

Links to the exact models of scopes in this test are in my blog post: backfire.tv/best-rifle-scope-under-500-10-scopes-tested-head-to-head/ I did my best to give good reasoning to support my personal choices for the winners here, but seriously these are all good quality scopes. If you end up with an Athlon, Primary Arms, Leupold, or any other because of your personal preferences, you’ll have a good scope too. Also, I really think I just got an unlucky copy of a Blackhound. There are tons of positive reviews of Blackhound scopes, so don’t let my experience dissuade you from working with a great company like Blackhound. However, I had to be honest about the flaws I experienced with mine.

[@louiscapasso4452]

LPVO's next?

[@wolverinekut]

I don’t think that you have to worry about that, thank you Sir👍

[@ronws2007]

I don't have the Primary Arms ACSS scopes but I would like to have one just because I like that varmint ranging reticle they have. IV8888 did a review of them that worked out well.

[@borkwoof696]

Was the water in that pool chlorinated?

[@ronws2007]

@@borkwoof696 A person could fall or trip an the rifle and scope could wind up in a creek or river for a moment or two. I am hoping o-rings could hold up to that.

[@Marcus_Shaw]

Great review, thanks. Weird how many still don't like mrad turrets when their reticles are Mildot. It's just a 1/1000 ratio so you can use it for millimetres, inches or bananas if you want. If you have a Mildot reticle and a 1/10 mrad turret on a FFP scope and your POI is 1 dot off your POA then that's 10 clicks, whatever the distance. If its on a SFP scope then it's 10 clicks on 10x magnification, 5 clicks on 5 times magnification, 20 clicks on 20 times magnification etc.

[@TheAzryll]

Thanks for taking the time and money to put this together. I always look forward to your videos. If we get enough affiliate clicks will you do another scope round up around $1,000? I did like this format but wouldn't of minded a longer video with a point system like you did with the rifles last year. Keep up the great work!

[@michaelmignone5869]

Around $1000, my bet would be on Leupold vx6. I got the older one before they changed them all for around $860. The glass is really clear, love the car reticle, which turns off and on by itself, the tube frame looks really thin when looking through and scope is nice and lightweight at just under 15oz. The only complaints I've read about the scope are the brightness adjustment is a push button instead of a dial and the cmr2 washes out in bright sunlight. I've never found these to be issues, push button works fine just press until cycles to right brightness and in bright sunlight I'm not using illumination anyway.

[@dakotadickens3747]

@@michaelmignone5869 took a vx6 and the Burris full field e1 from this video and show both on the same gun in low light. The Burris was actually clearer and let more light in. Thought it was the weirds bs. But if you spend $300 on a scope you’ll have a good scope now days. 90% of scope out shoot the person behind the gun. Same woth guns now days

[@idontwantahandle323]

I keep seeing people rave about Athlon. Several groups I'm in, they're a favorite. "Why spend the money on (brand XYZ) when the Athlon is " just as good" for half the price?" So I saw one in a case the other day, and I got excited. I'd never looked through one. And I'm all about paying for performance not a name. And I looked through a Leupold VX3, Then a Freedom, a Vortex Crossfire (meh), and then the Athlon (6-24X, I don't remember the model). And I have to tell you... What are you Athlon guys smoking? The eyebox wasn't great at low zoom, but it all but disappeared at max zoom. Was in a very large big box store. And was scoping the ceiling at the far corner, and making out the texture in the block wall with the other 3 scopes I looked through. But that Athlon... I messed with the focus, the parallax. Anything over like 14X it just looked like there was a fire in the store it got so hazy. The counter guy looked too. Said it might just be dirty. He pulled a lens cloth out and tried his best to clean it up. But he finally agreed it sucked next to even the Freedom, both in the same zoom. But he said they sold a lot of them. Now... Durability, warranty, etc. maybe they're great overall. But it felt like handling the BSA I bought off eBay back in college to me...

