Choosing the Right Scope: A Comprehensive Guide

Let’s be real... when you’re out in the scrub, having the right glass sitting on top of your rifle is often the difference between stocking the freezer to nail your next famous recipe and adding another to the one-that-got-away pile.

 

It doesn't matter if you’re a seasoned pro tracking sambar in the high country or just green to the game and chasing pigs on a mate's property, getting your head around optics is massive for your accuracy and confidence. It’s not just about magnifying the target; it’s about clarity, reliability, and knowing your gear will hold zero when it counts.

In this video, Matty from the Brisbane Venture Hunting store breaks down the essentials of selecting the right optics without the jargon overload (there's plenty of that below). Give it a watch to get the basics down.

 

 

We stock a massive range of optics to suit Australian conditions (and the experts to guide you through the specifics). We know walking in and staring at a wall of scopes can be daunting, we get nothing but pleasure from helping you lock down the right glass.

 

To help you make the right call, we’ve broken down the main categories of scopes, followed by the nitty-gritty technical specs you need to understand before dropping your hard-earned cash.

Part 1: The Scope Categories

First up, what are you actually intending to do with the rifle? Here’s a quick breakdown of the different tools for different jobs:

Red Dots & Reflex Sights

Perfect for fast-paced, close-quarter shooting.  Red dots and reflex sights (like the legendary Aimpoint) offer unlimited eye relief and are designed to be used with both eyes open. This is crucial for situational awareness when you need lightning-fast target acquisition on mob of moving pigs or scrub bulls in thick timber.

Aimpoint Acro C-2 3.5 MOA Reflex Sight Weaver Mount - view.

Low-Power Variable Optics (LPVOs)

For those needing a bit more versatility, LPVOs (like a 1-6x or 1-8x) provide a great mix. On 1x, they act almost like a red dot for close work, but you can crank them up for a precise shot at 200m. These are fantastic "do-it-all" scopes for general Australian hunting where you aren't taking crazy long shots.

Vixen 2-8x32 PLEX Riflescope - here.

 

Traditional Hunting Scopes

If you’re looking for a reliable, no-fuss scope for the .243 or .308, something in the 3-9x or 4.5-14x range is the classic choice for a reason. They cover 90% of hunting scenarios out to about 300 meters. These scopes are generally lighter, easier to use, and often feature simpler turrets where you set your zero and forget about it.

Leupold Vx-3HD Scope - 4.5-14X40 - here.

Long-Range Scopes

For the shooters who want to push the limits across a gully. We carry high-end, first focal plane options like the Nightforce 2.5-20x and others designed for precision at extreme distances. These are bigger, heavier units packed with features like parallax adjustment and complex reticles designed for dialing in elevation and windage.

Nightforce NX8 - 2.5-20X50mm F2 - ZeroStop - .1 Mil-Radian - DigIllum - PTL - Mil-CF2 Rifle Scope - here.

 

 

 

 

Digital Day/Night Scopes (Infrared)

For the shooter who wants the best of both worlds without swapping rifles, digital day/night scopes are a massive innovation. Units like the HikMicro Alpex 4K are built to look and mount just like a traditional day scope giving you a crisp, full-colour image while the sun is up. But as soon as dusk hits, you can switch modes and use the built-in infrared (IR) illuminator to see clearly in pitch black. It’s the smartest option for those who want one optic to handle a full day in the bush... one scope for the afternoon deer hunt and the spotlighting session afterwards, all with the familiar feel of a standard scope.

 

HikMicro Alpex 4k Day / Night Vision Scope w/LRF - 50mm - here.

 

 

Thermal Scopes

Hunting tech has changed the game entirely. Thermal scopes, from the likes of Hik Micro, Thermtec and Pulsar let you hunt in total darkness or scan thick scrub during the day to find heat signatures you’d never see with the naked eye. They are an absolute cheat code for nocturnal pests like foxes and pigs - but you'd be suprised how these perform in traditionally unmanagable scenarios, like fog.

HikMicro V3 Stellar 35mm Thermal Scope - 384x288 12mic <15mk - here.

