.300 Win Mag is a versatile round that’s most popular among civilians for hunting. It’s best suited for larger game like deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep. However, it’s also popular for target shooting. Military and police snipers also love the round.
.300 Win Mag has a long range, up to about 1000 yards (or even 1200 yards with the right ammo). Whether you’re hunting or target shooting, a good scope is necessary to take advantage of the round’s full range.
But how do you choose a scope for .300 Win Mag in the first place?
In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know to do just that.
First, we’ll talk about all the different things you need to consider when choosing a .300 Win Mag scope. Then we’ll go over our top five recommendations for the best scopes for .300 Win Mag.
Ready to get started?
If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time for the details, here are our best rated scope for 300 Win Mag:
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II 4-16X50 AO Riflescope
- Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9X40mm Riflescope
- Burris Optics Veracity Riflescope 5-25x50mm
- Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II 3-15X44 FFP Riflescope
- NightForce SHV 5-20×56 Riflescope
Table of Contents
How to Choose a .300 Win Mag Scope?
So what makes a good .300 Win Mag scope? There are a few different factors that matter:
Reticle Pattern
Most .300 Win Mag scopes have a BDC (bullet drop compensation) reticle.
BDC reticles have hash marks below the center of the reticle that help you estimate the amount of bullet drop you can expect at different ranges. For long range rounds like .300 Win Mag, BDC reticles are incredibly helpful for accuracy. They allow you to easily adjust your shots without having to mess with the scope’s turrets.
You can also get a scope with a different reticle pattern, such as a duplex reticle, but they make it harder to get the same precision you do with a BDC reticle.
Windage & Elevation Turrets
Scopes generally have different types of turrets depending on what the manufacturer anticipates the scope being used for.
Traditionally, capped turrets are preferred for hunting because the covers over the turrets prevent accidental adjustments to the turret settings. Caps also protect turrets from damage, which is more likely to occur while hunting.
Exposed, or tactical-style turrets, have traditionally been favored for sniper or target scopes because they allow for easier on-the-fly adjustments.
That said, ultimately, the right style of turret is just the style you prefer and manufacturers are becoming less strict about which turret style they use for which scope. In particular, exposed turrets are increasingly easier to find on both target and hunting scopes.
Magnification Strength
When using a magnified optic, you need to be careful to avoid either over magnification or under magnification. Each comes with its own problems.
For hunting, you’ll want a minimum magnification of between 2x and 4x. For long range target shooting, you can generally get away with a minimum magnification as high as 5x.
As for maximum magnification, you want at least 8x to 10x for hunting. You can go much higher though, especially for target shooting. However, higher maximum magnification quickly drives up the cost of the scope, so you’ll need to balance budget considerations with your magnification needs.
Parallax
Since .300 Win Mag is a long range round, you’ll ideally want a scope with parallax adjustment.
Parallax is an optical issue that happens with the reticle and target are on different focal planes. If you move your head while looking through your scope and the reticle appears to move relative to the target even though the scope has stayed still, that’s parallax.
Whether parallax occurs or not depends on the parallax setting of the scope. Most scopes with fixed parallax have parallax set around 100 or 150 yards, meaning that you shouldn’t expect parallax when aiming at targets at those ranges.
With a scope with parallax adjustment, you can simply change the parallax setting so you won’t experience parallax at whatever range you’re shooting at.
Durability
Scopes aren’t cheap but their inner workings are delicate and precise. To make sure your scope will last, you want one that’s durable. It should be shock proof, fog proof, and waterproof.
To choose a durable scope, there are some features you should look out for. You want a scope that has a single piece body tube that’s made from a hardy material like aircraft grade aluminum. It should feature o-ring seals and should be purged for fog and waterproofing.
A scratch proof coating on the lenses is also ideal.
Best Scope for .300 Win Mag on the Market Reviews
1 Vortex Optics Crossfire II 4-16X50 AO Riflescope
The Vortex Optics Crossfire II riflescope platform is one of the most commonly recommended scope platforms out there because it balances quality and budget. There are a ton of different models within the platform, but for .300 Win Mag, we recommend the Crossfire II 4-16X50 AO Riflescope in particular.
The higher magnification strength lets you take advantage of .300 Win Mag’s full range, but isn’t too powerful for hunting.
Despite the low price, this scope is also very durable. It’s got a single-piece aircraft-grade aluminum body with a hard anodized finish. It’s also o-ring sealed and nitrogen purged. These features make the scope waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof.
In terms of optics, it has fully multi coated lenses made from high quality glass. It also features long eye relief, coupled with a fast focus eyepiece.
Mounting Rings & Lens Covers
You can use this scope with pretty much any 30mm scope rings, but Vortex Optics Tactical 30mm Riflescope Rings are a great option that are available in a few different heights. To protect the lenses, you’ll want to pair the scope with Vortex Optics Defender Flip Covers.
Is It Worth It?
The Vortex Optics Crossfire II 4-16X50 AO Riflescope costs less than $300, but also has a bunch of excellent features, like:
- Long eye relief
- Capped turrets
- Adjustable parallax
- Fully multi coated lenses
- Adjustable objective
- Fast focus eyepiece
2 Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9X40mm Riflescope
Like the Crossfire II line, Leupold’s VX-Freedom line is widely loved and recommended. For .300 Win Mag, we like the VX-Freedom 3-9X40mm scope.
