The industry’s technology is always evolving, and prism scopes have become the latest trend to capture the attention of gun enthusiasts. These scopes have gained popularity due to their straightforward operation and distinctive performance capabilities.
Nowadays, rifle owners are on the hunt for the best prism scopes available. If you’re in the market for a top-quality prism scope, take a look at our review of the 5 best models out there. Start by exploring our list of the highest-rated prism scopes. After that, dive into our buying guide to learn how to select the perfect one for you.
Top 5 Best Prism Scopes on the Market
1. UUQ Prism 4×32 Illuminated Rapid Range Reticle Scope
The UUQ Prism 4×32 Illuminated Rapid Range Reticle Scope boasts multi-coated optics and an illuminated reticle in blue, green, and red on a glass-etched background. Its prism lens, fully coated, excels in transmitting light efficiently, ensuring unparalleled clarity. The scope’s windage and elevation adjustments are precise, thanks to the ¼ MOA click value, enhancing its utility.
Notably, this scope excels in combat scenarios due to its rapid target acquisition capability. Constructed from premium carbon fiber, the rifle scope is not only lightweight but also easy to install and adjust. It features a durable metal housing and dual-layer lenses, providing a solid, fog-resistant, rainproof, and shockproof foundation.
In close-quarter battles, the prism scope proves highly effective. Its fiber optic system, adorned with a green coating and offering five brightness levels, stands out. However, the scope’s eye box is somewhat less accommodating and more critical compared to other red dot rifle scopes, which is a minor drawback.
PROS
- Celebrated for its high-quality fiber optic system, renowned for its efficiency and exceptional clarity.
- Constructed on a durable platform that withstands fog, shock, and both water and rain exposure.
- Perfectly suited for Close Quarters Battle (CQB) scenarios.
- Offers ample eye relief for comfort.
- Designed to be lightweight, it’s also simple to install and adjust.
CONS
- The eye box might be less accommodating.
2. Monstrum Tactical S330P Marksman 3X Prism Scope
The Monstrum Tactical S330P Marksman 3X Prism Scope features a glass prism optical system, a departure from conventional designs, ensuring superior optical quality for its users. Its illuminated cross simple dot reticle enhances target acquisition, making it easier and faster to locate your target.
This scope is equipped with an etched black reticle, visible even without illumination. For better visibility in low-light conditions, the reticle can be illuminated in either green or red. The lens’s fully multi-layer coating reduces chromatic aberrations, resulting in sharper, more precise images.
Thanks to its crystal-clear optics, this prism scope allows for rapid target acquisition. Its ultra-compact design makes it suitable for AK-47, AR rifles, and other firearms, ensuring easy handling and use. Mounting the scope is straightforward, and it is built to endure frequent and intense use.
Furthermore, the scope’s generous and comfortable eye relief enables effortless targeting, even with both eyes open. The adjustable brightness settings further enhance usability, allowing you to tailor the brightness to your needs. However, the prism scope is equipped with bulky and heavy thumb screws.
PROS
- Affordable, ideal for budget-conscious individuals
- Reduces chromatic aberrations for sharper, crisper images
- Features crystal clear optics
- Compact yet durable
- Simple to mount and operate
CONS
- Equipped with large and heavy thumb screws
3. Monstrum Tactical P330-B Marksman 3X Prism Scope
The Monstrum Tactical P330-B Marksman 3X Prism Scope stands out because it opts for a glass prism optic rather than the more conventional refracting lens system. This choice is key to providing superior optical quality in a surprisingly small and compact form.
Its build is impressively sturdy, thanks to the nitrogen-filled sealing that wards off fog and water ingress. Additionally, the use of 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum and turret caps with rubber O-ring seals plays a crucial role in keeping adjustments secure and preventing corrosion and dust from compromising the scope.
Moreover, the scope features an optic lens coating engineered to reduce glare, enhance clarity, and resist scratches. It offers a clear optical system with a comfortable 3.5-inch eye relief. The reticle can light up in green or red, thanks to multiple brightness settings, and can also appear black when turned off, suiting a wide range of lighting conditions. However, the prism scope’s notable drawback is its limited battery life.
