Best .300 Win Mag Scopes

The .300 Winchester Magnum or .300 win mag is a high-powered thirty caliber cartridge based on the .375 H&H Magnum. Winchester took the parent case, shortened, blown out, and then necked down to take a thirty caliber bullet.

Since its introduction in 1963, the .300 win mag has proven to be extremely popular with hunters, target shooters, military, and police. It has been used in sniper rifles, and fine sporting rifles alike, and its hard-hitting performance leaves many looking for the best .300 win mag scope. Because of the long-range potential, it is important to have high-quality optics on your rifle. Here, we’ve compiled a list of the best.

	Vortex Crossfire 2	Affordably priced Suitable for most common hunting applications Lifetime warranty Difficult to use at longer than normal ranges Not designed for night shooting	$156 Shop NowClick to read my review
Top Pick	NightForce SHV	Nightforce feature makes it works perfectly in the dark Proven long range, high performance sniper/match target scope Built for the most extreme conditions Extra large objective lens requires special rings Expensive optic	$1195 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Leupold VX-1	Classic, American made scope Affordable Perfect configuration for most North American hunting Not suitable for shooting beyond 500 yards or so	$299 Shop NowClick to read my review
Best Budget Buy	FSI Sniper	Outstanding magnification range: 6x to 24x Easy to make windage and elevation adjustments Affordable Mounting has occasionally been reported as a problem	$85 Shop NowClick to read my review

Built to fit in standard length rifle actions, this belted magnum round can push a bullet over 3000 feet per second. It generates over 4000-foot pounds of energy depending on the bullets used. A popular thousand-yard competition round, there is no question that this is a high-performance cartridge for high-performing users.

Take a look, and see if you’ve found the scope to top your rifle with.

Vortex Crossfire 2

This 4-12 power scope is a great scope for 300 win mag rifles. It has ample magnification for most hunting and target shooting distances. Larger than normal 44mm objective lens gives you an edge on light transmission and a clear sight picture. Built to be waterproof and shockproof, you can be certain the Crossfire 2 can take the .300 win mag because they are backed by Vortex’s famous replacement policy. Modestly priced, this is a great entry-level optic for somebody starting to play with the .300 win mag, or for somebody who simply needs a basic, functional scope.

This would be my choice on a budget rifle build, or for hunting in good conditions. After all, if you aren’t going to be lugging your rifle up to the wilds of Alaska, do you really need to drop the coin on the kind of scope that can take that beating? I’m a big fan of buy what you need. And for many hunters and shooters, this scope is exactly what everyone needs. One other great thing about the Vortex 2, is that it has a special bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticle. That feature allows you to calculate range and distance with known loads. It’s really a lot of scope for not much money.

NightForce SHV

Looking for the best NightForce scope for the .300 win mag? Well, you’ve found it right here. NightForce is famous for making high-end, military-grade rifle scopes, so what better choice to pair with a high-end, military-grade magnum round like the .300 win mag? With 5-20 power magnification, you know you’ll be able to hit what you are aiming out regardless of the distance. The enormous 50mm objective lens doesn’t just give you a super clear sight picture, it defines what a clear sight picture means. Built NightForce tough, you could literally take this scope to war. So you know it’s tough enough for whatever you might have in mind.

Now, it is an old adage that you get what you pay for. And while it is true there are exceptions to that rule, they are notable for the fact that they are exceptions. Serious shooters need serious optics, and serious optics cost serious money. This is a case where your optic is an investment in future satisfaction and performance. NightForce builds some of the highest quality scopes for the .300 win mag on the planet, and you shouldn’t hesitate to invest in one.

Leupold VX-1

Picking the best Leupold scope for the .300 win mag is hard. Like any high-performance rifle round, figure out what you are doing with your rifle, and what it is capable of. There is a radical difference between a custom bench rest rifle, or a dedicated tactical or sniper rifle, and say an entry-level hunting rifle or even an average hunting rifle. In each case, what you need for optics will vary radically. However, the Leupold VX-1 shines for nearly any sporting you might have for the .300 win mag.

The 3-9 power magnification with 40mm objective lens is a standard configuration long valued by hunters and sport shooters for being a sort of perfect combination for North American big game hunting. And since the VX-1 is a Leupold product, you know it can handle the power of the .300 win mag with its durable shockproof construction.

While this is no tactical scope, and if you are engaged in long-distance match shooting, you’ll probably want something else, but for those who use the .300 win mag as a hunting rifle, you’d be hard pressed to find a better combination of value, design, and reliability.

FSI Sniper

Another budget-friendly scope is here to stay. It’s difficult to compete with the FSI Sniper Scope. It has a great magnification range of 6x to 24x, making it ideal for mid-to long-range applications. As a result, it’s a pretty cool and all-around choice. Can you imagine having this simple scope provide you with a wide range of advantages in target shooting? Well, it has a wow factor that can compete with other popular scopes on the market. This scope is a wise investment that you will not regret.