It has a nice, balanced magnification range and numerous reticle options to choose from, including both illuminated and non-illuminated options. These features, coupled with the lightweight design (non-illuminated models weigh just 12.2 ounces while illuminated models are 15.4 ounces) make the VX-Freedom 3-9X40mm riflescope especially great for hunting.
It’s also very durable. It’s not only waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof, it also has a scratch resistant coating on the lenses.
Mounting Rings & Lens Covers
The lenses have that scratch resistant coating, but you’ll still want lens caps to protect them. Leupold Alumina Flip Back Lens Covers protect the lenses but still allow you to quickly use your scope. You’ll also want a pair of 1 inch mounting rings, like Leupold LRW Weaver-Style Rings.
Is It Worth It?
The VX-Freedom is a little more expensive than the Crossfire II, but it’s the best value on this list, costing under $500, thanks to upgraded features like:
- Leupold Advanced Optical System
- Lifetime Guarantee
- Scratch resistant lenses
- Leupold’s Custom Dial System (CDS)
- ZeroStop turrets
- Several reticle options to choose from
3 Burris Optics Veracity Riflescope 5-25x50mm
The Burris Optics Veracity Riflescope 5-25x50mm is designed to perform at long range, for both hunting and target shooting.
It’s available in three different BDC reticle patterns to help you get the best possible precision at longer ranges. The type of turret knobs you get depends on which of the three reticle patterns you opt for, with the knob styles chosen to best compliment the reticle. However, you can also get custom knobs from Burris to use with the scope if you want.
The scope also has a first focal plane, regardless of pattern. This means that the apparent size of the reticle increases and decreases in proportion with the sight picture as you change the magnification setting. This ensures that the markings on the reticle are always consistent, no matter the distance and magnification setting.
Mounting Rings & Lens Covers
To mount this scope, you’ll need 30mm mounting rings, like Burris Optics Xtreme Tactical 30mm Scope Rings. Burris doesn’t sell lens covers, but they do sell a Waterproof Scope Cover that you can use to protect the scope overall. If you want flip lens covers, you can opt for Monstrum Rubberized Flip-Up Rifle Scope Lens Covers.
Is It Worth It?
Despite the longer range, the Burris Optics Veracity Riflescope comes in at a middle-of-the-road price point. Between the magnification and other great features, it’s well worth the price tag.
- First focal plane reticle
- Three BDC reticle patterns to choose from
- High quality multi coated lenses
- Waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof
- Adjustable parallax
- Zero Click Stop turrets
4 Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II 3-15X44 FFP Riflescope
Like the Vortex Crossfire II but wish it had some extra features? Then the Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II 3-15X44 FFP Riflescope might be perfect for you.
The Viper PST Gen II comes in four different reticle options, all in the first focal plane and all illuminated. The reticles are glass etched to make them more precise and enhance durability.
The lenses are made from extra low dispersion glass for clarity and are fully multicoated. They also feature ArmorTek scratch resistant coating.
The tactical-style Zero Stop turrets make it easy to return to your zero settings after making temporary adjustments. They have a fiber optic rotation indicator that provides a visual and tactical indication of your current turret settings.
Mounting Rings & Lens Covers
For this scope, you’ll need 30mm rings, such as Vortex Optics Precision Matched Riflescope Rings. And to protect the lenses while not in use, we recommend Vortex Optics Defender Flip Covers.
Is It Worth It?
The Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II gives you some high end features at a price that’s pretty middle-of-the road, so it’s a great value.
- Waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof
- Zero Stop turrets that match the reticle
- Four illuminated reticle options
- First focal plane reticle
- Precision-Force Spring System and Precision-Glide Erector System
- Fast focus eyepiece
5 NightForce SHV 5-20×56 Riflescope
Our last recommendation is the NightForce SHV 5-20×56 Riflescope.
This high end scope’s higher magnification strength makes it great for both hunting and target shooting at longer ranges. It’s available in two reticle patterns, each of which is available with or without center illumination.
The MOAR reticle is a BDC style reticle great for target shooting, while hunters may prefer the Forceplex reticle pattern.
The huge objective lens allows a ton of light to enter the scope, helping with light transmission and clarity. The clear glass helps with this as well.
This scope also features ZeroSet turrets and a side parallax adjustment knob.
Mounting Rings & Lens Covers
To mount this scope, you’ll need 30mm rings, such as the Nightforce X-Treme Duty Ultralite 4 Screw Scope Ring Set.
To protect the lenses, we recommend getting flip up lens covers. Nightforce sells the NightForce Eyepiece Flip-Up Lens Cap and the Nightforce Optics 56mm Objective Flip-Up Lens Cap separately, so be sure to grab both.
Is It Worth It?
The NightForce SHV 5-20×56 Riflescope is more expensive than the other scopes we recommend here, but it’s worth the price thanks to its high end features:
- Side parallax adjustment
- Clear, high definition sight picture
- ZeroSet turrets
- Two reticle patterns, each available with or without center illumination
- Large objective lens
- Great for both hunting and target shooting
Final Thoughts
Just like no two shooters are just the same, neither are any two scopes. That means that different shooters will be best served by different scopes.
.300 Winchester Magnum is primarily a long distance round, so each other scopes we’ve recommended here can do long distance shots well. However, each also has its own little quirks too. Some are better for hunting, while others most excel at target shooting.
Our scope recommendations also represent a diverse array of price points to reflect the different budgets shooters like you might have.
But don’t panic and become overwhelmed by all the little differences: with the information we’ve provided here, it should be easy for you to choose the best scope for .300 Win Mag to fit your needs.
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