Riflescopes are fascinating gear that makes your hunting and target practicing so much easier. One might argue iron sight is more than enough for shooting. I beg to differ. You can’t shoot accurately at 400-500 yards with only iron sights.
The job of a riflescope is quite simple. It’s supposed to close the distance between you and the target. Depending on which scope you go for, the accuracy of that scope will vary highly.
The riflescope can easily cost more than your rifle. But not everyone has that kind of a budget. What do you do when you only have $500 to spend on your scope? Obviously, you want the best riflescope under $500. The $500 mark is the sweet spot for many consumers. A lot of competition is going on in this price range. Competition is good for us consumers. We get better value out of the competition.
What are you waiting for? Grab a drink, sit down, and enjoy.
- What Is The Best Rifle Scope Under $500?
- How To Choose The Best Riflescope Under $500?
- 1. Leupold Vx-3i 3.5-10x40mm Riflescope
- 2. Vortex Diamondback 6-24x50mm Rifle Scope
- 3. Athlon Helos BTR 6-24×50 Rifle Scope
- 4. Leupold Vx-Freedom 1.5-4x20mm Rifle Scope
- 5. Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24x50mm Rifle Scope
- 6. Nikon M-Tactical .308 4-16x42SF Rifle Scope
- 7. Riton RT-S MOD 7 4-20x50mm Rifle Scope
- 8. Burris Ballistic Plex 2-7x32mm Rifle Scope
- 9. Sightmark Wraith HD 4-32x50mm Rifle Scope
- 10. Bushnell Engage 4-16x44mm Rifle Scope
- 11. Nikon PROSTAFF 5 4.5-18x40mm Rifle Scope
- 12. Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50mm Rifle Scope
- 13. Styrka S7 2.5-15x50mm MilDot Rifle Scope
- Frequently ASK Questions
- Are $500 Scopes Worth It?
- Are $500 Scope Good For Hunting?
- Are $500 Scope Good For Target Shooting?
- What’s The Ideal Magnification?
- How Can Parallax Be Resolved?
- FFP vs SFP
- How Many Reticles Do I Go For?
- Will Wearing Glasses Make A Difference With The Use Of A Rifle Scope?
- Which One Should I Opt For? Fixed Or Variable Scope?
- Best Rifle Scope Under 500: Conclusion
What Is The Best Rifle Scope Under $500?
While I want to crown one scope as the best, sadly that’s not possible. There are too many scopes in this budget range that does the job splendidly. That’s why I am thinking of picking my top 3. Bear with me, I know you might think I am being biased here. But you know me, I am not biased. Even if you pay me to review your product, I will be as neutral as possible. Moving on.
1. Vortex Diamondback 6-24X50 Riflescope
The lenses on vortex scopes are some of the best lenses you will find in this budget range. The Diamondback 6-24x is no exception. Diamondback 6-24x features an excellent set of lenses that is good at capturing light and turning it into an image.
The lenses of the scopes are fully multi-coated. Meaning it’s completely glare-free and scratch-resistant. The scratch resistance coating could have been better without any doubt.
2. Nikon Prostaff 5 4.5-18X40 Riflescope
Just like Vortex Diamondback, Nikon also has several accessories under the ProStaff name. Nikon is one of the oldest lens makers in the industry. One might argue they make the best lens on the market.
One can deny they do make one of the best lenses on the market. Staying true to that statement, Nikon Prostaff 5 4.5-18x is one of the best riflescopes you can buy within the $500 mark. From lens to performance, everything on this scope is top-notch quality.
3. Athlon Helos BTR 6-24X50 Riflescope
Athlon is another big name in the scope industry. They are also known for their budget lineups and big game competitions.
The Helos BTR is a budget offering from Athlon. It’s a lightweight scope with fully multi-coated lenses. The max magnification of the scope is 24x and the objective lens is 50mm wide. It’s enough to gather plenty of light to produce clear and vivid images.
How To Choose The Best Riflescope Under $500?
Magnification: When you are looking for a scope to buy, the first thing that comes to mind is the magnification of the scope. Identify just how much magnification you need on your scope and go from there.
Objective Lens: Depending on the diameter of the objective lens, the clarity and light-gathering potential of the scope will vary highly. If a scope has a bigger objective diameter than other scopes in a similar price range, then that scope should perform better under an equal environment. Yeah, science.
