Best 3 Gun Scopes – { 8 } Best Rated 3 Gun Optics From Red Dot to Magnified Review

For those who are looking to put their shooting skills to the test, one of the greatest ways to prove your overall marksmanship is in 3-gun competitions.

While many types of competitive shooting will require expertise in a particular shooting discipline, 3-gun competitions require a shooter to become proficient with multiple guns and shooting unique target presentations that are designed to push a shooter’s skills to their limit.

In a game where fractions of a second matter and a single missed shot could mean the difference between victory and defeat, it’s foolish to ignore the advantages the best 3 gun scope will give you.

What is 3-Gun?

3-gun competitions are shooting matches that require the competitors to engage targets with three different guns; pistol, rifle, and shotgun.

There is no set array for the targets to be set up in, so every competition is likely to challenge shooters in a new way.

Often times the targets will be set up in a manner that will put the shooter in positions that they could potentially be shooting from in a defensive situation, but targets can vary in quantity, type, and distance.

Shooters should expect to be shooting from behind barriers or obstacles at targets ranging from steel plates, to paper targets, to clay pigeons. Part of the fun of 3-gun shooting is the variety of different engagements one will find as they compete in different matches.

This is very unlike some older competitive shooting like trap where you shoot the same gun at the same three target presentations; not that something like that doesn’t have its own challenges, but for somebody who is looking for a more rigorous competition with greater margins for error 3-gun will be very appealing.

Divisions and Limitations

There are a lot of different categories found in different 3-gun clubs across the country that have different limiting factors on what guns, calibers, and accessories are allowed, but there are three that are used as a standard across the country.

3 Gun Scope Considerations

Red Dot VS Scope for 3 Gun

Red dots, holographic sights, and 1x prism scopes are all that is allowed for factory division, so if that is where you prefer to compete then you will need to use one of these. 

There are a lot of fantastic option to choose from that will help you improve your speed and accuracy, but if you are moving into the practical or open categories you will likely find yourself at a disadvantage without a magnified optic.

Quality magnified optics will absolutely help a shooter hit farther targets, but a poor scope can be a hinderance. If a scope has poor eye relief, too much minimum magnification, too narrow a field of view, or a power ring that is difficult to operate, the scope could slow the shooter down during competition.

Cheap lenses found in some budget scopes will also distort the shooter’s view through the scope and create a fish-eye effect that is likely to provide unnecessary challenge.

Of course, there is the option of having both a red dot and a magnified scope when shooting in the open division. In open, it is not uncommon to see a scope mounted as the primary optic with an offset red dot mounted as a secondary optic for close range targets.

This gives shooters the benefits of using magnification to engage farther targets and transition to point blank ranges without making any scope adjustments, and this also gives the shooter the advantage of faster target acquisition at close range than back-up iron sights.

Best 3 Gun Scope on the Market Review

 1   Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (PRO) - Best Red Dot for 3-Gun

If you are looking to compete in the factory division, this is the red dot to use. Aimpoint is a brand with military grade pedigree, and most shooters will agree that they produce some of the best red dot sights available.

You will find that this sight gives you an excellent field of view with very little obstruction from the body of the sight, and the lenses of the sight give no noticeable distortion which makes shooting with both eyes open easy and natural.

The dot on the sight is perfectly crisp and presents as a two MOA aiming point.

This sight comes with a riser so the iron sights on your AR will co-witness, though it is unlikely you will ever need to use them due to the extreme durability of this sight and the obscenely long battery life.

Aimpoint advertises a battery life of over three years of continuous use which is great because having your optic’s batteries die during a match can be one of the most disappointing feelings ever.

 2   Holosun 503GU – Best Prism Sight for 3-Gun

If you are looking to save some money on your optic, but also want something that is going to give you an advantage, Holosun may be the company for you.

This prism scope will allow you to compete in the factory division as it is 1x magnification, but it has some features that might make it competitive with more expensive optics.

As a prism sight, the reticle is etched into the glass rather than projected, and that makes it possible to create more complicated reticles. While it could be easy to go overboard, this reticle provides the shooter with more options than a simple red dot without being over-complicated.

The reticle on the optic is a 65 MOA circle with a 2 MOA red dot in the middle. This helps the shooter acquire and engage close targets more quickly while remaining precise out to further ranges.

This sight also features battery life measured in years, rather than hours, has a slim profile, and comes with a riser appropriate to co-witness with back up iron sights.

The durability of this relatively new brand has not yet been fully proven, but many users report excellent performance from many Holosun products.

 3   Primary Arms Classic – Best Budget 3-Gun Scope

For those who are either on a budget, or those who are just not sure they want to invest a great deal into 3-gun competition equipment this scope will help get you into the game.

Primary Arms is known for making high end, consumer grade optics at reasonable prices. They have lens quality that is better than their prices typically suggest, and their adjustments track well and accurately.

This scope is a great 1-4x magnification scope that will help you to compete with others in the practical division without breaking the bank.

The scope offers a simple duplex reticle with an illuminated dot at the aiming point that will be sufficient for most competitions and has an easy to operate power ring.

Shock resistant, waterproof, and fog proof, this scope will handle the rigors of competition with ease. This is likely the best 3-gun scope you can have for under $150.

 4   Vortex Strike Eagle – Best 1-6x 3-Gun Scope

 5   Swarovski Z8i – Best 1-8x 3-Gun Scope

The price tag on this scope is not for the faint of heart, but if you are truly looking to take your rifle optic to the next level in 3-gun competition this is the scope you want.

The lenses on this 1-8x scope are absolutely perfect and provide a super clear image with zero distortion, even at the edges of the lenses where even great scopes tend to have a fish-eye effect.

The power ring moves like silk, giving you maximum control when transitioning between ranged targets.

The reticle is designed with the competitor in mind. There is an illuminated circle around the intersection of a duplex reticle; this is helpful as it creates a simple aiming point with a larger reference for quickly engaging near targets.

As you would expect at this price point, the scope is waterproof, fog proof, and shock proof.

 6   Vortex Venom – Best Backup Red Dot Sight for 3-Gun

If you want to compete in open class, you are going to find that having a back up red dot sight offset from your LPVO is going to be necessary to keep up with your competitors.

These types of sights work well with an offset mount that will allow you to switch to your red dot sight for close range targets by simply tilting the rifle in your hands.

The Vortex Venom is small, lightweight, and has a very thin yet sturdy outside frame that will take up as little of your field of view as possible.

The sight features a precise 3 MOA red dot, with the option of a larger 6 MOA dot if you prefer, which will allow you to accurately place rounds on target at close range without touching your scope.

An auto brightness feature will help keep the dot at an appropriate intensity when moving from bright to dark areas as you traverse the course of fire.

The wide field of view this style of sight offers will greatly help the competitor in transitioning between targets with some practice.

 7   Burris Fastfire 3 – Best Shotgun 3-Gun Optic

 8   Trijicon RMR – Best Pistol Optic for 3-Gun

Final Thoughts