A person who first tries hunting should immediately adjust to certain things and develop specific principles. After all, hunting is a craft that has its own rules, laws, and doctrines. At the same time, hunters should not forget about intuition and responsibility.

The skill of a good hunter depends on many factors. In addition to being physically prepared and practicing in the absence of the hunting season, he must take care of the quality of his weapon used during the hunt. 

Small arms are only one integral part of your props. To hit the target accurately, you need a high-quality sight. This optics is an integral part of small arms, "bringing" the hunter closer to the target as much as a good eye or a properly selected rifle. 

In general, such a mechanism as a sight appeared quite a long time ago. After the rifle's appearance, people quickly realized that only good eyesight would not lead to the desired result. That is why a marking ring was installed on the weapon, facilitating the hunting process. But everything undergoes modernization, and more than such a simple design was needed for man, so he went further. 

The first attempts to develop sniper sights occurred back in the days of the Wild West in the United States in the XIX century. The idea was to permanently attach a telescopic tube to the rifle, replacing the standard sighting devices. A crosshair of thin metal rods on one of the lenses of the telescope tube was used to aim at the target. The idea was successful and required some improvements. Because these telescopes were more significant than the rifle itself. And the accuracy left much to be desired. It was a challenge for the engineers who aimed to create a mobile device that would perform the desired functions. 

And as always, the process of creating a high-quality optical device was accelerated by the First World War. Sniper sights were modernized and became widespread among the troops of the warring parties. As a result of the refinement, the optical company became detachable, its weight and size decreased, and the optical ability improved due to prismatic lenses. 

After the Second World War, in 1949, American inventor Frederick Kahles developed a variable magnification optical sight, and in 1953, the US Army adopted the electronically illuminated visual view. Since then, the design of optical sights has remained relatively the same. 

The optical sight is an optical tube with several lenses and a reticle. Usually, such sights have a multiplicity from 2x to 20x. They also have a horizontal and vertical correction mechanism. Corrections are made by turning two corresponding screws.

As we have already noted, the device's design is preserved. But the principles of operation of certain types of optics of this class change, differ by generation, and, accordingly, its capabilities. And you, of course, choose the device that meets your goals and requirements. 

Night vision rifle scope

These events took place in Germany during the Second World War. Night vision technology itself was invented and began its development, of course, thanks to the war. Of course, modernizers and engineers quickly picked up such an invention and decided that it would be advisable to develop it. From the beginning, they used the power of infrared light on tanks to correct their movement and accuracy of the shot in the dark 

This development gave us devices that we distinguish by generations. Their principle of operation is preserved, but better materials are used for better optics. Thanks to this, we have mobile devices that help achieve the desired hunting goals. 

Night vision sights are special devices attached to hunting or rifles and simplify aiming in the dark. Nightfall dramatically complicates the hunter, security guard, or military task. After all, everything merges, and the human eye cannot perceive objects in poor lighting. 

Night vision sights are much more functional than simple lenses with light amplification. They are used in various fields of human activity. Most models contain such additions: IR illuminator, long-range illuminator, image magnification function from 3 times, different color palettes, autonomous power supply with Wi-Fi module - for software updates, and video broadcasting to the Internet.

Hunting. Night hunting is widespread: many animals are hunted at this time of day. Dark forests, fields, lakes, or ravines are usual places for a hunter. In pitch darkness, it is essential to control the situation because it is possible to miss the target and hit your partner in the next room. A night vision hunting scope is the key to extracting a valuable trophy. Protection of objects. Professional protection of strategically essential things consists of reliable control of the situation around them. The guards must neutralize the intruder even in poor visibility conditions. Weapons are an integral attribute of a soldier's equipment: sniper, sentry, and scout. Combat operations require a thorough approach to armament: a lot is at stake, and the cost of a miss is high. Reliable PNV will allow you to successfully complete a combat mission and keep yourself, your group, and your platoon safe during the night out.

Night vision requires at least a weak light source. Such a source is usually the moonlight or the morning of lanterns. Although despite the many advantages you get from a night vision sight, it is essential to remember that it could be more effective in pitch darkness. The latest generation models will work in adverse conditions. Therefore, your choice will be based on your capabilities and needs. These are the main criteria that should be followed.

Thermal rifle scope

The thermal imager was created with an image of infrared radiation more than four decades ago. Initially, the thermal imager was designed to simplify and improve military equipment. During this period, it conquers new areas of application in various fields. Of course, this did not bypass hunting and military affairs. 

A thermal imaging sight is a sophisticated optoelectronic device that is mounted on a rifle and helps to solve a wide range of shooting tasks in a wide range of shooting distances. Thermal imaging sights work on the principle of converting the thermal radiation of objects (both natural (people, animals) and artificial (having a temperature difference as in any heterogeneous environment) into an image visible to the human eye, which is displayed on the ocular matrix of the sight. The thermal imaging sight can communicate targets at distances up to 2500 meters, allowing you to identify them from 350 to 1500 meters. 

