A rifle scope or a telescopic sight is a device which is used as a sighting device. These telescopic sights come along with a graphic image pattern and this image pattern helps the user with an accurate aiming point, as these are mounted on the optical system. These devices were first used way back in the 17th century for providing shooters with proper aim over the targets. These scopes are designed keeping in mind the following optical parameters namely; Magnification, the higher the magnification, the closer one feels to the object; Eye relief, this is very handy especially for people who wear glasses.
The rifle scope is particularly handy for the military or the armed forces. The rifle scope has been in use by the military since the 1850 but was only used by the snipers or the sharp shooters because of the high expense of producing such scopes back in those days. Also, the glass which makes this scope is highly susceptible to damage and of getting adversely affected by other environmental forces and/or climatic conditions. The most rampant use of this equipment was done by the Israeli military and the Palestinian militants by adding it to their AK-47s and in turn increasing the effectiveness of the same by manifold.
The rifle scope can be accompanied with the following accessories; lens hoods which can be mounted on the objects; the flash killer or honeycomb which helps to kill any reflections which might give up the position of the shooter; transit and safety pouches for carrying the scope and many others. These scopes face severe competition from the iron sights, with the main disadvantage being that the magnification effect created by the rifle scope gets covered up by the tube which is found on either side of the scope.
John R. Chapman, was the first individual who had provided documentary evidence of the first telescopic sights which were then invented by one Morgan James back in 1844. This invention was done in Utica, New York and was later on baptised as Chapman- James sight. Within a decade, Mr. William Malcolm of Syracuse, New York started his very own experiments and created his own scopes. His scopes has the advantage of being able to elevated to a higher level. The scopes made by Mr. William Malcolm were the ones which were widely used during the Civil War.
