5 New Hunting Camo Patterns, Plus Our Camo Survey Results

Amidst the highly visible giants of the camouflage industry, a growing number of smaller companies are bringing fresh designs to the landscape that can be tough to spot but are difficult to ignore. If you're more focused on evading animals' eyes than in joining a brand-driven camo club, consider disappearing with some of these new patterns. 

1. SIXSITE 

Pattern: RANA

Stephen Holley was a frogman who served on several Navy SEAL teams-a career in which effective camo could mean the difference between life or death. He came home and created camo under his new SixSite brand with a very specific concept in mind: “I wanted to design a pattern that had digital elements combined with an organic foundation, to create a multi­dimensional element that could be traced back to nature.” 

After more than a year of field-testing, the resulting pattern was RANA. Available for pre-order in summer 2016 on soft-shell and insulated jackets and pants, RANA is based on-­fittingly-frog skin. It's made to help you disappear into anything from a Western mountain to an Eastern treestand. “Every single garment is built in American factories on American soil,” says Holley. “Why? Because I fought for this country, and I believe that supporting American workers is the right thing to do.”

2. TUSX 

Pattern: EVADE OmniVeil

After 60 revisions, refined over nearly a decade of stalking big game, the EVADE OmniVeil camo pattern was finally given a stamp of approval by TUSX founder Tony Stoyanovski-a diehard hunter from Australia. “Originally we began creating mimetic [branches, leaves, etc.] camouflage,” Stoyanovski notes. “How­ever, we were frustrated by the constraints of using natural, photo­realistic elements. These patterns could only be pushed so far before losing their realistic appearance.” 

Instead, the EVADE OmniVeil pattern incorporates “random tonal microstructures” made up of a stew of shapeless blobs and flecks. Its purpose is to help you melt into diverse surroundings of varying colors and ­densities at any distance from your quarry. It's found on a full line of high-tech hunting apparel that's shipped straight from the Outback, mate.

3. OUTDOORS 

Pattern: Stalker

Chris Nallick, a blue-collar oilman, owned a side company that built equipment for Water Transfer Printing (WTP)-the process used to dip bows, guns, and other hard goods in camo patterns. He realized that all the WTP companies were paying an arm and a leg to license existing patterns, so he thought, Why pay royalties? Let's develop our own camo patterns. 

The idea got wings, so he sold his existing WTP business and entered the camo industry with several proprietary patterns under the new Element Outdoors brand. The Stalker pattern, optimized for open-country hunting, is Element's first crack at digital camo. Stalker uses an arrangement of browns, grays, and yellows that are intended to look 3-D on flat surfaces. The pattern is currently available only on hard goods, but apparel is coming soon. Pro wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is helping pitch Element's camo gear.

4. A-TACS

Pattern: A-TACS iX

Advanced Tactical Concealment System (A-TACS) camo patterns have been popular among military and law enforcement personnel for years. Now they're catching on with hunters, especially after being introduced as the official camo patterns of Browning's new Hell's Canyon Speed line of apparel. According to A-TACS co-owner Phil Duke, their team doesn't subscribe to the “universal pattern mentality”-meaning they don't believe one pattern is suitable for every setting. 

“A-TACS camo patterns are designed to work in geographically specific environments with several color variations and pattern orientations,” Duke explains. 

The new Intermediate Xtreme (iX) pattern is a combination of two proven A-TACS patterns: Foliage Green (FG) and Arid/Urban (AU). It's still not an all-purpose pattern, but it's supposed to be more versatile than its two habitat-specific constituent parts. 

5. CABELA'S 

Pattern: O2 Octane

A tiny company named Cabela's recently unveiled its new O2 Octane camo pattern, which will be printed on a variety of apparel and footwear set to debut this fall. The pattern was developed entirely by Cabela's internal design team, and more than 75 iterations were rejected before the final pattern was adopted. It uses contrasting colors and tones and abstract  shapes to break up the human outline. Unlike Cabela's Outfitter pattern, which was designed for Western landscapes, O2 Octane is made to blend into any habitat type in any region. 

