Review: Best Crossbow Scopes in 2024

Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by

On the hunt for the best crossbow scope? We’ve rounded up the top picks for 2021 so that you can make an informed and intelligent purchase. Enjoy!

Unfortunately, most of those options are Chinese-manufactured garbage. Those are the scopes that will fail in the field, the reticle will fall straight out of the viewfinder, or something else will go wrong when you need it most.

We’ve looked closely at all of the options out there and have rounded up the top eight crossbow scopes available in 2018. Have a look at all 8 to see if one may be the best crossbow scope for you.

Hawke XB 30 PRO SR Reticle Crossbow ScopeExcalibur Tact Zone Illuminated Crossbow ScopeExcalibur Twilight DLX Crossbow ScopeParker Bows Red Hot Crossbow ScopeNikon 8461 Bolt XR Crossbow Scope

250 – 425 fps275 – 410 fps300 – 400 fps300 fps350 fps1.5X to 5X2.5X to 6X3X to 6X3x (Full screen)3x (Full screen)30 – 100m30 – 60m-20 – 50m20 – 60m

Best Crossbow Scope

1.  Hawke XB 30 PRO SR Reticle Crossbow Scope

Editor’s rating: 9.4

Firstly, we have the Hawke XB 30 PRO SR reticle crossbow scope, which offers a great reticle with five illumination levels and works perfectly in all lighting conditions.

The relief of the eyes is a little short since it ranges from 1.5X to 5X. But it’s still comfortable. This model is equipped with a speed control wheel to adjust it from 250 to 425 FPS, depending on how fast one pushes the arrow off the rail.

The optics is completely multi-coated, with 11 layers of anti-reflective coating. This means excellent clarity and exceptional transparency, so you can safely use this scope even in the darkest legal hunting seasons.

The glass is waterproof, impact- and fog-proof and withstands the test of time and abuse.

Specifications of the Hawke XB 30 SR Reticle Crossbow Scope:

Magnification: 1.5X to 5X
Lens: 32mm
Field of view: 75 feet to 100 yards (Enlargement 1.5X)
Eye distance: 3 inch
Length: 8,3 inch

2. Excalibur Tact Zone Illuminated Crossbow Scope

Editor’s rating: 9.5

Only a few crossbow manufacturers produce high-quality glasses, including Excalibur. The illuminated tactile zone is one of our favorite pieces of glass and offers a magnification of 2.5X to 6X.

This makes tracking much more accessible because the scope displays the speed at which your arrows fly. You will receive illuminated etched reticles from 20 to 60 meters, but these are dots from 30 to 60 meters. The good news is that the lighting is perfect for all lighting conditions and relatively good to see.

The Tact Zone has fully-fledged multilayer optics for excellent light transmission and is both waterproof and fog-free. This scope is just as comfortable to operate before and after dusk.

The field of view is excellent, about 45 feet from 100 yards with a magnification of 2.5X. I estimate that the field of view at a maximum magnification of about 20 feet. Specifications of the Excalibur Tact zone illuminated crossbow scope:

Magnification: 2.5X to 6X
Lens: 32mm
Field of view: 45 feet on 100 yards at an assumed magnification of 2.5X
Eye-relief: East. 3.75 inch
Length: 13 inch

3. Excalibur Twilight DLX Crossbow Scope

Another Excalibur litter, the Twilight DLX, offers a lot to the crossbow shooter. It is adjustable for crossbow shooting between 300 and 400 FPS, which is a bit low in today’s world with over 400 FPS speeds.

Nevertheless, it is an excellent viewfinder with backlit antennas for shots up to 60 meters. The illumination level at the dots is perfect, and the scope is solid. On the other hand, this scope is a bit bulky and voluminous and, in some cases, not suitable for crossbows.

The optics is completely multi-coated for optimal light transmission, and the glass is waterproof, anti-fog, and shockproof. The relief of the eyes is quite pleasant, but we keep coming back to it to clarify the scope.

This is probably the best thing I’ve ever seen in a crossbow. It’s a surefire way to pocket the next dollar, provided your crossbow shoots less than 400 FPS.

Specifications of the Excalibur Twilight DLX Crossbow scope:

Magnification: 3X to 6X
Eye-relief: East. 3.75 inch
Lens: 44mm
Length: 12.9 inches

4. Parker Bows Red Hot Crossbow Scope

Editor’s rating: 9.5

Parker Bows has made a unique crossbow scope with a patented dial-a-distance button. This button enables you to use the scope hand in hand with your laser rangefinder for perfect accuracy.

It offers 3x magnification and several illuminated reticle points for accuracy of up to 80 meters. The points also correspond to yards from 20 to 50 for use without a rangefinder.

The optics is multi-coated over the entire surface and provides excellent light transmission. The illumination in the reticles is optimal for almost all lighting conditions so that you can use this scope safely before or after sunrise.

This scope is resistant to water, fog, and vibrations. Anyway, it would never let you down.

Specifications of Crossbow Parker Bows Red Hot Crossbow Scope:

full screen: 3X
Lens: 32mm
Field of vision: 50 feet to 100 meters
Eye-relief: East. 4 Inch
Length: 8,5 inch

5. Nikon 8461 Bolt XR Crossbow Scope

Editor’s rating: 9.4

Nikon is known for its high-quality optics, and the Bolt XR is no exception. It offers you several reticles and considerable eye relief. You will get a 3x magnification, allowing you to approach your prey at close range and approach it at a distance of 60 meters.

The BDC 60 crossbow scope allows precise sightings from 20 to 60 meters. Our only problem is that you don’t have lines, just dots.

The optics of this telescope is clear, and everything is sealed to make this glass resistant to fog and weather conditions.

