As a hunter, you want to be as accurate as possible. To do that, you need the best scope for your rifle. If your gun is a muzzleloader, here’s a simple guide on how to pick a scope for it.
When you’re hunting with a muzzleloader, you want that shot to count. This is why getting the best muzzleloader scope possible should interest you.
Hunting with a muzzleloader means slow reload times. That’s why a lot of states allow hunting with it for extended hunting seasons. When you’re trying to bag that deer with your muzzleloader, you don’t want a missed shot to spook your target and lose hours of stalking and hunting.
10 Best Muzzleloader Scope - Comparison
Why Get a Muzzleloader Scope?
That’s where scopes come in. Your eyes maybe keen, but sometimes you’re going to need a bit of help when it comes to ensuring that shot hits, specially when you’re aiming at the edge of your visible ability.
Scopes are a great tool for boosting your accuracy and firing ability. While you’re aiming with stock iron sights from top of your rifle, there’s a chance that you’ll miss. It’s accepted that the farther you are from the target, there’s a bit of a drop in accuracy.
That’s exactly what scopes make up for. With a clearer picture of what you’re shooting at, you’ll be able to shoot much quicker.
The other reason you would want to get a scope is that it can be a lot easier on your eyes. Aiming with just your bare eyes can put a lot of strain on your eyes and damage them. Offload a lot of that effort to your scope and you should have fewer problems.
Thirdly, it will help you see better in less-than-perfect conditions. Distance, fog, rain can mess up your aim a lot. With the right scope, you can pinpoint your shot to hit where you want it to go without worrying about these difficulties.
Finally, it is a lot easier to identify other hunters and people with scopes. From a distance, camouflaged hunters can be hard to distinguish from the landscape. Night vision Scopes or another best scopes can let you see them by zooming ad identifying them before you make the mistake of shooting while they ar in the firing line.
Factors That Should Affect Your Choice of Buying Best Muzzleloader Scope
Once you’ve decided to buy a scope though, you’re going to need to evaluate each of them properly. Here are few factors that should be at the top of your head when evaluating a scope for your muzzle loader.
Durability
You’re going to be bringing these scopes in the field. You’ll want them to be tough enough to handle the conditions. This means being made of the best materials out there and being able to withstand long-term outdoor use.
Image Clarity
The main reason you’re buying a scope is that it will allow you to see better. A scope should be judged by how well it can do that. This includes how well it can help you see even in less-than-optimal conditions like fog and rain.
Magnification
The other reason you would buy a scope is to be able to see farther. Depending on the level of magnification that your scope provides, this can improve your shooting ability. High magnification scopes can ensure that you land that shot from hundreds of meters away.
Eye Relief
You don’t want your entire hunting trip to be locked behind your scope. Some scopes provide eye relief specifications, mentioning how far away you can be to be able to see well in the scope. The usual eye relief distance is around four inches.
Easy Use
There are some scopes that can be complicated. You don’t want those. You’ll want a scope that you can easily slip on and manipulate. Easy use scopes make it easy for you to just aim and shoot.
Price
Finally, you don’t want a scope that will break the bank. You want to consider your budget the next time that you are buying you are buying a scope for your muzzleloader.
Here are a few of the top muzzleloader scopes out there and what they bring to the table.
Best Muzzleloader Scope in 2021 - Reviews
1. Leupold VX-2 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope
The VX-2 is an impressive-looking scope. The sleek and professional shape of this scope matches its performance. Just slot this on to your rifle and you can assured that your shots will always be on point.
This is thanks to its solid eye relief distance of 4.2 inches and the impressive lens quality of this scope.
Your eyes won’t get tired tracking targets through these sights. They also work in a variety of conditions
- This is made from the best materials.
- The lenses are another prime draw, with the crosshairs designed to provide accurate shots and a diamond coating for increased durability.
- This product has a bit of an expensive price tag.
2. Vortex Optics Diamondback Rifle Scope 3-9X40
The Diamonback has a pretty good magnification range from 3x to 9x. This will allow you to hit targets from pretty far back. It helps that it has a deadhold BDC reticule that eliminates a lot of the guesswork when it comes to taking that shot.
With its aluminum body, this scope is a very durable piece of kit with additional resistance to recoil.
Combined with fog and weather-proofing, this cope will allow you to hunt in a variety of environments and conditions.
- High accuracy is guaranteed for shots thanks to the scope design.
- Solid construction ensures that this scope will last a long time.
- Easy use lets beginners experience its effectiveness.
- Eye relief is at three inches, which can be a bit of a hassle.
3. Nikon ProStaff 4-12x40 Black Matte Riflescope
Nikon has been consistently been hitting it out of the park with its scopes. The ProStaff is another example of its dedication to making the best optics out there.
With 98% light transmission, it will let you see and shoot in low light environments. It also helps that it is weather-proof, working in a variety of adverse conditions.
Solidly made, the ProStaff will last you for a long time.
- High-quality materials make for a very durable scope that performs very well.
- Includes glare protection so that the sun won’t be disrupting any of your shots.
- Another expensive scope from Nikon, but it can be worth it for the quality.
4. Nikon P-223 3-9x40 Mate BDC 600
The Nikon brand is best known for its camera, but this expertise has led it to expanding in the field of optics. This is why you’ll find products like the P-223 around.
Nikon continues with its own brand of excellence by delivering a high-quality scope for your muzzleloader. With its price tag, it promises a lot and it manages to deliver.
