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There is a growing trend to scope muzzleloaders, whether these are traditional black powder rifles or modern inline muzzleloaders.
With a scoped muzzleloader, you will definitely increase your black powder rifle’s accuracy potential from close rimfire ranges to a couple of yards.
Besides precision and quicker aiming, the best muzzleloader scopes would allow you to shoot in harsh environments, especially in low light conditions.
Similar to ordinary scopes for centerfire, scoping a muzzleloader requires a thorough market examination and selecting a muzzleloader scope that works for you and your hunting needs.
Magnification
Since most of these guns shot at reasonably short ranges, there is little reason to invest in high magnification scopes. Usually, a magnification of 2x or 3x is enough for older or antique muzzleloaders. Still, if you have a modern muzzleloader rifle and the ambition to shoot long-range targets, then optics with 12x magnification is the top end for your needs.
Lens quality
Today, muzzleloader guns are used predominantly for hunting, so a simple yet durable scope with multicoated lenses and protective coatings is a must. The high-quality coated lenses maximize light transmission and provide excellent clarity and sharpness.
Reticle
If you can choose, take one made explicitly for muzzleloader firearms.
While reticle selection is all about preference, an uncomplicated reticle will fit perfectly with a muzzleloader rifle. It would be best if you avoided complex reticles for use in the muzzleloader scope.
Considering a relatively hefty kick of muzzleloader recoil, the best solution is an engraved reticle.
As earlier mentioned, as a hunting tool, the muzzleloader scope with an illuminated reticle is always a better option than without.
Construction/materials
Muzzleloader rifles are notorious for their fierce recoil, so they need a simply designed scope that is durable and recoil proof to endure even the most powerful black powder loads.
A reliable and proven solution is a single piece construction that uses aircraft-grade materials, glass-etched reticles and a 30mm main tube.
Of course, it is assumed that all muzzleloader scopes are waterproof and fogproof to withstand the rugged hunting conditions and the test of time.
What We Will Cover
- Best Muzzleloaders Review – New Products Updated
- 1 NightForce 2.5 Muzzleloader Scope
- 2 Leupold VX-Freedom Muzzleloader
- 3 Burris Fullfield II 3-9×40 Muzzleloader Scope
- 4 TRUGLO 4×32 Compact Rimfire & Shotgun Muzzleloader Scope
- 5 Edenberg Hunting and Tactical Scope
- 6 CVLife 2.5-10x Red and Green Muzzleloader Scope
- 7 UTG 4X32 1″ Crossbow Scope
- 8 Vortex Optics Copperhead 3-9×40 Rifle scope
- 9 UTG 3-12×44 30mm Compact Scope
- 10 KonusPro 275 Muzzleloading Scope
- 11 Simmons Truplex Rifle scope 3-9X40
- Final thought
Best Muzzleloaders Review – New Products Updated
1 NightForce 2.5 Muzzleloader Scope
If you want the top muzzleloader scope to maximize your black powder rifle’s performance, the sleek and compact NightForce 2.5 Muzzleloader Scope is an outstanding choice.
NightForce 2.5 Muzzleloader Scope belongs to the famous NXS series built to rugged, military-grade specs. It comes in the modest 2.5-10 power magnification, which is the optimal power range for muzzleloader firearms.
NightForce 2.5-10x42mm NXS combines the supreme quality lenses and 42mm objective to provide incredibly low-light performance offering the best balance between size, weight, and magnification.
The NightForce NXS 2.5-10×42 is available with several ballistic MIL or MOAR illuminated reticles.
The glass-etched reticle, hardened bronze materials and rugged 30mm main tube make this versatile compact scope tough and reliable for the most demanding needs hunters and shooters may have.
NightForce 2.5 Muzzleloader Scope is equipped with tactical turrets that have ZeroStop absolute-zero-return feature.
This military-grade rifle scope is water, fog, and shockproof. It comes with a Power Throw Lever (PTL) for instant magnification changes.
2 Leupold VX-Freedom Muzzleloader
Though the Leupold VX-Freedom series belongs to the budget optics class, they are reliable scopes featuring the common 1” scope body, a proprietary lens coating system, and scope housing machined from durable 6061-T6 aircraft quality aluminum.
