Lens Coatings

Before any rifle scope goes out the door, manufacturers make sure it has its coat on. Lens coatings are what make high quality optics high quality optics. Because a glass lens is highly polished, it both gathers light and reflects it away. The more light that is reflected away, the less you can see through the scope. So, scopemakers coat their lenses to reduce reflection and improve light gathering.

When you look at a coated lens from the side, you will see a hue to what is reflected in the lens face. Most coating hues are blue (some are green and others are pinkish). Some manufacturers have enhanced coating systems that use multiple coating layers and materials to give even better light gathering and the least possible reflection.