Best Crossbow Scope on the Market 2023

Quick Summary:
Using a quality scope like the Excalibur Tact-Zone Illuminated Scope is a great way to bring a little more success to your crossbow hunts. You’ll find that this is the one of the best crossbow scopes for grouping on the market, and it even comes at a very reasonable price.

If you need a compact scope that can be attached to just about any crossbow, definitely consider giving this archery wonder a try; you’ll be pleased with the results.

Excalibur Tact-Zone Illuminated Scope, 2.5-6x32mm

Price Disclaimer

Selecting a Crossbow Scope

Any crossbow hunter will tell you that there’s simply no substitute for bringing down quarry using the skills and precision required with one of these classic weapons. Loading a crossbow, moving into a good range, and hitting precisely are all aspects of crossbow hunting that take skill and practice, but one aspect of this type of hunting that many people overlook is how important it is to have quality optics.

Good optics on a crossbow can make a big difference in your hunting experience. Since crossbows don’t have the high level of range of a gun or even a bow and arrow set, you’ll need to have a bead on large or smaller game before you can begin the pursuit. You can use sights and scopes that are designed to be used with guns on most crossbows, but you’re better off buying a dedicated crossbow sight if you want to have the best hunting experience.

Generally speaking, a three dot reticle works great on the majority of crossbows, but if you intend to use a bow that has a higher speed, consider picking a scope that uses a crosshair-type and uses multiple reticles. Remember, if you don’t use a scope in crossbow hunting, you might miss your game’s vitals and a missed vital is a missed game opportunity.

With this said, what is the best crossbow scope on the market? For my money, I really like the Excalibur Tact-Zone Illuminated Scope. This scope, which is design by crossbow extraordinaire Excalibur, is designed for their Excalibur line of crossbows but is also easily adjustable for just about any crossbow on the market today.

Let’s take a look at why this is probably the best crossbow scope on the market today.

Dimensions

This crossbow scope is one of the more compact units available today. It’s through this compactness that you’ll be able to use this device on just about any crossbow that has rails for a scope. In its entirety, the scope is 13 inches in length and three inches in diameter. There are two knobs for zeroing in on the top and the side of the device as well as a knob that controls the illumination. We’ll find out precisely how to adjust these for the maximum accuracy in the “zeroing in process” and “features” section.

Features

This is a relatively feature rich product. Many of the scopes that I’ve used in the past don’t quite stack up to what is available in this scope. Let’s take a look at what makes it so great.

• Flip-up Cover: Many of the current crops of crossbow scopes on the market today have cups in the front and rear of the scope that have to remove in order to start the sight in process. This Excalibur product, on the other hand, has two flip-up covers that make it easy to find your quarry.
• The Tube: This crossbow scope has a 30mm tube that houses a 32mm objective lens. The objective lens is the leading lens on a scope and this one gives you a wide viewing range, though it doesn’t include any rings, so you’ll have to purchase some separately when mounting your crossbow scope.
• Illumination: The illuminated scoping system of this crossbow scope uses a red and green dot for zeroing in on your target. These dots are Rheostat LED illuminated and you can adjust their brightness with the right knob. The illumination is one of the sharpest on the market today and it will help you bag your target in most low-light situations.
• Adjustment Dials: The remaining adjustment dials will allow you to adjust the up and down and the left and right aspects of the internal reticle. It’s a fairly easy process and once it’s in position, the scope won’t get de-tuned over time.
• A Multi-Coated Lens: Excalibur included a multi-coated lens with this product. This type of lens has some of the highest clarity available today. When you’re sighting in large game that is at 20 yards, the lens will make it look like you’re right on top of the animal.
• Fog-proofing: Forested hunting in certain areas means that your optics can pick up excess moisture in the air. This can directly cause frosting on your lenses and nothing is more annoying than having your sighting hampered while on a hunt. To combat this, Excalibur included a layer of nitrogen inside each lens that prevents fogging up.
• Shock-proofing: Any hunt can be difficult on equipment. You don’t want to accidentally drop your crossbow and then find out that your expensive scope assembly has been damaged irrevocably by the impact. Fortunately, this Excalibur scope has shock-proofing, so that it can take a couple of heavy hits while you are out in the rough.
• Wide Field of View: When you are sighting in a target, it’s great to have a wide field of view, so that you can accurately get a lay of obstacles, points of egress, etc. This scope has a great wide range of view through its 32mm lens. It’s actually a bit surprising about how much area you can catch when viewing through the ocular lens.
• Frame per Second (fps) Adjustment: As mentioned previously, some scopes are designed for faster arrows. These types have more reticles. This is a great bow scope for faster speeds because it has an fps adjustment, so that you can see your arrow’s path as it rockets to its target. You’ll be able to adjust it between 275fps to 410 fps.

Zeroing In Process

Zeroing in a scope usually takes quite a few steps. With this Excalibur scope, it’s fairly straight forward. Firstly, you’ll have to remove the housing for the top dial, and then you’ll see the internal mechanism. Turn this mechanism all the way to the right and you’ll be ready for zeroing in. Since this mechanism has 116 clicks, you’ll need to turn it until it is in the dead center of those clicks at 58. Adjust this for both up and down and right to left and you’ll have a perfectly zeroed scope.

Considerations

The fact that this scope doesn’t come with rings is a major consideration for these. While this scope comes with some Excalibur crossbow models, the company doesn’t provide rings when it is sold separately. You’ll have to purchase some 30mm rings in order to attach this device to your bow, which can be a turn off for some.

Conclusion

Outside of this minor foible, this crossbow has very little issues. It’s clear, has a great illuminated feature and is excellently durable for the rough and tumble hunts that always yield the best game.