The wide range of tasks it performs is its main advantage. Unlike day and night vision sights, they allow the shooter to see the target, observe, aim and shoot in any lighting and weather conditions. 

As a rule, all modern compact thermal sights are equipped with a matrix of non-cooled micro-bolometers (also called a detector) based on amorphous silicon or vanadium oxide. Other structural elements of thermal sights include a lens, a display (aka "ocular matrix"), and an electronic unit for signal conversion. 

It is impossible to see the heat radiation by the object of observation through ordinary glass. That is why germanium lenses are used in thermal imaging sights.

Thermal imaging sights cost much more than optical or mechanical ones. This is due to the use of expensive digital matrices. In addition, the companies require an additional power source to operate. The device is sensitive to mechanical and other damage, so it requires careful handling. 

Common rifle scopes

Despite the undoubted advantages of the two types mentioned above of scopes, conventional optical sights should be considered. 

It would be best if you chose a scope based primarily on your requirements and understanding where and under what conditions you will use it. 

Since there are restrictions on night hunting in many states and you are going to hunt only during the day, purchasing a telescope with night vision functions is optional. Understanding that any technique or device cannot contain only one advantage is essential. Where there is an advantage in multiplicity, there is a disadvantage in autonomy, for example, and so on. 

Optical sights allow you to observe the terrain, find targets (even those not visible to the naked eye), and determine their distance. It is also equipped with mechanisms for accounting for horizontal and vertical corrections of the reticle. Initially, the sights were called "armed telescopes": the optical sight looks like a reduced telescope with a magnifying lens system. 

When choosing such a device, you need to consider the parameters: multiplicity, the field of view, aperture, lens diameter, pupil removal, and focusing. 

The multiplicity is related to the accuracy of shooting. Small hand tremors will be caught, transmitted, and interfere if you shoot from the hands. However, a large magnification will automatically reduce the field of view, making it more challenging to look for or follow the target. A variable magnification riflescope will be versatile, but good models are costly, and you can buy a good quality regular magnification riflescope for the same price. 

The field of view depends on the distance of the eyepiece. When choosing a scope, this is a better option than magnification. At three times magnification, a variable magnification sight will give a field of view of about 10.5 meters at a distance of 100 meters. At nine times magnification, the same sight will give much thought to 4.7 meters at the same length (100 meters).

Aperture - depends on the diameter of the lens; the more significant, the better the aperture. A more luminous sight will help to see in twilight or cloudy weather better than a less bright one. But this will affect the size; prominent views require high brackets and only fit some weapons.

Lens diameter - the larger the diameter, the brighter the image will be. But a large size will automatically increase the size and weight (as well as the sight price). Sights with 24-32 mm diameters are suitable for short distances. 40 mm and more are good for firearms and some types of pneumatics. For spring-piston rifles, sights with a small lens diameter are ideal. 50-60 mm - of severe hunters or military.

Speaking of sights, we should also highlight the collimator sights. They are often underestimated, which is quite strange. After all, their functionality is quite effective in use. 

So one of its main advantages is comfort and ergonomics. Collimator sights can be helpful for people with visual impairments or those who wear glasses because there is no need to focus on three points - the reticle, the front sight, and the target you want to hit. For some people, this kind of aiming can be difficult purely physically. Instead, the collimator offers you to simply 

focus on a bright dot superimposed on your target.  

Modern advanced collimator sights minimize the problem of parallax, which significantly facilitates the work. These sights help shoot at close targets. And it does not matter what it is - a target in sports competitions, an animal on a hunt, or just bottles and cans during recreational shooting. You don't need to waste precious seconds to set up the device and aim the reticle at the target. You quickly take the position you need and make a shot, and are guaranteed to hit the target. 

Another advantage of collimators is that they allow the shooter to control the surrounding space better while aiming. Since he does not have the effect of "tunnel vision," he is not focused on the reticle and the target; he is not limited by the optical sight tube but looks at the glowing dot; he does not lose his peripheral vision. He can see everything that is happening around him. This can be very valuable in the conditions of country hunting when the animal can come out unexpectedly and not from where expected.

So, in this article, we have considered four main types of sights for your rifle: optical, collimator, night vision, and thermal eyes. Each has advantages and disadvantages; they are used in different areas. Of course, each category has its leaders in the market of tactical devices. What rules to follow when choosing a sight? 

Everything is straightforward. First, decide on the cases where you will use it. That is, your choice is based on your needs. After all, if you are sure that you do not want or do not have the opportunity to go on a night hunt, then the need for a night vision scope and thermal imager disappears automatically. 

It is also essential to consider the parameters of your rifle. If you go hunting, what kind of game do you mainly hunt? If your trophies are diverse, then choose more universal options. 

To buy a sight and other hunting equipment, contact official stores and trusted companies that have been developing them for many years. 

A fundamental argument you will pay attention to is the price. Quality things, of course, cost a lot. But the careful treatment of the device will extend its service life.