Jason M. lived in Soso, Mississippi and was going through an ugly divorce.
After twelve years of marriage, the couple was divorcing after a number of scary incidents.
Before the divorce, Jason had loaded a gun and threatened to kill his brother-in-law.
In another incident, he grabbed a firearm and threatened to shoot himself.
The ordeal occurred in front of the couple’s three children.
After the threat, police responded to the residence and transported Jason to a hospital.
After getting out of the hospital Jason was allowed visitation with his children.
The visitation was under the supervision of his parents.
But Jason had recently threatened to take his children to Georgia to take them away from their mother.
He claimed in court proceedings that the kid’s mom used drugs.
However, the mother accused Jason of “cruel and inhumane treatment.” She also alleged there had been physical abuse.
So, his wife had temporary custody of the couple’s children, and she was granted a protection order.
And Jason had been ordered to undergo a physiological evaluation before he could have visitation with his children.
Sadly, one morning around 4 a.m. Jason went to his ex’s house in violation of the court order.
His brother-in-law who lives next door saw Jason and met him outside.
The brother-in-law was armed with an AR-15 and told him to leave.
When the brother-in-law confronted him, Jason drew a 9mm pistol.
The brother-in-law fired his AR-15 at Jason, striking him.
Jason was transported to South Central Regional Medical Center where he died.
According to police, the initial investigation revealed the shooting was a case of self-defense.
The chief of police said, “It’s just a bad situation.”
While this is a tragedy for all involved, the brother-in-law did what he had to do to protect his sister and her three kids.
And thankfully, the brother-in-law was prepared to defend himself and his family with his AR-15, as are millions of Americans today (which is a great choice).
In fact, if you’re one of the many people with an AR-15 for home defense, there’s a good chance you have some sort of scope on your rifle.
Which is why it’s important to know the difference between long-range and short range scopes, so you can dial in your rifle’s set up for your particular needs.
What is a long-range scope?:
You would think a long-range scope is self-explanatory but it’s important to understand what makes a scope suited for long-range.
For instance, one of the most important factors for a long-range scope is optimal magnification.
Long-range scopes have higher magnification for better target identification and shot placement.
Yet, higher magnification can narrow the field of view.
So, while the magnification is better it’s harder to track moving targets.
Most long-range scopes have magnification from 10x to 40x.
The higher the magnification the easier it is to identify a target.
Another aspect of a long-range scope is that they have a larger objective lens, which allows for more light transmission, which provides a brighter and clearer image.
A long-range scope often has a lens between 50mm and 56mm.
What to look for in a long-range scope:
If you do a lot of long-distance shooting, there are certain things to look for in a long range-scope.
One of the most important features is a long-range scope that allows for turret adjustments.
This will help you to adjust for bullet drop and windage at long distances.
Also, find a scope that has a reticle with aiming points for different distances and environmental conditions.
Lastly, find a scope with a parallax adjustment.
A scope with parallax adjustments lets the shooter adjust knobs to eliminate parallax.
A quality long-range scope to consider is the Bushnell Match Pro ED or the Vortex Razor HD.
What is a short-range scope?:
Short-range scopes are designed for quick target acquisition in close-quarter engagements.
The biggest advantage of a short-range scope is that they have a wider field of view.
This allows the shooter to easily see what is around them.
Also, short-range scopes have lower magnification that is better suited for close targets.
Lower magnifications mean the shooter can have a wider field of view and better peripheral vision.
What to look for in a short-range scope:
A good short-range scope has lower magnification typically ranging from 1x to 6x for close-quarter shooting.
They will usually have illuminated reticles or red dot sights that help you acquire targets quickly, even in low-light situations.
If shooting in close quarters, consider the Trijicon ACOG and the Aimpoint Pro.
Now, when choosing a scope for your rifle you need to consider the intended shooting distance and environment.
Will you be patrolling a large farm?
Or do you live in a typical-sized house in suburban America?
If you’re just going to use your rifle for home defense (like many folks) you will likely want a good, short-range scope.