Unfortunately, the reticles are not illuminated, but the clarity is fantastic with 92%. However, you would not want to use this scope in very dark conditions, but it is great after dark or just before sunrise.

Specifications of the XR Nikon Bolt Crossbow Scope:

full screen: 3X
Lens: 32mm
Field of view: 35.6 feet to 100 meters
Eye relief: 3.4 inch
Length: 8.1 inch

6. Hawke Optics 3×32 MAP Crossbow Scope

Editor’s rating: 9.3

Hawke Optics manufactures some of the best optics in the game, and the SB MAP is an excellent choice for price-conscious hunters.

It offers a 3x magnification and four lines and crosshairs for 20 to 60 meters. The reticle on this scope even has a rangefinder for easy shooting.

The viewfinder is calibrated for 315 FPS, and the eye relief is a comfortable 4-inch for your benefit. Unfortunately, you can’t adjust it – this means that you have to “fudge” the reticles a little bit when shooting with a slower or faster crossbow.

Optics are fully multi-layered and provide excellent clarity and transparency, but the overhead projectors are not illuminated. The complete kit is waterproof, shock- and fog-free.

This is still a good option for most lighting conditions, and we have used it to harvest deer, even during the 30 minutes before sunrise.

Specifications of Hawke Optics XB MAP Crossbow Scope:

full screen: 3X
Lens: 32mm
Field of vision: 33.3 feet to 100 meters
Eye relief: 4 inch
Length: 8,5 inch

7. Arrow Precision 4×32 Multi-Range Illuminated Crossbow scope

Editor’s rating: 9.2

Now we come to the Arrow Precision Inferno, an illuminated reticle scope with four vertical dots for different ranges. Unlike many scopes, you can determine the range for each point independently by using a much more complicated calibration process than necessary. The scope offers 4x magnification, excellent eye relief, and good optics. Depending on how you adjust the scope, the six illuminated reticle dots can give an accuracy within a range of 70 or 80 meters.

The optics is multi-coated, though partially, but the light transmission is always correct. Even with the illuminated reticles, however, we have found that this glass was missing targets in the darkest hours of legal hunting.

If you find yourself doing your best hunting 30 minutes before dawn or after dusk, you might be want to handle it again.

8. Nikon 8461 Bolt XR Crossbow Scope (best seller)

Editor’s rating: 9.7

Nikon is known for its high-quality optics, and the Bolt XR is no exception. It offers you several reticles and a large eye relief. You will get a 3x magnification, allowing you to approach your prey at close range even from a distance of 60 meters.

The BDC 60 crosshairs allow precise sightings from 20 to 60 meters. Our only problem is that it doesn’t have lines, just dots.

The optics of this scope is clear, and everything is sealed to make the glass resistant to fog and weather. Unfortunately, the retractions are not illuminated, but the translucency is fantastic with 92%.

However, you would not want to use this scope in very dark conditions, but it is even great for half an hour after dark or just 30 minutes before sunrise.

Specifications of the Nikon XR Bolt Crossbow Scope:

full screen: 3X
Lens: 32mm
Field of view: 35.6 feet to 100 meters
Eye relief: 3.4 inch
Length: 8.1 inch

9. Hawke Sport Optics XB 1 MAP Crossbow Scope

Editor’s rating: 8.2

Hawke Optics manufactures some of the best optics in the game for their prices, and the Hawke Sport Optics XB1 MAP Crossbow scope is an excellent choice for price-conscious hunters.

It offers a 3x magnification and four reticle lines and dots from 20 to 60 meters. The reticle of this scope even has to create a perfectly positioned plane.

The rangefinder is calibrated for 315 FPS and the eye relief is a comfortable 4-inch. Unfortunately, you can’t fix this – that means you can have to “fudge” the reticle to some extent when shooting with a slower or faster crossbow.

The optics is fully multi-coated and provides excellent clarity and translucency, but the overhead reticles are not illuminated.

The complete kit is waterproof, shock- and fog-proof. This is still a good option for most lighting conditions and we have used it to harvest deer, even 30 minutes before sunrise.

Hawke Optics Sport XB1 MAP Crossbow Scope Specifications

full screen: 3X
Lens: 32mm
Field of vision: 33.3 feet to 100 meters
Eye distance: 4 inch
Length: 8,5 inch

10.Raging River Multiplex Reticle Crossbow Scope

Editor’s rating: 8.5

Last but not least, there is the multi-reticle range of Raging River. It is a very economical choice as it is produced in China. The difference between this scope and other Chinese optics is that it is actually a decent piece of glass. It gives you five target points from 10 to 50 meters. Unfortunately, it has a limited field of view but is nevertheless suitable for most hunting situations.

The translucency is surprisingly good thanks to the full-surface multi-coated optics. The reticles are not illuminated, but we were able to use this scope in quite dull lighting conditions. It seems to be both waterproof and fog-proof, but the manufacturer does not state this. All we know is that it was stable in the worst weather conditions.

Specifications of the Raging River multiplex reticle crossbow scope:

Full screen: 4X
Lens: 32mm
Field of vision: 22 feet to 100 meters
Eye-relief:” Unlimited”.
Length: 8 inch

So, which is the best crossbow scope for the money?

Well, frankly speaking, our vote goes for the Excalibur Twilight DLX Crossbow Scope as it has our highest rating. It is indeed one of the best crossbow scopes on the market today though there are some minor shortcomings. But as they say, you can’t have everything in a single product! And since it is very economically priced, you will definitely gain if you buy this item which is branded as the best crossbow scope on the market by many top hunters in the game today.

Hopefully, our detailed post about the best crossbow scope 2018 will give you enough information about what is good and what is not so good about the best crossbow scopes available on the market right now. Hence, we believe that you should not have any problem in choosing the best crossbow scope since you have our recommendations as well. Go hunting now!