Riffle Scopes

Under this link you will find our article: World of Riflescopes - Everything you should know before buying. 
 

To begin with, it is fair to say the advantages and disadvantages of rifle scopes

Advantages of rifle scopes

Greater accuracy: Riflescopes with higher magnification allow for more accurate aiming, especially at longer distances.
Better Target Identification: With higher magnification, you can more easily identify and aim at specific parts of the target, as well as verify whether friend or foe is in front of you. For example, distinctive bands at higher tens of meters may no longer be easily recognizable to the eye.
Versatility: Variable magnification riflescopes offer flexibility for different shooting scenarios.
 

Disadvantages of rifle scopes 

Narrower field of view: The field of view of riflescopes with higher magnification is smaller, making it difficult to track moving targets.
Stability problems: At higher magnifications, it can be more difficult to keep the riflescope stable, affecting crosshair placement on the target and shooting accuracy.
Light transmission: Higher magnification can sometimes reduce image brightness, especially in lower light conditions.

What does a riflescope consist of?

A riflescope is made up of many parts, each of which specifies the exact parameters for a particular model. Understanding them will allow you to navigate the various components of a riflescope so that you can get the most out of it.

Lens

The objective lens is the large lens at the front of the riflescope. The diameter of the objective lens largely determines how much light the riflescope can collect. The larger the diameter of the objective lens, the more light the riflescope can collect. More light means a clearer view, especially in low light conditions. However, it's important to note that a larger lens diameter means a larger and heavier riflescope, so it's important to consider whether it's more important for you to be able to use the riflescope in low light conditions or whether you want to be able to carry it comfortably during airsoft battles without getting prematurely tired. For high-magnification rifle scopes, you will most often see 50mm and 56mm sizes. This designation is usually at the end of the name of the riflescope, for example 5-30x56.
Most riflescopes (especially the better ones) have special coatings on the lenses that reduce the amount of light that is lost when transmitted through the scope to your eye. These coatings reduce the scattering and reflection of light as it passes through the scope, resulting in more light reaching your eye and increasing the sharpness and contrast of the image you see. Lenses can be either coated, multi-coated, or fully multi-coated, with the latter being the most effective in reducing light loss. Despite the higher price, we always recommend choosing multicoated lenses.
These lenses need to be cared for and careful not to scratch. For cleaning, we recommend using specialized products designed for riflescopes or fine optics, which according to the manufacturer are also designed for use with coatings. For example, we can recommend the product Anti-fog spray for glasses Extreme. It is definitely not recommended to clean and wipe the glass with tissues, toilet paper, etc., as these types of paper have small hard parts in them that can scratch the glass.
 

Aiming pattern

Associated with the lens is a sighting cross, also known as a cross or warp. It is the aiming point in a rifle scope that assists the shooter in aiming the weapon at the target. There are a variety of sighting patterns, ranging from simple to complex warps designed for long range shooting. 

The following image will show some examples of different types of sighting crosshairs:

Along with the sighting cross, terms such as FFP and SFP are also associated with the sighting cross. Since we have discussed them in detail in our article, we will simplify them here:
SFP: the pattern will still be the same when zooming
FFP: the pattern will get bigger when zooming in and smaller when zooming out (FFP riflescopes tend to be more expensive compared to SFP versions)

If you are already considering a riflescope with illumination, you need to keep in mind that each color has its pros and cons. Most often you will see red and green illuminators. Blue or even yellow can also be found.

Red is suitable for most shooting situations. It is very good in low light conditions, but very difficult to aim with in bright sunlight. This option is not suitable for people with astigmatism (they may even see blurry or double)
The green colour is the exact opposite of red. It works well in bright sunlight and is suitable for people with astigmatism. But beware, it is not very suitable for use in environments with green backgrounds (it can get "lost"). It is also not very suitable for use with night vision (it is difficult to see through).

TIP for you: during night or evening battles, don't turn on the illuminator to strong intensities. It doesn't seem like it, but such intensity can be seen from the other side of the scope and the opponent would be able to detect you very quickly in the dark (and in the role of a sniper this is probably not our intention). But the same goes for the collimator.

Riflescope tube

The scope body, or also the tube or housing of the riflescope, is the part that contains all the optical components and also provides a mounting platform for attaching the riflescope to your rifle. The first rifle scopes were made of materials that were heavy and did not even achieve the magnification values that modern variants do. Nowadays, they are made of aircraft duralumin, which is not only very strong but also very lightweight. The diameter of the tube has a great influence on the fineness of the correction of the rifle scope. Basically, the larger the diameter of the tube, the better and more sensitive the mechanism can be placed inside. Of course, the size of the tube goes hand in hand with the mounting. Therefore, you need to find out the diameter of the tube (30 or 34 mm) and then purchase the mount itself accordingly.
There are a number of mounting options, you can find them here: Mountings for rifle scopes

Turrets

This is the name given to the small rotating wheels found on the top and side of the riflescope, which allow you to adjust the point of impact, i.e. the point where the bullet/ball hits the target. They are used to compensate for different distances, wind and other factors that can affect the trajectory. By adjusting the turrets, you can align the sight crosshairs with the target, which will improve your accuracy and increase the chance of hitting your intended target. It's important to remember though that in airsoft we shoot small 6mm BBs, and we also use Hop Up, which is a very specific ball guidance and no rifle scope will account for Hop Up. So each player has to learn individually with the rifle scope.