Build Quality: A lot of you tend to sleep on this. Building quality on a scope is super important. if you throw your rifle or drop it on accident, there is a high chance that the scope will get hit first. Or while running fast, you may dent the scope by hitting it on a nearby stone or something similar. That’s why you should look for a scope that has good build quality.
Optics Quality: Arguably the most important part of a scope. if the optics aren’t good or up to the mark, then the entire performance of the scope will be subpar. Even if it costs a bit more than other scopes, go for the one that has a better lens and lens coating.
Reticle: Choosing the reticle correctly plays a huge role in a scope selection. Different manufacturers have different reticles. Some of them are quite hard for beginners. While some of them are quite easy for beginners to understand.
That’s why, choose a reticle that suits your needs and your experience. If you are fairly new to the scene and never used a scope with a Christmas Tree reticle, then don’t go for it. Build up some experience learn about bullet drop more and join the Christmas Tree supremacy.
Focal Plane: It’s neglected quite a bit in this budget range. Mainly due to the first focal plane scopes being expensive. There aren’t many first focal plane scopes available in this budget. The second focal plane isn’t bad either.
Light Transmission: Light passes through the objective lens and the scope turns that light into an image. I am simplifying things but that’s the base of it. Anyway, the more light transmission means better for your scope. Keep that in mind.
Eye Relief: It’s the distance between your eye and the eyepiece. People who use glasses require more eye relief than usual. Depending on how powerful your eye is, you will benefit from a more forgiving eye relief as well. That’s why it’s important to choose the right amount of eye relief for your safety.
Exit Pupil: The ray that passes through the eyepiece is known as the exit pupil. The driveaway to the eyepiece is quite narrow and only rays that pass through the virtual aperture can exit through the exit pupil.
Focus/Parallax: Most modern scope comes with a focus control knob. Sometimes they come with two. Those are known as dual focus scope. Parallax is the difference between the apparent object and the line of sight. Budget crossbows come with a fixed parallax so you can’t do anything about that.
Warranty: It’s also an important part of a scope. The company shows its commitment through the warranty period. Depending on the brands, the warranty period will highly vary.
Customer Service: You and I both faced bad customer service from rude customer representatives now and then. The scope is a sensitive matter. If the customer representative is not aware of what he is doing, the service will be super bad. It’s always a good idea to go with a brand that has a good customer service track record.
1. Leupold Vx-3i 3.5-10x40mm Riflescope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 3.5 – 10x |
| Objective Lens | 40 mm |
| Eye Relief | 4.4 – 3.6 in |
| Exit Pupil | 4 – 11.43 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 11 – 29.9 ft |
| Length | 12.6 in |
| Weight | 12.6 oz |
Leupold is a manufacturer that has been making riflescopes for ages. Most of their rifle scopes are way out of the budget consumers league. But Leupold noticed the demand for the budget scopes. Ended up releasing the Leupold VX-3i.
This is a medium-range scope that is suitable for close-range hunting and competition shooting. One of the best parts of this scope is its weight. It’s lighter than the Nikon Monarch 3 and Vortex Viper HST.
Surprisingly, a 1″ tube with a 40mm objective lens gathers enough light to give a good low-light performance. As long as it’s legal in your area to hunt past dusk, you can keep using this scope to hunt.
The scope is not suitable for long-range and doesn’t claim to have long-range visibility either. The base magnification of the scope is only 3.5x and you can get a maximum magnification of 10x. That is not enough for long-range shooting. But This is the best rifle scope under 500 for mid-range hunting and target practicing.
Leupold VX-3i also has CDS. Custom dial system. You can use this feature to set windage and elevation according to you. You can switch from MOA to yardage. To make this scope even more appealing, Leupold gives an excellent lifetime warranty.
Pros
- Affordable price tag.
- Good build quality.
- Lightweight.
- Variable magnification.
- CDS dial system.
- Multi-coated lens.
Cons
- Maximum magnification is quite low.
- Not suitable for long-range shooting.
