If you are looking for Late Evening Hunting or Poor vision conditions riflescope, you came to the right place, in this post we comprehensively cover the Best Rifle Scopes for Low Light Conditions.
Many times, you will not have the perfect lighting conditions during your hunting escapades. During dusk or dawn, when the sky is cloudy or when hunting under a shade the ambient light may not be conducive for the best game sighting. When you are faced with this situation, a riflescope with low light capabilities will come to your rescue.
The best rifle scopes for low light conditions are specially designed to sight targets in low lighting conditions, poor visibility conditions, late evening, or even early morning or dawn. With a high-quality low-light scope, you will be able to capture bright and clear images even during the most unfavorable times.
Best Rifle Scopes for Low Light Conditions-Our Top Picks
1) Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12×56 AO Hog Hunter Riflescope
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What We Love This riflescope will give you seamless hunting from early evening to the twinkle of dawn. It features a V- Brite illuminated MOA reticle that uses the V-plex format and battery-powered electronics to illuminate for ultimate performance in low light conditions. The illuminated center dot will in turn provide a precise aiming point despite the lighting in the environment. This scope also features a second focal plane reticle located close to the eyepiece and always maintains the same appearance even when the magnification is changed. The oversized objective lens diameter and the 30mm tube work together to let in maximum light. The lenses are fully coated with anti-reflective coatings for bright and clear images. The adjustable objective lens corrects parallax and provides image focus for better functionality in all light conditions. The ultra-forgiving eye box and the long relief will allow you to easily sight and lock your target. In addition, this riflescope has a fast-focusing eyepiece for easy and quick reticle focusing. The aluminum aircraft-grade construction makes this rifle sturdy and durable. It is also O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged to give it a waterproof and fog-proof performance. Features
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2) ATN X-Sight-4k Pro Edition Smart Hunting Rifle Scope
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Sizes What We Love Constructed with cutting-edge technology, this riflescope has Ultra HD 4K Sensor with our Obsidian 4 Dual Core Processor that results in faster optics, higher resolution and so many vivid colors giving it a superior performance. As one of the best scopes for low light conditions, the ATN X-Sight is optimized to excel when the surrounding light is inadequate making it one of the best Rifle Scopes for Low Light Conditions. The ballistic calculator enables one to determine the exact ballistics for calculated long-range shots. The dual-stream video recording allows you to record your hunting experiences on an SD card or your mobile phone. The video is recoil activated thus it will automatically start to record before and after you take a shot. You might be worried about the life of the battery. The batteries will last you for 18+ hours due to the ultra-low power profile of this rifle. With this rifle scope, darkness will never be a hindrance as it has a night vision mode. The operating temperatures of this rifle range between -28 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius thus suitable for a wide range of atmospheric conditions. Features
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3) Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm Riflescope
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What We Love Leupold Mark 5HD riflescope is your go-to optic if you are looking for a hyper-accurate and ultra-precision scope. The long shots will also be accurate as you can make extremely precise adjustments on both elevation and windage within the 10 rings of your target. For elevation, it provides an extra adjustment range to max out at 34.9 mils allowing 3 revolutions to make tight groupings. This must be a hunter’s dream riflescope! The multiple reticles add precision to the scope. It features a Tremor 3 reticle by Horus that has tons of potential in the first focal plane. The rapid-ranging marks above the cross-hair and grid-style reticle are useful for bullet drop and wind drift correction. This high-power rifle has a 35mm tube that is thick, strong, and durable. Moreover, it is waterproof thus allowing you to hunt in all conditions. The throw lever allows for instant changes in power ranges while the side focus enables parallax correction. This rifle has the patented Leupold’s twilight max HD light management system that allows for up to 30 minutes of shooting light and Diamond-coat two external lens coatings on the eyepiece that gives the rifle fast-focus ability and glare reduction. Features
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4) Vortex Optics Diamondback SFP Riflescopes
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What We Love The advanced fully multicoated optics of the Vortex Optics Diamondback SFP Riflescope give crystal clear and tack sharp images despite the lighting conditions. The second focal plane dead hold BDC reticle makes shooting at varying ranges seamless even where estimating hold-over would be a problem. This reticle also helps in eliminating guesswork on holdover and windage corrections during hunting. This rifle is virtually indestructible and shockproof as it has an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy construction and is resistant to magnum recoil. It is argon purged and has an O ring to make it waterproof and fog proof. It has a zero-reset after sight as it features metal-on-metal precision turrets. The precision glide elector system makes tracking and repeatability accurate. This riflescope also has a fast eye-focusing eyepiece that makes eye focusing quick and easy. It weighs 1.3 pounds making it convenient for the hunter to carry it around. Versatility, durability, quality construct, and exceptional light transmission are some of the facets that augment Vortex Diamondback SFP riflescopes position among the best scopes for low light conditions. Without a doubt, you arm yourself with an optic optimized to excel. Features
