16 Best Long Range Rifle Scopes 2024 [Tested Choices]

With the increased popularity of longer-range shooting across the USA and the international scene, a good deal of attention has been placed on the development and design of better quality, more efficient long-range scopes.

Rifle scope use can be divided into two categories today. The first group are shooters living east of the Mississippi River, which cuts the country in half, and the second group are the plains and mountain states shooters who can send bullets for almost ever down-range.

After all this confusing information, I will now cover a few scopes that are classed in the general area of long-range optical systems.

Here I will offer some suggestions as to the best possible options based on price and quality.

My selections are by no means the final solution as there are many options available to today’s shooter regarding high-quality glass sights. But this series of offerings is based on my years of experience.

This optic retains a ¼ click turret that retains a total of 140 MOA adjustment graduations.

Built on a 35mm tube, the scope allows a turret click selection that offers an increase in elevation that is much required when adjusting the scope’s sights for ultra-long-range shots.

The locking windage and elevation turrets make getting back to zero after running elevation up or making bullet wind drift changes a snap.

The scope has been well thought out and is a lower end copy of the very high-end long-range optics used by both professional shooters and the American, British, Canadian, and Australian military.

This scope could be considered a good start when checking out the world of long-range shooting while not getting tied up in a house payment or two when buying a first-time scope sight.

Equipped with mounting rings and sunshade, the scope is sold as a complete package. My friends who have used this also provided me with good comments.

I started my quest for the ultimate long-range optic about 60 years ago and bought a very low-end optic that lasted a solid 20 years before it bit the dust. As a single FFP 10X tube, it served me well on military converted “A3-03” 30-06 Springfields of the day.

Vortex Optics is fast becoming a major big-league player in the long-range rifle scope business. I own several of these tubes, and I can say that the scopes measure up to a high quality.

The Viper is the scope sight that got the company rolling toward some major industry and buyer recognition within the past few years.

This scope as a second generation optic is a class act all around. It retains quality tactical features that make it a professional shooter’s choice.

These include 3-14X44 SFP optics, which means the crosshairs and dot etched into the reticle will increase in size as the power settings on the scope are changed. 

The second focal plane is often preferred by longer-range shooters because of this feature.

Shooters can dial their turrets for bullet drop and wind drift.

The scope makes use of laser-etched turrets, adjustable parallax, and the RZR zero stop system when returning to the correct base zero after advancing for windage or elevation.

This rifle scope is designed to react well at ultra long-range targets that require a high grade of optical glass. Max range in this case when utilizing 40 or more canted MOA bases is 1 mile.

Remember, you can’t hit what you can't see, but this Vortex system will get your bullet all the way to the target while you watch it splash upon impact.

This system works as a hunting model and also for ultra long-range applications for steel target or sniper work.

This best long-range scope, is capable of elevation adjustments to .250 clicks. The manufacturer builds these scopes to be used for sniper work as well as in the civilian marketplace by long-range mountain-to-mountain big game hunters.

I call this optic “beast”, as it retains many pro-level features. This high power scope makes use of a 56mm objective lens and provides maximum clarity and resolution that is required of a long-distance optic. 

Anything less won't get the job done, and it is hard to learn that lesson when you’re sighting down-range at 1000 yards, and everything goes fuzzy on the edges.

Because I shoot many different ultra long-range optics, and after writing three books on the subject, I can say that among the best of the best, it fits right into a very selected group of optical systems. And it retains a full lifetime warranty as well.

Explore the in-depth review of the Night Force 5.5-22X56 NXS right here!

This high power scope is first focal plane reticle and set up in MRAD versus MOA graduations. The former adjust 5.6 inches per click at 100 yards, then compounded for every additional 100 yards.

The latter clicks adjust for elevation to one inch per graduation click at 100 yards.

This is a pure as fresh snow sniper scope and designed for very advanced ultra long-range shooting. The 1 mile shot, for example, is not an issue with this system.

