Crossbows are becoming popular across the world, and they are used for different activities. From professional hunting to target practice, crossbows are an indispensable item for many. But what uses is a crossbow if you can aim for the target? And more importantly, how can you improve your aim?
The answer lies with scopes. Scopes make the difference between a miss and a hit. For pros, scopes are of paramount importance, for beginners, they are pivotal for good aim. To help pros and amateurs alike, we bring our reviews of the best crossbow scope and highlight 5 renowned brands.
So, before cutting loose with that crossbow on the range, give this article a good read and find out what you are missing out on!
5 Best Crossbow Scopes Review
Time for the much-awaited reviews. We will now review the top 5 brands of crossbow scopes, and highlight the pros and cons of each. We hope this will make it easier for you to find your pick.
1. 1.5-5×32 Crossbow Scope, 20-100 Yards Ballistic Reticle
The first item on our reviews list is the 1.5-5×32 Crossbow Scope from the one and only MA3TY brand. Made with advanced technology, and suitable for archery of all types, this is the perfect item to complement your crossbow. With a magnification of 1.5-5x in size, you can observe detail from afar like never before. The scope itself is flexible and strong in build, so it will not give in to yielding. This product is loaded with a plethora of features that make it a standout choice.
The multilayer, fully coated lens is covered with a special coating. This allows for up to 93% light transmission.
In other words, only 7% of light is lost due to reflection, so there is very little glare if any at all. Furthermore, the greater ambiance allows you to hit your target with more accuracy and have better aim.
This product has also been tested for resistance against impact. It can withstand up to 1000G of force and impact. To make things better, it is even waterproof and fog proof too.
You can thus use it during foggy and rainy days and still aim with unimpeded accuracy. To impart more strength and durability, the 30mm monotube inside is filled up with nitrogen and sealed with it.
This accounts for superior chassis power. With 100 reticles, you can aim with a greater degree of freedom and accuracy. Furthermore, you can aim for over 100 yards too, provided the cross bow supports the weight of the scope.
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2. Ravin R170 100-Yard
The R170 is one of Ravin’s’ finest scopes yet. Made with advanced technology, it is highly calibrated and provides a vast field of view. This easy to use product measures 8.75 inches in length and comes with speed and arrow settings for greater optimization. You can set the shooting speed between a ranges of 300 to 425 fps.
With nine aiming dots for pinpoint accuracy, you will enjoy 20-100 yards of clear, unobstructed vision. This is quite amazing and means this product can be used on hunting rifles too.
To zone in on distant targets, you can utilize the colored red dot settings. This, along with the green arrow setting, is both controlled via a rheostat, and are placed to amplify your accuracy. The optical lenses are coated with glass reticles.
In surplus, the lens is also fully multi-coated with a layer of coating. This allows for better light transmission and also provides better zooming. Another key feature of this product is its weight. At only 1.5 pounds, it is easily carried in a backpack, along with the rest of your gear and equipment.
Furthermore, it is also resistant to a wide range of substances, like water, shock, moisture, and fog. This makes it perfect for outdoor excursions.
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3. TRUGLO Opti-Speed 1-4 x 24mm Velocity
A highly enhanced Truglo crossbow scope, this is one scope that delivers on its promise of quality every single time, of being one of their best-illuminated crossbow scopes.
To start off, the fully coated lenses provide the best possible brightness, absolute clarity, and great contrast, all summing up to give better light transmission. In addition, the equipped rheostat offers brilliant brightness control (even under low light conditions), and all this is complemented by a wide field of vision.
The enhanced and highly upgraded BDC reticle is perfectly placed for a number of reasons. For one, it helps against bolt drops and also simultaneously provides better accuracy, even from a long range between 20-70 yards.
To calibrate speed, you will be pleased to know that there is a special set of scales that does just that. You can calibrate the scales to match the top bolt velocity of 450fps.
Inside the product is a durable and long-lasting leaf spring. This spring is placed not only for stability but also for rapid adjustments. In fact, it also allows for elevation adjustments to precise levels.
Get the most out of this product with its highly beneficial features that encompass resistance to water as well as resistance to fogging. In addition, the nitrogen gas filed rings add to the overall stability and durability of the structure.
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4. Trijicon TR24 AccuPoint
The TR24 is as high quality as they come, and is used primarily for big game hunting. With a plethora of invaluable features to offer, this is one for professionals in any field.
Made with the use of the latest advances in technology, this product comes with a highly distinct amber aiming light, so you no longer have to worry about missing the target anymore.
The multi-layer lens adds a superior level of clarity that is not observable or found elsewhere, making one the best overall. Another aspect of this product is its sturdy build and structure. Made with aircraft-grade aluminum, this product can power through difficult conditions with ease.
