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Outdoor Life published its 2026 riflescope test winners on Nov. 6, naming products across hunting, low-power variable, thermal and precision categories. The report describes testing in Texas and Montana, but the supplied material gives detailed performance information mainly for the Bushnell R7 hunting scope.
Outdoor Life published its 2026 riflescope test winners on Nov. 6, naming products in hunting, low-power variable optic (LPVO), thermal and precision categories. The roundup draws on tests conducted in south Texas and eastern Montana and gives readers a category-by-category shortlist, rather than declaring one scope the winner across every use.
The named winners include the Bushnell R7 4-20×50 as the top hunting scope and the Burris Fullfield 3-12×42 as the great-buy hunting scope. Nightforce received two awards: its NX6 3-18×50 F1 was named best high-end hunting scope, while the NX6 1-6×24 F1 was selected as best new LPVO. The Sig Sauer TANGO-MSR Compact 1-6×24 was the great-buy LPVO.
In thermal optics, the report selected the Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XL60 as top thermal scope and the DNT Hydra as the great-buy option. The Vortex Razor HD Gen III 4-24×44 won best new precision scope; the Nightforce ATACR 7-35×56 was the Shooting Editor’s top precision scope. Three additional models were included under “More Great Scopes”: the Zeiss V3 4.5-14×44, Leupold VX-4HD 3-12×40 and Vortex Crossfire HD 6-18×50.
Outdoor Life’s detailed account focuses on the Bushnell R7, which it says was tested in the second-focal-plane MOA configuration even though the award title specifies a first-focal-plane version. The publication reports that the scope retained zero after three drops from three feet onto concrete covered by a two-inch pad. It also cites its reticle, controls and range of magnifications as strengths, while noting that reticle references were hard to see below about 7x and that the illumination could be brighter in daylight.
A Category-Based Guide for Buyers
The awards offer readers a shortlist organized by intended use and price positioning, including separate selections for hunting, LPVO, thermal and precision scopes. That distinction matters because the winning models serve different shooting tasks; the roundup does not suggest that a thermal optic or a precision scope is interchangeable with a general hunting model.
The report also gives some buyers a concrete durability detail: Outdoor Life says the R7 held zero in its drop test. That is a result from the publication’s test setup, not a guarantee of performance in every field condition. For the other winners, the supplied report lists awards and model names but does not provide comparable test results or head-to-head scores.
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Two Rounds of Optics Testing
Outdoor Life says it held two in-depth rifle-scope tests during the year. The first took place at the Thermal Ranch in south Texas, where testers evaluated thermal scopes while hunting hogs and predators and shooting at the range. The second was held in eastern Montana and covered hunting scopes, LPVOs and precision scopes.
According to the report, testing included low-light capability, tracking, ergonomics and shootability, along with drop testing. The hunting-scope field included 25 products, the article says. The publication also points readers to separate buying guides for hunting, thermal, LPVO and deer-hunting scopes; the award roundup is intended as a summary of selected performers.
““We tested them for their lowlight capability, tracking, ergonomics, overall shoot-ability, and we even drop tested them.””
— Outdoor Life
Details Behind the Other Awards
The supplied material does not include full test notes, scores or comparative results for most of the 12 listed scopes. It also does not explain the judging process or how testers weighed performance against price when selecting each winner. Those details would be needed to compare the products beyond their category labels.
The R7 description refers to testing a second-focal-plane MOA model but names a first-focal-plane version as the award winner. The report also lists prices for the thermal winners, but the supplied excerpt does not provide prices for all other models. It is not clear from the material whether every listed “More Great Scopes” model received an award or was included as an additional recommendation.
Consult the Individual Scope Guides
Readers seeking product-by-product comparisons can consult the separate Outdoor Life buying guides identified in the report. Those guides are the next source for fuller specifications and evaluation details across hunting, thermal, LPVO and deer-hunting scopes. The supplied material does not announce a further testing date or additional award release.
Key Questions
Which riflescope did Outdoor Life name its top hunting scope for 2026?
The report names the Bushnell R7 4-20×50 as its top hunting scope.
Which models won the LPVO categories?
Outdoor Life selected the Nightforce NX6 1-6×24 F1 as best new LPVO and the Sig Sauer TANGO-MSR Compact 1-6×24 as great-buy LPVO.
Where did the optics tests take place?
The publication says thermal scopes were tested in south Texas, while hunting, LPVO and precision scopes were evaluated in eastern Montana.
What did Outdoor Life report about the Bushnell R7 drop test?
Outdoor Life says the tested R7 was dropped three times from three feet onto concrete covered by a two-inch pad and retained its zero. That result applies to the publication’s test conditions.
Source: outdoorlife.com