A point in fact is that this scope could be pushed regarding range extension to a much greater limit.

Built for dialing in long-range precision shots, the L-TEC turret features a locking system that prevents any accidental adjustment shifting.

A built-in visual rotation indicator helps the shooter keep track of the exact number of turret rotations completed prior to making the shot. So returning to base zero is much easier.

Optics in this scope are very clear and hold back negative light sources for a clear image, even at very long-range limits.

Why the price is so high? After shooting a target at 1000 yards, it takes about $100.00 per each additional 100 yards in equipment upgrade to stay in the game regarding ultra long-range target applications. The scope is only one part of a very complex puzzle. You get what you pay for.

This Viper PST is much like previous Vortex offerings in this price range, but with a change in power settings.

Vortex has moved up in both quality and selection so that it can offer a $3000.00 and change masterpiece for professional work on this mid-range and lower priced system for general long-range use.

Owning this system is far less stress on the family budget, but still returns great results in the field. All the features of the better grade Vortex scopes are built into this glass sight.

I run two of these scopes, one on 300 Win Mag and the other one on 6.5 Creedmoor, with a switch to a Savage 110 in 338 Lapua upon occasion. This scope is the top-of-the-line at Steiner and is German Army-qualified for snipers. The glass is nothing less than outstanding, sub tensions clean and easy to read when shooting ¾ mile on a 12X12 steel plate.

With very precise windage and elevation on this first focal plane reticle scope, long-range targets are easy to DOPE in correctly. This best scope retains an illumination control feature and parallax adjustments on a side focus combined turret and light control.

Of note, I have found that it is necessary to zero for each range used, as power settings will change bullet impact from 100 yards to an extended range limit. This is common with some FFP scopes.

As target shooters and snipers shoot per set DOPE cards, this has been no issue with me. My scopes are in MRAD settings (military), and I have set up DOPE cards for both optical units.

I believe that some shooters who buy these sniper-based tools don't understand how to use them. The Steiner M-Series is military-based, and a finely tuned piece of ultra long-range shooting equipment. And it retains a full lifetime warranty as well.

I selected the DMR 3.5-21X50 G3 because it fits my needs, and I am sure it would fit yours as well. Within a week’s shooting, the glass sight IO had jumped my effective range from 1400 yards to 1 mile. (1,760 yards fence-to-fence on a section of ranch land).

Sub-tensions are offered in both MRADS and MOA etched crosshairs.

The large turret retains ample rotations for ultra long-range work at full sub-tension levels and when completely bottomed out the turret on the scope will push 338 Lapua bullets at 300 grains to over 2,300 yards.

Now install the TACO periscope system, and this range instantly jumps to 5000 yards. Yes, that is just under 3 miles down-range. Optic quality on this scope is outstanding.

This is an entry level scope by Millett. I have included it because I have in the past and currently own Millett glass and have found it to be quite workable in the field. Clear optical glass with little or no distortion on the lens edges in bright light, and solid repeatable adjustments.

Based on the price, I would assume this scope to be a middle-of-the-road optic, but very workable for getting a shooter started in the long-range game without missing a bank payment on the house.

This rifle scope has been indicated to be ideal for the “tactical operator”. In effect, I don't think so, but very workable for shooting steel targets that don't shoot back.

Tactical operators I know personally are well beyond this optical system. When your life is hanging in the balance, scope glass is a far better investment than a tombstone.

That stated, the Millett 6-25X56 LRS carries some of the options that make it a workable glass sight. The scope carries repeatable adjustments, and a one-piece 35mm base tube that means lots of elevation clicks on a large turret. 

With a dot bar reticle, the shooter can use the sub-tensions of the reticle and also crank elevation from the turret. This means you're pulling elevation from both systems on the scope tube when stretching bullet drop numbers at ranges exceeding 1000 yards. (All this is dependent on the exact rifle and bullet employed.)

Bushnell is advancing like a rocket on rails. The company has made a 360 turn-about in design and production and as a result of this change via the new Vista corp, Bushnell is not your daddy’s scope builder anymore.