With so many patterns on the market, how difficult is it to stand out from the pack? Take it from Dale Douglas, Cabela's merchandising director for hunting clothing: “It's not easy to design a pattern that's effective in the field. Likewise, it's challenging to make a pattern that is appealing to consumers on the rack or in a catalog. It's extremely difficult to design a pattern that is both.”

Survey Says...

We polled readers via Facebook and here on outdoorlife.com about their camo preferences, and collected responses from 2,135 of you. Here's your take on in-the-field concealment.

1. Do you wear camouflage when you hunt?

Always-58%

Usually-32%

Sometimes-9%

Never-1%

2. How much do you think wearing camo contributes to your hunting success?

Not at all-3%

A little bit-11%

Somewhat-28%
A lot-36%

Completely-10%

Well, it can't hurt-12%

3. Do you own multiple brands of camo?

Yes-86%

No, just one brand-12%

I don't own any camo-2%

4. Do you wear matching camo?

No, I wear different brands and/or patterns of camo at the same time-50%

Yes, I usually wear matching camo-38%

Yes, I always wear matching camo-8%

Yes I wear matching camo, but that's because it's the only kind I own-4%

5. Would you be willing to try new camo brands and/or patterns?

Yes-97%

No-3%

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When we asked readers specifically what camo brands they wore, they replied with a range of answers, including everything from Sitka patterns to military surplus gear. Many listed both RealTree and Mossy Oak as their main camo wear. Some reader comments:

“I buy whatever's on sale-the deer don't care.”

I almost always use camo when hunting, but I also consider it only part of my concealment strategy. As important as it is to blend in, I believe movement to be just as important. I also believe camo to be more important when hunting at close range (like with a bow) than when at longer ranges (like open country mule deer).

Big difference between turkey/waterfowl hunting and deer hunting concerning camo. I went with the turkey hunting answers.

Scent seems to be the biggest factor for me, playing the wind is #1. I think the camo just seals the deal

I am primarily a waterfowl and deer hunter, water fowling especially requires concealment, and grassland patterns work really well. It is profound how much camo has improved since I started hunting about 50 years ago...

You probably should have asked what we hunt, as my use of camo depends on the game hunted. I wear a gray hoodie hunting deer from a treestand, but wear full body camo hunting turkey on the ground. Depends on circumstance.

To me I don't think one camo works better than others. It depends what you are doing and what your area and environment is like for you. It can change from hunting zone to hunting zone, in my opinion.

I hunted in Europe and had some camo-they looked at me like I was an alien. They wore solid green.

The best thing about camo is that it breaks up a hunter's outline. The best camo in the world is rendered useless if turkey and deer see movement.

Does one camo pattern really work for all environments? I have been lucky enough to hunt with family located around the country and find it helps to match the local environs as best as possible. Of course, my grandfather always hunted in his red and black checkered wool hat and jacket and healways did okay, so what do I know.

To me its less about pattern and more about accessibility. I have a lot of clothing in Realtree Xtra pattern because I have picked up pieces from different retailers and online establishments. Simply put, RealTree is available everywhere, but I do think Kryptek, Kuiu, and First Lite make some great technical gear. The aforementioned brands are just a bit rich for my blood.

I'll admit I only wear/like camo for turkey season. Beyond that I don't have much use for it other than a more traditional camo like my Kromer Ottawa Camo cap. For deer/elk hunting I prefer a more traditional look of plaid wool clothing. I liked the old traditional Treebark camo, and wish they still made it, but I don't like the fashion statement that camo has become over the last few years. I've killed a lot of critters in my life, and other than turkeys, I wasn't wearing any camo at all and still managed to kill them just like has been done since the beginning of time.

As a female hunter, my pet peeve is pink splashed on camo. Not cool for sporty girls.