PROS
- Featuring a hard-anodized aluminum body, this design highlights its durability.
- It’s built to endure even the most severe and powerful recoil.
- The optic lens is coated to enhance clarity and reduce glare effectively.
- It offers protection against corrosion and dust infiltration.
- Able to adapt to a wide range of lighting conditions.
CONS
- The battery life is disappointingly short.
4. Vortex Spitfire 1X Prism Scope
The Vortex Optics Spitfire Prism Scope stands out as a top-performing 1x prism scope, ideal for shooting at close to medium ranges. Its design prioritizes speed and swift target acquisition, crucial elements in these scenarios, allowing the prism optics to shine.
This scope’s prism-based design ensures it remains compact without sacrificing quality, making it suitable for AR-15 rifles and others. It features a dual ring tactical (DRT) reticle, etched directly onto the prism, ensuring consistent accuracy.
Additionally, users have the option to select between green or red illumination, with five intensity levels available, helping to perfectly adjust to any specific situation. The reticle design makes it especially fitting for rapid shooting at close distances, whether it’s for hunting or other shooting activities.
The scope’s lens is fully multi-coated and includes anti-reflective coatings, enhancing visibility and brightness, even in low-light conditions. Its durability and stability are also noteworthy features.
Built to be shockproof, it can handle impact and recoil effortlessly, no matter the severity. The scope’s waterproof and fog-proof capabilities are further enhanced by its O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged construction.
PROS
- Perfect for shooting activities within close to medium distances
- Ensures clear and bright images in any lighting condition
- Features a durable, shockproof, waterproof, and fog-proof design
- Great for fast and immediate shooting at short distances
- Resilient to impacts and recoil
CONS
- Lacks adequate eye relief
5. Primary Arms 2.5X Compact Prism Scope
The Primary Arms 2.5X Compact Prism Scope stands out as a premium choice for AR enthusiasts, thanks to its high-quality design. It’s highly versatile, accommodating a broad spectrum of calibers such as the 9mm carbine, the .308, and the 6.8 SPC. It’s even considered a suitable option for the .300 Blackout rifle by some.
For those in search of an excellent prism scope with a magnification of 2.5x to 3x, ideal for close-quarters combat and mid-range shooting or hunting, this compact yet robust scope is the perfect fit. Constructed from durable 6061 aluminum with a matte black anodized finish, it’s built to last.
Moreover, the scope is engineered to be fog resistant, water resistant, and is nitrogen purged. It boasts 12 brightness settings, powered by a CR2032 battery, allowing users to adjust to their preferred brightness level even when illumination of the reticle is not necessary. Mounting this prism scope is a straightforward process.
It also offers generous eye relief and is easy to zero. The glass quality is noteworthy, delivering excellent color, light transmission, and clarity across the entire field of view. However, it’s worth mentioning that the ½ MOA adjustments on the turrets could be improved for more distinct clicks.
Pros:
- Features an ACSS reticle for quick and easy targeting
- Includes 12 levels of brightness adjustment
- Boasts high-quality, clear optics
- Compact design yet durable and robust
- Simple to install with comfortable eye relief
Cons:
- MOA adjustments could benefit from more distinct clicks
What Is a Prism Scope?
Prism scopes offer a compact design while still delivering a large field of view. This makes them perfect for modern tactical rifles, such as the AR-15. Instead of using multiple lenses to project the image like traditional scopes, prism scopes for the AR-15 employ a prism to both erect and focus the image. This unique feature enables prismatic optics to boast more streamlined designs.
These scopes also feature illuminated reticles, making them somewhat akin to red dot sights. However, unlike red-dot sights, some prism scopes offer up to 5x magnification. Essentially, prism scopes are the best of both worlds, combining elements of traditional scopes and red dot sights.
Despite some prism scopes featuring magnification, they primarily excel in close-quarter combat scenarios. Therefore, they may not be the best choice for long-range shooting. Prism scopes are generally not suited for sniper rifles.
Prism Scope vs. Red Dot
For those engaged in close-quarters combat, red dot sights are typically the go-to choice among firearms enthusiasts. However, the popularity of prism scopes is on the rise, with many users finding that 3x prism scopes offer superior performance compared to red dot scopes.