2. Vortex Diamondback 6-24x50mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 6 – 24x |
| Objective Lens | 50 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.9 in |
| Tube Diameter | 30 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 18 – 4.5 ft |
| Length | 14.5 in |
| Weight | 24.6 oz |
Vortex Diamondback is one of the most-heard names in the industry. The Diamondback has all sorts of hunting gear and accessories under its belt.
The riflescope series from Diamondback is one of the best riflescopes under 500 I ever come across. Vortex as a brand, never tried to cheap out on lenses. In my opinion, lenses are the most important part of a scope.
Vortex Diamondback riflescopes have 4 scopes under their banner. 2 of them are 6-24×50 and 2 of them are 4-16×44. All four of the scopes are in FFP (front focal plane). The difference is the reticle.
Two of them come with an EBR-2C MRAD reticle and two of them come with an EBR-2C MOA reticle. On the 6-24×50 version, the parallax is set from 20 yards to infinity. With every click, you can adjust 15 MOA.
The reticle is probably my favorite part, The Christmas tree-style FFP reticle has everything that you need. You can calculate bullet drop, you can compensate for windage and elevation. It’s a feature-packed reticle.
The optics of this scope features Vortex’s XD glass technology. XD glass is Vortex’s approach to making extra-low dispersion glasses. Have to hand it to Vortex the glass performs quite well.
It is a long-range scope with a good field of view. FFP reticle gives it the extra edge at hunting and target shooting over the other scopes.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact.
- Huge objective lens.
- Fully multi-coated lenses.
- Nitrogen purged.
- Lots of modifications are possible.
- Good reticle.
- FFP reticle.
Cons
- The reticle might be hard for beginners to get the hang of.
3. Athlon Helos BTR 6-24×50 Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 6 – 24x |
| Objective Lens | 50 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.3″ |
| Tube Diameter | 30 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 16.7-4.5 ft |
| Length | 14.0″ |
| Weight | 29.7 oz |
Athlon Helos BTR is another best rifle scopes under 500 dollars. Helos BTR locking turrets mechanism. A mechanism that is well-loved by hunters and range-shooters. If your riflescope has a turret locking mechanism then no matter what kind of accident happens unless the turret breaks down completely your windage or elevation adjustment won’t change.
This is why we love the turret locking mechanism. Good to see budget offerings are not backing down to experiment on things.
The body of the Helos BTR is made of aircraft-grade aluminum. The whole tube is argon purged. This makes the scope completely immune to moisture and fogging.
Helos BTR is also 100% water and shockproof. It can take quite a hit from your rifle recoil. The lenses are fully multi-coated with advanced coatings. Make sure to eliminate all the glare and unwanted reflection. Making the glass perform better under bad lighting conditions.
APLR2 FFP IR MOA reticle is quite hard to understand in the beginning. But spend some time with it and you will learn it in no time.
For $470 the scope drives a hard bargain. If you go for the APMR FFP IR MIL style, then you can save around $100. That entirely depends on what reticle you want and how much you are willing to save.
Pros
- Excellent lens.
- Good build quality.
- Good customer service and warranty.
- FFP reticle.
- A lot of adjustments are possible.
Cons
- The reticle is quite hard to understand.
4. Leupold Vx-Freedom 1.5-4x20mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 1.5 – 4x |
| Objective Lens | 20 mm |
| Eye Relief | 4.17 – 3.74 in |
| Tube Diameter | 1 in |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 74.2 – 29.4 ft |
| Zoom Ratio | 3:1 |
| Light Management System | Twilight |
Another rifle scope from Leupold. One thing common between the two is their compact size and small magnification. This is not a long-range scope. It’s more like a short-range scope. The magnification of this scope is only 4x.
It’s aimed at people with smaller guns who just want to do close-range target shooting or deer hunting. For these objectives, you don’t need to use a high-magnification scope.
The weight of this scope is less than 10oz. The body of the VX-Freedom is made of aircraft-grade aluminum. The strongest metal for rifle scopes.
The glasses feature Leupold’s twilight light management system. Thanks to this the scope manages to provide some of the best low-light performance possible.
You can get this scope with Pig-Plex or Duplex reticle. The difference between the two is not that noticeable. Choosing the reticle comes down to personal preference.
The whole scope was machined and built in America. The build quality is excellent. The lens quality is amazing, Leupold warranty is something that you should always fancy. Like Leupold vx-3i! it’s the best rifle scope under 500 for short-range hunters/shooters too.
