Best Scope for the 300 win mag

Top 10 .300 Win Mag Scopes in Our List

Since its introduction in 1963, the 300 win mag (aka 300 WM or 300 Winchester Magnum) has become one of the most popular rounds that have surpassed the popularity of even an American icon – .30-06 Springfield. No wonder, because the same energy that venerable .30-06 delivered to 100 yards, the new .300 Win Mag, submitted to target at 200 yards. From the point of usability, though a .300 Winchester Magnum became standard military sniper round, it really shines when it comes to the big game hunting. The reason is simple: this flat shooting, the potent round is perfect for both bush work and long-range hunting of medium to large-sized game.

A hunter carrying a .300 Winchester Magnum rifle should consider several important features before he decides what the best scope for 300 Win Mag would be. Although many arms enthusiasts accentuate the long-range potential of the 300WM, without a doubt this versatile round can be used effectively in close range big game hunting where low magnification riflescopes with a wide range of variable power like 1-4x or 2-7x seem to be a suitable choice. For hunting and shooting on long-range distances, magnification will depend on the desired range and target size, but there is rarely any need to go beyond 16x.

Of course, .300 Winchester Magnum rifles are quite capable of engaging even more distanced targets, so the elite marksmen may require high powered top-quality optics for extreme long-range work that will provide the utmost confidence and precision. An essential feature for any scopes is durability, that is, the ability to hold zero, lens and body endurance and precise turrets adjustment over time. This feature is at the top of the list when shopping .300 Scopes for rifles chambered in such powerful calibers. Hard hitting .300 Win Mag delivers tremendous recoil, so selecting the scope with right eye relief is critical.

An appropriate eye relief compatible with the .300 Winchester Magnum should between 3.5” – 4.2” to keep your eyes and eyebrows safely. There are many other features which should be considered when selecting a riflescope for .300 Win Mag such as tube size, type of reticles, parallax option, glass and lens coating but they depend on your preference and budget. Taking into account all of these factors we have omitted the inexpensive entry-level scopes and prepared this .300 Win mag Scope Review with proven and worthwhile scopes for .300 Winchester Magnum rifles.

1. Steiner P4Xi 1-4×24 P3TR

Steiner P4Xi 1-4×24 is an award-winning optics designed for use in close quarters; both eyes open shooting with a true 1x, to mid-range shots.

Though belongs to the series of low- to mid-range tactical scopes, this Steiner tactical optics allows shooter 400-yard accuracy at the highest magnification. Initially, the P4Xi riflescope was designed to be a first-rate choice for patrol rifles and AR platforms, but soon its supremely functional illuminated reticle recommended it as an excellent choice for self-defense, hunting and 3-gun-type competitions.

The Steiner’s 1x-4x scope comes with high-contrast optics and superior lens coatings to deliver outstanding results under poor light conditions.

The scope anodized aluminum housing is built from the one-piece 30mm tube for increased strength and shock-resistant construction so it can take some abuse. As a standard, the scope body is nitrogen purged for waterproof and fogproof ability.

The new Steiner P4Xi 1-4×24 tactical scope boasts capped, low-profile turrets with 1/2 MOA impact point correction and a maximum of 100 MOA windage and elevation adjustments.

According to Steiner, generous eye box is paired with descent 3.5 to 4 inches of the eye relief.

While it comes with illuminated P3TR reticle, a Steiner’s rendition of a BDC reticle calibrated to handle with both 5.56 and 7.62 NATO, the P4Xi 1-4×24 offers an excellent upgrade for the .300 Win Mag rifles utilized in stalking and driven hunting.

2. Burris MTAC 1-4×24

The 1-4×24 has proven to be the perfect optics for short-range hunting, stalking or driven hunts and Burris MTAC 1-4×24 is no exception. This Burris scope is ideal for big game hunting and situations which require the hunter to acquire the target rapidly.

With its wide field of view and Ballistic CQ reticle, the 1-4x24mm MTAC riflescope checks all the boxes needed to be the best scope for 300 Win Mag.

The resilient MTAC 1-4x24mm is made of tough 30mm, solid 1-piece aluminium tube and features double internal spring-tension system for resistance to shock, recoil, and vibrations.

In addition, the scope tube is nitrogen-filled to prevent glasses from fog in cold and rain so that it can handle the harshest shooting environments.

