The 8 Best 1-4x Scopes for Your Money

Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4x20mm Riflescope

Leupold, founded way back in 1907, is a legendary name in American-made optics. It continues to be run by the same family, now in the fifth generation. Leupold has an unrivaled reputation in scopes, their iconic gold band is a shorthand for quality and reliability. We have a whole review dedicated to these scopes – Best Leupold Scopes For Your AR-15.

The VX line of Leupold scopes is designed specifically for use with AR-15 style rifles and the 5.56mm or .223 ammo. 

Choose from 3 magnification ranges and 4 reticles:

• Duplex Reticle – Fast long-range precision
• Pig-Plex Reticle – specifically designed for hog hunting
• Rimfire MOA Reticle – Great for rimfire specific targets
• Tri-MOA Reticle – 10 MOA of measurement in 3 direction

This model offers 1.5-4x magnification. Many scopes that are marketed as having the ability to drop down to 1x do not, so kudos to Leupold for taking the high road.

The turrets adjust with positive 1/4 MOA clicks. The solid aluminum construction, waterproof, fog-proof, and shockproof design contribute to a build quality that will keep this riflescope functioning for a lifetime. this riflescope comes with Leupold’s Twilight Light Management System. Plus, the profile makes it easy to mount low to your rifle.

Of course, the lenses are multicoated and scratch-resistant. The weight is 9.6 ounces. This is an outstanding scope for a great price. No frills or gimmicks, just a solid, workaday piece of equipment that will last a lifetime.

Monstrum 1-4×20 Rifle Scope

Monstrum Tactical is a Southern California based company that creates new and innovative products for very cheap prices.  Its 1-4x scope is made out of aluminum with a 1-inch sealed, nitrogen-charged tube for water and fog resistance.

When you first see it, it looks smaller than other scopes but it is quite robust and durable. Its weight is 11 oz and the objective lens is 20mm. The package includes mounting rings for easy installation of the scope on your AR-15. You just need a flat screwdriver or a wrench to tighten it to the flat top rail of your black rifle.

This 1-4x scope comes with a big throw lever for an easy adjustment from 1 to 4x zoom. It works great especially for competitive shooting where you need to switch the shooting distances rather quickly.

The reticle has crosshairs and some dots with MOA drops and windage compensation. The reticle is entirely illuminated. The illuminated reticle works great during dusk and dawn. The turret adjustments move ½ inch at 100 yards per click. That allows fine-tuning for distance shots. You can sight in this scope at 100 yards while on 4x zoom and then easily go back to 1x for quick close-range shots.

The reticle always appears the same size no matter the zoom. The glass is clear and fairly bright thanks to the adjustable eyepiece. It allows you to easily focus it in for the 1x zoom setting and use it like a red dot. If the illumination does not get bright enough, the unilluminated crosshair is clear enough to be used instead. This 1-4x scope is super affordable and a great bang for the buck.

Vortex Optics Crossfire II

Vortex Optics has great customer service and an unconditional lifetime warranty. If anything happens to this scope you just send it to Vortex Optics with the receipt and they will help you out very quickly. We reviewed their Strike Eagle scope above and here we have another super cool optic from this amazing company.

Their Crossfire II 1-4x rifle scope is an affordable product with a lot of features you would find on much more expensive scopes.

FEATURES

• Style: 1-4×24 – V-Brite w/ 2″ Offset Mount
• Sport Type: Hunting
• Weight: 1.5 Pounds
• waterproof and fogproof performance.

Made from an aircraft-grade aluminum 30mm tube with a hard anodized finish for added strength and durability. It withstands rough handling and recoil. It is 9.8 inches long and weighs about 16 oz.

This 1-4x scope is also waterproof and fog proof thanks to the nitrogen fill inside the tube. The scope turrets are protected externally with caps and you can easily re-zero after sighting your rifle in. The magnification is easily adjusted. The eyepiece helps with accuracy. The eye relief is great and allows for shooting with both eyes opened.

The reticle is in the second focal plane. That means no matter how much you zoom, the reticle will stay the same size. This 1-4x scope has a so-called V-Plex reticle with a central illuminated red dot. The illumination is meant for low light conditions. There is a setting for it between 1 – 10 with 10 being super bright. However, setting 10 will get washed out during bright sunlight. This 1-4x scope is super versatile. You get a lot of value for the money, even though this scope is not the cheapest, Vortex are some of the best 1-4x scopes

Athlon Optics Talos BTR

Athlon is an up-and-coming US company that focuses on designing and manufacturing high-quality optics for an affordable price. They achieve great affordability through strategic alliances with various high-end manufacturers. Athlon offers a lifetime warranty which is always great so you can keep your optic longer.

This 9.2-inch long 1-4x rifle scope is made from aircraft-grade aluminum with a 30mm heat-treated one-piece tube. That guarantees extreme durability even for shooters who are rough with their equipment. This scope holds zero perfectly even when used on rifles with heavy recoil. The scope is waterproof and fog proof thanks to the nitrogen-filled tube.

Lenses are fully multi-coated which reduces reflection and increases light transmission. The windage and elevation turrets are exposed which makes them perfect for quick adjustments. They also have a return to zero function. To use it after sighting in your rifle you unscrew your turret, lift it up, set the zero back, and then you will know how many clicks you need to go left and how many right. However, if you crawl with your rifle through bushes there’s a chance you’ll bump the turrets and lose your adjustments.