[@timferguson593]

New scope names, give me a Leupold every time.

[@nickwashburn723]

Cool, recently bought my first bolt action rifle and topped it off with my first real scope (been mostly into pistols and AR's, but since I've gotten into reloading ive been more into doing some precision shooting) and I chose the diamondback tactical 4-16x44. Looks like I made a good choice

[@dillonlyon8947]

A friend of mine is switching all his bushnell scope out for Burris. Much better for about the same money. Great video and great information. Thank you

[@ag4allgood]

Really liked the way you decided to review these scopes. Throw out the disqualified right off the bat. Narrow the field. Thank you for a very smart review of these scopes.

[@johnknouse8846]

I figured I was gonna disagree, but I have 2 Leupold Freedom series scopes and 2 Vortex Diamondback Tactical scopes. All have been fantastic! When I got my most recent rifle (6.5 creedmoor precision rifle) I looked at Blackhound, Arken, Primary Arms, and Sig, but I knew I loved my last Vortex, so I got their 6-24 this time. Fantastic scope.

[@samuelmoncrief8503]

This is one of the most entertaining and pleasing gun/gear review videos I have ever watched. Liked, subscribed, and clicked ALL affiliate links. You've outdone yourself and I am looking forward to watching you in the future. THANK YOU!!!

[@knoxflier5171]

Good review. A few months ago I bought the last Althos you showed at my local Academy, so got to look it over before I bought. Overall I’m very please for the relatively low cost vs features and performance. I mounted it on a premium springer air rifle as it has focus for those ranges, and is supposed to withstand dual direction recoil these powerful springers put out. Happy with my choice, glad to see in top 3 here and could definitely recommend for the money.

[@Drew-hy6zr]

The best review ever, thanking you!!

[@jwjenkins421]

I have an athlon Argos 6-24 x 50 ffp mil on my hunting rifle, I have a primary arms 4-14 x 44 ffp mil I really like the r-grid 2b reticle on this scope. the PA is on my muzzleloader I really like both scopes. The Argos was originally around 400, and the primary arms was on sale for 269 or something like that. I've not done anything with the vortex diamondback, but I love their warranty and customer service.

[@joshwalker7839]

I have the same Argos scope on my rifle. It has held up great.

[@taylorbokshowan5713]

I’d say that Argos would edge out the Arken. I haven’t played much with the Arken but that Argos is a tough cookie for its price

[@jwjenkins421]

@@taylorbokshowan5713 I've enjoyed mine it helped me shoot a cow elk at 465 yards. And lots of shooting outside of hunting. This year I have a rifle elk tag and a rifle deer tag, hope I can find animals to make my gun work some more.

[@mikedoingmikethings702]

I agree with the Diamondback… over the years I have tried premier, athlon, usoptics, Burris, nikon, nightforce and I slowly turning into a Vortex fanboy. I had the first gen razon, pst and hst and lately, I got the venom. In a couple of weeks, I should be getting the diamond back tactical… Vortex have been great for budget minded enthusiasts and the feature you get for what you paid for can’t be beat! Not to mention a no questions ask top notch customer service… Plus, it is made in the Philippines, I am very proud that the country I grew up in is making the best product in the world!!!

[@Critical-Defense]

I really like Crimson Trace optics and the scopes they have released relatively recently (3 years ago or so) and they are also made in the Philippines. It’s quite interesting, the Philippines may end up being widely known for creating quality optics in the near future.

[@HatsuneM1ku01]

@@Critical-DefenseI’ve had a few crimson products and they were all dumpster fires, they feel like the psa special liek something you’d get off of Amazon for 49 bucks. Just like those crap red dots for 25 beans off of Amazon. I’d stay far away from them. There’s a reason they are that cheap and it’s not because are a great value

[@mountain_man_7626]

Professional, quality, thorough reviews. Love this channel. Keep up the outstanding work!!! Great info!

[@bradleyvandyke1056]

Awesome work. Best channel on KZbin.

