.17 Hornet is a Centerfire rifle cartridge. Originally offered as a wildcat cartridge. It was developed by P.O. Ackley back in the 1950s. Hornady is the manufacturer of .17 Hornets. It’s a long cartridge with multiple uses. You can do almost anything with this caliber.
To utilize this fully, you will need to know what you are hitting and how far you are hitting. A riflescope will help in that regard.
In this article, we are going to talk about how to find the best scope for 17 Hornets. We will also try to discuss some .17 Hornet scopes. Let’s see who they are and why they are considered the best.
1. Burris Optics Fullfield E1 4.5-14×42 SF Scope
Burris is kind of like Robin Hood. Take moderately high-end specifications and provide them for an affordable price tag. Fullfield E1 is such an offering from Burris.
E1 is made out of high-quality aluminum. A durable and lightweight material preferred by all scope manufacturers. Durability-wise, you don’t have room to question this scope. Inside of the scope is nitrogen purged. It was done to make the scope fogproof. The outside is shockproof as well. A perfect pair for a .17 Hornet.
The lens here is made out of high-quality glass. They are coated multiple times. It makes the glass stronger and makes it brighter. Something you need and want on a pair of lenses. As it is waterproof as well, you can use it in any given weather.
.17 Hornet isn’t that demanding of a cartridge. Fullfield E1 can tame the cartridge very well. It will also improve your accuracy and understanding of bullet drops.
Is this made in the USA?
No. It’s made in the Philippines.
Does it come with mounting rings?
No, you need to buy them separately.
Does it come with lens covers?
No, it doesn’t.
2. Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope
Leupold scopes somehow always turn out to be good. For the money, they provide excellent value overall. VX-3i is no different.
A perfect companion for 17 Hornet, VX-3i is made out of aluminum. A durable and lightweight material. The internal of the scope is purged with chemicals to make it moist. Outside of the scope is sturdy and rigid as well. You can use it on a much more powerful rifle if you want to.
The lenses are fully multi-coated. They are clear and bright. On top of that, they are useable in bad weather as well. Suitable for both winter and rainy seasons. With 14x magnification, you can utilize the .17 hornet completely.
From a price to performance point of view, this is one of the best scopes for .17 Hornet. It’s just too good of a value to pass on. On top of that, it’s capable of handling a much more powerful gun. You can easily carry on this sight over there if you wish to.
Does it feature a twilight light management system?
It does.
Is this made in the USA?
Yes, it is.
Does it come with mounting rings?
No, it doesn’t.
3. Vortex Optics Razor HD LHT 3-15×42 SFP Riflescope
Razor HD is a flagship scope from Vortex. Vortex has scopes for all sorts of budget ranges. This one is for the people that don’t care about how much they spend on a scope, just want the best performance.
Razor HD is made out of aircraft-grade aluminum. It’s top-of-the-line material that even 3k USD scopes use. Internal purging is present in this scope. It’s super well done. Outside is sturdy and useable with high-end rifles with much higher recoil. O-ring sealing prevents water from going inside.
Razor HD features a lens made from HD glasses. Vortex lens coating is quite literally one of the best in the market. They are most known for their lenses to begin with. A very good pair of lenses that are bright, clear, sharp, vibrant, and durable. It’s scratch-resistant as well. Pairing this with a 17-hornet is a really good idea.
It’s a bit overkill for 17 Hornet. But it’s something that will serve you for a long time. You can even pass this as a legacy to your next generation. Vortex Razor HD is one of the best scopes you can buy for any rifle and cartridge. It can tame anything you throw at it.
Where is this made?
It’s made in Japan.
Does it come with mounting rings?
No, it doesn’t. You need to buy them separately.
What does LHT mean?
LHT stands for light hunter tactical.
Read More Scope Blogs:- 17 HMR | 17 WSM | 22 Hornet
4. Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16×40 Riflescope
Bushnell Elite is another hunting scope. It can magnify up to 16x. That’s more than enough to cover the range of .17 Hornet. You will be able to use even higher-caliber cartridges if you want to.
