E150: Rifle Scopes, Red Dots, & Optics: How to Choose

Choosing a rifle scope is often confusing. They’re also can be a big investment. So in this episode, we sit down with Marshall, owner of Primary Arms. He’s going to help clarify and demystify rifle optics.

There’s a lot of options in the world of rifle optics: Red dots, scopes, fixed power, variable power, parallax adjustment, and so on. But what’s right for you?

First, it starts with figuring out what you’re going to use it for. Then you have to figure out a budget. Those are the easy questions. (Or so it would seem.)

These questions aren’t so simple, as it turns out. But it this episode on choosing optics for your rifle, we’ll make them a lot easier.

Rifle optics topics covered:

• How much should people spend on optics for a rifle?
• What are the basics of selecting the right optic for a rifle?
• How does eye relief play into scope selection?
• How would someone decide on magnification?
• How do you select the right reticle?
• What impact does tube size have on a scope’s function?
• What impact does the bell of a scope vs. a straight tube have?
• What is parallax and why should people care about it?
• What is the first focal plane and why is it important for rifle scopes?
• What would someone look for in a hunting scope?
• So what’s the difference between a hunting scope and a sniper scope?
• What’s the difference between a hunting or tactical scope and a rimfire scope?
• Is there any difference when deciding on rings and mounts for scopes?
• What advantages does a fixed power scope give?
• What should people know when looking for a red dot?
• What should people use and never use when cleaning their optics?

Resouces from this episode:

• Primary Arms Website
• Primary Arms Facebook page
• Primary Arms’ Patened ACSS reticle