[@aldean6333]

I started using that Burris on my hunting rifle. Has a numbered reticle that is super easy to use.

[@bonwestlake3928]

Perfect timing! My dad is a Burris guy. I was convinced that my Leopold Gold Ring guy. Now I bow hunt in Montana but I’m gearing up for coyotes and the upcoming pig invasion from Canada. I’ll put that Burris on my .22-250. Thanks again, I’m subscribing!

[@Craig_4G63]

I recently purchased a Athlon Midas TAC 4-16x44mm, and it is an amazing scope in the mid range price bracket. We don't have quite the choice of brands available to us in Australia, and I wanted a scope basically the same as the Vortex Diamondback Tactical in specs (4-16, FFP, tactical exposed turret, side focus, milrad, lifetime warranty). I had a little more to budget and I really couldn't find a bad review for the Athlon Midas TAC, but I think the Vortex for almost half the price is one hell of a scope on paper.

[@DB.KOOPER]

I love my PA 3-18x50. Great scope and PA has the best, most versatile and usable reticles.

[@bluepunk182]

I own a few PA and Athlons. They have been great (all of them are under $350). I've shot a buddy's gun that has a similar Vortex, and it was gorgeous as well. Definitely think you had solid picks for your top 3. I love how good first focal plane scopes are within the everyman's budget. Monstrum makes some decent stuff, but you're definitely sacrificing quality at that point. They'll do the job for deer hunting in the midwest though, where you're shooting within 150 yards 90%+ of the time...just not for long range or precision.

[@richrudley2650]

Athlon scopes are made in China. Except for the ones that cost $1000.00 or more. As long as I can avoid buying something from China I will do so gladly. That's the way I feel.

[@ethancapps2021]

I literally just got my vortex diamondback tactical 4-16x44 in the mail today!!! I was waiting for this video to come out I'm so stoked it is a good buy!!!

[@ronws2007]

I have two of the Diamondback Tactical 6-24 / 50 mm. When I changed some of my rifles to have the Vortex Venom, I had these laying around. I just got a TC Compass II in .308 Win and put one on there. I just really like that reticle. I also have the Crossfire II 3-9 / 40 mm, which is good for basic hunting. I just happen to like the EBR-2C reticle in the Diamondback Tactical. Good turrets. durable construction.

[@nataliedeyton6829]

They are outstanding scopes ... I have 4 the only true downfall is if you are hunting with it forget about shooting early morning or late evening because you can’t see the crosshairs... I had to let a big buck walk last year because of low light.

[@ronws2007]

@@nataliedeyton6829 good point for last available light. So, I get a smidge more with the 50 mm bell. I want a scope that I could hunt and do long range with that was not to heavy. Mine is 24.5 ounces. My Venom scopes are 35 ounces and compete more with the other 6-24 / 50 scopes, like the Arken and the Blackhound.

[@shawnwood4317]

Great job. You answered all my questions. I appreciate you honesty and sincerity, truly rare these days that's going to be the go to scope on my prime rifles. Thank you again keep up the great content. I liked and became a new subscriber.

[@joshuabrown7906]

Thank you so much for your review! Your channel has come to occupy a niche that was in desperate need of being filled in the hunting/shooting sports genre of youtube channels.

[@robfahnestock6930]

Thanks!

[@86mhayez]

I had previously researched this same topic and Vortex DB came in on top …it’s great to know that someone like you validates my restart👍🏼👊🏽

[@Antiliblife187]

Excellent video! I’ve been really happy with my Vortex diamondback on my AR after years of use it has never let me down. I was happy to see it take 1st overall.

[@Dalesarty]

I’ve been waiting for this one. Great job appreciate all your hard work and time put into honest testing and reviews.

[@tommarymarking1579]

This is really interesting and informative. I've bought the vortex for two of my rifles and this makes me feel very confident of my choice. Great content.