I am more interested in fit and functionality than the camo pattern. Sitka is the best gear because of fit.

I look what is quietest first. They've got to be able to print on a quiet material or I won't buy

New camouflage patterns every year is mostly a marketing scam payed on hunters with too much money to spend.

 

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Illustration by Clint Ford

My First Year of Hunting Without Dad

Photo by George Jeffery Ott

Dad's last hunt. From left: The author's dad, the author's brother, and the author.

When my dad and his father, who we all called Pap, first laid eyes on the farm, they saw an old corn crib and a pile of cows feeding around it. After a few minutes, Pap realized they were deer, not cows. They bought the land. That was 1957.

When my dad, Jeffery Stephen Ott, started hunting he borrowed a gun that didn't fire every time he pulled the trigger. That's how he missed shooting one of the biggest bucks we ever had on the farm. We know it was big because Pap shot it five minutes after it passed by dad. It took my father five more years before he shot his first buck. During that time he was learning the farm and the land around it. He gave areas the names that I am now teaching my son, George Jeffery Ott, Jr. Names like Bench End, Piney Patch, and The Big Hollow, even though it is not that big.

He did well after those years and I'm not sure exactly how many deer he did get but I know we always had deer in the freezer and Dad was always giving our pastor a cut of what he called “preacher meat.” It was years before I learned other people called that the backstrap.

The year before I was to join the gang of mighty Ott hunters, Pap passed away. The gang was only Pap and Dad, because I was not yet hunting, but learning. I had just turned 9 and we didn't have the mentored youth programs we have today. So I never did get to go hunting with Pap. I did, however, get to take over his hunting area on the farm. I didn't realize until much later why Dad didn't take such a good spot for himself. It is very emotional to hunt where there are so many memories. Even the sight of a stand that doesn't have the person you're expecting to see sitting it can bring back a flood of emotions.

My dad shot his last deer just three days before he died. It wasn't his best shooting. For the first time that I can recall, Dad's shot was not an instant killing shot, and I think it hurt him almost as badly as he hurt the deer. My dad was one of the best shoots I ever saw. If the gun went bang, the deer was dead. If it went bang twice there were two dead deer.

I was 15 or 16 and we had bonus tags because we had a lot of deer back then. We hadn't gotten deer on the first morning, so Dad asked me what I thought we should do for the rest of the day. Let's walk on either side of Kenton's Thicket and see if we jump something to each other. He was unsure of the plan, but he went along with it. He must have bumped the deer first because they came running in those big high rainbow jumps towards me and I made probably my best rifle shot ever as a big old doe came bounding towards me. I shot while she was at the top of her leap, and when her feet touched the ground it was for the last time. Then deer ran everywhere and I stood there tickled that I only shot once and killed a deer. I was known to miss. I then heard Dad shoot and thought, Alright he got one, too. I then heard a second shot, and I was getting ready to poke fun at him for taking two shots when, for once, I required only one.

Photo by George Jeffery Ott

Family fishing, with the Thunder Truck in the background. From left: The author's sister Jessica, his brother Mike, the author, his wife Deb, and his dad.

By the time I finished gutting my deer, I could see Dad coming down the hill, and he was struggling something terrible, which was uncommon. My dad was 6-foot, 230 pounds at that time, and he was able to lift things that I thought were impossible. By time he got to me I could see why he was struggling; he was dragging two deer. He caught up to me as I was dragging my one, and instead of me poking fun at him, he simply turned his head and asked why I only shot only once, since we had two tags. Oddly enough, we never saw anything any other time we tried that same drive.

