Some things never get noticed. Take scope accessories, for example. Most sportsmen buy a rifle and add rings and a scope to the package. How about some accessories? Never heard of them? Well, they are out there and in some cases can add additional pleasure when owning high-end optical equipment, especially on a hunt.

Looking online or at catalogs there a lot of scope accessories some hunters may have never heard of. For example, in the Leupold or Burris catalog, the first thing someone might be interested in would be tools. Since a scope needs to be mounted correctly without problems or stripped screws, most manufacturers offer a Torx driver that will tighten those screws with a minimum of effort. Additionally, some offer a Torx Screw Kit with a good supply of base or ring screws for those times when a screw goes sailing into the unknown when mounting a scope. A torque wrench is handy for some bases, as is a ring wrench that fits precisely over the ring, turning it 90 degrees without marking-up the ring’s sides. 

Wheeler makes a complete scope mounting system with alignment tools, a lapping bar with compound, wrench and even a DVD showing the best way to mount a scope for a lifetime of use. After the scope is mounted on the rifle, Wheeler makes a professional reticle leveling system that aligns the reticle perfectly. From there, the sky is the limit on scope accessories. Some scope manufacturers include flip-open scope lens covers, but if they don’t, you can purchase them separately.  Scope covers made from tough rubber are a good investment to keep out moisture even though some scopes are “moisture” proof. There are anti-cant indicators that help the shooter keep the gun level when shooting. Scopecoat makes a neoprene scope cover, and Leupold has a threaded scope lens cover under its Alumina brand, with models to fit objective lens ranging from 20mm to 50mm.  Anti-reflection devices and lens hoods in various lengths help to cut side glare while protecting the objective lens, and don’t forget the lens brush for on-the-spot cleaning in the field.

This short column has only begun to touch on scope accessories.