[@michaelnelson1911]

Great video. You can’t beat Vortex’s warranty. What a great optics company. Great bang for the buck and pretty easy to find. Great choice of tests! Loved your house and yard.

[@Kyle-sr6jm]

I spent over a decade working in gunshops. I have seen more Vortex go back for work than any other optic. The best warranty, is an optic that doesn't need work.

[@jessegarman7899]

This is the review that I have been looking for. Finally someone took the time to go though all of this. I like how you broke it down into different catagories of use. Thank you

[@LB-vn1lu]

Thanks for doing this. There are so few comparative reviews of scopes. This kind of work adds a lot to our knowledge, and hopefully our ability to chose a scope that will work best for us. Great work!

[@spudboyQ]

Best scope comparison video that I have seen by a long shot. Very enjoyable presentation as well. Thank you.

[@Bubblyhiccups]

The vast majority of inexperienced shooters prefer MOA. once you go MIL, you never go back. Height or width of target in inches x27.7 divided by height or width of target in MIL = range in yards. It’s a very simple formula. There’s no need to use metric with the MIL system despite the common misconception.

[@fuhq5121]

Yeah sounds simple enough. Just need to tape a calculator to my rifle and I'm good to go!

[@iliaskaranzas1382]

The was majority of american shooters you mean….

[@TacticalBuffoonary]

The neophytes use moa to keep their intelligence level in the “I don’t understand anything” category. 😘

[@rickrazz7136]

I agree, NSSF does an excellent job clarifying how you can easily convert a mrad reticle to yards... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWakeKZ-iK6mjNE

[@dakotaman4861]

With all due respect, there are plenty of shooters who do better with MOA scopes. In America ALL shooters are familiar with inches and a subtension that reduces the holdover increment to even inches at every 100 yard incremental range is very easy for Americans to understand. MOA scopes can determine range at the maximum magnification or the middle magnification just fine with a similar formula. Most Americans that want to know range carry a rangefinder, mainly because it is MUCH more accurate at any range beyond 600 yards. By 1000 yards, you need to be accurate to + or - 1 yard if you want to hit a coyote. You won't get that with a scope subtension or estimating the unknown size of the target. Although, you may be trained in more mathematics and target knowledge than most American shooters, even you probably don't know the height or width of a prairie dog, a white tail deer, a mule deer, an antelope or an elk from 800 yards away... all likely game that you might encounter on one hunt. Worse yet, is it a baby prairie dog? An adolescent or an adult male? Another issue for many shooters is the fact that most MRAD scopes are only offered in First Focal Plane configuration. This choice can NOT be used by long range varmint shooters and competitive target shooters because on the highest magnification, the reticle often covers their entire point of aim. Have you ever tried actually shooting a 1193 yard prairie dog with your MIL scope using your holdover calculation? The calculation is finite but the eyeball guess of the reticle fit or dimension of the target is flawed, making the result insufficient for a hit. The net truth is that MRAD, MOA, 1st and 2nd focal plane, max magnification, etc. all have effective uses. You just need to get the combination that matches your intended use and support equipment.

[@beanaddict]

Guys like you make buying much easyier,putting the time in to give us a better understanding of certain things which we might over look. Nice1

[@sethgriffin6014]

I’ve been waiting all week to watch. Now I can sleep 😂

[@sethgriffin6014]

PS we all appreciate the effort you put into these videos. You really deserve more recognition than what ya get.

[@richcifelli7777]

Thanks VERY MUCH for this really excellent review! I've been searching for something in the 5-25x ballpark, and picked the Diamondback Tactical. For what it's worth, I spent a frustrating 4 hours trying to get point of aim and point of impact to line up...I finally did get close, but as I had no confidence in my ability to make any kind of adjustments with predictable outcome, I sent it back...

[@romansivers]

An unbelievable amount of work (and money I’m sure)! What a great content! Thank you for producing this!

[@Javamanjonny]

Love your videos. I went with the Burris Fullfield IV 4-16x50, not reviewed, but your take on the Burris helped me make my decision.

