Tell All Review: Best .308 Rifle Scopes

Best Overall:
Primary Arms 1-6X24 SFP Rifle Scope (Gen III)

Offering a great deal of flexibility in its magnification range, from 1x to 6x, and a slim design that retains maneuverability, the Primary Arms SFP Rifle Scope Gen III is an excellent option. It’s easy on the wallet, built robustly enough to last a very long time, and offers all the features you’d expect from a great scope.

Featuring a partially-illuminated reticle with 11 brightness settings, it is great in any lighting conditions. Additionally, the reticle is an ACSS standard, which provides fast targeting and high precision. It is glass-etched on the second focal plane, allowing for perfect reticle crispness no matter the magnification.

We particularly like the fact that while you can zoom in as high as 6x, you are also able to use the sight with no magnification. This makes it very practical for many hunters. With sufficient skill, 6x can provide great assistance.

Construction is also excellent. The scope is built from 6063 aluminum and is fully nitrogen-purged, and equipped with multi-coated lenses. This makes for a scope that is waterproof, fog-proof, and shock-proof. A black nitride finish prevents corrosion and also keeps the surface from reflecting light, keeping you stealthy.

Lastly, a lifetime manufacturer warranty ensures that you’ll always be covered with this scope. Given its very reasonable price tag, that’s a lot of value.

Bottom Line

This is our pick for what should be a standard, go-to scope for the .308. It’s not the most full-featured, dream scope on the market, but it’s exceptionally affordable and offers everything you need without getting too specialized. Plus, it’s backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Best Nikon .308 Scope:
Nikon M-308 SF 4-16x42mm w/ Nikoplex Reticle

Nikon products always offer exceptionally great value, giving you a reduced price with premium features, so it’s no surprise that one of their scopes makes it to the top of our list.

This scope from Nikon offers a wide magnification range, from 4x-16x, which should satisfy most hunters. Additionally, the objective lens is 42mm, offering exceptional light pass-through.

Nikon is clearly known for their lenses, whether on cameras or on scopes, and a very high-quality glass with full multi-coating enhances light capture.

In addition, Nikon coats their lenses with a special formula to resist oils and water, ensuring you have a consistently clean and clear picture. This attention to build quality is evident from one end of the scope to the other. The unit is constructed for aircraft-grade aluminum which is given a black nitride finish for corrosion resistance and a smooth, reflection-free surface.

The included reticle is specifically designed for this caliber of ammunition, offering trajectory compensation, which is their proprietary Spot On Ballistic Match Technology. The design may be chosen from either a BDC 800 or NikoPlex, the latter being Nikon’s own design and offering extreme precision and hash marks. Of course, windage and elevation are adjustable with positive-click capped turrets.

If you have a budget for something other than a cheap solution, the Nikon M-308 should definitely be near the top of your list.

Bottom Line

Those who aren’t looking for a cheap, budget solution will certainly get much more than their money’s worth out of Nikon’s excellent optics, durable construction, and precise reticles.

Best Scope for .308 Long Range:
BARSKA 10-40X50

Our top choice for a long range scope for the .308 ammo type also happens to be very, very affordable and is likely to turn the heads of anyone who is comfortable starting with a 10x magnification. While that is quite high, it goes up to a whopping 40x to seriously deep, deep hunting.

A scope this high-powered is going to need some serious light filtration and great optics, and it lives up to expectations. You get large objective lenses with multi-coated optics to enhance clarity and brightness, as well as adjustable parallax to ensure a fully accurate picture even when operating at 4,000% enlargement.

Additionally, windage and elevation turrets are easy to grip and provide quick turning on the fly. With magnification that intense, you do want a finer click value, and you get 1/8 MOA which is perfect for the highest powers.

Additionally, you get 3.6” of comfortable eye relief so you can do some deep ranging comfortably, without the need to switch between gear.

You also get a solid construction from aircraft aluminum with waterproofing, a shockproof build, and fog-proof treatment, so you can rest assured that in spite of its low price, it is not cheap.

You also can choose from several reticles, including mil-dot, 30/30, and target cone, and Barska’s even includes free lens covers.

All of these features and such a low price! Yet, you still get a lifetime warranty. While it won’t appeal to everyone since it starts at 10x, those who want a long range scope will be in love with the value offered here.

Bottom Line

If you want to go long range, you won’t find a better value on the market than this shockingly well-priced scope. Hardy, capable and even offering a lifetime warranty, it should seriously grab your attention.

Best Leupold Scope for .308:
Leupold VX-2 3-9x40mm

Leupold scopes are legendary, and with a wide selection of them for the .308, we figured we’d advise you on which is the top choice if you’re going to use this ammo type. Hands down, it’s the VX-2 series.

For starters, you get a 3x-9x magnification range, which we love to see, as it is very well-suited for just about anyone. At 3x, you can still shoot quite near, whereas at up to 9x you can shoot very distantly with appropriate gear and skill. With .308 ammunition, you’re already halfway there.

