When you don’t want to miss a shot, a crossbow scope becomes an utterly essential accessory. Interestingly, it matters much, even if you are very much experienced in this field. We know most of the crossbows are built-in with a factory scope, but you cannot attain accuracy through them.
Being said that, you can see how an effective scope can help to become a fully-fledged shooter.
Therefore, choosing a well-qualified scope is a vital aspect of an archer. Spend some time and money to choose the best crossbow scope in the market.
To help you choose the best one, we have outlined reviews of the ten best crossbow scopes. Along with it, there is a buying guide to assist you to consider many other factors aiding you to reach your target shot. So let’s get started.
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Types of Crossbow Scopes
Red Dot Scope
Red dot scope is the most basic type of scope. It doesn’t have any magnification and is just a slight step up from open sight. It has a clean, clear red dot ready to point the way to where your arrow will hit. The red dot lighted reticle is easier to see and provides an upgrade to regular open sights.
When Selecting Red Dot Scope, look for multiple brightness setting. Some red dot sights have various dots that allow you to sight in your scope at various ranges and use different dots for those ranges. Red Dot gives a large field of view since there is no magnification to obstruct the field of vision.
Optic Scopes
The optic scope is similar to the scopes on rifles and offers some form of magnification. This magnification scope can have a single crosshair reticle, however most common in the crossbow scope is a multi-reticle option.
There are also illuminated types of optic scope, that allow you to use the scope more efficiently in low-lighting conditions.
Night Vision
A scope with night vision capabilities enables you to see in the woods after dark. Generally, it features an Infrared or illuminator and function by emitting infrared light.
How to Choose the Best Crossbow Scope?
When you’re looking for a new optic, there are few aspects to consider that will help you narrow down your choices.
As a general rule, the quality of a crossbow scope scales with the price. However, that doesn’t mean that the most expensive will be perfect for everybody. There are features that not all archers or hunters need, so get ones that do what you need, without paying for additional features that you’ll never use.
Size
Scopes can vary in size, choose one that is similar enough to carry with the rest of your gear. It should also weigh less than one pound, so it does not throw off the balance of the crossbow.
Heavier scopes make the bow difficult to hold and make it almost impossible to aim your shots accurately. It is also recommended that select a scope with a wide lens so you can easily see any targets, yet still comes in a lightweight and compact design.
Magnification
Magnification is often essential when shooting a crossbow since it helps to bring the view of the target closer to you. The amount of magnification you get from a scope affects how accurately you can shoot your bow from longer ranges.
The most common magnification on the scopes is 3X, that will allow an excellent shot to maintain accuracy out to 50-60 yards. If your crossbow is proficient of a shoot at longer-ranges without too much drop-off, then you might look for a scope that’ll offer magnification in the 4X or 5X range.
Optics Quality
If the objective lens of the scope isn’t capable of producing crisp images, it will be useless. The crossbow ranges with fully multi-coated lenses are designed to allow plenty of luminous to flow through so you’ll be able to see the target regardless of the distance. The distance measured in yards or meters.
When buying a scope, make sure that it is nitrogen filled as this will stop early morning fog and dew from clouding the lens.
Parallax
It is the apparent movement of objects within the field of vision concerning the reticle. If the parallax isn’t aligned correctly, it can result in too many sighting errors.
Avoid high magnification scopes with parallax set that is only for rifle shooting, as this parallax will often not be compatible with the type of shooting a crossbow hunter tends to do.
Field of View
Field of View is the amount of the terrain that’ll be visible from a particular range. It expressed in terms of the number of feet or meters at 50 or 100 yards for instance 32 feet at 50 yards. It is a crucial factor to keep in mind as it determines how easy it’ll be to locate your target in the scope. For deer hunting, choose a scope with a field of view at least 28 feet at 100 yards.
Avoid scopes that have extremely limited fields of view, generally caused by the barrel being too thin.
Light Gathering Capability
Look for a scope that has excellent light-gathering ability. As animals are often provided with natural camo, contrast is essential in picking out the target and determining where the target’s vital organs should be located.
For illuminated scopes, make sure that the brightness settings are adjustable. This is generally accomplished with a rheostat and be sure that the illuminated-reticle or dot is going just clear enough to see in the lowest lighting conditions, without causing haloes around the reticle or dot.
Durable and Easy To Use
Once you’ve examined the quality of the scope itself, you should look at how easy it is going to be to use it with your crossbow. Scopes that enable you to calibrate for elevation and wind speed without the use of a tool are usually preferred over other models.
Legality
Read the rules of archery hunters and the laws for crossbow hunters before buying an optic for your crossbow since there is a lot of overlapping laws in states that allow crossbows through archery season.
If electronic sights on the vertical bows are banned during archery period, then a red dot or illuminated-reticle sight on your bow will get you a nice fat ticket.
Some Important Terms Related To The Best Crossbow Scope
Stray Light
When light penetrates the scope and reflects off the metal, it reduces the image quality of the target. Therefore look for a scope that has an interior coating, to prevent reflection off of the metal.
Eye Relief
It is the distance between the shooting eye and your eye-piece lens. If your eye relief is extremely small, there is a risk of hitting your eye with eye-piece when crossbow releases an arrow.
Exit Pupil
It is a measure of the amount of light that reaches your shooting eye.
Length
It measures crossbow scope from the leading edge of the objective lens to the back edge of the eyepiece. Longer models lead to having higher magnification.
Center Tube Diameter
The scope’s center tube diameter affects its durability. It defines what size ring and base you need for mounting as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Are The Benefits of Using Crossbow Scope?
Crossbow Scope significantly affects accuracy and precision. Hunting skills and high performance aren’t enough to excel in the crossbow game.
- Accuracy: It is essential when you are hunting live targets. Having poor accuracy due to low-end scopes can cause bad shots.
- Arrow Placement: Training with the best crossbow scope can assist you with the right grouping.
- Shooting range: The scope will enhance your peripheral vision and your target shooting range.
2. How to Properly Use The Crossbow Scope?
Step1: Find the adjustment levers on the crossbow scope.
Step2: Start at 10 yards from the target object to check if the crossbow scope is correctly installed.
Step3: Then, move 20 yards away from the target. Select a specific distance for your dot/top reticle.
Step4: Proceed into shooting the target and change the elevation and the windage configuration to raise the distance between the target and you.
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