The housing of the scope is made from aluminum. A solid material for scopes and related materials. The density of the aluminum is thick. But it’s quite lightweight at the same time. Inside of the scope is purged with nitrogen. Making it fogproof. The outside is sealed as well. The scope is rated to be 100% waterproof as well. While you shouldn’t submerge it, a light rain won’t do any damage to the scope either.
The lenses of the scope are fully multi-coated as well. If you have used a fully multi-coated lens scope before, you know how good they are. Performance of them is miles ahead of regular glass or plastic lenses. They are clear, vibrant, bright, and very good under low-light conditions.
Bushnell Elite 4200 is a great match with the .17 Hornet. It’s like the scope was made for such a rifle. Once you calibrate it with your gun, there is no stopping you from nailing down every shot.
Where is this scope made?
Bushnell Elite series is made in Japan.
Does it come with the mounting ring?
No, it doesn’t come with a mounting ring.
Does Bushnell provide a warranty?
Yes, Bushnell provides a lifetime warranty with no questions asked.
5. Mueller Optics 4-16×50 Rifle Scope
It’s about time Mueller joined in. Mueller optics is another crowd-favorite budget hunting scope for rifles. It’s made out to support .17 Hornet, .22 LR, and similar cartridge guns. Technically, you can put it on top of a much more powerful rifle as well.
The housing of the optic is made out of aluminum. It’s durable and internally purged. Purging makes it immune to moisture. As it is waterproof as well, moisture can’t go inside either. Making it fogproof on the way. The outside structure is durable enough to withstand shocks of recoil as well.
The lenses of the optic are fully multi-coated as well. It features an illuminated reticle. The reticle is red. It’s visible thanks to the high-quality glass and coating. While it’s not ideal for low-light hunting, it can do the job quite well. Due to the reticle.
17 Hornet is a good cartridge and matches this scope. It won’t break the scope. The scope will outperform the cartridge as well. Make sure you are maximizing the potential of both the scope and the ammo.
What kind of battery do you need for it?
A CR2032.
How many brightness settings are present on the scope?
11 adjustable brightness levels are present on the scope.
Does it come with a warranty?
Yes, it does come with a limited lifetime warranty.
How To Choose The Best Scope For .17 Hornet?
.17 Hornet is not the strongest ammo in the market. but it’s quite strong and packs a solid punch. To tame that punch, you will need a good scope. To buy a good scope, you need to keep some things in mind. Here they are.
Build Quality
A strong housing will protect the lenses from any harm that may come its way. If the housing is not strong and durable, water will go inside or it may crack from recoil. We don’t want that to happen to our scopes.
Lens Quality
The lens is key to better performance. You will see through the lens for hours after hours. It’s a good idea to invest in a scope with a good lens.
Weight
Lightweight scopes are always preferred. If the scope is not ultra-lightweight, you need to make sure the scope has a good weight balance to it. Weight balance plays a bigger role than you think.
Warranty
Warranty is a must for any scope. Anything can happen to a scope outside of physical damage. If the manufacturer is not responsible for fixing those unwanted issues, might as well discard that from the list.
Summary
There were plenty of other scopes available on the market. But they didn’t reach our standard. That’s why these are the ones that we consider to be the best scopes for Hornet .17. You are welcome to take outside of this suggestion.
But from what we gathered, many of the other scopes have terrible customer feedback. It’s better to stay safe than to take risks. The rest is up to you.
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Scopes & Sights:- 11.5 SBR | 300 Blackout | Colt LE6920 | M4 | MK18 | Ruger Charger | S&W M&P 15 Sport 2
Hi, I’m Brent Hansford. A writer turned hunter & now sharing my love for the sport through writing. As I practically breathe weapons, I firmly believe I’m capable of providing you with new knowledge about firearms and hunting. My mission is to help more people get better at hunting & master the weapons. Let me help with unleashing the beast within you!
