What do scope numbers mean

Some scopes have a 3x magnification range such as a Some have 4 or more as in a Some new scopes have a magnification range of 8x or more. The larger the magnification range, the more you will pay, but it makes for a more versatile scope. For hunting and most applications, a x40 scope will be one of your best options. Most scopes, especially in America, have main tubes that are one inch in diameter.

That means that they use one-inch rings. Some scopes have thirty-millimeter main tubes. Those scopes will use thirty-millimeter rings. There are several main types of bases that are used to connect the rings to your firearm. You need to know what kind of base you have to find out the exact type of the one-inch or thirty-millimeter rings you will use for your specific scope. The height of the rings is determined mainly by the objective lens diameter, but also the barrel thickness, action size and type, ocular bell diameter, and bolt lift.

Here is my article on Choosing Mounts, Rings, and bases. Go back to main guide. Please enable JavaScript in Your Browser JavaScript is not currently enabled in your browser and due to this our site will not work as it should. While JavaScript is disabled, you will not be able to add items to your cart or browse all product options. Our site is powered by industry leading security standards for your protection.

Often there will be letters included with the scope numbers on the box. Usually these just refer to the model name for example the Leupold VX series. If the numbers come immediately before or after the scope numbers magnification and objective lens though they can have significant meaning.

Manufacturers vary somewhat, but common designations are:. AO — Adjustable Objective used for adjusting for parallax by turning the front of the scope.

IER — An intermediate eye relief scope for scout type rifle setups. This has a much longer eye relief than a conventional scope. EER — Extended eye relief scopes that are made for handguns. They have a very long eye relief obviously. There are many other designations that are used to describe lens coatings etc.

Always research this information for the specific model before making a purchase. The scope is arguably the most important component of your rifle as it helps the shooter to locate, aim, and hit targets at distances that are outside your normal range of vision.

The scope works by magnifying images that are very far away and aligning your aim to the image projected through the scope. The numbers on a rifle scope may look a bit confusing at first, but they are easy to read once you understand how they work.

Suppose you are using a mid-range variable power scope, and a number is written on it, 3 — 9 x 40 mm. This number shows three things. The 3 is the minimum rifle scope magnification, the 9 is its maximum scope magnification and the 40 mm represents the diameter of the objective lens.

So, in this example, you have a scope magnification range from 3 to 9x. The first two numbers show the scope magnification range. Since the number runs from 3 to 9, it shows that the scope can be zoomed between the range of 3x and 9x magnification. Variable power riflescopes have the scope magnification range as the first two numbers as mentioned above. You have something like , , , etc. A lower power scope, for example, has a zoom range of 3x 9 divided by 3. A higher power scope might be a x which has a zoom range of 5x.

Lately, variable magnification power scopes with zoom ranges of 10x have started to enter the market. Such a variable magnification power rifle scope, for example, one with a x magnification range allows covering a wide range of shooting and hunting scenarios in one scope.

This is true for rifle scopes with adjustable zoom and variable magnification range. A fixed power scope will only show a number like 6 x 45, where the first number shows the fixed magnification of 6 and the second number shows the diameter of the lens — What is the Rule for Rifle Scope Magnification vs Distance? Larger lenses with a bigger diameter are usually better than smaller lenses. A larger objective lens allows more light to come into the rifle scope and makes it easier to focus.

It makes for a much brighter and clearer image especially when you are shooting in low light conditions such as cloudy weather or dusk. Generally, rifle scope lenses are smaller than the lenses you would find on binoculars. This is because binoculars are designed to let you see as far as they might allow, while rifle scopes only let you see as far as the shooting range of the rifle. Designing rifle scopes with bigger lenses does not serve any purpose if your rifle can only shoot at a distance of yards.

The spotting scope, on the contrary, needs to allow as much light into the binoculars as possible to let you see a wider field clearly when scouting for deer during a hunt. Another reason why rifle scopes are smaller is that they must be fitted on the rifle and carried around.

Lastly, if you use a rifle scope with a large objective lens diameter you also have to have a rifle and mounts that support such a large scope. If your scope features a 56mm objective lens then you need mounts and rings that work with such a large size! The effectively usable zooming range of your rifle scope is largely affected by the presence of sunlight in the area.