[@kevink552]

Great test, coincidentally I just bought the Vortex you picked as the top choice! I bought it for NRL22x competition, used it in the September match and was quite satisfied, the eyebox is large which really helps in switching back and forth between close and far targets. One scope I'm very pleased with is the Bushnell 4.5x18 AR illuminated scope, it comes with different target turrets and they work very well. Wish you would have tested it instead of the one you chose.

[@adamhuntoon355]

Just bought the exact same Burris and glad to hear you speak highly of it! Can't wait to get to the range

[@curtisd8206]

For the price point you really can't beat vortex optics. Love my tactical 4-16x44. And vortex warranty and customer service is also worth mentioning

[@mrs.vasquezz]

For the same price i got the Leupold MK3HD 4-12

[@redpepper70]

I just can't believe how much effort you put into each of your videos. this is an awesome video! thank you so much!

[@sabertachet]

I love my Athlon Talos 4-16x40. Lightweight, adjustable objective, illuminated and has a drop reticle. For the money it's tough to beat.

[@SeanMurphy00]

What caliber rifle do you have it on? I’m torn between the athlon talos and the swampfox patriot.

[@sabertachet]

​@@SeanMurphy00 it's on a 308 win and I've done the math on the drop for the second focal plane reticle. On 14x power it's best for most 150gr pills and on 12x power it works for most 180gr pills. If anyone has this exact scope comment below I'll add the drop numbers based on magnification.

[@robertelias3431]

Jim this was the best scope review I have ever seen. Thank you very much for sharing all of your work and time. U dun good!

[@northernoutdooradventures3883]

Can you release the full 30 minute version too? I want to see the overcomplicated point system!

[@angrydads]

Very thorough reviews, thank you for your time in putting this together. Great episode.

[@derekskinner2347]

Own the vx freedom for hunting..... love it . Some friends and I shoot .22 rifle matches at 100yds. I own an athlon neos rimfire a friend in the group uses the talos. Athlon to us has superior lens quality to same price point scopes. Vortex has never impressed with lens quality to me.

[@alwworld6953]

Absolutely the best video for giving great pointers for what to look for in selecting a rifle scope.

[@backfire]

Thank you!

[@kbgooddoctor2690]

Nice job thanks for the impartial analysis . Ah here's a tip if possible mount scopes and fire #5 rounds each test . I've personally found shell shock to weed out defects ,especially with snappy calibers such as magnums . The Pool drop also says a lot ,as you yourself mentioned water intrusion is a Huge factor . Hunters encounter fogging from freezing to hot humid camp as well as field conditions ,so water intrusion is a NO GO on any scope IMO .

[@nickweiskopf3833]

this was the BEST video on the topic by far. THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@glennanderson2790]

One brand that is often overlooked is Sightron, the S-Tac models would have done well in this review.

[@curt8641]

Amazing dedication Mr. Backfire. I am a bit of a nut case that i would do something to a quarter this degree for my own info, but for you to do this in "The hopes someone will appreciate my science". I certainly do. Thank you again sir.

[@andrewrussell2513]

Excellent video. Hopefully you can get enough support to do one for a higher price category. Will you be publishing the comparison data you have for the different test criteria?

[@rontruocchio5744]

good video. i prefer the leupold for my hunting scope because of the edge to edge picture and light weight .the small diameter eye box and bell lets me mount the scope nice and low . the finger adjustments are no match compared to the other scopes but if you just set it and forget it theres no problem

[@sylverbullit7192]

Great review! I'm impressed with how many different scopes you had, and many tests were conducted. Nice to have a few great options under $500. And, you kept the video less than 15 minutes. You gained another subscriber and link clicker. I've had the Primary Arms SLx with the 6.5 Creedmoor reticle for two years and love it. Relieved it did well in your test, lol!

