Best Scope For 500 Yards – A Long-Distance Affair You’ll Love

The 500 yard range is probably one of the common hunting/shooting ranges. It’s an enjoyable yet challenging distance that extends the boundaries of both short and long-range hunters. Best scope for 500 yards is difficult to come across. However, it calls for a flexible optic with a suitable magnification and toughness to handle that long-range ammo.

Finding a suitable 500 yards scope is so easy that it becomes tough. If you take these criteria to the market, you will be bombarded with all kinds of options across various prices that look the exact same at face value. Now since the magnification required for a 500 yard shot is relatively high, you will be spending at least $100. It is advisable that you don’t waste this precious money a scope without learning about how it’s going to help you. Therefore, we’ve done most of the work and narrowed down your best options to 5 unbeatable long-range scopes. You just have to read this list and see what suits you.

Top 5 Best Scope For 500 Yards

Vortex is one of the most renowned and trusted brands in the optics field. It is 100% American and is known to provide reliable devices at reasonable prices.

The original Vortex Crossfire got a great upgrade with the sleek and bright Crossfire II series. The optics are fully multi-coated for minimal dispersion and high contrast. The 44 mm objective paves the way for ultimate brightness. I really like the glass. The fast-focus eyepiece is another great boon for quick hunting.

The scope comes with an illuminated Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) reticle, which is great for shooting at a range like 500 yards since the bullet is prone to detours. The battery life here sits at an impressive 150 hours, so the only thing dying quickly will be your target. The 6-18x magnification range is actually optimal for our 500 yard hunt. Since it is an SFP scope, the reticle remains unchanged in size across the zoom range.

The device comes with an adjustable objective to minimize any possible parallax problems. The capped turrets are precise and can be reset to zero for your convenience. Again, the reset feature is a great thing to be armed with when you’re shooting at 500 yards, making it one of the best scope for 500 yards.

The long-range scope comes constructed with high-quality aircraft-grade aluminum. The waterproofing and fog proofing ensures that the scope lasts you years. It has a very nice matte finish. I always appreciate the Vortex VIP warranty.

However, the adjustments can prove to be slightly tight. You might also have problems holding zero if the recoil is too strong.

If you want a combination of quality and price, Primary Arms is where you should go. The brand supplies high-end accuracy at a low-end price.

This Primary Arms scope provides excellent performance at a great price. The glass is fully multi-coated. It comes with a mil-dot reticle that uses dotted crosshairs to allow you to adjust visually with ease. The reticle is also illuminated to let you shoot in the deepest parts of the jungle without depending on the sun. There are 12 brightness adjustments to ensure that you never strain your precious eyes and that you are always comfortable while making a shot.

I really like how the windage and elevation turrets are exposed. I can adjust them without the fuss of any tools, and they can be conveniently reset to zero. The adjustments are audibly crisp. It’s equipped with a side parallax adjustment to minimize error.

The scope feels like a sturdy, heavy-duty product. It’s purged using nitrogen to make sure that your lens never fogs up and obstructs your view. It can take recoil and accompany you on your 500 yard shoots for a considerable amount of time. The matte finish helps with concealment. The price is a big plus thus making it affordable and one of the best scope for 500 yards.

The eye relief can prove to be slightly insufficient, though.

Athlon is another highly esteemed brand when it comes to quality optics. Their devices are constructed while keeping peak performance in mind.

The lenses on the Neos are fully multi-coated for glare reduction and clarity. I like the Center X reticle that has a traditional and elegant design to allow for effortless focus, but they also have a BDC reticle option if that’s something you would prefer. I like how the reticle is etched on glass for increased recoil resistance and precision.

The windage and elevation turrets are modern looking and user friendly with very satisfying clicks. The magnification ring is smooth and allows you to zoom seamlessly, which is a great feature for when you’re shooting at 500 yards. The eye relief is comfortable. I could zero in within about three shots, which is why this is one of the best scope for 500 yards.

This 500 yard scope consists of a single piece heat treated tube built using aircraft-grade aluminum for durability and moisture proofing. The riflescope is nitrogen purged to make sure your lens is fog-free when you jump into the cold. It is also shockproof and can handle the recoil of your long-range ammo. The price is unbeatable at under $200. This Athlon device is backed with a lifetime warranty and great customer service.

However, the side focus knob can get slightly stiff.

Leupold is easily one of the top competitors when it comes to rifle scopes. They take pride in the unmatched visuals that they provide.

