7 Best 308 Scopes(Long Range,Bolt Action & Hunting)

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Today we look at the best 308 scope recommendations.

The adrenaline spike and excitement associated with hunting and shooting with the 308 rounds are incredible. It is one of the most highly recommended rounds.

To make the best out of the 308, you will need an incredible riflescope.

Best 308 Scope-Our Top Picks

Here are the best 308 scopes on the market.

 

1) Primary Arms SLX 1-6 x 24 mm Rifle Scope

1) Primary Arms 1-6 x 24 mm Rifle Scope

Pros

  • 11 brightness settings
  • Waterproof and fog-resistant
  • Fully Multi-Coated
  • ACSS Standard 5.56 / 5.45 / .308 reticle
  • Accurate from 300-800 yards
  • 6063 Aluminum construction
  • Fast Focus Eyepiece
  • Finger Adjustable Capped Turrets
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
  • Magnification: 1 – 6 x
  • Tube Diameter: 30 mm
  • Eye Relief: 3.3 – 3.5 in
  • Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP)
  • Exit Pupil: 4 – 9 mm
  • Battery Type: CR2032
  • Field of View: 110 – 19.3 ft at 100 yds

 

 

2) Trijicon ACOG 3.5×35 Scope

Trijicon ACOG 3.5x35 Scope

Pros

  • Chevron BAC .308 Reticle
  • Forged 7075-T6 aircraft aluminum housing
  • Binding Aiming Concept (BAC)
  • Multi-coated lenses
  • Faster target acquisition
  • Illuminated reticle
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 35 mm
  • Magnification: 3.5 x
  • Exit Pupil: 10 mm
  • Field of View: 28.9 ft at 100 yds@5.5 degrees
  • Eye Relief: 2.4 in

 

 

3) Atibal Striiker 1-4x24mm Rifle Scope

Atibal Striiker 1-4x24mm Rifle Scope

Pros

  • Calibrated for .308 or 5.56
  • 11 Brightness Setting
  • Fully multi-coated lens
  • Waterproof/Fogproof and shockproof
  • 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum construction
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
  • Magnification: 1 – 4 x
  • Field of View: 22 – 83 ft at 100 yds@ 15.8 – 4.2 degrees
  • Reticle: TCR BDC
  • Eye Relief: 4 in
  • Tube Diameter: 30 mm
  • Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP)
  • Exit Pupil: 6 mm
  • Battery Type: CR2032

 

 

4) Vortex Crossfire II AO 6-24x50mm Rifle Scope

Vortex Crossfire II AO 6-24x50mm Rifle Scope

Pros

  • Hard Anodized Finish
  • Fast Focus Eyepiece
  • Fully Multi-Coated
  • Aircraft-Grade Aluminum Construction
  • Waterproof/Fogproof and shockproof
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 50 mm
  • Tube Diameter: 30 mm
  • Magnification: 6 – 24 x
  • Exit Pupil: 2.08 – 8.3 mm
  • Reticle: Dead-Hold BDC
  • Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP)
  • Field of View, Linear: 4.4 – 17.3 ft at 100 yds
  • Eye Relief: 4 in

 

 

5) Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40mm Rifle Scope

Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40mm Rifle Scope

Pros

  • Ideal for slug shotgun, big game, and brush hunting applications
  • Fully multi-coated lenses
  • Metal on metal precision turrets
  • Hard anodized finish
  • Argon purged and O-ring sealed
  • Aircraft-Grade Aluminum Construction
  • Waterproof/Fogproof and shockproof
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 40 mm
  • Magnification: 4 – 12 x
  • Eye Relief: 3.1 – 3.4 in
  • Reticle: Dead-Hold BDC
  • Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP)
  • Tube Diameter: 1 in
  • Exit Pupil: 3.3 – 10 mm
  • Field of View, Linear: 11.3 – 32.4 ft at 100 yds

 

 

6) NightForce SHV 5-20x56mm Rifle Scope

NightForce SHV 5-20x56mm Rifle Scope

Pros

  • For close and extended ranges
  • Side parallax adjustment
  • ZeroSet technology
  • Rugged and reliable
  • Repeatable
  • Outstanding clarity, crispness, and color contrast
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 56 mm
  • Exit Pupil: 2.5 – 8.7 mm
  • Magnification: 5 – 20 x
  • Tube Diameter: 30 mm
  • Reticle Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane (SFP)
  • Field of View, Linear: 5 – 17.9 ft at 100 yds

 

 

7) Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm Rifle Scope

Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm Rifle Scope

Pros

  • Waterproof, fog proof, shockproof
  • Front Focal Plane (FFP)
  • Twilight Max HD Light Management system
  • Fast focus eyepiece
  • Lightweight and compact
  • Precision side focus
  • Objective Lens Diameter: 56 mm
  • Magnification: 5 – 25 x
  • Exit Pupil: 2.2 mm
  • Tube Diameter: 35 mm
  • Field of View, Linear: 20.4 – 4.2 ft at 100 yds
  • Reticle Focal Plane: First Focal Plane (FFP)
  • Eye Relief: 3.6 – 3.8 in

 

 

 

Choosing the Best 308 Scope

Buying the best rifle scopes for 308 can be a difficult task. There are different scopes of different sizes, and shapes and with different features available in the markets and it can be a bit difficult for you to select the best.

Below are some of the factors you have to take into consideration before buying a 308 rifle scope.

  1.  Generous eye relief

If you are not going to be using your rifle solely for bench rest shooting, buy a scope that provides generous eye relief.

Having generous eye relief means that you can have your head positioned at different angles on the stock and still get a similar effective picture from your scope.

Generous eye relief is exceptionally essential if you are going to be using your rifle for hunting.

Having critical eye relief means that you have to set up each and every shot the exact same with your cheek weld.

This is tiring and slows down your shooting. Scopes with critical and close eye relief are likely to lead to scope bites and injuries as the scope can hit you during recoil. Select a scope that has generous and non-critical eye relief.

  1. The fast-focus eyepiece

Get a 308 rifle scope with a fast-focus eyepiece and a generous eye box.

This refers to the position of your eye in relation to the objective hole of the scope.

Having a fast-focus eyepiece with a generous eye box means that you won’t have to have your eye perfectly aligned to get rid of parallax.

Scopes that have precise eye boxes are hard to shoot through as you have to be extra sure that each time you shoot, you are positioned perfectly behind the scope.

  1. Size and weight

Over the years optics have been getting lighter and lighter. Manufacturers are now able to come up with optics that have larger objective lenses.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, the larger and heavier your scope is, the more of a hindrance it is going to be out there in the field.

It is good to determine the relative size of the objective lens that will be able to suit your needs before you go shopping.

A large objective lens gathers light better than a smaller one. However, the quality of the glass inside the objective lens matters more than the overall size.

Each and every person has a different tolerance for the amount of weight they will be willing to carry as they engage in various shooting activities.

For a 308 rifle, anything heavier than 8 pounds isn’t necessary. Lightweight and compact rifles are especially important for hunters. A lightweight rifle will be simpler to travel with, simpler to clean, and at the end of the day more enjoyable to shoot.

  1. Construction and durability

A quality optic is a robust optic. One key feature of a strong and well-made optic is a single piece of tube construction.

This means that the main tube body is a single piece of aluminum that doesn’t have any weld spots or any weak points of marriage.

Being constructed in one piece ensures that the scope is stiff and robust, reducing chances of failure and helping sight picture creation.

Reputation is one way to determine durability, however, most companies will publish testing data or adhere to strict industry standards regarding waterproof rating and also what gas is used to purge the optic for fog. A quality optic should be water, fog, and shockproof

  1. Glass Quality

High-quality glass with the correct glass films and coating makes a very big difference while low-quality glass hugely reduces the effectiveness of your rifle.

The glass that has a low dispersion or extra-low dispersion gives you a brighter image with higher color quality. HD and ED are the terms used to describe this kind of glass.

Lens coating is usually meant to enhance the amount of light passing through the optic, as well as reduce the amount of glare. Fully multi-coated optics offer maximum clarity and reduced glare.

Some scopes also have coatings meant to enhance their durability by adding resistance to scratching and water repellency.

  1. Reticle

When it comes to selecting a reticle, you will want to consider the long-range potential of the 308 caliber round.

There are numerous reticle options in design, layout, as well as features such as illumination, color, and caliber optimization.

First, you will need a reticle that will be able to provide harsh marks of some kind in either MOA or MILs that will enable you to compensate for both windage and elevation.

An illuminated reticle is recommended if you plan on shooting in low-light conditions.

Illuminated reticles are versatile but normally increase the cost of the scope. They also need batteries, so keep that in mind if take that route.

Selecting the right reticle really comes down to personal preference. The difference between the dot and the cross-hair won’t change the performance of your rifle but one or other way may be personally preferred.

  1. Magnification

When buying a scope for a .308, the magnification power is an important factor you need to check out.

How much magnification you will need will depend on the shooting activity you will be engaging in.

