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Nowadays, it’s not easy to find a rifle enthusiast who prefers using a different kind of sighting device other than the scope. And that’s simply because metallic sights come with a lot of complexities. Think of the iron sight, for example.
Users are always expected to line up the front and rear sight with the target, before shooting. But with a scope, all you’ve got to do is ensure its reticle is lined up with the target. And seeing as they also come with the magnification feature, delivering precise shots will be easier, as the targets usually appear closer.
There are so many different types of scopes in the market. So many that anyone who’s never held a gun before can feel overwhelmed just process all that information. But fortunately, they have us. After reviewing some of the best scopes for Savage 220, we will break it down to simple and understandable bits, in the buyer’s section.
Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Overall | CVLIFE 4x32 Tactical Rifle Scope |
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Best Value | Barska AC10380 Plinker-22 Scope |
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Premium Choice | Vortex Optics Diamondback Riflescope |
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Konus 7249 Shotgun Black Powder Riflescope |
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Nikon Prostaff P3 Shotgun BDC 200 Riflescope |
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Our CVLIFE 4×32 Tactical Rifle Scope is a fixed scope. Some people prefer calling such scopes non-adjustable, and we’re okay with that. The point that we’re trying to pass across is, you won’t have an option of changing its magnification.
And you’d think that we would be disappointed by this, but we’re not. We’ve used both types of scopes, so we know fixed scopes are less complex, a lot lighter, and more compact.
The objective lens found in its system is 32mm in diameter. Some have complained about how small that is, but what they don’t realize is, the size of the objective lens is always tied to magnification. And a combination of both is what determines the exit pupil—the spec that gives you the freedom you need to roam your eyes, with respect to the optical axis.
What’s the mounting system on the CVLIFE 4×32 Tactical Rifle Scope?
You’ll be using the weaver mount. That should make you smile, seeing as weavers are less costly compared to a picatinny, more detachable, strong, and hold very well.
CVLIFE incorporated the fiber technology to make certain that the sight provides a quick and accurate acquisition, and some green illuminated layer coated lenses to help produce crisp target images by improving the resolution and light transmission levels.
Depending on the weather conditions, the lighting intensity can be adjusted using the 3 level of brightness setting. Also, the reticle is glass etched with tri-illuminations. That is blue, red, and our favorite color, green.
The black matte finish and aluminum alloy housing are all you need to answer the question of how it handles light reflections, and whether it will need to be replaced after an outing or two.
What didn’t we like about the scope? The illuminated reticle is basically worthless in broad daylight.
Now, this right here is what we call the best scope for savage 220 for the money. You’ll be getting every cool feature found in a quality scope—and then some—and feel like you did put your money to good use.
The Barska AC10380 Plinker-22 Scope has a quality extra-rigid construction that makes it the perfect scope for the guys looking to hunt in the rough outdoors. We assure you that this optical sighting device can handle any form of abuse you throw at it, and the rain showers, fog, and shock.
“Precision Aiming” should have been its middle name. It’s been designed with a 30/30 crosshair reticle, and ¼ MOA click adjustments that guarantee easy targeting and precision accuracy. So, you really won’t be jumping the gun if you right away conclude that this is the type of scope that can deliver in any type of shooting. Well, that’s if you know what you’re actually doing, and how to handle a weapon.
Is the optic coated? Yes, it is. In fact, the layered lenses are the feature that you should be thanking for that impressive viewing clarity. Being fully coated, they take care of so many things, including the glare and scratches.
At 50 yards, you won’t have any parallax problems to deal with. And, now you know why shooters love using it to aim at targets that are at a closer range.
You’ll be glad to know that this second focal plane optic comes with scope caps, ⅜-inch dovetail rings, and a lens cloth. Brands don’t usually offer these accessories for free, so you should take advantage of them.
Unfortunately, the tightening screws for the scope rings are soft metal. So, if you drop the device or slip and fall, chances are they’ll be deformed noticeably. This might not be a big deal to some people, but it is to us. That’s why we pushed it down to the second spot.
We’re pretty sure you’ve noticed that this name sounds familiar. That’s because the scope is part of the multiple Diamondback configurations lineup. Thus, making it perfect for brush hunting applications, the slug shotgun, and for big game. Also, all those models in that lineup are too pricey.
The type of reticle found in this device is the Dead-Hold BDC reticle. Now, we can’t really give a comprehensive user guide here, so we’ll keep it simple. With the help of this feature, you’ll be able to eliminate the need for hold-over at the different shooting ranges. Add the fast-focus eyepiece into the mix, and you have yourself a gadget that also permits a quick and easy reticle focusing.