I shoot a variant of this rifle scope on my Model 1999 Montana 338 Lapua against steel targets to 1 mile all summer long. Having my current settings with my MILRAD reticle, I can accurately factor my computer-generated drop figures to within inches at the above indicated range limits. 

If you want to know about the good scope for 338 lapua magnum, visit here.

In effect, Bushnell delivers the mail in spades, my friends. You can bank on it.

This scope is about in the middle of the upper-end market. It retains all the features regarding water protection and surface metal treatment, and carries a MOA with marked sub-tensions for elevation correction on long shots.

This optic is very workable to 1000-1400 yards, and over 1 mile with proper weather and light conditions. You get this performance without paying three times the money that is required in some cases.

The Burris Veracity series is a group of optics that fit the needs of the hunter as well as the long-range shooter. I own and have used the Veracity on a Ruger Precision 338 Lapua for ultra long-range work out to 1500 yards.

The optical quality of this scope is solid and trouble-free. Set up in MOA clicks, the large turret on the 30mm housing allows ample elevation adjustment for shooting inside 1 mile. I like the system at 1000 yards the best, and it has proven to be a quality optical system overall.

The scope retains side focus parallax adjustment, and zero stop turret adjustment that is easy to use. The optical quality is outstanding with no distortion at the lens edges and with clean images at longer distances.

The scope uses a sub-tension reticle that makes use of very fine hashmark adjustments for competition target shooting at long distance. I have switched this scope onto 300 Win Mag rifles (Ruger Hawkeye Target).

While I have never owned a Schmidt, if I was being shot at across a mountain ridge by an insurgent, I will assure you that the Schmidt would be considered a real option for counter-sniper applications.

With its 34mm one-piece scope tube, large high-value turret elevation adjustments, and some of the best-in-the-world German optical glass installed, this scope is state-of-the-art, but with a price tag that would allow you to buy a nice used Harley Sportster for about the same cost.

If you’re a professional operator, considering this scope would not be the worst idea you ever came up with.

This scope is a wonder. The wonder story is how they can build this for the price they're asking. I have this scope mounted on a 300 Win Mag Ruger Hawkeye long-range rifle. It is nothing short of outstanding, shooting Sierra 168 grain MKs to 1400 yards all day long without a single hitch.

This FX retains an etched ranging reticle located at the first focal plane. Like all long-range optics, the scope retains a left-side turret knob for parallax adjustments, and turret clicks are at a high count considering the need for multiple numbers for increased elevation settings.

The scope retains a 30mm tube and zero stop settings on the turrets.

I shoot Leupold on two different Creedmoor rifles (6.5 and 6mm). This scope is outstanding at an affordable price if you’re going to hang in on the long-range shooting game.

The Twilight Max light management system ensures sharper images in low light conditions. The scope is offered in both first and second focal plane (MOA & MILS). This is unique, but be advised that Leupold will custom install your style of the reticle.

I have the Horus custom installed in my Leupold Mark V, making it best 6.5 creedmoor scope system as applied to the Browning A-Bolt heavy long- range target rifle.

With the 30mm tube, this scope can make use of high revolution long-range turrets and maintains great internal American well-built parts and glass optics.

The reader should keep in mind that there are a vast number of good quality scopes that have not been included here. Time, space, and seller inventory all play into the picture here. 

Try and remember that a scope with clear optics, the ability to stretch elevation and windage, by way of good sub-tension settings installed, is critical. The standard deer hunting style glass is NOT going to work out well for the shooter pushing bullets much beyond about 400 yards.

It is a bit like this: Upgrade or don't play the game at all.

In general, you're going to spend more on your optics than you did on your rifle when entering the game of long-distance shooting.

Want to know about best DMR scopes? Check out our complete guide.

• Schmidt-Bender Photo: RifleShooter
• Leupold VX-3i LRP Photo: TheFireArmBlog