First, this is a very solidly-made scope. It works in all types of weather. The scope itself is filled with nitrogen and sealed with an O-ring. The result is a scope that you can depend on.
Second, this scope has very good image magnification. You can get very good image quality up to 600 yards. You can actually fiddle around with the settings and you can get it back immediately thanks to the zero reset feature.
Finally, this scope has 98% clarity. This means that when you’re on the field and peer through this scope, there’ nothing that can get in the way of a good shot.
- Solid construction ensures that you will be using this scope for years.
- High clarity visuals ensure that you hit what you aim at.
- Easy-to-use features make it simple to operate and attach.
- This is a bit on the pricy end of the budget scale.
5. Nikon Buckmasters II 3-9x40 BDC
Another quality offering from Nikon, you will find it hard to beat the view when you look into the Buckmasters’ lens.
Excellent visual quality and light transmission ensures this scope will show you what you need to see when it comes to aiming. The optic quality is only rivaled by how solid the construction of this scope.
With a housing designed to resist fogging and moisture, you can be sure that this scope will be able to stand the test of time.
Aiming is also a lot easier with the trajectory compensating system that lets you aim quickly and hassle-free. Slip this on to your rifle and be assured of hitting that next target.
- Excellent visual quality, whether it is in clear weather or not.
- This scope is built to last.
- The solid construction makes it a bit heavier than the other scopes on the market.
6. KONUS 9x Zoom KONUSpro 275 Muzzle Scope
One of the most cost-effective rifle scopes out there, the Pro 275 is already calibrated for the most popular muzzleloader rifles out there. Just install the scope and you’ll be ready to shoot.
With magnification letting you accurately target anything from 75 to 275 yards, this scope provides you with accurate targeting thanks to its detailed reticule.
Lateral marks are included so that you can still hit even in windy conditions or when the target is on the move.
- High magnification ranging from 3x to 9x.
- Generous eye relief distance will not have you squinting constantly.
- Affordable price range makes it a cost-effective purchase.
- Slight delay when adjusting sights.
7. Traditions Performance Firearms Muzzleloader Hunter Series Scope
The Performance scope actually seems unimpressive at first. It is missing mounting rings that you will need to add and has a three-inch eye relief. However, when it goes into action it manages to impress.
First, it works really well in low-light environments. You can see your target even in the evening dusk. This is thanks to the multi-coated crystal lenses.
Additionally, with its nitrogen-filled scope, you can be assured that this scope will not fog up or be affected by the weather.
- Solid construction makes this a dependable piece of kit.
- 1x scopes are hard to find for muzzleloaders and this is one of them.
- Thick crosshairs can disrupt your shots a bit but experienced hunters can compensate for that.
8. Simmons 8-point Truplex Reticle Riflescope
This scope is an interesting and affordable purchase. The Truplex Riflescope is a simple scope that works with quite a few rifles. Solid construction makes it a durable product overall
Using the scope is also a breeze. Using a TrueZero adjustment system, all you need is a fingertip to accurately set the various settings of your scope. The magnification alone can get up to nine times the original.
The real draw for many though is how easy it is to zero in on the target. Thanks to Quick Target Acquisition, you can immediately set your sights on a target and pull the trigger on it in just an eyeblink.
- This particular scope is pretty affordable.
- Easy target acquisition is also a major reason for buying it.
- Very adjustable with nine levels of magnification.
- Hard to focus with this soap when in low visibility environments.
9. Thompson/Center Universal Muzzleloader Scope
This scope and mount kit from Thompson/Center aims to deliver better accuracy for your muzzleloader. The great thing about this kit is that it allows for mounting on multiple types of rifles.
If you’ve got different muzzleloaders, you may want to use the mount kit to ensure that your scope will always have secure home on each.
The scope itself is pretty good for the price range. The 40mm lens can go from 3x to 9x in magnification. That’s pretty good in terms of helping with visual capacity. The dialing in of the scope also adds to the accuracy.
Waterproof and fogproof, the scope will work in a variety of environments that a hunter will often find himself in.
- Aiming is easy with the included scope, thanks to its dial-in feature.
- Solid all-weather design lets you use it in multiple environments
- The mounting rings need a bit of tightening and may need replacement.
10. Truglo Tru-Brite Xtreme 3 Muzzleloader Scope
Offering a thick 44mm lens, this is a very interesting scope when it comes to shooting.
The first thing you’ll notice is that illuminated reticule gets rid of the simple black crosshair and replaces it with a red or green design that works in low light. One can shift from one to another depending on your needs.
It even has a rheostat that allows for brightness control for high-glare environments.
The scope is also pretty durable, with a waterproof and fog proof body. Multiple coatings on the lenses ensure that you will be shooting in many different environments. The body is a single aluminum tube and is very well-crafted.
- Works in a variety of environments.
- Easy calibration allows accurate shooting for a wide variety of rifles.
- Thanks to its many features, you can expect this scope to be a bit on the pricy side.
Best of the money muzzle loader scope Take Aim
With these examples of the best muzzle loaders out there, you can have a good idea of what you can expect. Each has their own advantages and flaws, so you’ll want to weigh each of them on their own merit.
The best muzzle loader scope for you is the one that you feel works best with the rifle you’re using and your shooting style. Think about which of them fits best and purchase it to help ensure every shot hits.
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