Truth is, I don't like the looks of
any scope-I think they detract from the appearance of most hunting rifles and almost always adversely affect their handling qualities. Which isn't to say that I don't appreciate the many advantages good optics offer and that I don't have scopes mounted on many (well, most
) of my rifles. A necessary evil in my mind and, accordingly, I have several
wicked rifles.
For these reasons, if I am choosing a scope for a hunting rifle based on appearance, I would look for the most compact, streamlined variant practical from a company known for good glass and dependability. I also prefer the finish to match the type of finish on the rifle; which is why I prefer the old Weaver steel-tubed scopes having a blued finish to mount on rifles with much the same type of bluing. I do like the contrast offered by putting a gloss blue scope on a s/s rifle.
For me, it's also important to affix the scope to strong but streamlined mounts and rings. Hard to beat the Ruger "built-in" mount on their Model 77/MKII receivers (and other rifles having the same feature) for keeping a minimalist configuration. I also want a scope mounted as low as practical-which is why I have a strong aversion to "see-thru" type rings.
I always thought that the old Bausch & Lomb design where the adjustments were contained in the mount with the scope having only an etched reticle on the lens was a good idea-except those mounts were necessarily awfully bulky.
Finally, I doubt very much that I will ever mount a scope on a handgun-well, maybe on a Contender...