The FSI Sniper 6-24x50mm Scope is made of T6 aircraft-grade aluminum and is tough enough to withstand the recoil of a.50 caliber BMG rifle. It has simple windage and elevation adjustments, and the eye relief is adequate but not exceptional at 3.3″. Yes, it is unquestionably fantastic. The multi-coated optics, nitrogen-filled barrel, and O-ring sealed lenses make this scope waterproof, fog proof, and glare and reflection resistant which is a plus point. This scope is intended for long-range shooting and provides precision shooting out to 500 yards or more. I’ve shot all day with this scope, and it’s a standout for the cost.

Selecting the Best .300 Win Mag Scope

Sometimes best is subjective, but in the case of rifle scopes, a lot of objective criteria can be applied, especially when dealing with a long-range round like the .300 win mag. Selecting the ideal scope, therefore, is a process of elimination that starts with the kind of shooting you are doing, followed by the type of rifle you are using, and then your budget. While we’d all probably like to have a super high-end sniper or match target rifle, those are highly specialized (and fun!) creations that are beyond many budgets. However, because the .300 win mag is so popular, there are rifles for any price tag, ranging from black budgets to “Well, it’s on sale at the local big box store”. And in each case, the scope needs are radically different.

The Perfect Rifle

Imagine for a moment that money isn’t an issue? What kind of rifle would you build? This dream .300 win mag would truly be something amazing to behold. You’d start with the finest action you could find, and pair it with a barrel lovingly handcrafted by skilled craftsmen, and pair it with a custom-fitted stock that felt as if it was shaped by angels to fit you as perfectly as possible. And then you’d reach out for the kind of epic grade scope that is the stuff dreams are made of. Your match target rifle would probably sport some sort of NightForce optic, and you’d see how the best .300 win mag scope is one that you didn’t even have to think about the price on. You just buy the most amazing one.

How much should YOU spend?

After considering the heady reality of a fine sniper or match rifle, we start moving about in the world of regular people, and what we desire out of a .300 win mag scope is much different than our elite brethren. Moving down into the real world, there are a number of fine bolt action and even semi-automatic rifles. If you’ve chosen to go a bit classy and run with a Browning Automatic Rifle, then you know how critical scope selection is. An overly large scope is ungainly and wasted on the platform, and there is no reason to go too small. There is a sweet spot for such rifles, and that tends to be something like a 3-9×40 scope. After all, there is a reason that combination of magnification and objective lens size is something of a standard in optics.

Of course, if you want some more reach out, but want to stick with that 40mm objective, it is possible to get scopes with greater magnification, and that may be an ideal choice for your .300 win mag rifle. Still, most hunting isn’t done at extreme ranges (there are exceptions of course, but we are looking at common uses) and the .300 win mag is as useful as a “one-shot kill” on larger or dangerous game, as it is for a long-range cartridge. You’ll need to consider what kind of hunting you are doing, and the realistic ranges you’ll be engaging in.

Most folks are shooting off-the-shelf rifles of various levels of quality and performance, and that too should be a consideration for your optic. An entry-level rifle will be well served by a Leupold (and that scope can be carried over to a nicer rifle if you upgrade later on), but because of the punishing demands of the .300 win mag, I would not try to cheap out with sub $100 scopes unless you like broken optics and missed shots.

Is it Going to be the Best Choice For Me?

While it’s nice to simply point and go “This is the flat out best scope”, there can really be no one ideal scope for your rifle. Rather, there can be the best scope for your particular rifle, shooting habits, and final end use combination. And even that is highly subjective, as some people have an emotional attachment to certain brands or deeply held beliefs as to what constitutes the best rifle scope for them. We’ve looked at four absolutely amazing optics, ranging from the wildly expensive, to the cost of modest even out. All of these scopes were specifically chosen for their proven compatibility with the .300 win mag.

You’ll find that there are two distinct worlds of the .300 win mag- those who shoot really far and make really tiny holes in paper, and everyone else. You’ll need a Vortex or NightForce for that kind of hardcore shooting, nothing else will suffice. But if you are out elk hunting, or walking the wilds of Alaska, you’ll find a Leupold to be a fine companion, just as they have been for generations. The .300 win mag is an amazing rifle, with amazing potential, and for the shooters who have mastered it, it is a nearly irreplaceable rifle.

Final Words

Take a long careful look at these scopes, and consider your rifle and your end use. Then look at the ammo you are shooting, and honestly judge your own experience and how much you’ll use your rifle. Then, and only then can you make an honest and informed choice as to your optic. Now, if you’re wondering what my top choice would be, then purchase the NightForce SHV Scope if you have the money. It has all of the style and adjustments necessary for advanced shooting. You can’t beat the best budget buy, FSI Sniper Scope because you’ll get everything you need with this scope for a reasonable price.

Buying a .300 win mag scope isn’t cheap, so you should go into the process with both eyes wide open and as much knowledge as possible. Consider your options carefully, and have fun shooting!

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