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During the last quarter century, we’ve seen a tremendous advancement in rifle scopes. Some modern rifle scopes have such great glass that it seems you can almost see into the future, and others will range a target and even provide you with a digital, trajectory-corrected aiming point. But the truth is, most hunters just need a trustworthy rifle scope that will hold zero, wont fog up, and has enough magnification to allow for precision shooting out to around 300 yards or a little beyond. Believe it or not, you can still find dependable rifle scopes like this that you can bet your hunt on and that cost less than $500, in some cases much less. Here are seven of the best rifle scopes out there for less than $500.
Best for Hunting: Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 CDS-ZL Duplex
Best Long Range: Sig Sauer Whiskey4 5-20x50mm Exposed Zero Stop, Illuminated FFP
Best Short Range: Leupold VX- Freedom 1.5-4x20
Best Under $200: Burris Droptine 3-9x40
Best for Hunting: Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 CDS-ZL Duplex
Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 CDS-ZL Duplex Rifle Scope
Specs
Magnification: 3.5-10x
Objective Diameter: 40mm
Reticle: Duplex
Weight: 13.1 ounces
Other Features: CDS/custom dial system
Pros
Light & compact
Good eye relief
Customizable turret
Great general purpose hunting rifle scope
Cons
No illuminated reticle
Leupold has been building dependable American-made rifle scopes for a long time, and their catalog currently includes options for as little as $300 to as much as $3,300. The VX-3HD line is kind of in the sweet spot when it comes to value for the dollar. The VX-3HD 3.5-10x40 CDS-ZL Duplex rifles cope features Leupold’s Elite Optical System, a 3-to-1 zoom ratio, a removable magnification throw lever, and the unique and customizable CDS dial system for fast trajectory compensation. This all comes in a scope built around a 1-inch tube that weighs only 13.1 ounces and is only 12.67 inches long. This rifle scope is fog-proof, waterproof and guaranteed for life. This is just the best rifle scope for under $500; it's a really good rifle scope at any price.
Best Long Range: Sig Sauer Whiskey4 5-20x50mm Exposed Zero Stop, Illuminated FFP
Sig Sauer Whiskey4 5-20x50mm Exposed Zero Stop, Illuminated FFP Rifle Scope
Specs
Magnification: 5-20x
Objective Diameter: 50mm
Reticle: Illuminated MOA Milling Hunter 2.0
Weight: 24.7 ounces
Other Features: Flip-up lens covers
Pros
First focal plane, illuminated reticle
Exposed elevation turret
Parallax adjustment
Affordable option for stretching the distance
Cons
Heavy
These days, a lot of hunters are looking for a rifle scope that will help them shoot with better precision at distance, and Sig Sauer built this version of the Whiskey 4 rifle scope just for that purpose. It has a 30mm main tube and offers 52 MOA of elevation and windage adjustment. With 25 MOA of adjustment per rotation, which should take a 308 Winchester out to at least 800 yards with a 100-yard zero. It also has ¼-MOA click adjustments, a locking zero-stop elevation turret, and comes standard with an illuminated, first-focal-plane MIL reticle. Included with the scope are flip-up lens covers and a removable magnification throw lever. It's a bit on the heavy side, but that's not uncommon with long-range scopes, and this one has a lot great features for the money.
Best Short Range: Leupold VX- Freedom 1.5-4x20
Specs
Magnification: 1.5-4x
Objective Diameter: 20mm
Reticle: Illuminated MOA Ring or Pig Plex
Weight: 9.6 ounces
Other Features: Parallax free at 150 yards
Pros
Compact
Ultralight
Large mounting space
Great lever gun, straightwall, or shotgun scope
Cons
Not CDS-dial compatible
Leupold’s VX Freedom line contains their least expensive variable rifle scopes, but they’re still feature rich. They have abrasion-resistant, military-spec lens coatings, and Leupold builds them with their Twilight Light Management System. They also have ¼-MOA finger-click adjustments and the 1.5-4X model has 125 MOA of elevation and windage adjustment. It’s available with either the MOA-Ring or Pig-Plex, second-focal-plane reticles, and it's an ideal rifle scope for a lever gun because you can mount it low. It is only 9.35 inches long and weighs just 9.6 ounces. It's just right for any short-range application, including deer hunting in the big woods or in straightwall cartridge/shotgun states, and with its wide field of view and 1X magnification, it’s ideal for snap shooting.
