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Pros: - Patent pending "Dial-a-Distance" turret for use with a rangefinder - Superb optics - Outstanding light gathering capabilities Cons: - Sighting in and calibrating takes longer than usual - No multi-reticles for use without a rangefinder Helpful Resources: Guides: mounting, sighting-in, maintenance

Welcome to our review of the Parker Bows Red Hot 3X Pin Point Crossbow Scope. This scope is unique in the field because of its adjustable elevation knob, which allows you to use the scope hand in hand with your laser rangefinder for pinpoint accuracy. Let’s take a look, though, and see how it performs under a real hunting scenario.

What Are the Dimensions of the Crossbow Scope?

The Parker Bows Red Hot 3X Pin Point Crossbow Scope is 8.5″ long and weighs 16.8 ounces, so it will add just over a pound of weight to your crossbow. The extra dial on top of the tube makes this scope a bit taller than most, so it may be a tight fit in your crossbow case. With that said, I found the scope fit just fine in both my soft case and my hard case, mounted on the crossbow, so it should fit in most crossbow cases.

How Powerful Is the Scope?s Magnification ?

Parker’s Red Hot 3X Pin Point Crossbow Scope is a 3X scope, which is ideal for hunting deer, elk, and moose with a crossbow. The resolution of the scope is amazing, as is the contrast and detail of the image. This scope is accurate out to 80 yards, and the Dial-a-Distance adjustments allow precise accuracy even for long-range shooting at 80 yards.

How is the Optics Quality on the Crossbow Scope?

The scope’s optics are fully multi-coated, so you can rest assured of experiencing little to no reflection, glare, or fogging. All of my experiences with this scope have yielded excellent images, with plenty of crispness and ultra-fast focusing capabilities thanks to the fast focus external focus wheel on the eyepiece. The reticle is laser-etched into the glass, and is always crisp and clear. My only complaint about this scope is that you pretty much have to use it alongside a rangefinder. There is only one set of reticles, without any extra lines or dots to correspond with different ranges beyond 20 yards. What this means is that you need to get the range from your rangefinder (unless you’re really good at estimating distances) in order to properly set the distance to target for the reticle to line up on your target.

What’s the Light Gathering Capability Like on the Scope?

The Parker Bows Red Hot 3X Pin Point Crossbow Scope has awesome light gathering capabilities, and is illuminated to boot. The illumination setting is available in either red or green, with 5 brightness settings. The brightness settings are perfectly matched to all of the lighting conditions I experienced while evaluating this scope, and I found myself bagging a couple of deer in the early morning hours because of the excellent ability of this scope to transmit light and keep the reticle just bright enough for a good shot.

How Wide is the Field of View?

The field of view for this scope is 50′ at 100 yards, which is more than ideal for hunting deer, moose, or elk with a crossbow. You get a generously wide vantage point for leading your prey, and the wide field of view makes it easy to find the animals even in foliage.

How Easy is the Scope to Mount?

The Parker Bows Red Hot 3X Pin Point Scope comes with 1″ rings and a custom-built dropover base to fit onto any 7/8″ Weaver style rail. If your crossbow does not have a 7/8″ Weaver or Picatinny rail, you will have to buy an adapter to mount this scope to your crossbow. Once you have everything you need, though, the scope mounts in seconds, and is ready to sight in and calibrate to your rangefinder.

How Easy is the Scope to Sight In?

Sighting in a scope with this much technology takes a bit more time than you might be accustomed to, but it’s easily done. Once you have the scope sighted in at 10 yards, you shoot a single arrow through a chronograph. Once you know the velocity of your arrow, you can apply the correct elevation turret tape to your scope. If you don’t have access to a chronograph, not to worry! Parker’s instruction manual provides excellent directions on how to determine which elevation turret tape to use by make a succession of shots from 20 yards and minor adjustments to the elevation turret. Once you’ve sighted in the scope, you can check the calibration of the Dial-a-Distance turret. Parker provides printable calibration targets that allow you to test the scope’s ability to provide you with pinpoint accuracy at a variety of ranges. I recommend you check the calibration, in order to get the most out of the scope. The full process of sighting in this scope takes anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on whether you have the velocity figures or you have to determine the right setting manually. Once sighted in, though, the scope holds zero almost indefinitely. The beauty of this whole process is that once you’re done, your scope is calibrated alongside your laser rangefinder. In the field, you simply get the range to your target, dial it in, and line up your crosshairs where you want the shot to hit.

How Durable is the Scope?

The Parker Red Hot 3X Pin Point Crossbow Scope is rock solid in all respects. The tube is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum, and is very shockproof. The scope is also waterproof and, thanks to the fully multi-coated optics, has no problems with fogging whatsoever. I have used this scope in warm, humid conditions that had my eyeglasses fogging up as well as in sub-zero temperatures, and never once noticed any fog on the glass.