Pros
- Twilight light management system.
- Good build quality.
- Fully multi-coated lens.
- Generous eye relief.
- Lightweight and fairly short.
Cons
- Magnification might be too low for a lot of people.
- The objective lens is also quite small.
5. Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24x50mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 4 – 24x |
| Objective Lens | 50 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.5″ |
| Tube Size | 30 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 26.2 – 4.3 ft |
| Length | 14.9″ |
| Weight | 25.6 oz |
I still remember the day when I first received the review unit of my Vortex Strike Eagle. It was the first riflescope that we wrote a review about. You should check out our vortex strike eagle riflescope review for more in-depth analysis.
All of the scopes in the Strike Eagle family feature a second focal plane reticle. Strike Eagle is a budget scope through and through. Strike Eagle series has 1-6x small scope and 4-24×50 medium-range scopes. The higher magnification you choose the price will increase accordingly.
Yet Vortex didn’t fail to provide solid housing to complement their top-class lenses. The second focal plane reticle is etched on the lens itself. Making the reticle immune to accidents.
All of the lenses involved in this scope are fully multi-coated. They gather more than enough light to provide you with an excellent experience from dawn to dusk.
You can choose from EBR-4 or BDC reticle when you purchase the product. Nowadays the EBR-4 tends to stay out of stock more than the BDC and BDC-2 versions. The reticle will depend on your preferences. It’s an excellent budget scope and a true all-rounder.
Pros
- Good build quality.
- Excellent matte black finish.
- Excellent lens coating.
- Scratch-resistant and anti-glare lens.
- Good service warranty.
- Big objective lens.
- O-ring sealed.
- Nitrogen purged.
Cons
- Second focal plane reticle.
- The reticle will take some time to get used to. But once you do, then this won’t be a con anymore.
6. Nikon M-Tactical .308 4-16x42SF Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 4 – 16x |
| Objective Lens | 42 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.9 – 3.6″ |
| Exit Pupil | 2.6 – 10.5″ |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 27.8 – 6.8 ft |
| Length | 13.6″ |
| Weight | 20.6 oz |
If you are using a .308 Winchester or a 7.62 NATO round rifle. Then this is your lucky day. Nikon M-tactical was made with keeping these guns in mind. The 168-grain Hollow Point Boat Tail Match Bullet can travel at 2680 FPS.
This is not a short-range scope. It can easily reach the 400-yard mark. With 16x max magnification and a 42mm objective lens, the scope is capable of generating some top-quality images. Which is forced me to keep this beast on the best rifle scope under 500’s list.
All the optics of the scope are fully multi-coated. The body is made out of aluminum. It’s waterproof and nitrogen-purged. You only get Nikon’s BDC 800 Reticle with the scope. It’s not a bad reticle by any means. Completely depends on perspective. You are going to love the reticle or won’t like it.
The bullet trajectory and compensation are quite easy to understand with this reticle. I can understand why Nikon chose this reticle to feature on M-Tactical. The knobs of the scope are well hidden behind the caps. They won’t move easily and are capable of taking quite a harsh recoil.
For $500 the scope offers quite an excellent value in my book. It’s got a good build quality, excellent lenses, good reticle, a good amount of zoom. Everything that you want on a budget scope is present here. Except for the first focal plane reticle.
Pros
- Excellent build quality.
- Top-quality Nikon lenses.
- Lightweight.
- The inside is nitrogen-purged to make it anti-fog.
- Waterproof.
- Low-profile knobs.
Cons
- Not suitable for all rifles.
7. Riton RT-S MOD 7 4-20x50mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 4 – 20x |
| Objective Lens | 50 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.9″ |
| Exit Pupil | 12.5 – 2.5 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 28.8 – 5.7 ft |
| Tube Diameter | 30 mm |
| Adjustment Range | 91 MOA |
This is a name most of you guys probably never heard of. But I think you guys should know about Riton. They exist and they make some good low-budget riflescopes. This under $500 riflescope has features that should help you in your daily target practice sessions.
The scope is dry argon purged to make it fogproof. All of the lenses are fully multi-coated with multiple layers of different coatings. All of these enhance the visual clarity of the scope. It also helps you to aim better with a clear field of view.
