A prism scope is made up of a glass prism that focuses an image, this differs from a traditional scope in the sense that a traditional scope will contain multiple lenses. Since the prism scope is compact with a lower magnification range, this is an excellent scope for AR-15’s and similar rifles.
Ultimately, the prism scope makes for a wider field of view with a brighter image that comes out sharper. This makes it so you can experience a quicker target acquisition time. One of the few things that steer people away from the prism scope is the limitation on their range. With a 5X magnification, this scope is not going to allow for visibility beyond 500 yards. Though in most cases, 500 yards is plenty for an AR-15.
Prism scopes can be useful for many reasons, between being compact in size and effective magnification you will certainly get a lot of value out of this kind of scope. In order to make sure you get one that best suits your needs, let’s check out the top prism scopes and walk through what to look for in a prism scope.
Best Prism Scopes
- Vortex Spitfire 3X-30Xmm Prism Scope
- Monstrum S330P 3X Prism Scope
- Burris AR 536 With Fastfire III Red Dot Sight
- Burris T.M.P.R. Survival Rifle Prism Lens
- Primary Arms 3X32 SLX Gen II Scope
- Primary Arms 2.5x Compact Prism Scope
Vortex Spitfire 3X-30Xmm Prism Scope
With 3X magnification, this is a great scope for mid-range target acquisition. There is a hard Anodized finish which will essentially allow for this scope to stay in great condition for an extended period of time.
One of the biggest standouts about this scope is the fact that it uses nitrogen gas purging with O-ring seals. This feature is important because you will get fog-proof and waterproof performance out of this scope.
On top of that, you can store it with the flip cap closed which will keep dirt and dust from damaging the scope. All in all, this is an excellent prism scope that will certainly satisfy a mid-range shooter.
Key Features
- Great construction
- Waterproof and fog-proof
- Low glare
- Etched reticle with five intensity sections
Monstrum S330P 3X Prism Scope
The Monstrum S330P is a great prism scope for beginners. It is good for beginners because it focuses on the 300-yard range for visibility. Most beginners are not going to be able to shoot as far as 500 yards.
With this scope, you will experience bright and clear images that are free from chromatic aberrations. This is because of the multi-layer lens coating, ultimately another reason why this is going to be of great benefit to a beginner.
There is also a black etched reticle which will make it nice and easy to be able to gauge your shot.
Key Features
- 3+ inches of eye relief
- Highly durable
- Easy to mount
- The reticle can be seen in low light
Burris AR 536 With Fastfire III Red Dot Sight
The Burris AR 536 is going to be a great benefit to you because it offers the largest range coverage. Most of these prism scopes cover up to 500 yards, but this scope will provide you with 500 yards of range.
This is going to be better for an experienced shooter as it has a multi-coated lens, adjustable diopter, and an integrated lens cover. In addition to that, the reticle is black with a choice of red or green illumination and five brightness settings.
Key Features
- 36mm Objective lens
- Great eye relief
- Sun shield
- Waterproof
Burris T.M.P.R. Survival Rifle Prism Lens
This is another extended range prism lens as it also offers up to 600 yards of range. If you combine the 5X magnification with the 32mm objective lens then you are certainly going to be able to get plenty of power and light-capturing capability.
In addition to that, there are seven illumination levels for the three colors. This will essentially give you some variance in target options.
This scope is made up of a sealed, aluminum nitrogen-filled housing and is waterproof up to three feet which is an excellent range when compared to other prism lenses.
Key Features
- 24’ field of view at 100 yards
- Night vision compatible
- Easy acquisition for targets of all sizes
Primary Arms 3X32 SLX Gen II Scope
This scope is going to be a great benefit to you if you are looking to shoot at fast-moving targets. The reason for that is the wide field of view that topples over other scopes in this class. To add to that, there is a horseshoe reticle that offers leading points.
There are even more brightness settings that come with this scope than most of the other prism scopes on the market. Eleven brightness settings are offered with the Primary Arms Gen II Scope.
Key Features
- 32mm objective lens
- Leading points in the reticle
- Eleven brightness settings
- Lightweight and compact
Primary Arms 2.5x Compact Prism Scope
This is another scope from Primary Arms as they are among the top companies in this industry. The versatility offered in this scope allows for compatibility with a wide range of calibers.