The VX-Freedom with model number 174184 comes in a classic 3-9×40 configuration that is the near-ideal choice for the vast majority of American hunters.
As its name implies, Leupold’s VX-Freedom Muzzleloader scope is designed with blackpowder lovers in mind.
This muzzleloader-specific model is equipped with a new Sabot Ballistics Reticle (SA.B.R.), which has hold points from 50 to 300 yards.
Like other Leupold’s optic lines, VX-Freedom sports the Twilight Light Management System to enhance light transmission and color fidelity adding up to 10 extra minutes of shooting light.
3 Burris Fullfield II 3-9×40 Muzzleloader Scope
The Burris Fullfield II is a great muzzleloader scope with a magnification range between 3x and 9x, which is the sweet spot for most muzzleloaders. The short-range 3x magnification is great for older muzzleloaders and handguns, while the larger magnification is best for long-range hunting or sniping.
Arguably the best feature of the Burris Fullfield II is the crystal-clear optics with Ballistic Plex reticle. The 40mm objective lens is larger than most of the competition, and the view you get when looking through the scope is virtually unmatched. It has exceptional light transmission, lowlight performance, and glare reduction.
The rings, knobs, and turrets on the scope are made of knurled metal for you to easily grip and turn when you need to make adjustments to magnification, windage, elevation, or focus.
The Fullfield II comes with the lifetime Burris Forever Warranty that will repair or replace your scope should it become damaged or defective during use.
4 TRUGLO 4×32 Compact Rimfire & Shotgun Muzzleloader Scope
The TRUGLO 4×32 scope is one of the most affordable and functional muzzleloader scopes available today. It has a maximum magnification of 4x, which is enough for short-to-medium range shots.
Additionally, it has a 32mm objective lens with a diamond reticle. The lenses are fully coated to provide maximum brightness, clarity, and contrast when looking through the viewfinder.
The eye relief is measured at 4 inches, and it also includes a rubber eye guard to keep your eye comfortable and protected when looking through the scope. Adjusting for windage and elevation is easy. When you need to adjust for windage or elevation, you can turn the turrets one click to adjust for ½ MOA.
The TRUGLO scope can be mounted to your rimfire or shotgun muzzleloader by using the Weaver-style mounting scope rings that are included with the scope.
5 Edenberg Hunting and Tactical Scope
The Edenberg 3-9x hunting and tactical scope is best for muzzleloader rifles. It has a magnification range between 3x and 9x that you can easily adjust by turning the eyepiece of the scope.
It has a large objective lens of 40mm in diameter. The lenses of the eyepiece and objective lens are lowlight compatible, making it easy to see in dark conditions.
The reticle is a duplex crosshair reticle. You can make adjustments for windage and elevation at ¼ MOA increments per click. Each click adjusts ¼ MOA per 60 yards. It has a lengthy eye relief of 4.8 inches which is ideal for muzzleloaders.
The tube of the scope is nitrogen-filled, which makes it shockproof, fogproof, and waterproof. Unfortunately, it does not come with a mount, but we recommend using a rail mount to mount the scope to your rifle.
6 CVLife 2.5-10x Red and Green Muzzleloader Scope
If you want a muzzleloader scope with customizable illumination at an affordable price point, we recommend this CVLife scope.
First, it has a multi-coated green lens that transmits light at a higher quality and brighter rate than blue lenses. Second, you can choose between 5 different illumination settings and intensities when choosing either red or green reticles. (There are 5 red intensities and 5 green intensities.)
Additionally, it has a built-in laser pointer that, when paired with the illuminated reticle, significantly increases how well you sight each shot.
It has a comfortable eye relief of 4 inches which is perfect for muzzleloader scopes. Additionally, the scope will fit any 20-22mm Picatinny rail mount, as it comes with 20mm mounts included with the scope.
7 UTG 4X32 1″ Crossbow Scope
Although UTG/Leapers designed this scope for use on crossbows, this quality hunting necessity under $100 will work really well as a muzzleloader rifle scope.
The UTG 4×32 scope sports a unique Pro 5-Step reticle with five lines representing a different shooting distance. The standard black reticle has red or green illumination with 5 adjustable brightness levels. The adjustable illuminated reticle is controlled by the left side located dial. The scope comes with target style elevation and windage lockable and zero resettable turrets.
