Best Rifle Scope Under $300 [REVIEWS & GUIDE] 2019

Are you having trouble shooting your rifle accurately with your current scope or your metal gun sights? It does not have to be that way at all because excellent rifle scopes can be found for a very affordable price. The best rifle scope under 300 dollars will help you dramatically improve your target acquisition rate and the accuracy of your shots.

In this article we will review some amazing bargains on rifle scopes and also show you what to look for when it’s time for you to purchase a new affordable rifle scope.

Check Out the Best Rifle Scope Under 300 .

Summary: Top 5 Best Rifle Scopes Under $300

Value Rifle Scopes Buying Guide

When you give yourself a budget of up to $300 to find a rifle scope with that means you are looking for a combination of quality and affordability. In today’s gun scope marketplace you will not have a problem you will not have a problem finding a very good scope at that price point.

Here are the key features you need to look at in a scope so you can make a sound purchasing decision and find a scope that nicely fits your gun optics requirements.

• Adjustability

It does not matter how good a rifle you have if you can’t hit the broad side of a barn with it. That is why having a site that is adjustable is so important. The more fine tune adjustments you can make with your new rifle sight the better you can sight in its accuracy.

There are two main characteristics of a rifle scope that allow you to adjust the sights in and adjust the clarity of the image you see in your scope quickly.

• Elevation and windage dials

These are easy to reach dials on your scope to help you quickly make adjustments to your aim. They usually can be moved 1 mm in distance at a time and this movement is known as a ‘click’. After one or two shots at distance you should be able to make adjustments and then your subsequent shots should be much more accurate. You really do not want to buy a sight that does not have these two built in dials.

• Quick focus ring

This is a dial usually built into the long scope tube that helps you fine tune the clarity of what you are looking at through the scope. It is essential that once you find a potential target you can then focus quickly to positively identify that target and then take a shot. Look for a rifle scope that has a quick adjustment ring that is located in a convenient spot on the scope and rapidly focuses the image.

• Reticle

Many times this marking on the inside of a scope will be referred two as its crosshairs. This is because it originally was a plus sign pattern but now it can be a variety of different shapes or even an illuminated dot. The most important factors to consider with a reticle are its size and appearance. Some shooters like a big reticle and other prefer it as small as possible. Choose a reticle shape that you are comfortable using to sight in your weapon and it’s even better if your rifle sight comes with multiple reticle options.

• Zoom Capability

One of the main reasons that gun owners prefer scopes over fixed gun sights is that it makes it much easier to acquire and accurately shoot targets at a distance. A zoom feature is critical to enable you to do this. Look for a rifle scope that has a powerful zoom feature but does not disproportionately distort the image you are looking at while using this feature. You should preferable purchase a rifle scope that has at least 1- 4X zoom power.

Reviews of Rifle Scopes Under $300: 5 High Value Models

 Leupold VX-1 3-9×40 Waterproof Riflescope

This is a very nice rifle scope from Leupold to say the least. They are known to manufacture rifle scopes that work as well as many scopes that are much higher priced. Here is a scope that sights in fast and has crystal clear optics too.

The lenses on this scope our quadruple coated and sealed well to ensure they are both waterproof and fog proof.

Once you sight it in at the range you want you can also lock your eyepiece in place so you can keep shooting quickly and accurately. The lifetime guarantee that comes with it is very impressive too.

Pros:

• 4 different lens coatings
• Easy adjustment dials
• Waterproof and fog proof
• Lockable eyepiece
• Rugged aluminum tubular construction
• Lifetime guarantee

Cons:

• Eye relief could be improved
• Does not have flip up lens covers

 Primary Arms 1-6X24mm SFP Riflescope

Here is another top notch rifle scope that can be yours for less than $300. Primary Arms is a reputable name when it comes to scope design and this model is an example of why this is true.