Oh, were you searching for a scope that has fully multi coated lenses? Then why don’t you try the Vortex Optics Diamondback Riflescope? And because it’s fully multi coated, you’ll be provided with bright, sharp, and contract target images. The effect of an efficient light transmission system.
That waterproof and fogproof lifetime performance that you’ve heard everybody talk about is the result of the O-ring seal and the argon purge. Its tube is a solid one-piece with a hard-anodized finish, making it durable and shockproof.
Adding the precision erector system and the metal-on-metal precision turrets to the design definitely gave it an edge, because the scope now has the ability to zero reset after sight-in, and ensures tracking and repeatability.
Why’s it out of the top two? It lacks the zero-stop feature, and that ridiculous price tag. Seriously though, it’s too expensive.
The Konus 7249 Shotgun Black Powder Riflescope features an exceptionally wide field of view and long eye relief. For that reason, it’s one of those scopes that allow users to be more aware of their surroundings, in addition to helping them make more accurate shots.
The long eye relief is why you’ll never hear a hunter talk about a time when they went out and came back with a band-aid over their eyebrow. We’ll talk more about the importance of the eye relief spec in the buyer’s guide.
Materials used in the construction of this optical sighting device are premium grade for sure. First off, we have the unbreakable glass engraved AimPro reticle. The type of design that you don’t see in a scope of this caliber, as it features an inner diamond meant to guarantee an exact aiming point.
And that’s not the only function of the AimPro reticle. We also discovered that it acts as a rangefinder, thereby ensuring that the whole space is filled the way it’s supposed to, irrespective of the target’s size.
“But why are the optic lenses enhanced?”
How effective a scope is in terms of light transmission will be taken into account when consumers purchase the product. Konus knows this, and that’s why they designed it with multi coated optics.
Another piece of information that we think we should share is how easily the turrets can be adjusted. You’ll never feel like you’re struggling, even if you still have gloves on. And speaking of adjustments, the parallax is corrected to 75 yards.
We didn’t like the scope covers, though. For a brand this big, we believe they can do better.
The Prostaff P3 Shotgun BDC 200 scope is an upgrade of the previous model. That model didn’t come with features such as the BDC 200 reticle, that only functions effectively with the polymer-tipped sabot slugs.
If you carefully examine it, you’ll again realize that the same feature provides 4 ballistic aiming circles—Words that are synonymous with precision and accuracy. Long story short, the Nikon Prostaff P3 Shotgun BDC 200 Riflescope can cover 200 yards without breaking a sweat, but in the right hands.
It’s an adjustable scope with a magnification range of 3-9x. And apart from that versatility that you get to enjoy, you also get to work with a compact, rugged single-piece unit that measures 1 inch in tube diameter, and is made of aircraft-grade aluminum. That’s why it’s capable of handling the slug like it’s nothing.
With the Nikon Prostaff P3 Shotgun BDC 200 Riflescope, you’re assured ¼ MOA elevation and windage adjustments. The eye relief measurement is 5 inches, and the spring-loaded turrets are responsible for the instant Zero Reset.
Sadly though, its reticle isn’t illuminated—The sole reason why hunters looking to hunt in the dark always opt for a different scope. In addition, the lens cover is of poor quality.
But we’ll forgive that because we again liked the fully multi coated optical system and quick-focus eyepiece. They made it worth every penny invested.
We’re done with the reviews, and now it’s time to look at the things buyers often take into consideration before making a purchase. Experienced buyer, that is. If you’ve never bought a scope before, just look for a pen and paper, and start taking notes.
“What’s the best magnification for a scope?”
There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to this one. All we can say is, it depends on what you’ll be using your weapon for. Assuming you’re planning to go brush hunting, we would recommend anything that ranges between 1 to 4x. But if it’s big game hunting, you’ll have to opt for something a little higher.
You’ll also have to look into the type of reticle design that the scope comes with, while choosing the magnification. Pay close attention to the markings, technology, size, location, and anything else that you think is important, but we left out. If it influences accuracy and precision, it’s important.
This is yet another feature that can’t be forgotten. Your scope’s objective lens will be the lens at the front. Some people call it the light-gathering lens because that’s its main function. Go with a larger lens, but not too large that it ends up affecting the overall weight of the scope. Anything that lies between 33mm and 44mm is considered ideal.
If you have to choose between the traditional objective lens and an adjustable one, go with the latter. They’ve been designed to focus the scope in a way that sets it free of parallax. Optics designed without this feature will also be free of parallax, but only to a particular distance.
Guys, a heavy scope is not the same as a durable scope. If you want to run around with a device that’s as heavy as a brick, just do it. But don’t start telling people that you got it because heavy equates to durability. That’s preposterous.