Hunting memories with my dad started to be all I had the last couple of his years. He worked as miner his whole life, one of a gang who smoked like chimneys and drank like fish. Both those things took that giant man and crushed him to where he couldn't walk because of bad hips, couldn't breathe because of no wind, and had no desire to leave the bottle. It frustrated both me and him. At times I got mad at him and would let him know it. He would get mad, too, and I understand more now, he was living with the memory of that giant man, also. Even though he didn't leave the porch of the farm for hunting season the last three years, he still helped me figure out the farm. After I'd been out hunting for a couple of hours, I would get a call on my phone to make sure I was still alive and to get a report about what I was seeing. Then he would tell me about which neighboring farmers were coming down for lunch or had just left. I would tell him to finish up with his gossip because I didn't want to be on the phone while hunting. Boy, oh boy, do I miss those calls now that I can't get them any longer.

Dad died in the off-season, and this past hunting season seemed alternately to take forever to arrive, and the quickest to get here. I didn't know how I'd hunt without my dad at the farm or on the other end of the phone. Luckily, my son is 12 and he is starting to get interested in hunting. As the season approached, we spent time naming deer we saw on the trail cams and talking about the size of the bucks we hoped to shoot, and that helped reignite the hunter in me.

That first week of the deer season was tough. I guess you'd say I was wallowing in my loss, because I realized I mainly wanted to hunt in a stand and remember, which would result in crying, and it's hard to spot deer when you're crying. I ended up hunting near Dad's stand, and if I leaned out, I could just see it. It was missing a few steps and the railing was falling off. I remember when Dad and I built it. It was in the fall and my great-uncle Mark was squirrel hunting. He saw a few bucks while sitting there and told Dad to put a tree stand there if he knew what was good for him. We looked for just the right tree and started building. As we were putting on the platform, Dad stopped for some reason and looked across the bench and, sure enough, a 6-point had come to see what was happening.

I end up hunting harder this year than I had for years. I got a 7-point over at my stand, (we still call it Pap's Stand). It walked right up to me while I was walking in. After killing it, I got flustered trying to get it dragged down to the house, but I heard my dad's voice say, “Didn't I teach you anything? Tag it and go get the 4-wheeler. Work smarter, not harder.” It took a few seconds to realize it wasn't him, it was me saying it out loud.

My memory isn't as good as it should be, but I find that in the woods I remember so many things about Dad. Almost every tree keeps him near. In the end I hope it will keep me near my son when I'm gone. My son shot his first deer (a nice-sized doe) this year out of the stand that we put up near Dad's old stand. Both my son and I were thrilled. When I looked over my shoulder and saw Dad's stand, I knew he was too.

Photo by George Jeffery Ott

Georgie's first deer.

10 Handy Survival Uses for Seashells

When we think of paradise, plenty of OL readers (myself included) may think of a deep forest full of wild game, or a tall mountain without another soul in sight. Many folks also think of a lovely beach as the backdrop for their “happy place.”  But would a beach still be paradise if you were in survival mode? The lack of fresh water and the constant exposure to wind and water could be a dangerous mix if you became stranded on a remote coastline. But the beach is not without its wealth. The shells of various sizes and shapes that we find there can be a very versatile resource-if we just put them to work in the right way.   

1. Rain Catch 

The lack of fresh drinking water can be a life-threatening issue in a coastal survival setting. But by finding large shells and setting them out to collect rain, we might just get enough H2O to stay alive.  

2. Container

The shell used to contain an animal, and once vacated, shells can contain things again. Bivalve shells can be fitted together to hold small items or large things (if the shells are big enough). 

3. Saw

By chipping a few teeth into the edge of a shell (pushing from the inside toward the outside with a stone), you can make a simple saw that can cut grass and other vegetation. 

4. Spoon

Lucky enough to get something to eat? A shell can make a great spoon. 

5. Bowl or Pot

A really large shell can make a nice bowl, and by adding hot rocks and water, it can become a cooking pot too. 

6. Waterproof Box

With some sticky evergreen sap as a gasket, two matching shells can even be a waterproof container (like a tinder box). 

7. Bow Drill Sockets

Need to make a friction fire? Shells with large holes or cavities can be used as excellent bow and drill sockets. If the waves and sand have polished the hole to a smooth surface, you may not even need any lubrication.   

