If you’ve spent any time doing close-quarters work for home or urban defense, you’ve probably used or heard of LPVO optics. LPVO stands for Low Power Variable Optic and refers to scopes designed with lower magnification and greater eye relief. These scopes are meant for close-range work, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless beyond 50 yards, either.
Whether you’re in the market for an LPVO for your home defense rifle or just curious, we have a few suggestions regarding where to start looking for new glass.
1. Burris Close Quarters RT-6 Tactical Kit
Here’s the thing about the Burris Close Quarters RT-6 Tactical Kit: It’s not just an LVPO scope, it’s everything you need to drop a close-quarters setup on your gun and go. In this kit, there’s an RT-6 LPVO, a Fast Fire 3 red dot sight, and a P.E.P.R. mount. Sure, you could get these pieces individually, but it’s well worth checking out the entire package.
The RT-6 is popular among 3-gun shooters, but that doesn’t mean it’s only for competition use. It’s designed for rapid target acquisition, accuracy, and ease of use, meaning it’s fantastic for any shooter looking for a good LPVO.
According to Burris, the scope’s overall length is shorter than most 1-4 designs despite it being a 1-6. It’s offered with a matte black finish, capped turrets, and illumination. The tube size is 30mm. This scope has the company’s Ballistic 5X reticle which has a circular central point for close-range use and trajectory compensation marks that Burris says are useful out to a whopping 600 yards.
2. Leupold Patrol 6HD
Leupold has a deserved reputation for designing and producing high-quality optics, and the Patrol 6HD is yet another fantastic product from the company. According to the manufacturer, this scope is meant to be versatile and is for everything from home defense to competition. It’s also meant for use by members of law enforcement, which makes sense given the optic’s name. This LPVO is lightweight and streamlined to reduce bulk and the risk of snagging or bumping on objects during maneuvers.
The Leupold Patrol 6HD is a 1-6 riflescope with a 30mm tube. Features include a Guard-Ion lens coating for superior clarity no matter the weather, Motion Sensor Technology to extend battery life, and a removable throw lever for quick adjustments. The scope is made to be waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof, the latter of which is rather important for an optic that’s likely to get knocked around a bit.
It’s offered with either the FireDot Duplex Illuminated Reticle or the CM-R2 Illuminated Reticle. There’s also an electronic level feature that lets you know if the scope’s not level, which is pretty handy. This is an LPVO that’s well worth the investment.
3. Vortex Viper PST Gen II
The Vortex Viper PST Gen II is a well-made LPVO at a more affordable price point than many options. Vortex designed it to perform well in close quarters or at longer distances. It has a solid housing, easy-to-operate turrets, and offers a broad field of view. According to the manufacturer, the PST Gen II is made to be highly functional and intuitive while offering detailed yet impressively uncluttered views for better clarity. It also offers plenty of eye relief and a host of close-quarters friendly features.
The Viper PST Gen II is a 1-6×24 optic with a 30mm tube. It has an overall length of 10.3 inches and an overall height of 1.81 inches, so it’s a relatively compact LPVO. This is an illuminated scope, which is fantastic for low-light situations or simply to draw your eye to the aiming point more quickly. It has 10 illumination settings and an Off switch option after each setting, so there’s no need to dial back and forth with every use. Vortex offers it with either the VMR-2 MOA or the VMR-2 MRAD reticle.
4. Sightmark Citadel 1-10×24 CRI LVPO
In the market for an entry-to-mid-level LPVO? Check out the Sightmark Citadel. This scope delivers clear glass, a wide field of view, and crisp turret adjustments, all at a surprisingly good price point (we have no idea how they do it). It’s designed for everyone from tactical shooters to hunters to law enforcement. This scope has an aircraft-grade aluminum tube and hard anodized finish for resistance to wear and tear and is made to be waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof.
The Citadel 1-10×24 CRI LPVO is a 1-10 optic with a 30mm tube. It’s a 2nd focal plane scope, which sets it apart from the many 1st focal plane LVPOs on the market, and is powered by a CR2032 battery. Features include a throw lever for quick adjustments, capped, low-profile turrets, and a fully multi-coated lens.
This is a red-illuminated reticle and has 11 brightness settings. It has a BDC reticle that’s calibrated for 223 Remington 55-grain ammo, which is a common caliber. Overall this is a nice choice if you’re just getting into LPVOs or looking for a reliable scope without a massive price tag attached. It’s worth mentioning that Citadel does outperform its price point.
5. Swarovski Z8i 1-8×24
Swarovski produces some of the most beautiful glass in the industry, and the Z8i 1-8×24 is certainly of stellar quality. This is a fantastically designed and built LPVO with a rugged housing, crisp, audible turret adjustments, and an impressive field of view. Although our focus is on the 1-8 model, the Z8i line of optics includes a fairly wide range of possible magnifications. This optic offers amazing light transmission, exceptional clarity, and a broad adjustment range.
The Z8i 1-8×24 has an overall length of 11.9 inches and a weight of 18.2 ounces. The tube size is 30mm and the listed field of view for the scope is 127.5-15.9 feet at 100 yards. Light transmission is rated at 93%, meaning this LPVO works quite well in low-light situations. Available reticles are the BRT-I and 4A-IF. It has an illuminated reticle and is waterproof, fog proof, and shock proof.
This is an impressively made, top-performing scope, and the price point does reflect that. Even so, it’s well worth the investment if you want beautiful glass, serious durability, and consistently solid performance.
Choosing an LPVO is like picking a gun.
Different models have varying capabilities and are ideal for a variety of applications. Not all reticles will work ideally for every situation, either, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with reticle types before getting a new scope.
When selecting an LVPO, consider clarity, magnification, adjustment range, and light transmission. It’s also wise to pay attention to how crisply the turrets do or do not turn. Having mushy adjustments makes it a lot harder to properly zero an optic.
If possible, take the time to handle and look through a few different brands before making your choice. That way you can figure out exactly what you need and go from there.
What’s your favorite LPVO? Drop your brand and model ideas in the comments section.
