Redfield Scopes: Best for the Money Asking

Redfield Gun Sight Company was founded in 1909 by John Hill Redfield. The main goal of this company was rifle sight production. Before optical sights came to market Redfield's diopter sights were popular on the market. Along with Leupold & Stevens Redfield was one of the leading companies in hunting optics manufacturing.

However after 1975 in the result of poor management and business strategy mistakes Redfield began to experience difficulties. Market conditions were bed as well and managers could not change it.  As a result in 1997 Redfield had to announce the closure.

Such companies as Blount, ATK, Meade Optical and ATK again were temporary owners of Redfield brand during next few years.  Some of them were trying to establish Redfield Scopes' manufacturing in China but for several reasons they never implemented it.

Reborn of Redfield brand

In 2008 Redfield brand along with its intellectual property was purchased by Leupold & Stevens. There were a lot of skeptics who were pessimistic about this Leupold's decision but time and results shamed them. Leupold revived Redfield's status of US rifle scopes manufacturer and returned this brand to its rightful place.

First models of Redfield Revolution rifle scopes became available at the end of 2009 year. All Revolution models was build on the same CNC machines as other Leupold scopes at the same factory in Beaverton, state Oregon. Body of those scopes was made from light weighted aircraft aluminum 6061-T6. Reborn Redfield scopes were as much reliable as their sights in far 1960.

New Redfield rifle scopes were designed with implementing of the latest technologies in optics manufacturing and had significant advantage over the sights of last century.

Redfield Revolution scopes were very competitive. Their price was $80 - $100 that was even lower than price of the similar Leupold VX-1 rifle scopes series. Thus Redfield was able to compete with Chinese scopes on price excelling them in quality and reliability.

Redfield Scopes Advantages

Price is important but it not main factor of choosing Redfield scopes. These hunting rifle scopes has long list of benefits:

• Redfield lenses have high quality; all surfaces that contact with the air are multi coated.
• Image is brighter, color and contrast are correct through all visible spectrum.
• There is no tunnel effect while you change magnification.
• There are no reflections and shadows if the exit pupil is in correct position.
• Modern scopes provide you with light transmission higher than 90%. However it would be useless if rifle scope cannot provide you with great contrast because you will not be able to distinguish the game in dense brush. Redfield scopes meet this requirement.
• External lens's surfaces are covered with coating that protects them from abrasion and scratches.
• Redfield scopes are very stable because its body made from single piece of metal. Aluminum body is thick enough to prevent itself from banding. It is reliable and protects all internal lenses and mechanisms.
• Matte exterior surface of Redfield rifle scopes is very resistant to scratches due to anodizing.  
• Reticle adjustment are very accurate, zero resettable option is an advantage when you change to different cartridge. Damping system protects your reticle from displacement during the shot.
• Magnification adjustments of Redfield scopes are easy to use and work great even at the very low temperature.

Same class rifle scopes have about the same image quality, reliability and durability usually. If some rifle scopes cost more it can be because electronics that leading manufacturers put inside of the scope. In addition some scopes have higher prices because of the brand name. Despite all these facts Redfield was able to keep their prices lower and considering reliability, durability and accuracy of its scopes I think that this is fantastic deal.

Redfield Revolution

Nowadays Redfield offers five rifle scopes' models in Revolution series: 2-7x33, 3-9x40, 3-9x50, 4-12x40 and new for 2014 year TAC 3-9x40. As I said earlier Redfield scopes has best in class image quality. Redfield's innovative Illuminator Lens System makes image brighter, crisper and sharper. Lenses are protected by dielectric coating and processed through vacuum enlightenment. Due to new technologies Redfield scopes provide you with exceptional light transmission even at the dusk or early morning.  

Leupold was establisher of rifle scopes' nitrogen gas filling. They have implemented this technology in Redfield scopes. As a result there is no possibility of condensation on inner lenses of the rifle scope, so it is fog proof.

Another advantage of Redfield scopes is Full Lifetime Warranty. However, most hunters never had reasons to use this warranty. Unlike many others manufacturers Redfield does not care whether you original owner of the rifle scope or not. They will repair or replace your scope if there anything wrong with it. It takes usually 2-5 days to repair your scope plus shipping time.