The UTG 4×32 crossbow scope features broadband lens coating that is comparable in praxis to fully multicoated lenses.
The 1” scope housing is constructed from durable aluminum and filled with nitrogen to prevent it from fogging up.
If you are looking for a cheap 4x magnification scope for your hunting muzzleloader with a decent low-light performance, the UTG 4×32 would be an optimal choice.
8 Vortex Optics Copperhead 3-9×40 Rifle scope
Another excellent choice for muzzleloader starters comes from Vortex under the name Copperhead 3-9×40 Riflescope.
Aside from the Vortex’s Crossfire II series, Copperhead is another budget friendly line of scopes that you should definitely look at.
This budget friendly hunting scope features a 3-9 power range, which is really ideal for most hunters.
With fully multi-coated lenses and decent glass quality, actually the same glass as the Crossfire II, the Copperhead 3-9×40 has all the features any muzzleloader hunter needs.
As a typical hunting rifle scope, the Vortex Copperhead 3-9×40 is O-ring sealed for waterproof and weatherproof performance and employs a Dead-Hold BDC reticle. The 1-inch tube is nitrogen-purged for fog-proof integrity.
The Copperhead is machined from a single piece of aircraft grade aluminum built on a 1-inch tube.
9 UTG 3-12×44 30mm Compact Scope
This is a second rifle scope from UTG in this overview, and it certainly deserves it. The UTG 3-12×44 30mm Compact Scope is living proof that great scopes can be affordable.
A central feature of the UTG 3-12×44 is its Illumination Enhancing (IE) reticle that offers the Multi-color mode with 36 colors.
The textured turrets are lockable, while the parallax is controlled with a Side Wheel Adjustment System (SWAT).
The scope compact body is completely sealed and nitrogen purged, making it fully adequate for rigorous hunting fields and inclement weather conditions.
Like all UTG rifle optics, this cost-effective scope model comes with quick-detachable rings, sunshade, and flip-open lens caps.
The UTG Compact Scope is constructed of a 30mm durable aluminum tube, which makes it shockproof to any muzzleloader rifle caliber, but also pretty weight at 23.2 ounces.
10 KonusPro 275 Muzzleloading Scope
Like its name implies, the KonusPro 275 Muzzle Loading Scope is specific made for muzzleloader rifles.
This budget-friendly optics’ selling point is its Ballistic 275 Blackpowder Reticle that provides the shooter with a system of reference lines for aiming points from 75 to 275 yards.
The illuminated engraved reticle is set in the Second Focal Plane (SFP), making it highly durable and versatile for use on any firearm or airguns.
The KonusPro 275 has multicoated glass for a clear and bright sight picture and a 40mm objective bell for enhanced light-gathering capacity.
The scope comes with capped turrets featuring 1/4 MOA per click impact point correction.
The Pro-275 has a mechanism and optical system packed in a 1″ main tube, waterproof, fog-proof, and shock-resistant.
11 Simmons Truplex Rifle scope 3-9X40
If you prefer a compact and lightweight scope, a Simmons Truplex 3-9×40 rifle scope may be the right choice for you.
The most affordable optics in our overview, this 8-Point 3-9×40 rifle scope, is actually a decent, little scope that we recommend to beginners and experienced hunters.
The Simmons 8-Point rifle scope is compact and sleek optics with mid-sized 40mm objective and a 1.0″ tube making it a perfect companion to your modern or antique muzzleloading rifle.
Surprisingly, as an entry-level optic, this Simmons 8-Point unit has fully multicoated lenses, which provide high contrast and enhanced brightness for a clear and crisp image.
The scope housing is o ring sealed to be waterproof, fog-proof, and recoil proof, while the aircraft-quality aluminum tube construction makes the Simmons 8-Point rifle scope ready for any hunt.
Final thought
Combining the very traditional piece of equipment with the most modern technological advancements transferred in an optical sight is quite astounding.
Like many seasoned hunters and rifle enthusiasts, once you have decided on a proper muzzleloader scope, you will be able to fire a consistent and clean shot farther than standard 70-100 yards.