The Primary Arms 2.5x Compact Prism Scope is ideal for shooters who are looking for a 2.5-3x prism scope. This is great for close-quarter battles as well as mid to long-range shooting.
A great thing about this scope is the fact that it is waterproof and fog-proof. This means that you will not have to worry about any drops of water breaching the surface.
Key Features
- Twelve brightness settings
- Compact and sturdy
- Forgiving eye relief
Why Use a Prism Scope?
If you are looking to use your rifle for mid to long-range shooting, then a scope is going to be beneficial to use in order to be able to hit your targets. The scopes will offer magnified views which will essentially make your vision more powerful. Having a scope is not absolutely necessary, but it is certainly recommended if you are looking to shoot longer than about 50 yards.
There are a number of reasons why a prism scope will make the use of your rifle more effective. One of the biggest reasons that people opt for prism scopes is how well the lack of blurring in the picture. This will make sure that you have a clear view of the target.
On top of that, you will experience a wide range of view which will ultimately propel you to have a quick target acquisition with a high level of accuracy. This will certainly be an asset to your shooting game as you will will be quicker and more accurate.
What to Look For in a Prism Scope
You want to make sure that the prism scope that you choose is one that is going to fulfill your needs. With that being said, there are certainly some things that you are going to have to be on the lookout for in order to choose the right scope so let’s explore some of the most important aspects of choosing a prism scope.
Durability
The last thing that you want is a prism scope that is going to end up broken after you use it a few times. So in order to prevent this, you want to make sure that the scope is made out of durable material. Many of them are made out of aluminum which is certainly strong enough to hold together for an extended period of time.
How it’s Mounted
Some of the scopes are mounted on differently, many of them offer different choices for mounting. This is great if you are looking to use your scope for multiple rifles.
Ultimately, with the mounting options, you just want to make sure that the scope is going to be able to mount on easily. In addition to that, you are just going to need to check to see if the scope is able to be mounted on tightly, meaning that it is not going to move out of place while you are shooting.
Reticle Advantages
The reticle is a series of markers within the scope, they are typically lines or fibers that show the shooter measurements. These will help you increase your accuracy while you are looking through the scope.
Size
This ties hand in hand with how the scope will be mounted, but you certainly have to check out how big the scope is before purchasing it. Some of them are going to vary in size and depending on the rifle you have this could make the scope not as effective as it should be. This isn’t a huge deal but it is certainly something to take note of.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Prism Scope
The main advantage that comes from working with a prism scope is the magnification that it provides. Most prism scopes are going to support about 500 yards of vision, which is certainly a good range for most people.
Many of these scopes offer great reticle advantages which will assist you in gauging your shot because of the measurements provided.
The vision becomes so clear when using these kinds of scopes, they will enable you to have a very clear sight of your target. This will help you pick out an animal in the woods that may be blending in with the trees.
Though with the advantages that come with a prism scope, there are also some disadvantages, in fact, they may not be the best option for certain shooters. These scopes are not meant for general shooting, they are meant for intentional uses meaning that when you are using this it is specifically for shooting a minimum of 50 yards.
To go along with that, there are also many prism scopes that run the risk of suffering from parallax. This is a displacement in the apparent direction of the target. This can severely hurt your shooting ability. The reason being is that your rifle will not be in line with the target so while you think you are aiming right at the target you are really off to one side.
In many cases, purchasing a prism scope is still a good buy if you have the intent to shoot longer distances. It is not going to give you the visibility of a sniper, but most prism scopes will have no issue providing up to 500 yards of visibility.
Wrap Up
These scopes that are described above are easily some of the best on the market. When you are looking to purchase a prism scope for your rifle you are going to want to work with the best. This choice is going to have a big impact on your shooting ability with the rifle.
Prism scopes are meant to give a great advantage to mid-range shooters. With up to 5X magnification abilities and reticle lines that show measurements, these prism scopes are going to significantly benefit your shooting game.
All in all, if you are looking to purchase a prism scope then you should certainly weigh these six options to see which will benefit you the most. Also keep in mind the prices, find something affordable and within your price range.