8. Digging tool

Big shells can act like spades or trowels to move sand and soil as needed. 

9. Scraper

Sharp-edged shells can scrape soft materials, like soaked animal hides, to remove hair, along with meat and other tissues.

10. Emergency Signal

Write SOS in the sand with a large volume of shells for a ground-to-air signal, or hang the shells from bits of string to make trails through the jungle.   

Leave us a comment to share different ideas about the survival uses for shells. 

My Favorite Gun: Savage Model 99

Photo by John T. Gillaspie

OL reader John T. Gillaspie from Hill City, South Dakota,​ sent us this account of his favorite gun. To share your own, email us at myfavoritegun@outdoorlife.com. We want to know the story of your favorite gun, and what makes it special to you. And, of course, we want to see a nice picture of it. Scroll down for more stories, and tune in next Thursday to read about another reader's gun.

Five decades ago I was preparing for my first deer hunt on the prairies of South Dakota. My main concern was what I would use for a rifle. I didn't have one of my own, or even have an idea from whom I might borrow one. In the eyes of a 12-year-old boy, this was the gravest problem in the civilized world.

Opening day drew closer, and my anxiety increased proportionally. Then, one evening, my dad called me into the living room. Dad was a successful mechanic and welder in our small agricultural town, but money still wasn't always available for the extras, even if we kids weren't aware of it. But Dad was also a dedicated hunter and a “charter” instructor of the state's hunter safety program in 1953. Our family's hunting tradition had been passed on to him by his father, just as he was about to pass it on to me.

He was a no-­nonsense kind of father who felt young people needed to learn that special things had to be earned instead of given. This evening turned out to be a rare exception to that rule. He silently reached behind the coat tree and withdrew a Model 99 in .308. It was obviously always intended for me, but being who he was, he said, “I was going to use this, but I can't get used to the damn scope. I guess you'll have to get used to it instead.”

To this day, I still believe that rifle was the most beautiful thing I'd seen in all my 12 years. And it was mine. 

Years later, my mother told me that my dad acquired the Savage by fixing up a 1946 Willys Jeep in exchange for the driver's gun. In the years since, the rifle has accounted for a number of South Dakota deer, antelope, coyotes, and an elk. I use it every year I'm lucky enough to draw a tag, and will continue to do so as long as I'm able.

 And every time I hold my rifle I'm 12 years old again, if only for a moment. 

The Optics Test: 14 New Riflescopes Reviewed, Ranked, and Rated

Optics companies have conditioned shooters to expect new products every year that are useful, distinctive, and eye-catching, but that are just different enough from the previous year's models to gin up demand for the new glass.

In recent years, that dynamic has created a galaxy of niche riflescopes-low-mag battle scopes configured for ARs, ultra-high-power scopes designed for long-distance shooting, and turrets and reticles tuned not just to specific calibers, but to precise bullet weights and velocities.

Looking for rifles? See our reviews of nine new rifles for 2016 here.

Some of these specialty scopes are capable optics, but they raise a question: How versatile are they?

One appeal of a riflescope is that it can be mounted on more than one rifle and can be used for more than one shooting situation. This year's test is full of versatile scopes.

These all-'rounders have reticles in the second focal plane with a few simple elevation and windage references. They have capped turrets with standard ¼-inch clicks (though we're seeing MOA adjustments more frequently). They have a wide zoom range, generally 4- to 5-times magnification, and objective lenses of sensible diameters, generally not exceeding 50mm.

We don't know whether riflescope producers have run out of niches to fill, or whether shooters are simply clamoring for every-duty optics, but we're happy to see versatility as a core value of this year's crop of riflescopes. (Scroll to the bottom for the score and ranking breakdowns.)

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Burris
Veracity (3–15x50)
 EDITOR'S CHOICE 
 GREAT BUY 
Score: 86  
Price: $700
Upshot: Attractively priced first-plane do-everything scope with an awesome warranty

We are too cynical to proclaim a “perfect” riflescope, but we're also experienced enough to recognize a first-rate optic that can handle a wide range of shooting tasks with an equally high level of aptitude for each.