 

An extra note on thermals: If you are looking at thermals, you’ll see a spec like <35mK or <15mK. This stands for milli-Kelvin, and it measures the sensor's NETD (Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference). The lower the number the better in terms of perception, a lower mK value is more sensitive to heat difference.  In low contrast scenarios like rain or fog, or high heat and humidity the heat of the scrub and the target can be similar. A lower mK (high sensitivity) will pull the target out from its environment, helping you count points and see fur texture when a high mK sensor would struggle, or simply faily.

Part 2: The Nitty-Gritty (Understanding the Specs)

Alright, you know roughly what type of scope you need. Now, let’s look at the specs sheet. Our product experts insisted we cover these, because understanding these elements ensures you buy the right version of the scope you want.

The Tube: Body Diameter & Objective Lens

You’ll see numbers like "30mm tube" or "50mm objective." What does that mean for you?

• Main Tube Diameter (e.g., 1 inch vs. 30mm vs. 34mm): This is the width of the main body of the scope. Generally, a wider tube gives the internal mechanisms more room to move, allowing for a greater range of elevation and windage adjustments which is crucial for long-range dialling. A 30mm tube is pretty much the standard these days as the larger the diameter the more light that can transmit through.. a good thing!  
  
  
  
  

• Objective/Aperture Diameter (The Big End): This is the lens at the front (e.g., the "50" in a 3-15x50). A bigger objective lens lets in more light, giving you a brighter picture at dawn and dusk prime hunting times. The trade-off? It means a heavier, bulkier scope that has to be mounted higher on your rifle.
  

  

   

The View: Oculars, FFP vs SFP, and Reticles

This is where the magic happens—what you actually see when you look through the glass.

• Ocular Focus & Eye Relief: The ocular lens is the one closest to your eye. It will have a diopter adjustment ring and you can twist this until the reticle (crosshair) looks crisp for your eyesight. Crucially, you need to check the "eye relief." This is how far your eye needs to be from the scope to see the full picture. On a heavy recoiling rifle, you want generous eye relief (around 3.5 to 4 inches) so you don't cop the scope to the eyebrow.  The entire ocular lens shows a full picture rather than having a black ring around the edges, if you're not seeing the full picture (or getting a lot of distortion) then adjust the distance of you eye to the ocular.
  

• Second Focal Plane (SFP) vs. First Focal Plane (FFP):

  • SFP (Most common hunters): The reticle stays the same size regardless of magnification. It’s easy to see at low power. The catch? The hash marks on the reticle for distance holdovers are only accurate at one specific magnification setting (usually max power).

  • FFP (Long-range shooters): The reticle grows and shrinks as you zoom in and out. It can be hard to see on low power, but the hash marks remain accurate for measuring and holding over at any magnification setting.
    

• Reticle Types:

  • Duplex: The classic, simple crosshair. Great for most hunting where you aren't shooting past your point-blank range. Clean and uncluttered.

  • BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator): Has little hash marks or circles below the center crosshair designed to correspond to certain distances (e.g., 200m, 300m, 400m). They are fast to use but are educated guesses based on generic ammo loads.

  • MOA/MRAD Grids: These are complex "Christmas tree" style reticles used for precise measurement and long-range dialing. Overkill for most casual hunters, essential for precision shooters.

  • Others: The above list is faaaar from exhaustive, it's kind of wild how many options there are - on the site we try our best to show every scope's reticle in the product gallery.

Turrets: Capped vs. Exposed

How are you adjusting the scope?

• Capped Turrets: Common on traditional hunting scopes. You screw the caps off, zero the rifle at the range, put the caps back on, and never touch them in the field. Rugged and reliable.

• Exposed/Tactical Turrets: Big, knobby dials meant to be adjusted on the fly in the field for shots at varying distances. Great for long-range, but you need to ensure they have a good "zero stop" so you don't get lost in your rotations, and they can sometimes get knocked off zero in thick scrub.

Part 3: Mounting and Budget

You’ve picked the scope. Don't cheap out now.