Additionally, Leupold utilizes a proprietary Matched Lens System which gives you very high-fidelity color and brightness. Working in tandem with the wide 40mm objective lens, it’s excellent for even very dark conditions. Of course, such a wide objective lens also provides an excellent viewing picture. You get a duplex reticle which is adjustable to ¼ MOA with precise finger clicks for both elevation and windage.

Leupold’s Diamond Coat has also been added to the lenses to give it excellent resistance to scratches and other abrasions, while a quality multicoat helps them resist oils and water droplets.

As you should expect from a Leupold product, it is crafted from a single piece of aircraft quality aluminum and finished in a black nitride. Full waterproofing, fog-proofing, and shock-proofing ensure it’s up to any demands, and that’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Bottom Line

Leupold is renowned for their excellent scopes, making them worthy of an entry on our list for their name alone. As expected, they offer a durable, high-quality option for this ammo type that’s backed by their name and warranty.

Best .308 Rifle Scope:
Vortex Optics Crossfire II

The Crossfire II from Vortex Optics is incredibly popular and fits at home on just about any setup, so you can bet that it works for our purposes, too. That said, you can get it in a number of specific models that adjust magnification range and reticle type. For this ammunition, we suggest you go with the 6x-24x magnification, which is equipped with a healthy 50mm objective diameter and a dead-hold BDC reticle.

Vortex Optics offers excellent lenses, but when paired with a 50mm objective width, you’ll experience brightness that is ready for any dark environment. Of course, the lenses are fully multi-coated as well and provide generous color saturation and clarity.

The windage and elevation are all adjustable with capped turrets down to ¼ MOA increments, and you do get a positive click.

The dead-hold BDC reticle is highly precise and allows for quick gauging of windage and holdover, allowing you to shoot with confidence, especially at higher magnifications. Going all the way up to 24x, it’s a great reticle choice to eliminate guesswork.

All models of Crossfire are made from a single piece of aluminum with a black nitride finish. You’ll get an O-ring sealed, nitrogen-purged scope that is fully proofed from water, shock, and fog. It also resists corrosion and reflections.

Additionally, all Crossfire models are equipped with a Vortex Optics lifetime warranty, making them a sound investment.

Bottom Line

At this point, the Crossfire series needs little introduction to most gun owners, but it deserves its reputation. Solidly built with a wide magnification range and top-notch optics, it also includes a lifetime warranty, all at a great price.

Best Tactical Scope for AR-10 .308 SHTF:
ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Rifle Scope

So far, we’ve looked at a lot of scopes that are highly durable and provide great magnification options, but what if you want something more tactical? Don’t worry, we’ve got that covered, too.

This scope is equipped with an internal processor to take the analog picture it gets from high-quality lenses and do a lot of modern magic. In any lighting condition, you’ll get a high-fidelity image that’s been enhanced with the best 4K detailing, color, and contrast correction. What this means is that haze and other factors simply melt away.

Plus, day and night modes optimize the picture accordingly, allowing you to see at night with better-than-real-night-vision optics. Unlike the flat color you get from traditional night-vision, this scope offers a richly detailed and contrasting image so you can see the true details.

Additionally, a ballistic calculator appears over your reticle to calculate wind, range, and many other factors to show you exactly where your bullet will land. You’ll land a clean shot every time without having to do any calculations yourself.

It also enables you to record video of your kill to an internal SD card or stream it externally to a compatible device like a tablet or phone.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that all of this power is fed by a rechargeable battery that, believe it or not, operates for up to 18 hours before needing to be recharged.

Bottom Line

The modern amenities of this scope are simply beyond compare, allowing you to do almost no work other than ranging and pulling the trigger. With a price tag that’s almost too good to be true, it’s the ultimate tactical option.

Best Scope for .308 Bolt Action Rifle:
Primary Arms 4-14x44

There are many excellent features in this offering from Primary Arms, but we especially love the fact that it offers an excellent magnification range of 4x-14x, making it very versatile. You’ll enjoy practical shorter range shooting as well as extended magnification.

At the same time, it offers a great option for hunting game that’s more active, with a reticle especially designed for the .308 and perfect for bolt action rifles. The ACSS HUD DMR .308 reticle is custom made to boast advanced features in a single intuitive and clean design. You’ll get leads for tracking a moving target out to a deep 600 yards, as well as ranging, wind leads, and BDC all the way out to 1,000 yards, and even a clean mil-ranging system.

Plus, it’s usable in any lighting conditions thanks to an illuminated horseshoe and center chevron, which also helps boost your accuracy and speed in bright light.

Of course, it’s a sturdy piece of equipment, too, made from 6063 aluminum in a single body design with a black nitride finish and full weatherproofing. Plus, optics are gorgeous with a wide 44mm objective lens for superior light filtration.