That's the advantage of this elegant new workhorse from Burris. The Veracity brings some very smart and balanced capability to a product line that has been mired in mediocrity for the past several years, elevating it to near perfection.

Burris Veracity (3-15x50) Riflescope by OutdoorLife

The Veracity's most remarkable attribute is its MOA-based aiming system, anchored by a first-plane reticle that Burris calls the Ballistic Plex E1. The reticle features holdover points out to 600 yards. Because it's placed in the first focal plane, the reticle's subtensions don't change with magnification, and you can combine a turret-based aiming solution with reticle holdover. A combined “right-on and close-enough” approach, if you will. The E1's etched aiming points are clear at any magnification above about 6X, but the bold taper to the plex also makes the scope quick to acquire targets at lower power.

The Veracity scored high in our low-light and resolution evaluation, and we liked its positive controls, ample mounting dimensions, durable construction, and incredible value.

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Tract
TORIC Ultra HD (3–15x50)
Score: 85.25 
Price: $724
Upshot: New brand, hot riflescope

Created by alums of Nikon's sports optics division, Tract launched this year with optics featuring premium glass and sweet controls, and a distribution strategy that bypasses retailers and sells direct to consumers.

Tract's freshman riflescope should generate plenty of buzz. The Toric had one of the highest combined low-light and resolution scores in our test, thanks to its high-­transmission Schott glass and first-rate coatings. The 1-inch scope sports a distinctive graphite finish and comes with a high-profile lockable turret with zero stop. Its clean and intuitive second-plane BDC reticle is compatible with Tract's online ballistics program.

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Swarovski
X5i (3.5–18x50)
Score: 85 
Price: $3,432
Upshot: Ultra-precise adjustments

For shooters who love to “get on the knobs” to dial their reticle to a bullet's impact point, this high-performance, high-priced Swarovski is just the thing. The lack of holdover references on the second-plane duplex reticle is compensated for with the most wonderfully precise turret controls in this year's test.

The big, hand-filling elevation turret dials 116 MOA of adjustment, and the window that counts up (or down) turns of the turret helps avoid the “revolution confusion” that can afflict long-distance shooters. As long as you have the time and conditions to dial in a solution, this 30mm Swaro is the ticket; it's less useful for more dynamic shooting situations.

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SIG Sauer
TANGO6 (5–30x56)
Score: 81.8  
Price: $2,400
Upshot: Extra ballistic turret, motion-sensing illumination, MIL or MOA reticle

When SIG Sauer started hiring senior managers away from established optics companies a couple of years ago, the industry quavered with apprehension at the products it would launch. This year's excellent Tango6 confirms its competitors' fears: This SIG is a first-rate, formidable precision optic that we expect will start displacing established brands in many shooting disciplines.

It's also a lot of scope. Built on a 34mm tube finished in a stylish graphite, the Tango6's first-plane illuminated milling reticle features nearly 80 MOA of elevation adjustment and big, beefy controls with a proprietary zero-stop. We wanted more numerical references etched on the reticle (also available in the second focal plane), but that was our lone criticism of this investment-grade, hard-duty scope.

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Nightforce
ATACR (4–16x50)
Score: 81.5
Price: $2,200
Upshot: Tight as a drum

The second purpose-built precision scope in this year's test (the SIG is the other), the ATACR is a new configuration in Nightforce's venerable tactical line. Previous iterations were smaller (42mm) and larger (56mm), but this 50mm version is, like Goldilocks' porridge, just right.

We liked the capped windage control on the 34mm tube, and the 13-inch length is sized right for a wide variety of rifles, including ARs. The second-plane MOAR reticle features 120 MOA of elevation adjustment, and one of the best zero-stops and illumination systems in the business. Optically, the Nightforce demonstrated a bit of glare, but the battle-ready controls in the aiming system will make this ATACR another favorite of the precision-­shooting community.