How durable a scope is will hinge on the materials used during production. Typically, most brands use aircraft-grade aluminum. This material comes with properties that are rarely seen in other materials. It usually makes the product very lightweight, strong, and capable of handling any amount of shock it’s exposed to—the kind of shock that you normally experience while shooting a weapon with heavy recoil.
While we’re on that subject of recoil, we feel the need to expound on how the whole thing works.
Anytime you pull a trigger, there’s a kinetic energy that will be released. This energy has to go somewhere, so it will eventually find its way to the scope.
If the scope is made of aircraft-aluminum, dispersing that energy will be efficient. But if it’s made of a different material, especially one that doesn’t have what it takes to absorb and disperse this type of energy, the optic’s system will unequivocally be compromised. Forcing you to go back to the store to get another riflescope.
So, go shop for aircraft-grade aluminum scopes, and you won’t have to waste your hard-earned money on a second-rate device.
When looking at the specs and features of a rifle scope, we often try to look for one that has a reasonable exit pupil. Reasonable in the sense that it’s neither too large nor too small. We know many of you think “large” is better, but that’s not always the case in the exit pupil department.
You know, come to think of it, we don’t think it’s even the case when it comes to the scope’s magnification, objective lens diameter, eye relief, or anything else.
“What’s an exit pupil?”
We obviously got ahead of ourselves. Let’s just go back to the beginning, and start with a definition.
So, every optical instrument that you’ll buy will present your eye with a circular-shaped patch of image-forming light. That’s what we call the exit pupil.
Do you have a scope right now? Just point it towards the sky, or a brightly lighted surface. And don’t look directly at the sun because a direct source of light will just blind you instead. Okay, now position your eyes a couple of inches away from the scope’s eyepiece. But make sure your line of sight is aligned with your optical axis.
If you hold the scope the way it’s supposed to be held, you’ll be able to see something that looks like a disc of light at the center. That right there is what the exit pupil is.
For a normal human being, the eye can only expand to a maximum diameter of 7mm. Taking that into account, anything bigger than that will only complicate things, as it will deliver more than the system can process. That’s why we keep saying a larger exit pupil is not always the most desirable feature.
That distance between your eye and the lens of the optical sighting device is what’s called the eye relief. It’s always measured in inches, and if it’s not long or short enough, the target’s images always appear distorted. You’ll either see a black ring, or an image that can only be described as ‘fuzzy’.
“Is that the only reason why the eye relief is an important spec?”
No, it’s not the only reason. And, we understand why you’d ask that. Many times, we’ve seen hunters mount the device and right away go hunting, even without testing or trying to see if it can deliver out in the field. Only to come back angry at how the scope nearly took out one of their eyes.
And that’s just the thing. Being able to see a clear image is not always enough. You still have to take a few shots and find out whether the scope can handle the shock caused by heavy recoil.
We have two types of eye relief. There’s the standard eye relief that ranges between 3.5 to 4 inches, and the long eye relief that goes above 4.5 inches. Every type has an upside and a downside.
For example, the standard eye relief is often recommended for medium caliber ammunition, but the field of view is limited. The long eye relief, on the other hand, is great for high caliber rifles, offers a wider field of view, but can only work well with a smaller zooming power.
We don’t know why, but so many rifle scope users tend to think that optics function the same way as water pipes. They don’t understand why a larger tube does not automatically mean that you’ll be working with a scope that allows in more than sufficient light to produce brighter images.
Well, our job is to provide you with accurate information, and not myths. And we’re telling you, the only advantage associated with a larger tube is more adjustment travel.
In that tube, you’ll find an erector system. Its primary function is to regulate the optic’s magnification and point-of-impact. Even though you’ll not be able to see it, you should know it always moves around. And we’re about to tell you why.
A long-range shooter will always have to account for the bullet drop. The farther the shot, the more the bullet drops due to gravity. To correct this issue, you’ll see them from time to time, adjusting the elevation dial. And if they have a larger tube, they’ll be able to make more adjustments, thereby compensating for larger drops.
So don’t buy a scope with a larger tube thinking it will be able to ‘gather’ more light. It won’t. You’ll only have more room to dial into your elevation, and that’s all.
You know the drill. As always, we have to recap a few things before leaving. One of those things is to remind you what our top pick is—the CVLIFE 4×32 Tactical Rifle Scope. But if it’s all about an optic sighting device that offers value for money, we would go with the Barska AC10380 Plinker-22 Scope. Don’t go anywhere near the Vortex Optics Diamondback Riflescope, which is also good, but ridiculously expensive.
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Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. Nowadays, Robert is dedicated to helping others find the right optics for their needs. His hobbies include astronomy, astrophysics, and model building. Originally from Newark, NJ, he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the nighttime skies are filled with glittering stars.
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