5 Best Scout Scopes [Hands-On]

We love the AR-15…but for a rifle that’s effective in almost every situation, you can’t go wrong with a trusty scout rifle.  

These lightweight rifles are designed to be easy to carry and maneuver, and are still strong enough to pack a powerful wallop.

I got my hands on a couple Springfield M1As (full review here)…

Plus some of the most popular scout scopes.

I’ll cover some of the most important things such as weight and price…but what it comes down to in the end is eye relief and optic clarity.

And I’ve got tons of view-through pics and videos.

By the end you’ll have a firm grasp of what makes a great scout scope…and which one might be perfect for you.

Summary of Our Top Picks

1. 

   Most Affordable Scout Scope

   Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32

   Good starter scout scope and very usable from 2x to around 4x

   $129 at Brownells Jump to Details
2. 

   Best 2-7x Scout Scope

   Burris Scout Riflescope 2-7x32mm

   More usable magnification up to 7x, decent eye relief through the mag range, and clear glass

   $386 at Amazon Jump to Details
3. 

   Editor's Pick

   Leupold VX-Freedom Scout 1.5-4x28mm

   Lightweight, clear glass, & good reticle.

   $349 at OpticsPlanet Jump to Details
4. 

   Affordable Option

   UTG 2-7X44 Scout Scope

   Still ok, but I'd bump up to the Vortex Crossfire II.

   $115 at Amazon Jump to Details
5. 

   Best Fixed Scope

   Burris 2.75x20mm

   7oz weight but fixed magnification.

   $249 at OpticsPlanet Jump to Details

What’s a Scout Scope?

Super quick…the scout rifle was the brainchild of firearms badass Col. Jeff Cooper.

Cooper envisioned a type of gun optimized for carrying on long treks and designed to work well in a run-and-gun situation.  We go over our favorites in Best Scout Rifles.

An integral part of the scout rifle is the scout scope…a low-powered scope designed to increase precision and accuracy without inhibiting target acquisition.  

Scout scopes aren’t bulky and heavy like the high-powered scopes you see long-distance marksmen using.  

These scopes have a long eye relief (how far your eye can be to see the entire view) and are designed to be used with both eyes open, so that the shooter is aware of their surroundings at all times.  

The average scout scope tends to have a magnification strength somewhere between 1.5 and 5X, although there are some that get go up to 7 or 8x.

Now without further ado…

Best Scout Scopes

1. Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32

First up is the most affordable of the bunch…the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x.

Your scout scope and rifle are built to be rugged so this is the lowest we’d actually go.  However…we’ll still have some ultra-budget picks in the end.

Some quick important stats:

• Magnification: 2-7x
• Eye Relief: 3.9 inches
• Weight: 14.3 oz

Here’s the view-through at 2x.

And maxed out at 7x.

Compared to the ones coming up…the Crossfire II has a smaller viewbox but easier to see/use reticle because it’s pretty thick.

Here is a video of it in action:

Glass is decent for the price but near the upper 7x magnification it becomes difficult to get a good image and it almost appears to fog over in real life.

Plus…the magnification ring is very hard.  However overall build quality is nice.

What about eye relief?

In this comparison image I lined up all three scout scopes at the same magnification and put my head at the head of the bench rest to truly test eye relief.

At the lowest magnification the Vortex at the right does better than the next up in price (Burris).

At 4x it also manages to stay in the middle of the pack ahead of Burris again.

I’m not sure where Vortex’s number (3.9 in) on eye relief comes from…since it was way longer for my eyes at least.

All in all…it’s a good starter scout scope and very usable from 2x to around 4x.

2. Burris 2-7×32 Scout

We bump up the price quite a bit.  But you also get more with the Burris 2-7×32 Scout.

Quick Stats:

• Magnification: 2-7x
• Eye Relief: 9.2-12 in
• Weight: 13

It’s the same magnification range as the Vortex but it’s tons more usable at the high-end with clearer glass.  Although there’s a barely perceptible green tint to it.

Here it is at 2x.

Finer reticle so there’s more precision…but also good for snap shots.

And here it is at 7x:

Easier to get pic and video which roughly translates to easier acquisition and use through your actual eyeballs.

It sits squarely in the middle with eye relief but the distances are very similar so you don’t have to move your head back and forth between magnifications.

If you want more (usable) magnification up to 7x, decent eye relief through the mag range, and clear glass..check out the Burris.

3. Leupold VX Freedom Scout 1.5-4×28

The Leupold 1.5-4x is my favorite scout scope out of the three.  It’s about the same price as the Burris but has a smaller range of magnification.

Since it’s a scout scope I think 4x is perfectly serviceable for the range and speed a scout rifle brings.

Quick Stats:

• Magnification: 1.5-4x
• Eye Relief: 6-6.9 in
• Weight: 9.3 oz

You can see it shaves off quite some weight from the others around 13-14 oz.  And you know ounces equals pounds…

But how does it stack up in the optics department?

Here it is at 1.5x:

Very clear glass that has less of a green hue.

Here it is at 4x.

Fine but very usable reticle for both precision and quick shots.

Again I’m not sure of the eye relief numbers since I got the (way) best eye relief for my eyeballs with the Leupold at the lowest magnification.

And it’s still relatively close to the others at 4x.

Here’s a video compiling all the scopes at their lowest magnification (L to R: Leupold, Burris, Vortex):

If I had to choose only one scout scope, and didn’t need the 7x magnification of the Burris, I’d go with the Leupold.

What’s your take on the Leupold?

Honorable Mentions

4. UTG 2-7X44

Decent reviews with the UTG but at the price point you might as well go with something more proven like the Vortex.

5. Burris 2.75x20mm 

If you’d rather go with something fixed magnification…you can’t go wrong with Burris especially at its 7 oz weight.

Scope Ring Recommendations

That about covers it for scout scopes.  

And since we’ve got one for every price range, you shouldn’t have any problems slapping some optics on that rifle of yours.

Just remember, scout rifles are meant to be versatile.  

It’s a kind of rifle that’s adaptable to a number of different shooting conditions, and that means that you want to find a scope that’s adaptable as well. 

Here’s our favorite scout scope rings in ascending price order.

My recommendation is to go up in scope mount price along with your scope.

1. Warne 1″ Scope Rings

Great price for the reputation of Warne.

2. Vortex Optics Pro 1″ Rings

The Goldilocks of everything!

3. Leupold Mark 4 1″ Scope Rings

What we used with our .308 M1As and are really nice.

Conclusion

There you have it…our hands-on test with a couple of the most popular scout scopes.

For the most affordable scope (but still robust enough for scout rifle tasks)…we like the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x that’s very usable from around 2-4x.

If you want something with nice glass that spans the entire 2-7x magnification…go with the Burris 2-7x.

And our overall favorite is the Leupold VX Freedom 1.5-4x scope for the clearest glass and longest eye relief at its mininum magnification.

Need a scout rifle to pair with your new scope?  Check out our Best Scout Rifles article.  Or need some glass with a little more oomph?  Check out Best Long Range Scopes and our all encompassing Best Rifle Scopes articles.