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Leica
ER LRS (6.5–26x56)
Score: 81 
Price: $2,200
Upshot: Lovely optic, limited range

A lovely optic, this new high-magnification riflescope turned in the top low-light score in our test, owing to very good glass and coatings and a light-gobbling 56mm objective lens. Optically, it's a marvelous instrument. But as a precision-shooting device, the 30mm Leica left us wanting. The magnum BDC holdover reticle, in the second focal plane, features adequate mil-based holdover and hold-off references, but the single rotation of the elevation turret limits its a long-range capability. You can get around this constraint by using ballistics software. But a premium-priced scope, especially one configured for long-range shooting, should have more utility. 

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Minox 
ZX5 (5–25x56)
Score: 79
Price: $750
Upshot: BDC reticle too fine

This is more of a target-shooting scope than a hunting optic. That utility was most clear when its reticle was most obscure: during our low-light test. The etched BDC reticle in the second focal plane is simply too fine to see aiming points in diminishing light, at least at 8X (the magnification that we put all riflescopes on for our low-light test).

The precise red illumination helps reticle visibility, and the German glass is bright and clear. We loved the lustrous black finish of the 30mm tube and its mounting dimensions. But the very fine crosshair is better suited to F-class shooting in daylight, not hunting distant animals in low-light conditions.

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Zeiss
Victory V8 (1.8–14x50)
Score: 78.2
Price: $3,200
Upshot: Range is limited by controls

Stylistically, this Zeiss is flawless. Its graceful lines and low-profile controls make the gargantuan 36mm tube seem smaller than it is, and the sophisticated illumination control is precise and subtle. Its optics are first-rate. But the great promise of this new scope-that it represents a new wave of elegant long-range shooting instruments-simply is not borne out by its functionality. Its turret and reticle system limit its utility to about 600 meters. An innovative zero-stop adds to the positive elevation controls, and a series of engraved elevation rings that match most standard and magnum calibers enhances the precision of the scope, if not its range.

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Cabela's Instinct
Custom Turret (4.5–14x50)
Score: 78
Price: $800
Upshot: Custom knobs for life

We've seen this optic before. It's the Czech-made Euro of previous tests, and we've lauded its excellent optics and precise controls. New this year is an innovative­-and ambitious-turret system that allows shooters to swap out custom turrets and mount this scope on just about any rifle they own.

Cabela's will offer buyers of this scope free custom turrets for life. You send Cabela's the specifics of your caliber and bullet ballistics, and they'll send you a color-coordinated turret for the Instinct. Swap out your .338 Win. Mag. for a .257 Roberts, or a .223 for a .30/06, and once you dial in the range on the elevation knob, you should be able to drop bullets into targets at ranges to 1,000 yards.

In practice, we found the turret system to be a little buggy. Our custom turret-for a .300 Win. Mag.-was calibrated in reverse direction to the elevation controls, so as we dialed up the yardage, the point of impact actually declined. We worry that the fine gearing in the aluminum turret can be stripped with hard use. But once Cabela's perfects the mechanics, this will be an appealing option for shooters and hunters.

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Vortex 
RAZOR HD LH (3–15x42)
Score: 77.75
Price: $1,100
Upshot: Killer hunting reticle

A smart, lightweight, and versatile scope, the heart of the new Vortex is its second-plane HSR-4 MOA-based reticle, useful for holdover shooting. The aiming system, with 55 MOA of elevation adjustment, features a bold horizontal crosshair with windage references intersecting with a vertical crosshair that has intuitive references.

The 1-inch tube contains very good optics; the Vortex tied with the Minox for top optical resolution score, surprising because of the amount of dust and grit we discovered inside the works of the argon-purged tube. The 42mm objective and ample mounting dimensions give this a very good versatility rating.