While it would be nice if it lasted for a lifetime, it does include a three-year warranty, which we’ll take over no warranty any day!

Bottom Line

With a superior reticle, a great magnification range, and a wide objective lens, this scope is perfect for any setup and excels when tracking moving game with a bolt action rifle.

Best Scope for .308 Sniper:
BARSKA 3-12x50 IR Huntmaster Pro

Our choice of the best scope for a sniper build is actually very affordable, as well, which is one of the factors placing it on our list, but there are some great features here, too.

You’ll enjoy 3x-12x magnification and a super-wide 50mm objective lens. Not only does this mean that you’ll be able to see a much wider picture and better find and track your target, but it also allows for a vast amount of light to enter the tube to produce a very bright picture.

Included is a 30/30 infrared cross reticle with adjustable windage, elevation, and rheostat with ¼ MOA increments and positive clicks via capped turrets. The reticle includes 11 brightness settings for any lighting conditions. Focusing is super-fast thanks to an excellent eye bell. Parallax is non-existent up to 100 yards.

It is made from a low-profile construction of aircraft aluminum and is given a beautiful black nitride coat carefully applied for maximum matte to minimize reflection for ultimate stealth. It is fully proofed against water, shock, and fog, while a special multi-coat not only improves the optics but resists oils and debris, ensuring you’ll always have a clean picture.

It also includes a lens cover, cleaning cloth, and a battery, as well as a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty so you can keep your scope clean, safe ,and in-service forever.

Bottom Line

If you have a .308 sniper, the amenities on this scope that provide a clear, accurate picture are absolutely what you’re looking for, and it comes at an amazing price, too.

Best Vortex Scope for .308:
Vortex Optics Viper

Vortex Optics is truly in a class of their own when it comes to scopes. Not only do they have a lot of options for the discerning shooter, but all of them are high quality, which means it’s worth noting which is the absolute best for pairing with the .308 from their selection alone.

Our pick is the Viper, which comes in three variations of magnification, objective width, and reticle. For the .308, we recommend going with 6.5x-20x magnification with a 50mm objective width and a mil-dot MOA. This allows for an excellent viewing picture along with versatile range. The reticle will work hard at shorter ranges but provide all the detail you need like range, bullet holdover, and more at critical longer ranges.

We also love the eyepiece, which offers a lightning fast focus with a comfortable relief and a MAG-bar with quick and seamless magnification turns. Windage and elevation are all adjustable via capped turrets with positive clicks and the markings on the dials are very vivid and clear, leading to less distraction.

In addition to a standard multicoat, the lenses are treated with an Armor coat to protect them from scratches, minor abrasions, and debris or oil. Of course, the main body is a single piece of high-quality, aircraft aluminum with a black nitride finish. It has been fully proofed against water, fog, and shock.

As with any Vortex Optics scope, you get a lifetime warranty, although it’s rugged enough you’ll likely never need to use it. While affordable, it may very well be powerful enough to be your lifetime scope.

Bottom Line

Vortex Optics produces solid enough scopes that many consumers by now look for them by name, and among their offerings, the Viper pairs best with .308. Offering great magnification range and vivid optics, as well as excellent quality-of-life features, it will seriously up your hunting game.

Best 308 Scope Under $500:
Vortex Optics Diamondback

Of course, Vortex Options does offer a few excellent models, and so, if your budget can accommodate a Diamondback, we’d recommend you compare the two options. As with all their scopes, it comes replete with a variety of models to best suit your needs and tastes that affect magnification range, objective width, and reticle type. We recommend going with the 6x-24x magnification with a 50mm objective lens and an EBR-2C MRAD reticle.

This setup grants you beautiful, low dispersion glass with fully multi-coated lenses in tandem with a wide objective width for unparalleled light transmission. Thanks to a glass-etched reticle in the first focal plane, you’ll enjoy accurate subtensions up to 400% magnification.

Additionally, swapping between magnifications is buttery smooth no matter what environmental conditions you are in, thanks to a precision-glide erector system. Meanwhile, ergonomic turrets offer highly precise adjustments through audible clicks of windage, elevation, and parallax. It might be a minor detail, but the knobs have a great texture and they feel great to turn.

The real draw here for many more tactically-minded shooters may well be the EBR-2C MRAD reticle, which truly excels at longer ranges as you can very quickly determine bullet ballistics. Additionally, thanks to the first plane reticle design, it will grow and shrink while you change magnification, producing genuine subtensions whether you’re focusing on holdover, ranging, or drift correction.

As for construction, it carries over the full weather-proofing and is backed by the same lifetime warranty as the Viper. While comparable in many ways, it offers a tactical edge and uncompromising precision that the most demanding hunters and professional shooters will love.

Bottom Line

This scope from Vortex Optics offers a tactical edge to any hunter who demands the absolute best precision and optics and is built to the company’s high standards and backed by a warranty.