[@mck3131]

Ill be the first to admit... i fast forwarded to the conclusion portion of this video to find the quivk verdict. Watced for 2 mins and the content was so well put together i went back and watcjed the entire thing

[@backfire]

Appreciate the kind comment. Thank you!

[@ChristianGrest]

Really good and thorough comparison. New subscriber. I've owned a couple of the Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44, did atleast one video on them a couple of years back and I have to agree...it's really a great scope for the money. I don't miss it not having illumination either as honestly I don't tend to use that feature a ton anyways.

[@houndsmanone4563]

Truly enjoyed the info you passed about these scopes. Your arduous efforts saved me money, time, and a lot of frustration b/c I could not determine which scope I was ultimately going to get for my lever action Long Ranger 5.56, Appreciate all the work you've done to provide such detailed information.

[@mauser8515]

Arken has an excellent tactile feel, with pour glass. I've got an SH4, and while it is beautiful at low power, the higher you zoom the more washed out it gets. Diamond back suffers from the same issue. When you use them at dawn, dusk, sunny days the picture is white washed. For $400 I'd rather have a Helos BTR GEN II. It has none of the issues that the others have. I even like the VX Freedom with its mushy turrets , bc the glass is so much better.

[@davidvecerkauskas1553]

Hey bud I’m looking for a new scope for my hunting rifle what you recommend illuminated under $600

[@mauser8515]

@@davidvecerkauskas1553 With those specs, $600 & Illuminated you could find an older Leupold VX-R or a new VX3HD with firedot. Leupold don't have the best turrets, but their glass is better than anything in the Arken, Vortex lineup for the same price. Trijicon also have some interesting scopes and you could find them used for around $500-600. Personally I don't have an Illuminated reticle on any of my dedicated hunting rifles. I've got Zeiss, Leupold mostly due to them being lightweight and less bulky. On my competition rifles I have Leupold, SWFA HD, Night force, Athlon Midas TAC, and Arken. It really depends on what you idea of hunting is. If you are hunting the open planes of Wyoming , or the rocky mountains then a Athlon Helos BTR GEN 2 could be a really good option. If you are hunting thickets, brush, etc then a LPVO could do really well. If you are in mixed hardwood, meadows, planes, swamps then a 3.5-10 with parallax adjustment could be the ticket. If you hunt beanfields then a 4.5-14 could do really well and also help with target clarification. We are talking about the difference between an old buck and a young buck, not glassing a field with a loaded rifle. It really boils down to your hunting style and rifle. For instance I have a 30-06 Remington 700 with short 21" barrel and it wears a 1.5-5 Leupold VX3i. It is a truck rifle and needs to be loaded and put on target very quickly for pigs, and coyotes. My 6.5x284 Norma on a Savage Model 10 has a 4.5-14x50mm VX3i AO and is for those rainy days when I hunt open lands. It is superbly accurate, so a higher magnification is justifiable. My Ruger No1 in 270 Weatherby Mag. Wears a 3.5-10x40mm AO for a mixture of hardwood, pine thickets, and meadows. This keeps the package slim. My Model 70 featherweight wears a Zeiss Conquest with 40mm objective for a mixture of forest types as well. It and the Ruger No. 1 are my main hunting rifles. I have a custom Mauser 98k in 257 Roberts and it wears aperture sights. No scope. My 45-90 Sharps is also without optics. Both are sunny day hunting rifles. Not meant for early morning or late afternoon hunts.

[@therapinape9757]

@@mauser8515 I love putting a lpvo on bolt actions. I currently have my tikka t3 308 with a viper pst 1-6

[@mauser8515]

@@therapinape9757 Sounds like a winner. I've already taken a buck this year with my LPVO equipped 6.5 Grendel. Best wishes, happy new year.