The scope also has a coating to improve low-light performance. It’s not ED or XD glass but it’s better than most budget glasses out there.
The scope has 4-20x magnification paired with a 50mm objective lens. You can easily shoot at 500 yards or more with this scope. With 20x magnification, if you squint too much, you might notice a bit of distortion. Have to admit the magnification experience was fabulous.
The reticle is on the second focal plane, but I have no issue with that. I have used so many SFP reticles, that I am used to it. You might not be, give it some time and you will adjust to it in no time.
I will say, this is one of the best $500 riflescopes that I have ever used. It ticks almost all the necessary boxes. If you don’t have any problems with the second focal plane and you only have $400 to spend, just buy this man. I know you will thank me in the comments in the future.
Pros
- Good build quality.
- Big objective lens.
- Generous eye-relief.
- Suitable for long-range shooting.
- Can be used on many rifles.
Cons
- The reticle is on the second focal plane.
8. Burris Ballistic Plex 2-7x32mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 2 – 7x |
| Objective Lens | 32 mm |
| Windage Adjustment | 66 in. @ 100 yds. |
| Exit Pupil | 16 – 4.6 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 23 – 8 ft |
| Length | 9.7 in |
| Weight | 13.0 oz |
Burris Ballistic Plex is a medium-range riflescope for hunters and range shooters. The scope features a max magnification of 7x only. It’s not that huge, but when you pair it up with a 32mm objective lens, they make quite a good couple.
Ballistic Plex has a forward mounting design. It allows you to mount the scope in front of the ejection port. This way your eye relief will increase drastically.
This is good for fast target acquisition and increased situational awareness. The body is made out of aluminum making it durable and shockproof to most gun’s recoil. The scope is also 100% waterproof.
The optics are fully multi-coated to provide excellent performance. The reticle is however on the rear focal plane. No matter how much you magnify, the reticle won’t change. Overall, pretty solid scope and one of the best rifle scopes under $500.
Pros
- Fully multi-coated lens.
- Quite cheap.
- Good build quality.
- Good service warranty.
- Nitrogen purged.
Cons
- Not made or long-range shooting.
9. Sightmark Wraith HD 4-32x50mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 4 – 32x |
| Objective Lens | 50 mm |
| Eye Relief | 60 mm |
| Exit Pupil | 1.6 – 12.5 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 21 ft |
| Length | 10.5 in |
| Weight | 36.3 oz |
For the people looking for budget night vision, look no further your savior is here. Sightmark makes some of the best budget night vision riflescopes on the market.
Sightmakr Wraith HD is a gen-1 night vision riflescope under 500 dollars. Without the IR flashlight, you can use this scope as a regular hunting scope. When you want to use it as a night vision riflescope, then all you have to do is to mount the IR flash on the side mounting Picatinny rail and you are ready to hunt at night.
The scope is quite easy to control. With a single button, you can make sure all the adjustments are dialed incorrectly.
You have 10 different reticles to choose from. One of the many advantages of having a digital riflescope. The eyecap is removable. You can remove it to have more eye relief. That will depend on preference.
You can use the scope at night as a regular night vision with black and white vision, or if you fancy the green version you can do that from the console too.
If you want a digital night vision riflescope that performs well in the daytime too, then buy this and call it a day.
Pros
- Night vision capable.
- IR light included.
- Generous eye relief.
- Quite short.
- Lenses are fully coated.
Cons
- The build quality is not the best.
10. Bushnell Engage 4-16x44mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 4 – 16x |
| Objective Lens | 44mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.6″ |
| Reticle | Deploy MOA |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 28 – 7 ft |
| Length | 14″ |
| Weight | 20.1 oz |
Bushnell is another brand that makes some of the best scopes on the market. They always compete in the high-end budget area. But the Engage series is made for us budget enthusiasts.
There are 4 total variants of this scope available for your grabbing. All of them are under $500 rifle scope.
The lenses of this scope are fully multi-coated. They also have a special coating called Exo. Exo makes the lens water-repellant and dustproof.
The inside of the aluminum housing is also nitrogen-purged. Nitrogen or Argon purging is necessary to make the scope fogproof.