This product operates without the need for batteries. This is a crucial point because it won’t just give in to power cuts at crucial moments. The product’s fiber optics automatically adjusts the brightness levels and make adjustments to the reticle to compensate under current light conditions.
With quick and easy adjustments, there is no reason to be worried about mistiming shots or missing out on anything.
The tube is further filled with nitrogen, and this acts to prevent corrosion and completely remove fogging from the equation. The black matte finish is not only nice to look at, but also reduces light reflections that would otherwise attract animals.
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5. Trijicon ACOG 3×24
The final item on our reviews list is the ACOG 3×24 from one of the best brands, Trijicon. Made with the utmost engineering precision, be prepared to receive a product that is high in quality and equally good in range, making it one of the best crossbow scope on the market.
This product comes with highly refined, well-engineered magnified crossbow optics. This allows for a significant level of magnification.
With the illuminated reticle, this product can accommodate a wide range of speeds. As a matter of fact, the speed range it can support is from 340 fps to a full 400 fps. This allows you to keep track of the bolt as it is released.
The illuminated crossbow scope allows you to zone in on your target with pinpoint accuracy. By showing a green marking, it is both easy to see and equally easy to follow when light conditions are dim or poor.
Weighing in at just above 6 ounces, it is quite light and this will surely play to your advantage if anything. It can easily be transported in bags and backpacks, and will also fit in nicely with the rest of your gear.
As a final note, this scope is further patented for its quality and level of performance outdoors. It is the perfect scope for large game hunting, and this includes deer and elk, both of which are rather difficult to hunt.
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Features To Look For Before Buying
Now that you know about the top brands of crossbow scopes on the market, and read all the reviews, it is time to go into a little detail.
In this section, we will provide some pointers and guidelines you could consider when choosing the ultimate crossbow scope.
While several aspects can be considered, we will only discuss the most important or relevant ones, so that you can make sure to get the most out of your investment.
Quality of Lens
The lens is everything, well almost everything. It acts as your virtual eyes and depending on its overall quality, it can make a crossbow excellent or very poor.
The best lenses allow light in, but without putting too much strain on the eyes, making you feel uncomfortable. For the best possible effect, it is always wise to go with coated lenses, and even better if there is an option for an illuminated reticle. These types of lenses minimize glare and allow better transmission of light to reach through to your retina.
Ample Magnification
Magnification is an amazing feature in high-quality scopes that allows you to view distant objects with more clear and unimpeded vision. High magnification means that you can aim the crossbow from a distance and still expect to hit the target because the sizes are now magnified for viewing.
However, there is one important thing to keep in mind when going for good magnification, and that is that you do not sacrifice resolution. If a highly magnifying scope reduces the overall quality of the image, then it is not worth it.
Hence, you must make sure there is a good balance is struck between the two parameters for the complete experience.
Light in Weight
These days, the weight of any equipment or gear can become a pivotal choice behind customer preferences. This comes as no surprise, as people now prefer more portable and easy to carry products. Crossbow scopes are no different in this regard. Newer scopes are made to be lighter, easy to carry, easy to use and store away.
The best weight is below 5 pounds, but you can afford a pound or two more. Heavier scopes will make the crossbow heavier, meaning that you will have to exert more effort on your part. This is something you could avoid with a lighter scope.
Durability
Durability is another key aspect you should keep in mind. The best crossbow scopes on the market are durable and long-lasting, which in turn entails fewer replacements and thus less money spent.
By durability, we mean it should be resistant to impact to some degree, and also not corrode or wear off during use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Time for a round of FAQs, bringing you the most searched questions when comes to the best crossbow scopes and their characteristics. Read through this section to find answers to any question you may need answering
Good question! The field of view, or FOV, is how much image or picture width the scope can give at a specified distance. This is the distance that you can see without moving the scope.
The FOV is measured in terms of 1000 meters or so. A FOV of say 80 meters, means you can see around a width of 80 meters without moving the lens or scope.
This is because the eye relief is perhaps insufficient. The eye relief measures the eye to eyepiece distance, and a smaller eye relief means there is less space between your eyes and the scope. You could consider getting a different scope to combat this.
Hunting is a difficult activity and is dependent on a number of factors. A scope will certainly improve your vision (more so if it’s a scope for low light), but what hunting really comes down to is experience and skill. But a good scope is always an asset.
Yes, it can. Scopes are usually equipped with adjustment knobs that allow you to manipulate the level of light you need at a certain time. The best crossbow scopes (not all), are also equipped with a speed selector, to further provide control over speed settings.
A coated lens reduces the amount of reflection of light by minimizing light from bouncing across surfaces. Hence, the light is more focused and your vision will be clear.
Final Words
We finally reached the end of this review article on the best crossbow scope, and we hope you enjoyed it. As you can now see, picking a scope requires thinking and time, but we hope we helped in some little way. So, go out there and get the very best scope for your amazing crossbow!