Note that just because a scope has a higher magnification than another, this doesn’t mean that it is better all-round if you are using your rifle to shoot moving targets or hunting, too much magnification may not be appropriate.

It may hinder your ability to keep the targets in the picture. On the other hand, if you are set up on a shooting range, high magnification power will be great.

You will have adequate time to find the targets and you will know exactly where they will be without the hassle of tracking them down and compensating for movement.

Magnification is one of the most important factors when purchasing the best rifle scopes for 308 on the market.

  1. Use

The amazing thing about shooting a 308 is that you can have literally anything you want. Determine which shooting activity you will be engaged in before you go shopping.

This is the best way to ensure that you stay within the budget. The aim is to get a scope that maximizes the usefulness of your 308 rifles.

Small features such as BDC reticles, second focal plane reticles, sunshades, rugged exterior coatings, and other small refinements can be had for no extra cost.

Larger features such as 30mm tubes and torrents can increase the cost of the scope by either double or triple and make it more difficult to carry in the field.

It is important that you determine if they are worth it to you or not.

  1. Weatherproof

This is extremely important if you plan on using your rifle primarily for hunting.

Mother Nature being unpredictable requires you to have a rifle scope that will be able to handle whatever it throws at you.

Ideally, you should get a scope that is waterproof, dustproof, fog-proof as well as shock-proof so you don’t have to worry about banging your scope on trees and rocks when hunting.

Best .308 Scope FAQs

  • What size of a rifle scope is best for.308?

There are many different sizes of scopes that can fit on the .308 rifle and there is not one that can be called the “best”. It is purely subjective. You can use any size of scope that you prefer.

You can even use the biggest one available if that’s what you want, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the functions of the rifle. Nevertheless, if the scope that you mount on your rifle fails to suit the use that you are planning for it, then it becomes worthless.

  • What magnification will I need?

Generally, the type of scope magnification that you should get depends on what you will be using the rifle the most for. For instance, choose a hunting scope that you don’t have to tweak to get a good sight picture, therefore a fixed magnification is the ideal choice.

  • Which objective lens size is ideal for my scope?

The size of a scope’s objective lens determines the width of the field of view that the scope can see. The shooting activity you are engaging in will determine the ideal objective lens for your scope.

Smaller objective lenses are ideal for shooting activities such as game hunting and target shooting whereas a larger objective lens is best suited for shooting activities such as bird shooting and mobile targets.

Why the Above Best 308 Scope Recommendations

  1. Improved scoreboard.

A rifle owner will most likely be investing in a scoreboard or participating in a shooting competition.

If this is the case you can’t take any chances to miss out on any shot in order for you to stay on top.

In such a situation a rifle scope will perfect your game ensuring that you have the best scoreboard in that competition. If you turn out to be the best shooter your self-esteem and ego will raise to a whole new level.

  1. Enhance accuracy

The probability of hitting your target regardless of which rifle activity you are engaged in is higher when using a rifle scope compared to not having one.

You aim to ensure that you hit your target with fewer attempts and time usage. The improved accuracy that the scope provides ensures that you have many successful shots, use less number of bullets, and save time.

  1. Lengthy range.

Long-range shooting is one of the most important elements that shape one’s shooting experience. Being too close to a wild animal may make the shooter uncomfortable as it may pose a threat to his life.

No shooter wants to take such a risk. Using a rifle scope allows for longer-range shooting as well as an idea of the range.

Targets far from you will now be closer, giving you the comfort to shoot as you prefer. While the shooter is comfortable there usually is a higher rate of bringing down your target.

  1. Boost self-confidence.

Becoming a good shooter out there in the field is all phycology. You have to believe in yourself when shooting, either using a big and powerful rifle or not.

Looking at your target through the scope enables you to see it clearly and this automatically increases your self-confidence in pulling the trigger.

Disadvantages

  1. Additional weight.

Riflescopes tend to increase the weight of your rifle which can be exhausting to carry around when out there in the bush hunting.

  1. Complex cross-hair pictures.

Certain rifle scopes for 308 have complex crosshairs that can be challenging to understand mostly for shooting beginners.

  1. Cost

High-quality and long-lasting rifle scopes for 308 tend to be expensive and can be out of reach for the casual rifle shooter.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing the best 308 scope there is a multitude of different decisions to be made. When you go shopping, carefully consider the type of rifle that you have in mind and the activity you will be engaging in.

We hope that this review will help you make the right decision when buying a rifle scope for your .308. This is your top guide for the Best rifle scopes for 308 for your money.

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