One of the most important factors to consider when buying any scope is eye relief. If you are in the market for a scope with long eye relief, generally 6 inches or more, you are in the right place. We’re going to take a look at the best scopes available today that have long eye relief.
If you’re not sure whether you might need long eye relief or not, stick around, because you will learn what the difference is, the long list of benefits, and what makes a quality one. This is a breakdown of the best long eye relief scopes.
Best Long Eye Relief Scopes
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II
- Burris Scout Rifle Scope 2-7×32
- UTG 2-7X44
- Trijicon TR24R AccuPoint 1-4x24mm
- Reticle Pistol Hunting Scope 2-7×32
- Feyachi Falcon 2-7x32mm
Vortex Optics Crossfire II 6-24×50
Vortex is known for producing incredibly high-quality optics that most of us can still afford. The Vortex Optics Crossfire II is no exception, it’s a 6-24×50 and it gives a nice, crisp picture with a comfortable eye relief of 4”. The nitrogen-purged aircraft aluminum tube gives you fog proof and waterproof performance in just about any conditions.
It features a dead-hold reticle, fully coated lenses, and resettable MOA turrets with ¼ MOA increments. The reticle is placed on the second focal plane so you will always see a clear and consistent reticle, no matter what magnification you’re at.
- Dead-hold second focal point reticle
- Nitrogen-purged aluminum tube
- Great hunting/tactical dual-use scope
Burris Scout Rifle Scope 2-7×32
For shooters that use the scout-type rifle, no matter if they use it for working or fighting, the Burris Scout Rifle Scope is an ideal choice. One of the best things about this scope line, is that it comes in a 2-7×32 for those that need versatility in nature, or a 2.75×20 for fighters that need ultra-fast acquisition and clear targeting.
The Burris Scout Rifle Scope is meant to be mounted head of the ejection port, and the super-lightweight design weighing in at 13 oz won’t change your rifle’s behavior to a large degree. Fog proof, waterproof, and shockproof, the Burris can go into a variety of environments and come out smiling.
- High-grade optics and gas purge give a crystal clear image
- Precision internals are shockproof and hold true
- Beveled, low-profile turrets give a sleek appearance that minimizes snags
UTG 2-7X44
Now when you need a lot of eye relief, the UTG 2-7X44 will be there for you. The absolutely massive eye relief of up to 11” lets you sit back and relax while keeping your reticle in a clear view. This is another long eye relief scope that is designed for the scout rifle platform.
The aluminum tube feels super-sturdy and the coated lenses give a nice clear image no matter the magnification. This is a great scope for anyone that needs a long eye relief with a max of 7X magnification.
- 2X-7X magnification
- Scout rifle platform, but can use adapters for a wider range of fitment
- Larger SWAT wheel available for ultra-fine parallax adjustment
Trijicon TR24R AccuPoint 1-4x24mm
The Trijicon TR24R AccuPoint 1-4×24 is just an amazing scope. The super-durable construction is ruggedized for nearly any environment you could use it in. It’s even designed to military standards so that it could withstand extreme civilian hunting conditions.
The high-tech aluminum housing weighs only 0.9 lbs, and it houses a BAC Triangle Post reticle. The built-in fiber optic lighting system gives you a lit reticle in just about any lighting condition. The modest 1-4 magnification gives a perfect performance from a scope you might buy for close-quarters and mid-range engagements.
- Fiber optic lighting system
- Windage & elevation adjustments are crisp and easy to get just right
- Trijicon features a variety of finishes and knurls to customize your scope
Burris Handgun Plex Reticle Pistol Hunting Scope 2-7×32
When you are equipping some heavy steel to go hunting, you don’t want any extra weight. The Burris Handgun Plex Reticle Pistol Hunting Scope weighs in at just 0.81 lbs, and it features one of the best variable magnification scopes on the market.
For heavy-load pistol hunting, many situations require you to near-instantly acquire the target. The low-end 2X magnification on the Burris is perfect and gives you a beautiful, clear image so you can fire with confidence. For reaching out a little farther, the 7X maximum magnification gives you the best magnification possible without being obnoxious.
- The 2-7×32 lens provides a large, crisp image
- Holds zero even with repeated high-caliber
- Eye relief of between 10” and 24”
Feyachi Falcon 2-7x32mm
If you’re looking at a budget scope to try out long eye relief, or if you just don’t want to spend much on a really decent long eye relief scope, the Feyachi Falcon 2-7×32 is a really respectable entry. It is a second focal plane scope, so you can expect to see the same reticle no matter your magnification.