Another cool thing about this scope is the illuminated reticle. The illumination setting goes from 1 to 11 with 11 being the brightest. The illumination works best in low light. The Talos has its reticle in the second focal plane scope so the crosshair stays the same size at any magnification level. This 1-4x scope is very versatile. It allows you to shoot short distances as you would with a red dot only but you still have the 4x power in case you are hunting and see a suitable target farther away.

Barska 1-4×28 IR Hunting Scope

Barska is a US company founded in 1994. It manufactures high-quality optics while keeping the price low. It also offers a lifetime warranty so you can keep using your optic until you’re ready to upgrade. The Barska 1-4x scope is a sturdy, durable, 10-inch long, 16oz budget optic milled from aluminum. It has a robust design with a 30mm tube. You can bang it around and even take it through a thunderstorm as it is shockproof, waterproof, and fog proof. You will appreciate its versatility since it has variable zoom and allows you to shoot medium range as well as short distance. Set it at 1x and it will feel like having a red dot when looking down the tube because you can keep both eyes open when shooting.

The picture is crisp and clear. The eye relief is comfortable. The turrets are adjustable with audible clicks and with a return to zero. When you finish the adjustments on the turrets you can lock them down to prevent knocking them out of place.

The reticle is on the second focal plane (will stay the same despite the zoom) and illuminated with brightness settings from 1 to 5. When outside in the bright sun it is rather a tinted reticle than illuminated.

The scope comes with its own mount which is sturdy and resists any recoil. There are some downsides to this scope. It is not the lightest scope on the market. Adjusting the zoom is slow and not easy to do since there is no lever. You have to twist it a lot as it has a long throw from 1 to 4. When you look through it at 1x the edges feel warped like a fish-eye effect. The easy solution is to move it to 1.5x which provides a much flatter picture.

Centerpoint Optics 1-4×20 MSR Rifle Scope

Centerpoint Optics scopes are made by Crossman arms, a US company founded in 1923. It manufactures a great quality optic including this sturdy-looking 1-4x scope with a great price tag – half to third of the price of comparable offerings. On the other hand, you get what you pay for. The package includes a one-piece mount where the rings are split horizontally. The mount is very durable but it is not quick to detach so you have to re-zero it if you remove and replace it on your rifle.

The scope is housed in a 1-inch diameter tube. It weighs around 15 oz. It holds zero pretty well even under hard recoil. The glass is quite clear with some fish-eye style distortion at 1x. You can use both eyes when shooting at 1x. However, the eyepiece is not very comfortable. Also, its 1x power is not true 1x. This is more pronounced when focusing on things that are very close. Further away the difference is minimal, more like a 1.25-4x scope.

It gathers light well even in the dusk. However, the reticle is illuminated which helps greatly in low light. The color options for the illumination are green and red and the illumination requires a battery. There are multiple brightness settings for the illumination with a large leap of brightness between settings 1 and 2. Most shooters run the illumination on the lowest setting.

The turrets are covered with caps. After you remove them, you will see that the turrets have a ½ MOA click and can be adjusted by hand. The reticle is 65 MOA and has a large 3 MOA center dot which is a bit detrimental to your accuracy, as a typical crosshair reticle is 1 MOA. At a higher power setting, this 1-4x scope provides quite good picture clarity.

Monstrum Alpha Series 1-4×24 FFP Rifle Scope

This 1-4x scope offers all the features a budget-minded beginner shooter needs. This rifle scope ships with 30mm mounting rings. They sit medium-high on a flat top rail. Even with harder recoil, the scope won’t move. The scope also includes spring-loaded flip-up lens caps which keep the scope glass protected and a honeycomb kill flash to decrease the glare. Like most others, this scope is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. The tube is nitrogen-filled to prevent fogging. The scope is also water-resistant.

The Alpha series is 9 inches long with a 30mm tube and weighs 16oz. It is also shockproof in case you are rough with your equipment. The turrets have ½ MOA clicks and a gnarly finish for good grip even with wet or oily hands. The clicks are audible but if you have hearing protection on you can actually go by feel. This 1-4x scope has an illuminated reticle with a battery and brightness settings next to the turrets.

The only downside of this scope is the magnification ring, which is super hard to turn. The solution is to buy a ring with a throw lever for easier manipulation. Also, the illumination is not visible in bright daylight and is better used at dawn and dusk. The scope has very generous eye relief. So if you need your scope farther away from your eye than most then this is a perfect rifle scope for you. The reticle is in the first focal plane. That means the reticle will appear to get bigger as you use higher power magnification. The glass is very good, clear, and crisp.

Bushnell Optics, Drop Zone Reticle Riflescope

Bushnell Corporation is an American company specializing in sporting and hunting optics and other outdoor products. Each of its products comes with a lifetime warranty. This 1-4x scope is made from highly durable aluminum alloy with an anodized finish and sealed to protect the internal components. All lenses are fully multi-coated to reduce glare and increase brightness.

The scope is 9.5 inches long and weighs 16.9oz. The eye focus ring helps you with focusing. Once you find the clear picture you should leave it at that place, especially if your eyesight is not that good. The magnification ring is easy to twist although a throw lever would make it even easier. 1x is not a true 1x but more like 1.2x. The turrets are the weak point of the scope as they are very easy to move, by hand or by bumping them on something. They have 1/10 mil of adjustment which is great for precision shooting. However, for this kind of scope and the shooters who will use it might be a little bit of overkill, ½ MOA might have been easier to work with.

The reticle is simple, which a lot of shooters like as they can better focus on the target. It is also on the second focal plane which means the reticle will not appear to grow with an increase in magnification.