If we’re reviewing a Leupold, we review the clarity first. The large 56 mm objective lens lets in all of the light in the world. This scope comes armed with the Twilight Max 5HD Light Management System that offers more glare reduction and light transmission than any of its competitors to give you a better image than your eyes can and significantly increase your hunting time. The glass comes fully multi-coated with the special Guard-Ion lens coating that is immune to any substance in the jungle. The fast-focus eyepiece lets you acquire your target with speed even when it’s far away.

The scope comes with a highly convenient FireDot illuminated duplex reticle that provides peak precision and zero room for confusion. The reticle has seven brightness settings to let you adjust your scope according to your convenience. The eye relief is quite forgiving.

There are some unique features that I really loved. The customizable CDS elevation dial can be tweaked according to your rifle and cartridge. This makes sure that you don’t need to make adjustments again and again and that your overall experience with the device is better. Another great mechanism is the ZeroLock system that locks down your adjustments with the push of a button and ensures that there are no accidents. The turrets are crisp, and I like the side adjustable parallax.

You don’t need to worry about the durability of this scope. It has been tested for severe punishment. The compact 30mm aircraft quality aluminum tube can withstand just about anything. It is also obviously waterproof and fog proof. All of this comes packed into a sleek matte black design.

Now, all these great features come at a price. This 500 yards scope costs more than an iPhone.

Trijicon is a completely American, high-end brand that supplies to the military. They specialize in optics that are durable and self-illuminating.

The Trijicon TR29 AccuPoint is fully multi-coated with an edge to edge anti-reflective coating for a crystal clear, distortion-free image. I like the easy focus eyepiece that breezes up target acquisition. I absolutely love how the scope allows you to shoot up to 600 yards with both eyes open. I have to say that the clarity of the glass is unbelievable. The reticle is designed to arm any kind of shooter with peak precision.

The elegant reticle is illuminated using tritium, which glows and adapts to the surrounding light to give you perfect, battery-free illumination in any condition. The 500 yard scope is armed with windage and elevation turrets that are user friendly and remarkably precise. What’s more, is that they come with zero stop adjusters to prevent unwanted shifts. I think the eye relief is more than comfortable.

Since this is a Trijicon scope, the strength of this device is tested to military level protocols and standards. It is completely water and fog-resistant and can operate at almost any temperature. Lastly, the product comes backed with a warranty.

Besides the price, the scope can get slightly heavy.

Things to look for when you’re purchasing the best scope for 500 yards

Shopping for the best scope for long-range can present a bunch of challenges. Use this buying guide to make sure you buy only the best.

Magnification

Magnification ranges are ultimately a personal choice, but the minimum recommended value is 5x. If you love a good zoom, you can take the upper limit up to 24x. However, I prefer an 18x limit. Just remember that the higher your magnification, the smaller your field of view – it’s an understandable compromise. A wide variation in your zoom is always best since it will let you take control at all times. Never buy a fixed magnification scope if you’re shooting at 500 yards or up.

Clarity

If you’re looking at scopes for long-range, clarity is paramount. Your target is going to be far away, and sub-par image quality will not cut it. Look for high-quality lens coatings and high light transmission. An illuminated reticle is also always a good idea for a scope for 500 yards since it gives you that extra light for precision. However, some people might prefer a non-illuminated reticle, which also works wonderfully as long as your image is bright.

Adjustments

The turrets are an important part of any scope. Make sure that your turrets can be adjusted quickly without the use of any tools. The markings should be clear and user friendly. Pay attention to the parallax adjustment as well. There are a lot of things to worry about on the field, but the accuracy of your scope shouldn’t be one of them.

Eye relief

Any scope cartridge that you use for a long-range like 500 yards is bound to have some amount of kickback. Make sure that your eye relief is sufficient enough to prevent any unwanted rifle tattoos. Even if recoil isn’t an issue, longer eye relief is always better since it helps with strain.

Durability and warranty

500 yards or not, the durability of scope is always important. Most scopes (even cheap ones) come with tough purged bodies, so I don’t see a reason why you should settle for anything less than that. If you plan to use the scope for a couple of years, look into the material and weatherproofing.

Conclusion

There it is, the five best long-range scopes on the market right now. We hope we got rid of all of your apprehension and intimidation with respect to shopping for a 500 yard scope.

A 500 yard shot can be very satisfying and fruitful if you have the right scope by your side. Keep in mind that your device should combine optimal magnification, clarity, and eye relief for premium performance on the field. Every scope on this list satisfies these criteria and much more. You can choose from three affordable options and three high-end options according to your intent and budget. Hopefully, you’ll make a purchase so unforgettable that you’ll come back to us for advice on your next sighting device until then.