Top 5 Best Rifle Scopes under 100 – Reviews
The rule about quality and price is the same for rifle scopes as it is for everything else: the higher the quality, the higher the price. But that doesn’t really mean that a low price automatically equates to an unacceptably low quality.
If you’re a newbie or a casual shooter, then you don’t really need an expensive scope to shoot more accurately. The best rifle scopes under 100 will do just fine.
It’s fair to say that most scopes in this price range aren’t exactly first-class. In fact, many of them are downright bad. Of course, it won’t be fair to judge these scopes against more expensive units costing hundreds of dollars.
But you have to accept that cost-cutting measures were implemented by the manufacturers to get the price to a more acceptable level.
Name | Magnification & OL | Reticle | FOV | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Multi-X Reticle Riflescope, 3-9X 40mm | 3-9X 40 | Multi-X Reticle | 40/13.6@3x / 14/4.7@9x(ft@100yds/m@100m) | |
OTW Rifle Scope 4x32 | 4x32 | Rapid Range Reticle | 36.6(Feet at 100 yards) | |
Uboo AR15 22 Rifle Scope 4-16x50, with Bipod and Adapter | 4-16x50 | Rangefinder reticle | 9.7-3.3/29.1-9.9(m/100 m/ft/1000 yds) | |
Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Multi-X Reticle Riflescope with 3.3-Inch Eye Relief, 3-9X 40mm | 3-9X 40 | Multi-X Reticle | 40/13.6@3x / 14/4.7@9x(ft@100yds/m@100m) | |
Bushnell Optics TRS-32 1x 32mm Red Dot Riflescope with 30mm Tactical Ring, Matte Black | 1x 32 | MOA Reticle | 57/17.3(ft@100yds/m@100m) |
Our Picks
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Score: 4.6 Andrew Garfield
First of all, this is a Bushnell. It’s a brand that has earned quite a reputation for usefulness and quality, and it’s not a coincidence that it gets the first mention on this list.
In fact, let’s be up front and give you advance notice about how we really like Bushnell. It’s a brand so good that it will get mentioned again on this review article.
Features:
Pros
Cons
It’s an ideal starter scope for newbies, and the image clarity is great even for tired old eyes. With the price and the features you get, it sure is a great buy. If it’s you’re first time buying a rifle scope, this one should do just fine. Check out the rather fulsome praise it got from Amazon reviewers here.
Score: 4.1 Andrew Garfield
This looks extremely impressive, and it does seem like the sort of scope Darth Vader would use if he was into hunting rifles. It’s only 6 inches long, but then that’s because it’s meant for short range shooting. It offers just 4 x magnification, so you can’t really target prey too far away.
Still, despite its compact size it looks quite wicked. It’s a good thing it actually does offer lots of features.
Features:
Pros
Cons
This is extremely affordable, so much so that some people would even use it on a paintball or airsoft gun. The main point here is that you get amazing optics for very little money, so the cost effectiveness is amazing. Check it out on Amazon, and you can really enjoy a significant discount.
Score: 4.1 Andrew Garfield
This rifle scope comes in several different packages. This particular package with bipod and adapter is the most expensive, though it’s still within our 2-digit guideline.
Since it’s the costliest on this list, it’s only fair that it comes with the most features. Let’s take a look at the most important features that really matter.
Features:
Pros
Cons
Buy it from the right seller, and you can get it within our specified price range. It does seem extremely underpriced, since it really offers many features.
If you get a good unit, then you really got a good bargain. If not, at least you can get it replaced right away. Once you do get a unit that works as advertised, you’ll get a clear image and a tough scope.
Score: 4.1 Andrew Garfield
We’ve already listed the Bushnell on this list. In fact, this one’s almost a clone of the other Bushnell. It also offers 3-9x magnification with 40mm objective lens. The only difference here is that this time, you don’t get the 6-inch eye relief.
Features:
Pros
Cons
Bushnell is justly famous for its high quality control, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll get a bad unit. With this you’ll certainly get your money’s worth. Check out its Amazon.com page and you’ll find an amazing price for it. Just so you understand, the eye relief is pretty average. But for the price range, all the other features here are way above average.
Score: 4 Andrew Garfield
Ok, so we’re dealing with fuzzy math with this one, because it’s not exactly less than $100. In our defense, its inclusion is part of our earlier contention that you really shouldn’t scrimp on your rifle scope. It’s more important than your choice of rifle. At least this scope costs less than $200 instead of close to $1,000.
Features:
Pros
Cons
As long as you understand the limitations of the 1x magnification, then this can work very well for you for short range shooting. It’s great for beginners, and you can check out its reasonable price on Amazon. Again, it’s not sub-$100, but it’s still an option to consider.
Are You Sure You Want a Cheap Rifle Scope?
Let’s say you’re a newbie, and you want to learn about hunting and rifle shooting. It makes sense that you’d want a great rifle to start. You need one you can handle properly, and which is also powerful enough for the kind of game you’re planning to go after.
But some newbies commit the common mistake of spending lots of money for a rifle and then going cheap with the scope. What a beginner fails to realize is that in real life, the quality of the scope is actually more important for a shooter than the quality of the rifle.
If you just have a rather so-so rifle, an excellent scope can make up for the rifle’s shortcomings so you can still hit your target. On the other hand, a terrible scope makes it very easy to miss, even with fantastic rifles.
Rifles aren’t just things you buy as an afterthought. Just remember that please, if you want to be serious with your shooting and hunting.
Why Pick an Affordable Rifle Scope?
While it’s possible that you want something to buy something affordable simply because you can’t afford a more expensive option, that’s not often the case. The truth of the matter is that in some types of situations, an affordable rifle scope is the most sensible option.
It’s what you need when you’re just starting out, or if you’re teaching a friend or a younger family member to hunt and shoot. For beginners, you simply want a more basic type of rifle scope that’s easier to use.
In addition, if a newbie eventually decides that shooting’s not for them, then at least they didn’t waste too much money. The same goes if you’re just a casual shooter who uses the rifle very infrequently.
Why would you buy a scope for $1,000 when you’re only going to use it once a year? It simply makes more sense to get one that’s much cheaper. Cheaper scopes aren’t as durable as their more expensive counterparts, but then it won’t be an issue if you’re going to use it only every now and then.
How We Chose the Top 5
As we’ve probably mentioned already, just because a rifle scope is affordable doesn’t mean it’s not good. We’ve already proven that with our list of the best inexpensive rifle scopes. It’s also imperative that you make sure you get a good scope, because it’s actually crucial if you want to shoot accurately.
Who Should Buy These Scopes?
It does make sense to buy expensive scopes if you’re only an occasional shooter, though. That’s why we have this list of affordable rifle scopes instead. Obviously, we checked that they all came in under the stated price ceiling of $100.
But there’s more to these scopes than just the price. We made sure that each one of them is generally highly regarded, with plenty of positive reviews from numerous buyers and users. We checked out the features carefully, and saw to it that they’re all well-made and durable. Any of these scopes will get the job done, when you’re shooting.
They will offer great visual clarity and easy usage. While they may have a few drawbacks, these will be few and not too serious. You can live with the disadvantages and it won’t be a big deal.
Conclusion
We’ve emphasized how affordable rifle scopes are best for the young, the new, and the casual shooters, and it’s true that there not all bad. A few, like the one we’ve listed on this list, offer a lot of value for your money.
But it’s also true that for best shooting results, you need to get the best rifle scope for your money. That may be the best rifle scopes under 100 for newbies, but as you progress then you better be ready to spend a good deal more!
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