The Burris MTAC 1-4x comes with a Hi-Lume fully multi-coated optics for glare reduction and light gathering for low light situations.

The sleek and snag-free profile is also contributed by the finger-adjustable MTAC mil-rad target knobs that offer 130 MOA Windage and elevation adjustments in 1/2 MOA clicks.

Set in the rear focal plane (SFP) illuminated Ballistic CQ reticle will enable you quick engagement of close targets or precise aiming out to 600 yards with trajectory compensation for the 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm cartridges.

For even greater versatility, this compact model is offered with a red dot sight, making this superb combo solution for 3-gun shooters, law enforcement or big-game stalking.

3. Vortex Diamondback 4-12X40 BDC

Another extremely popular riflescope from Vortex Optics is a Vortex Diamondback 4-12X40, a choice of big-game hunters, varminters and other long-range shooters.

Since this lower priced Vortex scope doesn’t skip out on using a higher-end optic and mechanical components it definitely deserves its place in this .300 Win mag Scope Review.

Featuring 3x zoom ratio and almost ideal 4-12x amount of magnification, Diamondback 4-12X40 is the real successor of classic 3-9×40 universal riflescopes.

Solid single-piece aircraft-grade aluminum alloy construction makes the Vortex Diamondback highly resistant to magnum recoil and a very tough scope that can withstand the hunting in harsh conditions.

The Diamondback 4-12x40mm owes rugged reliability also to the precision glide erector system placed in a one-inch aluminum housing that is O-ring sealed to stop moisture and argon purged for fogproof performance.

Glasses of the scope are fully multi-coated to allow for maximum light transmission and provide crystal clear, tack-sharp images.

Turrets on this Vortex come with caps and feature a zero-reset option. While the scope comes with ballistic Dead-Hold BDC MOA reticle, the matching turrets allow for a ¼ MOA adjustment for each click.

However, this reasonably priced scope has a relatively short maximum eye relief of only 3.1 inches that can be pretty unforgiving and difficult to manage, especially with larger caliber weapons.

4. Vortex Crossfire II 6-18X44 Ao BDC

The new improved Vortex Crossfire II line consists of many configurations and 6-18×44 Adjustable Objective scope is one more suitable for your .300 Win Mag rifle.

This model features a long eye relief ranging from 3.7 to 4.4 inches and an ultra-forgiving eye box for quick and easy target acquiring.

The Crossfire II comes with an adjustable objective (AO) that provides parallax removal from 10 yards to Infinity.

Vortex Crossfire II 6-18X44mm also provides redesigned, finger adjustable, zero resettable low-profile capped turrets graduated in 1/4 MOA per click. The scope maximum windage and elevation adjustments are 50 MOA.

The ample magnification is suitable for most hunting and target shooting distances while the fully multi-coated glasses provide good and decent picture quality for the price. The mid-sized 44mm objective lens offers a solid light transmission and clear sight picture for hunting in good conditions.

This basic and functional second focal plane scope is built on 1″ the central tube from single-piece aircraft-grade aluminum billet to ensure strength and shockproof performance needed for the .300 Scopes.

The aluminum housing is nitrogen purged and O-ring sealed for waterproof and fogproof performance.

The Vortex model CF2-31033 comes with ballistic non-illuminated Dead-Hold BDC (MOA) reticle designed to eliminate guesswork on holdover and windage corrections.

This affordable optic is great riflescope for somebody starting to play with the .300 Win Mag, offering perfect lens alignment even after intense recoil of thirty magnums.

5. Swarovski Z3 3-10×42 Plexex

Up next, we have got another very high-quality optics brand which coming across the pond. Actually, Swarovski Z3 line of riflescopes are manufactured at Swarovski North America and if you are looking for a less expensive Swaro riflescope, then the Z3 3-10X42 Plex could be an excellent choice.

Utilizing 3x power ratio, 10X magnification and 42mm objective lens, the Z3 3-10x is designed for low to middle range use making it well suited to many hunting situations.

As an upgrade of famous Swarovski AV-series of scopes, the compact Z3 3-10x42mm riflescope provides better light transmission and excellent twilight performance due to the anti-reflective SWAROTOP coatings. All external glass surfaces are coated with scratch-resistant SWARODUR coating.