Mounting Options: Keeping it Steady Your scope is useless if it isn't married perfectly to your rifle.

• The Base: Most modern rifles use Picatinny rails (the slotty looking ones)—they are standard, robust, and offer lots of mounting positions. You might also see older Weaver bases or specific Dovetails (common on rimfires). Know what your rifle has before buying rings.

• Rings - Steel vs. Aluminium: Aluminium is lighter and fine for most applications. Steel is heavier but tough as nails. If you're putting a heavy scope on a magnum caliber, steel rings give you that extra peace of mind that nothing is going to shift under recoil.

 

 

 

Gas Purging: Nitrogen vs. Argon

Ever had a scope fog up on the inside like a bathroom mirror? That’s game over for your hunt.  To stop this, quality manufacturers purge the air out of the scope tube and replace it with a dry, inert gas—usually Nitrogen or Argon.

• Why it matters: This process removes all internal moisture and oxygen. No moisture means no internal fogging when you pull your rifle out of a warm ute into the cold morning air.

• Longevity: Fog aside, removing the oxygen prevents fungal growth inside the tube. Fungus loves dark, damp places and will eat through lens coatings over time. A properly purged and sealed scope is an investment that will stay crisp for decades, not just a few seasons.

 

 

 

Glass Quality: Origin & Coatings

You’ll hear a about "HD" or "ED" glass, but the reality is that not all jargon is created equal. "Extra Low Dispersion" is a real metric that can be measured with optical tools, whereas 'High Definition' is basically subjective marketing jargon. The clarity of your image largely comes down to where the glass was made, the quality of the source material (sand, many many steps removed) and how it is treated during and after production - not like a little TLC but basically essentially the same thing, we go into treatments further down.

• Country of Origin: Generally speaking, German and Japanese glass is the gold standard. They use generally source higher purity materials with fewer imperfections. They have been in the game for decades and this experience results in better light transmission (brighter images), acuity and less distortion at the edges. If you’re looking for a scope to last a lifetime, check where the glass is from. Chinese glass has come a long way, but for low-light performance the Japanese and Europeans still wear the crown, for now.

• Coatings: Glass is only as good as it's coating, well, once you've left the shop anyway - the champion in the field is the chemistry. You want "Fully Multi-Coated" lenses. This implies the use chemical layers tailored to reduce glare and ensure that light actually makes it to your eye rather than reflecting off the lens surfaces. Good coatings also boost contrast, helping you spot the brown tine of an antler against brown scrub.  Coatings also help defend your external scope elements against the... elements.  High-quality coatings are typically Hydrophobic (water-repelling) and Oleophobic (oil-repelling). Aside from keeping your view clear in the rain, these layers create a slippery interface that a travelling fungal spore simply can't adhere to. If it can't stick, it can't grow.

 

 

 

A Serious Note on Fungus: High-end coatings and gas purging are preventative measures, they aren't magic shields. Fungus is nasty stuff and the reality is, once it gets inside a sealed scope, it’s usually game over. You can’t dismantle a scope to clean the internal elements without destroying the gas seal and voiding your warranty.

 

It’s also highly contagious. If you find fungus on an old scope or pair of binos that have been sitting in your hunting pack, do yourself a favour and bin the bag too. Those spores hide in the fabric and will jump straight onto your new glass. Be diligent: store your gear cool, dry, and ideally with a few silica gel packs and a dedicated case. In the world of optics prevention really is the only cure.

 

The Damage: Budgeting for Glass

The old rule of thumb was "spend as much on your scope as you did on your rifle." That’s not necessarily true anymore as manufacturing has improved, but the reality remains: cheap optics always fail, a cheap (well maintained) rifle rarely does.

 

Cheap scopes fog up on cold mornings, lose their zero when bumped in the ute, and have glass that looks like looking through the bottom of a milk bottle at dusk, enjoy that...

 

You don’t strictly need a $4,000 scope for deer hunting at 100m, but investing in quality mid-tier glass from reputable brands ensures that when the moment of truth arrives, your gear won't let you down.  The best rifle in the world isn't gonna help if you can't get your target locked in.