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5) NightForce NXS 5.5-22x56mm Scope
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6) Simmons 8-Point 3-9x50mm Rifle Scope
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What We Love If you are looking for a high-quality rifle on a budget, then this is the riflescope for you. It is an 8-point riflescope with fully coated optics for bright and high contrast images. The matte black finish gives it a sleek appearance. The true zero windage and elevation adjustment stay locked to zero despite the conditions. These adjustments are also Sure Grip and have an audible click. This rifle also has the Quick Target Acquisition (QTA) for fast and quick target acquisition. This riflescope is waterproof, fog-proof, and recoil proof, and has a triplex reticle. The 3.75-inch eye relief makes this riflescope safe and comfortable to use. It has a 3-9X magnification that will help you zoom in on your target during your hunting escapades.The 50mm objective lens keeps your target in focus and lets light in for bright images even in low light. More so, the large objective lens provides a large field of view when shooting targets from far. Features
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7) ATN X-Sight LTV Ultra-Light Day & Night Vision Rifle Scope
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What We Love The ATN X-Sight LTV Ultra-Light Day & Night Vision Rifle Scope ranks highly among the best scopes for low light conditions. The scope boasts of an enhanced HD Night Vision Mode that will allow you to hunt in low-light conditions comfortably. You can last for up to 10 hours with this riflescope as it is powered by the new revolutionary ATN Obsidian LT Core that is optimized for low power consumption making it convenient to use. The one-shot zero gives this rifle an easier sighting as you just take a shot, adjust your reticle and you are good to go. In addition, it has multiple reticles to choose from. The QHD+ sensor guarantees you very clear images despite the lighting conditions and the distance between you and your target. With this rifle scope, you will be able to enjoy watching your hunting escapades as it has a video that records razor-sharp quality clips. Moreover, this riflescope has an HD screen, a wide field of view, and a very comfortable 3-inch eye relief. It has an ergonomic design that makes it convenient to carry and move around. The user-friendly interface of the rifle is suitable for even a first-time user of this rifle. Features
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8) Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x40mm Riflescope
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What We Love The Elite optical system of the Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x40mm Riflescope makes it one of the best scopes for low light conditions. The advanced optical system gives this scope its superiority as it has exemplary dusk to dawn light transmission with bright images and elite-level glare reduction in harsh light. The second plane reticle stays the same size while the target grows or shrinks when adjusting magnification thus ideal for low light shootings. The 3 to 1 zoom ratio gives you three times more magnification at high power than low power thus allowing you to dial down and up for close-range and long-range shootings respectively. The riflescope has ¼ finger click adjustments for windage and elevation that allow for repeatability and makes the rifle dependable over a long time. The lenses have a DiamondCoat 2-Ion-assist lens coating that not only allows for a higher light transmission but also gives military-level abrasion and scratch resistance. This riflescope has advanced internal gasses and sealing methods making the rifle waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof while allowing it to withstand extreme temperature and elevation changes. Features
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See Also
Choosing the Best Rifle Scopes for Low Light Conditions
An Illuminated Reticle
For low light conditions, ensure that you get a riflescope with an illuminated reticle. An unilluminated reticle would get lost in the darker sight picture that would result from hunting during low light conditions. This would be avoided by getting a rifle that has a reticle that has some form of illumination.
Objective Lens
The larger the objective lens, the more light the riflescope lets in thus giving brighter and better images. However, the size of the objective lens is not the only factor that determines the quality of images that the objective lens gives. If the lens is made of premium glass and has multiple anti-reflective coating it will give good quality images.
Anti-Reflection Coatings
When light hits your lenses, about 4%of it is lost on each lens. In low light conditions, you cannot afford to be losing any light. A layer of anti-reflection coating will minimize the amount of light that bounces off the glass thus allowing more light in. If you are looking to hunt in low light conditions, you should aim at getting a rifle scope that has anti-reflection coatings to let the maximum amount of light in.
Magnification
When you physically move closer to any image, it seems much brighter. Magnification works in the same way as it virtually brings your target closer to you. High magnification will also make long-range shooting much easier. Thus, allowing you to hunt even in low light conditions.
Quality of Glass
Always aim for high-quality glass when getting a rifle scope. A high-quality glass will allow more light in which is very essential when hunting in low light conditions. The good-quality glass will also be abrasive-free. Abrasion also hinders the amount of light that a rifle scope lets in.