This streamlined model owes its rugged and slim construction to the 1-inch lightweight alloy central tube, which is thoroughly water and fogproof thanks to a meticulous nitrogen-purging process.

This Z3 riflescope is configured with low-profile turrets offering .25 MOA click-stop corrections and maximal adjustment range of 58 MOA for both windage and elevation correction. This Swarovski precision optical instrument comes with a Plex reticle equipped with four long; medium weight tapered posts, excellent for aiming against dark backgrounds.

Although some users are complaining that Z3 3-10×42 does not have enough eye relief, its 3.54-inch eye relief allows for reasonable concentration on the shot.

The slim, sturdy, reliable Z3 3-10×42 riflescope is a very quality proposal for the .300 scopes because Swarovski stands out for its robust optics with its lightweight design.

6. Athlon Argos BTR 8-34×56 FFP

Athlon Optics gave a perfect option for those seeking a first focal plane scope with illuminated reticle. This solution is called Argos BTR 8-34×56 FFP model, a riflescope packed with features, usually found only on scopes that are more expensive.

All Athlon BTR (Bright Tactical Reticle) scopes have reticles set in the first focal plane and 4 times magnification range.

Using 56mm optic lenses, the Argos BTR has fully multi-coatings on inner lenses for vivid colors image at dusk, dawn, better light transmission, and contrast. The outer lens has protective Athlon`s XPL coating to ensure glasses clear from dirt or grease and to protect them from scratches.

This long-range optics comes with illuminated MILRAD reticle named APMR FFP IR MIL reticle. Unlike other reticles, Athlon Mil Reticle features the “Christmas Tree” pattern, which is not so complicated and busy. There is the choice of reticles, but they all are matched with Mil/Mil or MOA/MOA turrets.

The exposed style turrets are placed on 30mm housing and provide total elevation and windage adjustment of 18 MIL or 60MOA, which is preferably a small adjustment range

While the Athlon Optics Argos 8-34×56 is tailored for the newbies in the world of tactical shooting, it indeed suffers from some of the weaknesses such as “tight” eye relief of 3.3 inches or somewhat mushy turrets that do not have a firm click between adjustments.

Anyway, the Argos BTR tactical scope is tagged as one of the best scopes for 300 Win Mag and one of the best deal in this price range of ballistic optics.

7. Nightforce BEAST 5-25×56 F1

The “Best Example of Advanced Scope Technology” or B.E.A.S.T. for short is our next candidate in this .300 Win mag scope review. Initially designed for the Government end-users and designed according to military specifications, the B.E.A.S.T. from Nightforce was made without cost in mind, and purely constructed for performance.

Built around huge 34mm body tube and featuring 56mm objective lens the B.E.A.S.T. is a big scope but at just 15.37″ length, it is very compact compared to its power.

The B.E.A.S.T.’s 5-25x magnification range provides versatility indispensable on today’s battlefield where elite sharpshooters are typically looking for fast, precise adjustments in rugged scope for dynamic shooting environments.

The Nightforce Optics B.E.A.S.T. 5-25×56 riflescope bears in its designation F1 mark, which means it has a first focal plane located Mil-R reticle particularly effective for target holdovers and effective first-shot placement as well as quick follow-up shots. The reticle is illuminated using Nightforce DigIllum digital technology.

Another highlight is its i4F intelligent four-function elevation control with patented Nightforce ZeroStop system and new 360-degree brake control to secure elevation adjustments.

Elevation tactical type turret sports the primary elevation knob with .50 MOA/.2 Mil-Radian increments and an integral fine adjustment lever allows further elevation adjustments in .25 MOA/.1 Mil-Radian increments.

Utilizing XtremeSpeed adjustments shooter has an available maximum of 120MOA/34.9 Mil-Radian for elevation and 80 MOA/ 23.7 Mil-Radian for windage adjustment.

The Nightforce B.E.A.S.T. 5-25x56mm is a rifle sight with multi-scope capability applicable to any tactical environment, which provides distinct advantages to the accomplished shooter.

8. Leupold VX-6HD 3-18×50

Launching the improved iteration of their VX-6HD 3-18×50 scopes, Leupold is following the newest trend to the evolving wants of American hunters to take game at long range. Leupold VX-6HD 3-18×50 is mainly designed with long range in mind, but its 6:1 zoom ratio offers the versatility a hunter may want for both short- and long-range shots.