This model rifle scope can really help you acquire targets at a long distance thanks to its powerful 1 – 6x zoom feature. Users love the way this model scope can be adjusted for accuracy in a hurry too.

Its red dot sight feature has eleven different brightness settings it can be adjusted to. It features a very sturdy aluminum tube construction and the entire scope is backed up by a very good limited lifetime warranty.

Pros:

• Advanced sighting system
• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• Extremely accurate at 300-800 yards
• Flip up protective lens covers
• Partial red reticle illumination w/11 settings
• Spare battery inside the windage turret

Cons:

• Slight edge distortion at close range
• Eye relief is not perfect at high magnification settings

 Nikon Buckmasters II 3-9×40 BDC

Nikon is a trusted name when it comes to making advanced optics for equipment so you would expect from them that they would be able to make a very good rifle scope. This model scope is proof of that exact thing. It will make any rifle it’s attached to much more accurate when fired.

This is one of the best scopes you can buy for 22 caliber air rifles. It is accurate out to 220 yards and is fully adjustable. Its multi-coated optics are both fog proof and waterproof. They will also nicely reflect over 90% of the light that hits them so you can see very clearly when shooting.

This very affordable rifle scope is built tough and comes with a full lifetime limited warranty too.

Pros:

• Reflects 92% of light that hits it
• Fully waterproof and fog proof
• Limited lifetime warranty
• Great price point
• Extremely durable
• Excellent air rifle scope

Cons:

• Adjustments are ¼ inch
• Not great over 200 yards

 Leupold 115388 Mark AR MOD 1 Rifle Scope

Here is a very well made rifle scope from Leupold. It can mount on just about any rifle and will make that weapon much more accurate. It’s fully adjustable, has a 4X zoom and also features a dual reticle system.

One of the best things about this rifle scope is its light weight. It does not make your rifle top heavy like many scopes do because it is made out of a combination of polymer plastic and aluminum.

This is a great scope for using in all different light conditions and Leupold backs it up with a full limited lifetime warranty also.

Pros:

• Works well with most model rifles
• Unique lightweight body design
• Works well under low light conditions
• Limited lifetime warranty
• 1 – 4X zoom power

Cons:

• Owner’s manual could use an upgrade
• Green reticle can be hard to pick up under daylight conditions

 Bushnell Optics FFP Illuminated BTR-1 BDC Reticle-223 Riflescope

Bushnell is yet another specialty optics company that makes very well thought of rifle scopes. This model here works great under all different light connections and can be dialed in very accurately.

This is a scope that features good 1 – 4X magnification and fully coated optics to help make it fog proof. It can also be fine-tuned for extreme accuracy thanks to its easy to make 1 mil adjustments for windage and height. Its illuminated reticle feature also has some 11 different brightness settings.

It is also a very solidly built rifle site. This rifle sight features an all-aluminum alloy constructed tube that is some 30 mm thick.

Pros:

• Very good under low light conditions
• Solid aluminum alloy tube construction
• Accurate at ranges up to 500 yards
• Adjusts quickly and easily
• Precise 1 mil click adjustments

Cons:

• This sight is somewhat bulky
• The adjustment turrets do not lock in place

Conclusion

It must be said that if you purchase any one of these fine rifle scopes you will not be disappointed. When you look at all of the characteristics of these rifle scopes though and combine them to get the best value we would have to choose the Leupold VX-1 3-9×40 Waterproof Riflescope as our favorite model. There was just so much to like about it.

The lenses on it are clear and nicely coated to prevent any type of moisture buildup. It also features a very precise and quick adjustment system which is ultra-important when shooting a rifle.

It was also one of the only rifle scopes that had a locking eyepiece so you can keep shooting rapidly once you have found your range. The lifetime guarantee it has is what really sold us on this model rifle scope.

So when you are shopping for a new rifle scope at a budget friendly price, then be sure to consider this model scope before making your purchasing decision. It really is the best rifle scope under 300 dollars in our opinion.

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