Redfield Revolution scopes equipped with Accu-Range reticle that deserves a detailed description. Redfield was one of the fist companies who started make scopes with Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) reticles. Accu-Range is very accurate BDC reticle that was appreciated by many hunters. This reticle is designed to work with most popular hunting cartridges.

Holdover points of Redfield Accu-Range reticle calibrated for two groups of cartridges. First group includes such cartridges as .243 Win with bullet weight of 100 grain, .223 Rem with bullet weight of 40 grain, 7 mm Remington Mag with bullet weight of 150 grain, .338 Win Mag with bullet weight of 200 grain and others. For this group of cartridge Accu-Range is zeroed at 200 yards and provides hunter with 300, 400, and 500 yards holdover points.

Second group of cartridges include such calibers as .300 Win Mag with bullet weight of 150 grain, 7 mm Rem Mag with the bullet weight of 140 grain, .270 WSM with the bullet weight of 130 grain and others. For this cartridges center of the reticle calibrated at 300 yards and holdover points are correct at 400, 500 and 600 yards. Despite the fact that Accu-Range reticle is calibrated for these cartridges, for the best results Redfield recommend sight in rifle with selected caliber before you go to the hunt.

Such success was expected by oldest hunters who remember Redfiled scopes as quality and affordable optics. By the way you can find some oldest scopes on the eBay and other online auctions for $600. At the same time youngest people did not expect such success because they were not born yet when Redfield was top US manufacturer of rifle scopes.

Many hunters have threaded Redfield scopes with caution. On the hunting forums you could see such questions: "Has somebody used new Redfield scopes? It make in US, is in it? What do you guys think about it?  It looks like price is really reasonable."  At the very beginning there were not many answers, but as popularity of Redfield scopes grew people have started to write more and more positive reviews. Rifle scopes was tested at the field: "It is very good deal for the money asked", "I have used one while hunting, picture and exterior same as Leupold VX-1, but this one is cheaper", "I've used one at the big game hunting today and very satisfied", "Optics is very reliable". All reviews were positive.

Redfield Revenge and Battlezone

Such success has pushed Redfield to expend their rifle scope series.  In 2012 Redfield have represented Revenge series of hunting scopes. This series includes following models: 2-7x34, 3-9x42, 3-9x52, 4-12x42 and 6-18x44.

Redfield Revenge scopes equipped with unique Accu-Ranger ballistic reticle that allows you to determine distance to the target while you look at it through your scope. The best part that range estimation done by combination of scopes optics and mechanics, not by laser rangefinder. This makes Revenge scopes very affordable on the price.

How range estimation works in the Revenge scopes? There are hash marks on the top vertical post of Accu-Ranger reticle. Redfield calls them the "brackets". You have to turn magnification ring while animal became large enough or small enough to appear between the bracket and central horizontal line.  There is another horizontal line that moves along top vertical post while you change magnification. Top vertical post has numbers from 2 to 6 that refer to 200 – 600 yards. When you got the animal between the brackets take a look at upper line. If it has crossed number 2 then your target is 200 yards away. All you need to do right now is to use appropriate aiming point for hold over.

Accu-Ranger reticle is very accurate. There are 4 variations of it: Crossbow, Hunters, Sabot ML and Varmint. Thus Redfield Revenge scope can meet requirements of every hunter from crossbow to varmint.

Mechanical characteristics of Revenge scopes are same as Revolution series. These scopes are filled with nitrogen for fog proofing, waterproof, shockproof and comes with Redfield Full Lifetime Warranty.  

For tactical shooters Redfield designed their Battlezone scopes series. These scopes made for AR platforms, precise bolt action or modern sporting rifles. TAC MOA reticle allows shooters to estimate distance to the target and hold over for the bullet drop and cross wind. Battlezone series consists of 3 rifle scopes: TAC .22 2-7x34, 3-9x42 and new for 2014 6-18x44.

If your budget is limited but you still want to get reliable scope then Redfield rifle scopes is right for you.

To read more information about Redfield scopes and particular models visit http://www.GGRifleScopes.com/Redfield-Scopes/