Steiner binoculars have never let me down, so the new Steiner Ranger riflescopes certainly took my interest, especially this new R8 version with an eight-power zoom ratio from four to 32x. I have used a pair of Steiner 12×42 binoculars for most of my hunting trips abroad, from the wet forests of Europe to the heat of the Kalahari.

In 2008 Steiner became a member of Beretta Holding, and riflescopes started to appear in 2012. The Ranger scope range is based on magnification or zoom differences from Ranger 4, 6 or 8 models, of which we have the Ranger 8 4-32x56mm on test today, retailing for £1,695. (Read more on choosing a riflescope here.)

Ranger 8 Specifications

I like the fact that Steiner produces its own lenses, and so its quality control is high. Steiner grinds and polishes its own premium lenses and prisms so as to match their performance, enhancing overall light transmission and clarity.

These high-quality extra-low dispersion glass lenses have a multi-layer coating applied to all air-to-glass surfaces to maximise and enhance light to your eyes, so contrast and vivid detail are assured even in low light conditions. These multi-layered coatings are made from minerals and compounds that maximise clarity, colour and definition. To maintain a level of ruggedness, each lens construction is selected for stability, so that even under severe shock or vibration, integrity is maintained.

Add to this the fact that all optics are fog- and waterproof, sealed against dust, dirt and moisture with an immersion waterproof test to 10m, and you have one tough hunting scope. This R8 model has an overall length of 385mm and weighs 774g, so it is no lightweight, but it feels really well-made and is coated with a satin and scratch-resistant hard anodising.

The main body is 30mm in diameter, with plenty of mounting space on either side of the saddle, and the large 56mm objective gathers light with ease. The XL field of view fast-focus eyepiece ensures wide vision.

The Steiner Ranger 8 model has all the bells and whistles, with side parallax to maintain a perfectly focused reticle and image at all magnification settings, and it helps with range finding too. You can focus down to 20m all the way to infinity – so versatile for many guns.

Coupled to the parallax ring is the reticle illuminator. Its 11 intensity settings are clearly marked, with six for night and five for day, which illuminates a central dot of the 4a-type reticle itself. Elevation and windage are audible and tactile, and offer perfectly repeatable and precise reticle adjustments with one click measuring 1cm at 100m with a total adjustment range of +/- 115cm for either turret.

Of special interest to this model is the integrated ballistic turret (BT), with four different removable and numbered rings so a shooter can adjust quickly for downrange trajectory compensation. Just remove the top cap and outer see-through retaining sleeve, and lift and rotate the ballistic rings to match the click adjustment for your precise bullet drop to your own load data.

There is also a zero-stop mode to the elevation turret so you can always return to zero after adjusting the elevation dial.

In the field

Although quite large, it’s perfectly balanced on the Sako S20 rifle, and you appreciate the wide range of magnifications; on lower settings it is perfect for woodland stalking, and then up the mag for longer field shots. Optical quality is really good; you notice that nice wide field of view for less eye strain, and edge-to-edge clarity is impressive. Colour renditions are very good, and you notice the multi-coated lenses really pull in maximum light with excellent definition for a precise aim point – in fact, you get 92% light transmission or higher.

The BT turret is also so simple and fast to use, so if a deer pops out way past your 100-yard/metre zero point you can quickly change elevation to one of four trajectory-compensating rings, then aim dead on and reverse until that zero stop means you are back at 100-yard zero again. That fibre dot-illuminated reticle has no bleed at all, so it’s a really handy aid for a precise aim point in less-than-perfect conditions.

Conclusion

Steiner has always been revered for its superb binoculars, and now with the Ranger 8 scopes you have the perfect complementing rifle optics. Quality of build, reproduction of settings, image quality and user-friendly design at a very good price point make Steiners really worth considering.

Tech specs Steiner Ranger 8 BT

• Maker Steiner Germany
• Model Ranger 8 BT
• Magnification 4-32x (8 power range)
• Objective lens 56mm
• Exit pupil 8.5mm–1.7mm
• Field of view at 100m 9.46m–1.18m
• Eye relief 95mm
• Dioptre compensation -3 / +2
• Parallax-free 20m to infinity
• Reticle 4-AI fibre dot
• Reticle adjustment per click at 100m 1cm/100m
• Max. adj elevation / windage at 100m +/-115cm
• Reticle illumination 11 levels (5x day, 6x night) with off position between the levels, 6h auto-off
• Tube/body diameter 30mm
• Weight 774g
• Length 385mm
• Operating range -25°C to +63°C
• Warranty 10 years, two years on electronic parts