Sights of various types are widely used in multiple fields of activity. They help protect the state's borders, neutralize dangerous criminals, protect essential objects, and hunt large and small animals. Each model of such optics has a unique marking. If you know how to decipher it, you can significantly simplify choosing a sight and quickly find the most suitable product for yourself.

Key Takeaways

• Rifle scopes are effective even in low-light conditions and are helpful for people with any shooting experience.
• Sights are designated by numbers that demonstrate their characteristics.
• Magnification, objective lens size, wider field of view - leading indicators.

How Does the Scope Work?

Rifle scopes are a big focus of various optical instrument manufacturers these days. These products are compact metal tubes. Inside, there are several lenses. This design is standard, and on its basis, all existing types of sights are created.

What Is Scope Magnification?

Each rifle scope has magnification settings. They are displayed as numbers and an "x" symbol, showing how often the sight picture will be larger than the actual image. There is constant and variable magnification.

What Do the Numbers on a Rifle Scope Mean?

Any sight produced has a marking. This marking tells the potential buyer about the device's features and characteristics and helps them better understand its capabilities. To learn all this information in advance, you need to study the standard designations that manufacturers indicate in the names of their products.

Standard Designations Indicated on Sight

• Increase: This indicator is the main one used to mark any sight.
• Lens diameter: This indicator shows the size of the front lens that collects light.
• Exit pupil diameter: This value is not indicated in the name of the sight but can be calculated.

Additional Designations

• Field of view (FOV): Allows the owner to estimate the maximum visible distance.
• Lens coating: Marked as "C," "FC," "M," or "FM."
• Distance between eyepiece and eye: Most commonly used when the distance is non-standard.
• Tube diameter: Appears in the sight's name only when deviating from the standard.
• Parallax: Indicates the offset of the reticle position relative to the dot on the target.

Common Indexes

• MD: Sights with a mil-dot reticle.
• E or IR: Models equipped with illuminated reticles.
• AO: Models that allow users to adjust focus.

Magnification Power

Magnification power is indicated by numbers and the symbol "x." It shows how many times the target size will be visually more prominent.

Objective Lens Diameter

The objective lens diameter is indicated after the magnification power. It corresponds to the lens's size.

Zoom Ratio

The zoom ratio, indicated by a number and the symbol "x," is obtained from the zoom range by dividing the maximum focal length by the minimum.

Maintube Size

Each perfect scope specifies the primary tube size, affecting the scope adjustment range.

Windage

This value shows the available range of horizontal adjustments of the rifle scope.

Parallax Adjustments

Appears as a series of numbers, allowing the reticle to be placed in the same focal plane as the target image.

Elevation

This value shows the available range of elevation adjustments.

Examples

• “4-32x50”: Variable scope. 4 - minimum magnification, 32 - maximum, 50 - objective lens diameter.
• “4x40”: Constant 4-fold magnification, 40 - objective lens diameter.

Conclusion

All sights produced today have a specific marking consisting of numbers and letters. These symbols carry information about the characteristics and features of each optics model. Knowing their values, one can determine the practicality of a purchase and the possibility of using it to achieve specific goals with one product name.

FAQ

What Does 6-24x50 Mean on a Scope?

This means the scope has a 50mm objective (lens in millimeters) and a magnification of 6x-24x.

What Does the 3-9x40 Mean on a Scope?

This means the scope has a 40mm objective lens diameter and magnification of 3x-9x.

What Is a Good Magnification for a Scope?

Magnification range of 6-24x – a good option for long-range shooting, and 3-15x – short-range shooting.

Modified: Mar 10, 2025 | 01:36 pm