[@therapinape9757]

@@mauser8515 I wanna get a 6.5 grendel. How is it? I have a 350 legend ar I need to get a 1-10 for

[@dakotaman4861]

Great summary of a lot of good work. Thanks for posting. I consider all but the Crossfire to be tactical scopes. None of these are accurate enough for competition shootng. None of these are light enough for most deer hunting applications unless is prairie mule deer hunting. FYI, my top selection criteria for scopes in this category are: 1. Precision - There is a lot more to it than the knob. I shoot several 5 shot groups on a precision rifle at 100, 300 and 600 yards. None of these scopes have exceptional parallax control and it could kill you at 600 yards and beyond. Your group of scopes may vary by a couple of inches at 100 yards across this line of products. That's why some scopes look identical to these but cost thousands. By the way, the Vortex Crossfire does not need a parallax control knob because it only has 12x as a magnification. You will see the same on the Diamondback 4-12x40 (the best hunting scope in this group). 2. Reliability. Some of these just might break down when you need them in the field. A friend had a BSA that shot really well for 20 shots and then broke for good. Your pool test was actually quite good because that one scope would fog up on you the first cold day (it couldn't hold Nitrogen or Argon). Another example: plastic guts don't hold up nearly as well as metal guts but you can't see that from the outside. Vortex does use all aluminum in the Diamondbacks, even for the turret knobs and has the best lifetime transferable warranty of any product in the world . They would be out of business if their products broke very often. 3. Field of view for a hunting scope. Look through all these and you will see a wider view in the Diamondback (at least I did in the 4-12x44 version). This lets you get on target quickly. Some just don't have it. Most of the scopes in this class are not optimum for a hunting rifle. They are too heavy and cumbersome. All the exposed knobs could introduce error in quick shots. The Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40 (non-tactical) is the top scope in this range for hunting.

[@bobbreit5244]

I LOVE VORTEX! Every time I've had to fix anything or get a part for a used piece, they were friendly and sent me exactly what I needed comp. I am a total fan and would run their gear anytime, anywhere. And do.

[@allanj4576]

All my optics are Vortex, scopes, binoculars, range finder. They’ve got options for every price range and an awesome warranty.

[@hardball107]

I have to agree with you. I've had many scopes on different rifles, many that you are testing and some have been just dogs for me. I purchased a used Savage 12FV in 6.5 Creedmoor 4 years ago, got it for a song without optics. My son works Nuclear Security and their division was equipping their long guns with Vortex Optics. After a year he swore by them so I got a deal on a 6x24x50 with the MOA reticle for my 12FV. It's been a fantastic scope, done everything I needed, has a great warranty, I love the turret set up and it has my rifle holding .3" 5 shot groups at 100. At 300 it's like phoning home, dial in your elevation, dope the wind and you get steel on target. Loaded with my 90gr. handloads 500 yard shots on woodchucks has a great success rate and when on farm hedgerows my 129gr. loads are deadly on Whitetails. That scope just works for anything I throw at it.

[@jezsez5074]

I own 2x vortex strike eagles and a venom. The compare well with my nightforce atacrs (x2). Any difference between them isn’t worth the 400% extra purchase price. Additionally, I’ve tested the forever warranty here in Australia and found it to be exactly what it says it does. Not to say any of the other scopes aren’t great. I just don’t know. Thanks for the great reviews.

[@johngutormson9619]

So which one are you recommending?

[@lucassmith2332]

I really wished you would've put a Hawke in the group. That's what I have on my hunting rifle. Really just wanna see how they compares to the others.

[@markgeissler5101]

This is very well timed great news! I just bought a new rifle that has this exact scope, the Vortex Diamondback Tactical, in MOA. This makes me feel a lot better about my purchase, especially since I haven’t had a chance to test it out yet. Any advice for how to use it best that you’ve uncovered in your testing?

[@Inveniam22]

Sell it and buy a Leupold

[@maxtheroofer8004]

ive got the 4-12 version on my .308 precision rifle. Absolutely fantastic scope for the money. i like mine alot. Also the cheaper 4-12 is made in phillipines which to me is an advantage over chinese. ive shot so far at 800yds with it. does great

[@markgeissler5101]

@@maxtheroofer8004 I bought this for my new Savage 110 High Country in 30-06. The scope is the 4-16x in the Diamondback Tactical MOA. I’m excited to get this thing into the field soon.