Best Under $200: Burris Droptine 3-9x40
Burris Droptine 3-9x40 Rifle Scope
Specs
Magnification: 3-9x
Objective Diameter: 40mm
Reticle: Ballistic Plex
Weight: 13 ounces
Other Features: Parallax set at 100 yards
Pros
Very affordable
Light weight
Easy to use ballistic reticle
Fantastic option for a hunter on a tight budget
Cons
Maximum 52 MOA of adjustment
Adjustments in MOA, reticle in MIL
For accurate and precise shooting for the hunter out to 300 yards and a little beyond, target turrets are not a necessity. Burris realized this two decades ago when they introduced the fast and simple-to-use Ballistic Plex reticle. Burris offers this excellent hunting reticle in their Droptine 3-9x40 rifle scope, which weighs only 14 ounces and is just 12 inches long. As compact as this affordable rifle scope is, it still offers nearly 6 inches of mounting space, which will allow it to work with most any rifle. It features high-grade, multi-coated glass, is waterproof and built on a one-piece 1-inch tube and comes with the Burris Forever warranty. It's a tremendous value, and if you shop around, you can find it for well under $150.
GPO-USA Passion 3X 3-9x42
Specs
Magnification: 3-9x
Objective Diameter: 42mm
Reticle: GPO Plex
Weight: 14.1 ounces
Other Features: Parallax set at 100 yards
Pros
Not too heavy
Custom turrets
Great glass at a good price
Cons
Turrets only match pre-calculated trajectories
Historically, European optics have been expensive, but American-based GPO (German Precision Optics) works with a German optics company to offer high-quality optics at friendlier prices. The GPO-USA Passion 3X 3-9x42 is just one of many rifle scopes they offer. It has a fast focus, European-style eyepiece with nearly 4 inches of eye relief, a 14-34-foot field of view, 72 inches of total elevation and windage adjustment in ¼-inch increments, and it only weighs 14 ounces and is less than a foot long. GPO also offers a set of ballistic turret rings calculated to five common trajectories. It comes with the common plex reticle in the second focal plane, and it’s built on a 1-inch tube.
Burris Fullfield 2.5-10x42
Specs
Magnification: 2.5-10x
Objective Diameter: 42mm
Reticle: Ballistic E3 or Plex
Weight: 14.7 to 15.4 ounces
Other Features: 81 MOA of adjustment
Pros
Illuminated/ballistic reticle option
Very compact
Great option for a light and compact rifle
Cons
Compactness might cause mounting issues
For 2025, Burris reengineered their well-known Fullfield line of rifle scopes to celebrate the Fullfield’s 50th anniversary. Updates include an improved 4X zoom system, high-performance glass, multi-coated lenses, a rugged one-piece aluminum tube with dual-spring turrets. The Fullfield 2.5-10x42mm is compact, not too heavy, and is available with a non-illuminated Plex reticle ($216) or an illuminated Ballistic E3 reticle ($264). Custom ballistic elevation knobs also allow you to perfectly tune this rifle scope to your rifle/cartridge combination. The mounting space is a bit short, but this is a good rifle scope with a lot of features for the money. And like the Burris Droptine, you can sometimes find it for a fair bit less than the prices listed here.
Winchester Supreme 6-18x50mm
Specs
Magnification: 6-18x
Objective Diameter: 50mm
Reticle: Illuminated
Weight: 23 ounces
Other Features: Adjustable parallax
Pros
High magnification
Exposed turrets
Sufficient magnification for extreme range
Cons
High, low-end magnification
Heavy
Winchester optics are new for 2025, and they manufacture their rifle scopes with premium lenses and Winchester’s WINcoat multi-coating. The Supreme 6-18x50mm has an illuminated, second-focal-plane reticle, an external parallax adjustment, and its built on a A6063-T6 30mm aluminum tube designed to withstand 800 Gs of recoil. This rifle scope has exposed windage and elevation turrets that are zero-resettable and provide ¼-MOA click adjustments, for a total of 70 MOA of windage and elevation correction. As is common with rifle scopes in this magnification range, this scope is not small. It’s 13.8 inches long and weighs in at 23 ounces. This is an IPX7 rifle scope, which means it should survive a submergence of 30 minutes in one meter of water. In other words, it's a rugged rifle scope with enough magnification and the right features for long-range shots, as well as everyday hunting situations.
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