Bushnell Engage also features the locking turret mechanism. You can lock your turrets on one adjustment and forget about them for the day. No matter how windy it is or how many times you bump, the setting won’t change a bit. Not even a single MOA click.
You don’t need any tools to reset the zero and unlock the turrets either. You can lock and unlock them with your fingers. Makes me wonder how they managed to make such a secure locking mechanism.
The scope is not that old either. It can and will support you for a good amount of time. The warranty from Bushnell never disappoints either. The bottom line, you can go for it with your eyes closed. Just don’t close your eyes when you use the scope to shoot your target.
Pros
- Lightweight.
- Good build quality.
- Water and weatherproof.
- Nitrogen purged.
- Good service warranty.
Cons
- Quite big, not suitable for smaller rifles.
11. Nikon PROSTAFF 5 4.5-18x40mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 4.5 – 18x |
| Objective Lens | 40 mm |
| Eye Relief | 4″ |
| Exit Pupil | 2.2 – 8.9 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 5.6 – 22.4 ft |
| Length | 13.6″ |
| Weight | 17.1 oz |
Nikon ProStaff 5 is one of the most sold rifle scopes under $500 from Nikon. Nikon is known for its world-class cameras. The lens clarity is unparalleled.
ProStaff 5 has a lot of necessary features that hunters love and require for a good session of hunting. We have a complete review dedicated to the Nikon Prostaff 5. Make sure to check that out.
Prostaff 5 features a better-coated lens for more clarity. From dawn till dusk, you will get a tremendous hunting experience. 4.5-18x magnification is more than enough for your regular hunting. You can easily aim a deer from 300 yards or so.
The reticle adjustment knobs can be adjusted with your fingers. You don’t have to take your eyes off the target to adjust the knobs.
The BDC reticle is quite easy to understand and easy to master. You won’t have any issue grasping the ballistic reticle has a unique see through feature to it.
Optics are fully multi-coated. The optics are quite clear and color-accurate. There weren’t any issues regarding distortion or color fading.
The adjustment knobs do not feature any locking mechanism. With a per click, you can adjust 1/8 MOA of windage and elevation.
Pros
- Excellent lens.
- Fully multi-coated lenses.
- Good build quality.
- Nitrogen purged.
- Excellent warranty.
- Good customer service.
Pros
- • The objective lens and the max magnification could have been better.
12. Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x50mm Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 6 – 24x |
| Objective Lens | 50 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.3″ |
| Exit Pupil | 8.2-2.1 mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 16.7-4.5 ft |
| Length | 14.1″ |
| Weight | 29.6 oz |
The previous Athlon on the list was Athlon Helos BTR. The Athlon Argos BTR is the smaller brother of Helos. It’s $100 cheaper than Helos BTR. Both BTR shares the same build quality. Made out of the top-of-the-line aircraft-grade aluminum.
Argos BTR also features the First Focal Plane reticle. A reticle that most of the hunters love and appreciate. FFP was very rare when it came to budget scope. But thankfully that’s not the case anymore.
Argos BTR features fully multi-coated optics. 50mm objective lens gathers a lot of light. No glaring issue is present on the scope. Easy light transmission and vivid images. Perfect for a hunter.
The adjustment knobs are quite easy to use and adjust. There isn’t any turret locking mechanism. I would be lying if I said I was not a bit disappointed. Honestly, I would be asking too much. This scope costs less than $400.
The reticle is etched directly onto the glass. The shockproof build makes it ideal for high-caliber guns. It’s a good scope and can easily support your passion for years.
Pros
- Good build quality.
- Lots of adjustments are available.
- Fully multi-coated lens.
- First focal plane reticle.
- Water and shockproof.
Cons
- The reticle is hard to learn. I know it looks easy. But learning bullet drop isn’t easy.
13. Styrka S7 2.5-15x50mm MilDot Rifle Scope
| Specs | Value |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 2.5 – 15x |
| Objective Lens | 50 mm |
| Eye Relief | 3.94″ |
| Exit Pupil | 11.0 – 3.3mm |
| Linear FOV @100 yds | 41.5 – 6.8 ft |
| Tube Diameter | 30 mm |
| Weight | 23.8 oz |
Styrka S7 is the final scope on our list today. There are a total of 8 versions available of this scope. The one we had the chance to test is a 2.5-15×50 illuminated MIL dot reticle.