[@markgeissler5101]

I’ve now used this scope (Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 FFP) on a Texas Hog Hunt in varying conditions. Everything from cold and rainy to warm and damp. This thing performed beautifully! I took hogs from 70 to about 200 yards. Those are pretty easy shots with this scope. It could have reached out much farther than that. The thing that surprised me the most was the low-light performance. It did a very good job on the lens of naturally amplifying the light. It gave me more time to hunt into the evening than I thought possible, even though it’s not illuminated. It also got bumped around quite a bit while being in the field. It held up very well. All told, this was a really great purchase.

[@mikeg.2240]

Love the channel. I like how your reviews help somebody like me who a long shot is 500 yards. If I ever go out west though I will know where to go to get a long rang set up to!

[@Kross8761]

I have a feeling that if this test were done again today the primary arms 3-18 slx would win (at least for the competition category, and for me personally it's the kind of scope I like to hunt with) 3-18 power, pretty good glass, daylight "usable" illumination, optional capped AND zero stop turrets (it includes caps if you want capped turrets instead) and it's only $500. Pretty amazing

[@DerekEvan]

I’m looking at the Gen II version of this scope right now on primary arms. 👀 can you get a sun shield attachment for this scope?

[@rinabinette]

Whew! I was really worried. Last week, I had invested in a Vortex cap. Excellent review! The IMHO format is a great choice.

[@Notjay95]

If you were to ever do a shoot out for sub $1000 scopes, the tract toric uhd is an insanely good scope for only $750. The glass is schott glass and it’s incredible. I highly recommend it

[@jacobhuggins2852]

i have a Burris droptine on my 7mm mag and love it, I ordered the vortex diamondback tactical 6-24x50mm to put on my 6.5 PRCa few days before watching this. I can’t wait to see what it’s like. I haven’t saw a video yet degrading vortex optics,great video man.

[@armeddiver]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I am a huge Vortex and Leupold fan. I am getting ready to do a new 6mm ARC bolt gun build and I wanted a mid-range (3-20, 4-16, etc.) variable scope and the Vortex DiamondBack was at the top of my list. It is now the choice. Again, thank you for this review. It was a huge help and saved me a ton of time doing my own research.

[@markfrommichigan659]

I was looking for a new scope and used your video to help! I went with the Vortex Diamondback from Midway and can't wait to get it. Thanks for your testing and help.

[@Hunting4Hookers]

I have 5 of the 10 in this video and can assure you that I’m happy with all of them and no need for upgrades! Great video!

[@P40gin]

I have an Arken epl 4 and love it so far. Definitely feels more like a 1200 scope instead of 440!

[@jimfunchess]

I have that scope, and it is the best scope that I have out of a group of 5 scopes. I got very lucky and bought it used for only $200. I have mounted it on my Ruger American Predator 6.5 Creedmoor and it GREATLY improves shot accuracy!!!

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Thank you so much for all the time, energy and resources invested. Appreciate the info, input & opinion. I am very adamant about buying U.S.A when at all possible. Thank you for letting us know where scopes are made. It appears that even Leupold glass is China. Any info you may have would be appreciated by many of us. Well done.

[@backfire]

I’m not sure about components of Leupold scopes, but it does say it’s designed and assembled in USA. That may honestly be our best bet.

[@guardianminifarm8005]

@@backfire Thank you. And wow on the speed of reply. Bless your heart.

[@sethrich5998]

@@edwardabrams4972 Leupold sources almost all of their components from China including the lenses. They are only assembled in the USA, all the parts are foreign made from various low cost countries.

[@sethrich5998]

@@edwardabrams4972 Also, outside of the Mark 5HD series, Leupold actually has a pretty poor reputation among precision shooters/hunters.