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Trijicon
ACCUPOWER (4–16x50)
Score: 78.5 
Price: $1,000
Upshot: New illumination feature

The most interesting element of this solid 30mm riflescope is what it doesn't contain. Trijicon made its reputation with an innovative illumination system that utilized both fiber optics and the element tritium to light up its reticle. The AccuPower uses a standard battery-powered module to illuminate the center crosshair. It's a fine system, and the illumination is subtle and serviceable, but it lacks that space-age wow that defined earlier Trijicons.

The rest of the scope is fairly standard stuff: a familiar configuration and controls that performed well in our evaluation without particularly impressing the test team.

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Meopta
MeoStar R2 (8x56)
Score: 77.2
Price: $1,495
Upshot: A lovely, bright fixed 8X

Considering that the riflescope field has been dominated by a sort of arms race in recent years, with ever-higher magnification ranges and complicated reticles, this pared-down, elegant 30mm offering from Meopta is a refreshing throwback. It's a fixed 8X with a fine (and finely illuminated) center aiming point in a second-plane duplex reticle.

The configuration tilts toward low-light conditions, such as you might find in a European high-seat hunt. The big 56mm objective gobbles up light, and because the illumination can be dimmed to the faintest intensity, hunters can see their aiming points even under very dim conditions.

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Nikon
MONARCH 5 (3.5–14x50)
Score: 76.4
Price: $600
Upshot: Updated BDC reticle

Like most Nikons, this new iteration of the Monarch brings solid performance at a fair price, though it won't bowl shooters over with innovation. Its name conforms to its configuration-5X magnification range-but the Monarch line also features high-end extra-low-dispersion glass and a simple re-zeroable elevation turret.

The Nikon's reticle is an enhanced version of its stacked-circle holdover BDC. New for this year are windage references on both sides of the elevation post that are calibrated for a 10mph crosswind. As with most second-plane reticles, the subtensions work at the highest magnification.

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Leupold
VX-3i (4.5–14x50)
Score: 74.7
Price: $800
Upshot: New coatings, old favorite

Leupold has redesigned its venerable VX-3 model to address one of the most misused terms in optics: “light transmission.” Companies routinely claim implausibly high transmission, basing their claim on only one or two of the most visible wavelengths of light.

Leupold's new Twilight Max Light Management System claims to emphasize transmission across the light spectrum. We noticed good contrast in the evening, but the VX-3i's low-light performance didn't wow us.

Mechanically, the 30mm VX-3i will be familiar to Leupold fans. A second-plane duplex reticle is retained in the model, and the simple controls are similar to previous iterations.

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HOW WE TEST

Riflescopes hide their best attributes-reticles, glass, and bullet-­placing controls-inside generic black tubes. They're so same-­looking that it can be hard to tell a dandy from a dog.

Unless you test them, that is. Outdoor Life's optics evaluation is designed to measure the capabilities of riflescopes by applying the scientific method to aiming devices that you expect to deliver projectiles to the same distant spot, time after time.

We start by measuring optical precision of the glass and coatings to derive each scope's resolution score. Then we mount the scopes on a slave rifle and shoot them at the range, assessing the capability of the reticle as well as the repeatability and precision of windage and elevation adjustments.

A key part of each optics test is the nightly low-light evaluation. Soon after the sun sets, we mount all the scopes on tripods, place them all on 8X, turn off illumination, and then aim the optics at a black-and-white resolution wheel placed 100 yards away. The times at which a scope “winks out,” or no longer lets us discern the black-and-white stripes of the wheel, are recorded; the scope that sees into the dark the longest gets our highest low-light score.

Finally, we ask our panel of experts to evaluate the controls, reticle, mounting dimensions, and eye relief, and to apply subjective considerations of versatility and durability to each optic. They also assign a value score; the scope with the highest wins our Great Buy award. The top overall scoring riflescope gets our Editor's Choice award.

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Photographs by Peter Bohler. Special thanks to Camp Chef, GoPro, and Sportsman's Paradise in Utah's Cache Valley for making the Gun Test possible.