This top-of-the-line hunting optics is packed with features making it one of the Best Scope for 300 Win Mag. While the robust 30mm scope body has thicker, stronger walls, it also provides more elevation and windage adjustment range. The VX-6HD has a maximum adjustment range of 75 MOA with a 1/4 MOA impact point correction

The VX-6 comes with exposed, resettable, locking elevation and windage dials marked in .25-MOA increments, to match the 2nd focal plane FireDot Duplex illuminated the reticle.

Another noticeable feature of this optic is the High-Definition lenses and the Twilight Max Light Management System that enhances resolution, maximizes transmission of the light and balances other colors to provide contrast.

Besides, all external lenses received Leupold’s ultra-hard DiamondCoat2 protective coating, whereas the scope’s interior is purged and filled with Leupold’s Argon/Krypton gas blend and sealed.

Thus, with optics protected from scratches and housing crafted from an ultra-durable and lightweight 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, Leopold’s 3-18×50 VX-6HD provides hunters bright and crisp views throughout all shooting hours.

The only complaint is that the rather large eyepiece can interfere with the handling of the rifle’s bolt handle when cycling rounds.

9. Bushnell Elite 1.25-4×24

Bushnell Elite 4200 E1224 1.25-4 x 24 Rifle Scope

Despite its low magnification range, this Bushnell Elite certainly belongs to this .300 Win Mag Scope Review since it has the ability to withstand the effects of the recoil because of the Magnum recoil-proof design.

Its robustness is visible at every step, starting with one-piece 30mm, main tube recoil tested with 10,000 rounds of 375 H&H, larger body dimensions, up to the heavy overall weight of 15 ounces, which is a noticeable heavier than other brands.

The Elite 4200 1.25-4×24 optics is completely protected with Bushnell`s patented hydrophobic (water-repellant) lens coating called Rainguard HD. Their fully multi-coated optics combined with this protection also provides a useful anti-fog technology and a higher percentage of light transmission for the clearest, brightest picture.

This compact, low profile riflescope from Bushnell with 1.25-4x magnification and 24mm objective lens is perfect for close- to medium-range shooting in the harshest environment.

The Bushnell Elite 4200 1.25-4×24 sports a 4A reticle with an illuminated dot, which is about ¼ MOA at 100 yards.

However, the user’s level of comfort is somewhat limited with a 3.3″ eye-relief, which may not be of much use if you are shooting hard kicking rifles like .300 Win Mag.

10. Nikon M-223 3-12x42SF BDC

The growing popularity of AR weapon platforms has affected Nikon to develop two new lines of riflescopes explicitly calibrated for the .223 Remington cartridge: the M-223 and P-223. At the very beginning, we will clarify that these riflescopes really shine on an AR-15, but they will also work on any rifle chambered in other calibers.

This 3-12x42SF version of the M-223 comes with second focal plane (SF) BDC 600 ballistic reticle matched with Rapid Action Turret technology calibrated for the ballistic data of a 55 gr 223 bullet, which allows you accurate shooting anywhere from zero out to 600 yards.

While the BDC 600 reticle for the .223 Remington is also usable with the .308 Winchester, for other calibers, you will have to ignore the marked elevations and go to the scale on the elevation turret.

The new M-223 riflescopes feature Nikon’s famous Ultra ClearCoat optical system with fully multicoated lenses to provide the hunter with a bright, sharp, incredibly flat sight picture.

The M-223 3-12×42 boasts a very favorable eye relief of right around 4 to 3.7 inches depend on magnification while the usable eyebox shrinks significantly towards the top end of the magnification.

The Nikon M-223 3-12x42SF riflescope provides the shooter with an impressive 4-zoom range and integrates the same level of quality as the flagship Monarch series of scopes.

Scope body is nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed for protection against moisture, shock, and fog. The Nikon M-223 3-12x42SF is built of one-piece main body tube of 1-inch diameter for minimum weight and maximum durability.
Conclusion

The quest for the best scope for .300 Win Mag involves an elimination process that begins with taking into account the type of shooting you’re dealing with, because switching between long, medium, and short ranges require optics that are adjustable and optimized for every distance.

Ultimately, it all comes down to your own knowledge of the topic and preference of certain brands. However, you should stay out of cheap scopes under $100 as they probably will not withstand the punishing demands of the .300 Winchester Magnum.