What are some of the terms we can expect to encounter with turrets?

Wind elevation Turret - This turret is most often found on the right side of the rifle scope and allows you to adjust the horizontal point of impact. By rotating the turret, you can move the sight cross to the left or right, adjusting to the wind and ensuring your shot/bullet hits the intended target.
The Elevation Turret is a turret located on top of the rifle scope that helps shooters compensate for the drop of the bullet caused by gravity. It is used to adjust the vertical point of impact and allows the shooter to move the sight cross up or down, ensuring that your shot accurately hits the target at various distances.
Parallax Adjustment/Target Focus - Used to adjust the parallax or target focus, this is a feature found on the side (most commonly the left side) of some rifle scopes that helps adjust for parallax error.  You can learn more about parallax error in our article.
The turrets often have information such as MRAD or MOA written on them. We also explain what this is in detail in our article

The advantage of good quality rifle scopes - for example Vector Optic or VicOptic, is that the turrets have a wide range, so that an airsoft gun that is never as accurate as the real one can be shot quite well even at longer distances.
 

Magnification setting

The magnification adjustment is a mechanism that allows the shooter to adjust the magnification level of the rifle scope, thereby changing the size of the target in the rifle scope image. In almost all cases, it is located just behind the eyepiece. Some riflescopes have a lever attachment mechanism for ease of use, which makes it noticeably easier to rotate and thus zoom in or out more quickly.
Magnification level - The magnification of a riflescope is indicated by numbers, for example 3-18×50. The first set of numbers (3-18) represents the range of zoom or magnification offered by the riflescope, with "3×" indicating that the image will appear three times closer than to the naked eye. The magnification range of the riflescope, such as 3-9x, 4-12x or 5-25x, determines its versatility. A wider range, such as 5-25x, offers greater flexibility and allows for effective shooting or observation at different distances. 

Dioptr

Modern rifle scopes are equipped with a diopter. This makes focusing easier. The diopter should not be used to focus the target. In riflescopes, the diopter is located on the back of the eyepiece and is used only to focus the sight crosshairs. Each shooter adjusts the diopter to their own eye, and therefore this setting may not suit someone else. Correctly adjusting the eyepiece of the rifle scope is essential to achieving accurate hits and ensuring a comfortable shooting experience. 
 

The eyepiece lens

The eyepiece lens is the lens in the eyepiece of the rifle scope (closest to the eye) that helps the shooter focus and magnify the image of the target.
Understanding the various components of a rifle scope is essential for anyone interested in long-range shooting, so snipers should be familiar with everything. Each component has a specific function that contributes to the overall accuracy and precision of the riflescope. Knowing how to use these components effectively can greatly affect your shooting skills and allow you to hit targets at greater distances with ease. By understanding the lenses, reticle, turrets, and eyepiece, you can tailor your rifle scope to your specific shooting needs and improve your overall accuracy.
 

Useful features of rifle scopes

While it is true that every riflescope is original in its own way, there are always features common to all possible types.  Examples include:
Waterproof - Most rifle scopes on the market are waterproof to protect them from unexpected downpours. It is always a good idea to check if your preferred option has this feature.    
Nitrogen filled - Riflescopes that are filled with nitrogen have one amazing capability, and that is that they prevent the internal fogging of the riflescope due to moisture.
Impact Resistance - Impact resistant rifle scopes will hold up to a major knock, such as a wall. But this is still something to avoid, no optic is indestructible.

Final Conclusion

If you are considering riflescopes that are very durable, gas infused, have super brightness and can be adjusted well then definitely reach for the Vector Optics brand. 
Vector optics is also rated for sharp guns, so for example when dropped or transported in a car, the scope will not break the set warp. If the cheaper models are enough for you, then from the brands already mentioned, it can be for example under the VictOptics division. Manufacturers like AIM-O, Theta Optics, WADSN or even ASG are the cheapest rifle scopes, just for airsoft use, their quality corresponds to that.
For airsoft use it doesn't quite make sense to buy riflescopes with high magnifications like 5-30 etc. These are designed for firearms and you won't use their full potential during airsoft battles. For us, the ideal zooms are 3-9, 3-18 etc. In terms of tube size, 30 mm is sufficient. Whether the lens diameter is 50 or 56, it's up to each of us which option is closer to us. Of course, we recommend the use of good quality mounts to avoid damage due to loosening and dropping of the riflescope, or misalignment of the riflescope.

As you can see, choosing the right rifle scope depends a lot on your specific shooting requirements. Therefore, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the individual parameters before purchasing. Only thanks to this you will choose the right riflescope at the first time and you will not regret in the future.