Despite this, red dot scopes hold a marginal advantage for their simplicity of use. To aim, you simply align the red dot with your target and fire. Remarkably, there’s no need to close your non-dominant eye when using a red dot, enabling quicker target locking. Conversely, while prism scopes may not match the speed of red dot sights in target acquisition, they outperform traditional rifle scopes in this regard.
Prism scopes also boast significant utility features that give them an edge over red dot sights. For starters, many prism scopes come with built-in magnification, a feature absent in red dot sights, allowing for enhanced target clarity. Furthermore, the etched reticles in prism scopes ensure usability even when the battery dies or in the event of fiber optic malfunctions. This is a clear advantage over red dot sights, which can lose their aiming point if the battery fails.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Prism Scope
Make sure to invest in a top-notch prism scope. Remember, prism scopes don’t come with adjustable magnification. This means purchasing a prism scope with unsuitable magnification can lead to regret and wasted funds. To assist you in finding the perfect prism scope, consider the following important factors.
What will you be using it for?
Prism scopes are not designed for long-distance shooting. So, if you own a high-powered sniper rifle, equipping it with a prism scope won’t let you fully utilize your weapon’s potential.
Conversely, for those with a tactical rifle like an AR-15 aiming for rapid target spotting, a reflex sight is the optimal choice. But, if you’re in search of a balance between the two, opting for a prism scope is advisable.
Magnification
The challenge with purchasing prism scopes lies in their lack of variable magnification options, making it crucial to decide on their primary use beforehand. For those focusing on tactical shooting or engaging in close-range combat, opting for a 1x or 2x magnification is advisable.
On the other hand, if your activities include hunting or hitting targets from a distance of 200 to 300 yards, choosing a prism scope with 5x magnification is essential. This ensures a clear view of your target, even from afar.
Eye relief
One significant drawback of prism scopes is their limited eye relief. This means you must position your eye quite close to the scope. This becomes particularly problematic when using a high-powered rifle, as the eye relief provided by most prism scopes is insufficient to safeguard you against recoil.
Should your rifle require an eye relief of 5 inches or more, prism scopes might not be the ideal option. The maximum eye relief offered by these scopes typically ranges between 3 to 4 inches, making them more suited for semi-automatic rifles with less powerful ammunition.
Reticle
The prism scope truly excels in its versatility of reticle options, setting it apart from reflex scopes or red dot sights. Whether you’re looking for a simple duplex reticle or the more specialized German No.4 reticle, prism scopes have you covered for a variety of shooting needs. For those engaging in medium-range shooting, a scope with a BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator) reticle can be particularly advantageous.
For those considering a 1x magnification scope, a red dot reticle remains an option. It’s also worth considering scopes that feature an etched reticle. This feature acts as a backup, ensuring you can continue to aim accurately even if the scope’s battery dies and the illuminated reticle fades.
Lens coating
Just as with conventional rifle scopes, selecting a prism scope with multi-coated lenses is crucial. In reality, it’s nearly impossible to come across scopes without any anti-reflective coating. The greater the number of layers on the lenses, the more effectively it is shielded from reflected light and glare.
Weatherproofing
When choosing a scope for your hunting rifle, prioritize options with waterproof and fog-proof features. Hunting rarely happens under ideal weather conditions. Game animals tend to stay hidden during bright daylight, leading hunters to pursue them in the early morning or late evening. During these times, the weather can be cool with a light mist present.
A prism scope that lacks sufficient weatherproofing will allow moisture to penetrate, impairing its focusing ability or, worse, rendering it completely unusable due to zero visibility. Therefore, when selecting a prism scope, thoroughly evaluate its weatherproofing and fog-proofing capabilities to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money.
Conclusion
Prism scopes are a notch above the regular reflex sight, offering more than just a swift sighting experience. These scopes stand out by allowing users the option of upscaling their magnification up to 5x, a feature unavailable in both reflex and red dot sights.
Moreover, prism scopes come equipped with etched reticles, akin to those found in traditional rifle scopes, ensuring they remain operational even when the battery runs out. For those seeking the quick targeting advantage of reflex sights, coupled with the added bonus of magnification, exploring the top prism scopes is a must.