S7 series was made for us budget lovers. It featured a lot of things that are necessary to make a good optic. The body quality is quite good. Even though it’s not aircraft-grade aluminum, the body quality by no means is cheap.
The optics are fully multi-coated for extra clarity and superior visual performance. This is not a high-magnification scope. That’s a good thing in my book. The scope has no issue of distortion or color fading.
The reticle is illuminated. It makes the scope even more viable during dusk. The brightness setting is quite high as I like. It’s a good scope for mid-range hunting and target practice.
The edge of the lenses is blackened to make it more effective against light glares. Like all other scopes on the list, the housing is nitrogen-purged and fogproof. There aren’t any O-ring sealing but the scope is waterproof. Just don’t submerge it in dirty water for too long.
If you want to save money you can go for the 1-6×24 version. All of them have illuminated reticles. You don’t have to worry about that.
Pros
- Good build quality.
- Fully multi-coated lenses.
- 8 different versions are available.
- Good eye relief.
- Easy to learn reticle.
- Highly adjustable and easy to do so.
Cons
- Depending on the configuration, it can get expensive quite fast.
Frequently ASK Questions
Are $500 Scopes Worth It?
That depends on what are you looking for in a $500 scope. If you are looking for a scope that can give Zeiss a run for their money, then I will say you are gravely mistaken. If you are looking for a scope that will give you good quality small to medium-range hunting/shooting experience. Then you are looking at the right place. Most of these scopes are also capable of shooting at long-range distances. But that’s not recommended by users or reviewers.
Are $500 Scope Good For Hunting?
Yes, they are quite good for hunting. Their accuracy is quite a spot on and the distance they cover is amazing as well. If you are looking for short-range scopes then Leupold has some good options as well. It will depend on at what distance you are hunting and what rifle you are using.
Are $500 Scope Good For Target Shooting?
They are excellent for target shooting. For target practice, you don’t need the most expensive crossbow on earth. It will mostly depend on your skill and the environment. The scope will do its job to pull the target closer.
What’s The Ideal Magnification?
That’s highly subjective. What’s the ideal magnification for me won’t be the same for you. People have different eyes. Depending on how powerful your eye is, the ideal magnification might vary from 6x to 24x easily. Find the one that is clicking for you and stick to it.
How Can Parallax Be Resolved?
Most of the scope at this range comes with a fixed parallax at 10 yards to infinity. To eliminate parallax, you need to bring the target as close to the reticle as possible. That way, there won’t be any room for parallax to happen.
FFP vs SFP
First focal plane reticle zooms along when you zoom into an object. While the second focal plane reticle stays the same throughout the entire magnification session. The first focal plane has a clear advantage over the second focal plane reticles. The reticle will be closer to the object.
How Many Reticles Do I Go For?
A lot of scopes comes with more than one reticle. It becomes tough to decide which reticle should you go for. If you are at that stage, I will say go for the easy-to-understand one. Don’t go for an advanced reticle that was not made for beginners.
Don’t get overwhelmed when you see more than one reticle. The single reticle option might be better for you.
Will Wearing Glasses Make A Difference With The Use Of A Rifle Scope?
It will hinder the eye-relief a bit. If you wear glasses, then you should buy a scope that has longer eye relief than usual. That way you will be safe from the rebound of the scope hitting your glasses. If your glasses aren’t anti-reflective, then you might face some glaring issues while using a scope.
Which One Should I Opt For? Fixed Or Variable Scope?
Fixed scope means the magnification on the scope is fixed. For example, you might find a scope that says 4x32mm nothing else. That means the scope is fixed at 4x magnification and the objective lens is 32mm. While others might say 6-24×50. That means the scope has a base magnification of 6x and you can increase the magnification to 24x max.
For short-range hunting, fixed scopes are better, and for long-range hunting, variable scopes are better. If you are doing target practice also, variable scopes are better. That’s why I will say go for variable scopes over fixed.
Best Rifle Scope Under 500: Conclusion
That concludes. It took a while to write, I hope you took the time to read it. If you did thank you. If you have any questions left don’t forget to ask them down in the comments. As always, all of the scopes purchasing link with the latest price is included. Check them out to stay updated. Thanks for being with us and we hope to see you again soon.
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!