Simple reticle
Trying to understand and work with a complex reticle in the dark can be quite tasking. It is easier to use a rifle scope with basic crosshairs or duplex reticles.
Types of Low Light Scopes
Hunting Scopes
Compared to range scopes, hunting scopes have a relatively low magnification. They feature a simple, clean second focal plane reticle. Most of the traditional hunting scopes have capped turrets that are not easy to manipulate. However, the modern ones are coming with ballistic turrets that are easier to manipulate. The hunting scopes can be used for target shooting.
Range Scopes
These types of low-light scopes are most suitable for distance shooting. Most of them have first focal plane ballistic reticles and feature uncapped turrets that deem to be much easier to adjust and manipulate.
How to Mount a Rifle Scope
The first step in getting the perfect shot in low-light conditions is ensuring that your rifle scope is well mounted. The best part is you can easily mount a rifle by yourself. Below are the steps of mounting your rifle scope.
- Prepare the Scope and Gun
This is done by first greasing the bases, screws, and holes with Outers Crud Cutter or lighter fluid. Wipe metal dry. On the top of the receiver, oil lightly as this is where the base will sit. On every screw, put a droplet of medium-strength Loc-Tite and with a screwdriver, tighten the base screws as tight as you can.
- Install the scope rings
All the scopes come with the manufacturer’s instructions on how to install the scope rings. To twist the ring, use a one-inch wooden dowel or pipe as using the scope as a lever might result in having the ring twisted.
- Set the scope on the rings.
On the bottom parts of the rings, lay the scope and then attach the top parts of the rings. Adjust the scope accordingly before tightening the rings. Do not set the scope too close to your eye as you might get hurt during recoil. Most scopes have an eye relief of 3-4 inches thus you should set it 3-4 inches away from your eye when leaning into the rifle.
- Adjust the scope
Adjust the scope to perfection by adjusting the cant to ensure the crosshairs of the scope are perfectly vertical. Then do a check to make sure that the rifle is not leaning towards any side and turn the scope to line up the crosshairs with the vertical line.
- Secure the scope
Once everything is in place and all lined up tighten the screws to secure the scope. You do not have to crank them up too much like the screws that hold the base to the receiver but ensure that they are tight enough to hold the scope in place.
Rifle Scopes for Low Light Conditions FAQs
Q: What Is a Low Light Scope?
A: Low light scopes are those that allow you to shoot at dusk and dawn without compromising the clarity or brightness of images. With a low light scope, you will be able to hunt at your convenience without considering the time of the day it is. They will also be suitable for shooting in diverse environments as you will not be limited by the light. They are crafted to perform seamlessly in any light condition.
Q: What is Bigger? 30mm or 1” Scopes?
A: A diameter of the main tube for a one-inch rifle is 1 inch wide which is equivalent to 25.4mm. On the other hand, a 30 mm main tube is 30mm thick. These differences come from different manufacturing methods and due to the different metric systems. The 30mm are considered to be superior to the 1” rifles. First, it is because they are durable and are of higher quality. The second reason for their superiority is the larger internal adjustment range that makes them suitable for target shooting as well as long-range hunting.
Q: Do 30mm Scopes Provide Better Light Transmission?
A: The 30mm can be considered to have better light transmission compared to the 1” rifle scope. This is due to the difference in lens sizes thus making it possible that the 30mm lights will be slightly better in low light hunting compared to the 1-inch scopes. However, the difference is minimal. A better way to compare light transmission between rifle scopes is the size of the objective lens and the quality of the optics.
Q: Can Coats Improve the Brightness of a Riflescope?
A: Anti-reflection coatings can bring all the magical differences in a rifle scope. They almost double the reflection of a rifle scope without making it bulkier or heavier thus making it the most ideal way of increasing the brightness of a rifle scope. The coatings help in reducing the reflection of light. Lenses that do not have coatings can reflect up to 50% of the light off the scope. Having anti-reflection coatings can reduce this loss by almost half. Therefore, anti-reflection coatings will maximize the transmission of light making a rifle ideal for even low light conditions.
Q: Does A Bigger Objective Lens Make the Riflescope Better?
A: A bigger objective lens will let in more light in the scope thus making it better. However, for maximum efficiency, you should not only lookout for a rifle scope with a large objective lens. The lens might let in more light but most of it might be reflected out. Therefore, one should also put into consideration the reflection rate of a rifle scope for maximum efficiency.
Conclusion
You can use any of the rifle scopes above for your hunting escapades as they are all suitable for low light conditions thus the environment and time will not limit you.
However, ensure that you do not mix up a low light scope and a night vision scope. Night vision scopes are military-grade rifles that are more complex and tend to be more expensive. They also have some specialized features that might not be useful for regular hunting.