The 1” tube is a little chunkier than some others, but it doesn’t cripple the scope. The BDC MOA reticle has Dead-Hold, and the Falcon also has standard windage and elevation adjustments.
- Aircraft aluminum construction
- Lifetime warranty
- Dead-hold reduces guesswork
What Is Eye Relief?
Eye relief is the distance from the ocular lens to the eyeball. Short eye relief scopes can be used for many of the same applications, but will often require some sort of smaller caliber gun due to the potential for injury during firing. Larger caliber guns will have a much more significant recoil, and having the eye closer to the ocular lens could result in the scope impacting the eye during recoil.
Benefits Of Long Eye Relief
When you want to know about the benefits of scope with long eye relief, you really need to know what the differences are between long eye relief scopes and short eye relief scopes. Short eye relief scopes are often, out of necessity, mounted much further toward the rear of the gun, while long eye relief scopes will be mounted further forward.
This will change the balance of the gun significantly. No matter how you shoot, moving a significant weight toward the barrel of the gun will have an effect on the handling and operation. However, the right long eye relief scope should be able to provide incredibly fast target acquisition.
The average long eye relief scope will also be better suited for lower maximum magnification levels. While some higher 32X or 40X magnification is possible on short eye relief scopes, those are relatively limited in application. Long eye relief scopes are also the only scopes that can be used on pistols, high power hunting pistols in particular.
Another benefit to having a scope with long eye relief is that they do not often interfere with ejection trajectories or bolt slide paths. With some bolt-action rifles or other rifles with a similar loading and ejection cycle, a short eye relief scope can interfere with ejection or bolt operation. Long eye relief scopes eliminate this interaction entirely by being mounted well forward of the ejection port and bolt slide path.
Drawbacks Of Long Eye Relief
There are a few drawbacks to scopes with long eye relief, but most shooters don’t find them to be deal-breakers. One of these drawbacks is that they are not available with higher magnification, even though they are good for high-powered hunting loads.
Another unfortunate drawback is that long eye relief scopes are considered to provide a slightly less clear and concise picture than short eye relief scopes. Long eye relief scopes also don’t usually have a bullet drop compensator built-in, so they are a little more challenging to use at longer ranges.
Other Factors To Consider When Shopping Scopes
Once you’ve determined that you will need or want a long eye relief scope, you will want to be sure you evaluate your potential scopes on relatively even ground. Your next scope, and all of the best long eye relief scopes, should be carefully evaluated with several criteria. Consider your choice based on the overall construction, mounting, magnification, and ease of use & adjustability.
Construction
The scope should feel solid and durable without being overly heavy. Most if not all of the best long eye relief scopes are made with an aircraft aluminum housing. These are cutting edge alloys that are able to provide in
The construction will also include the reticle or the crosshairs. These can range from incredibly simple dots to highly complex ranging displays and drop gauges. This will be highly dependent on the person buying the scope, and what the planned use case is. Everyone has different preferences and wants different data from their reticle.
Mounting
Oddly enough, many people will jump into buying a scope without knowing the specifics about the mounting. Some will only be compatible with certain rail styles, while others will be nearly universal in their application.
Once you know it will fit your gun and mount your rails, be sure that the mounting process isn’t a headache. You will need to periodically mount and dismount your scope, and if it’s a dreaded chore you aren’t going to want to use it much. Get something with a simple mount/dismount system.
Magnification
This will be another factor that will be very highly influenced by the user’s needs and wants. If the scope is going to be on a big game hunting handgun, the user will want different specifications than someone using it in the blinds on a bolt-action Winchester.
Then you will need to consider whether you are looking for variable magnification or not. If you plan on operating at a variety of ranges at which your rifle is going to be effective, you may want a little bit of wiggle room. On the other hand, if you’re hunting with a pistol, you want a relatively low fixed magnification.
Ease Of Use
Your next long eye relief scope should be easy and intuitive to operate. Nearly any decent scope out there will allow windage and elevation correction. If your potential scope doesn’t have these adjustments, don’t put much stock in it being high-quality.
The adjustments should be able to be adjusted easily and often by clicks. The best scopes will allow simple fingertip adjustment of the elevation and windage dials with positive click incrementing.
