Check Today's Price

Pros - Excellent field of view - Good optics - Distance estimator configured in reticle Cons - Short eye relief - Not fogproof - No range compensation markers on reticle

Welcome to our review of the Tasco World Class 3-9×40 Riflescope. This is an inexpensive riflescope with a 30/30 reticle and a 40mm objective lens. It is advertised as the “most popular all-around configuration for deer and big game hunting,” but is it worthy of such praise? Let’s check out the scope and make our own determination, okay?

What Are the Scope’s Dimensions?

This scope is 12.75 inches long, and weighs a mere 13 ounces, so it won’t add a lot of bulk or weight to your rifle. The eye relief is a short 3.5 inches, and the parallax is set at 100 yards straight from the manufacturer, but you can adjust this by screwing the front lens element in or out, and then refocusing your target image.

How Much Magnification Do I Get From the Tasco World Class 3-9×40 Riflescope?

This riflescope features zoomable magnification from 3X to 9X. Resolution is quite good at all magnification levels, and the scope zooms smoothly from lowest to highest magnification.

How is the Optics Quality on the Riflescope?

The Tasco World Class 3-9×40 Riflescope has fully coated optics, and is water-repellent as well as fog resistant. In this configuration, you get a 30/30 reticle without any range compensation markings, and a 13.3mm exit pupil at 3X (4.4mm exit pupil at 9X magnification).

The focus on the eyeball works smoothly and quickly, allowing you to get your target focused in before zooming in tight for the kill shot. For such an inexpensive scope, the Tasco World Class 3-9×40 Riflescope works beautifully, providing crisp, clear images at all magnifications.

While the scope does not include range compensation markings, the 30/30 reticle does serve as a distance estimator. The thin center section of the crosshairs is designed to span 30 inches at 100 yards with the scope set to 4X magnification. Tasco includes a chart in the instruction manual that explains the various distances the crosshair covers at different magnifications and distances, so I would recommend studying and memorizing that chart to get the most out of your scope.

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

Light gathering is decent on this scope, but it is not designed for true low-light conditions. It is not illuminated, and does not pick out the details in shaded areas that other, more expensive scopes are able to discern. With that said, it does transmit enough light for a decent shot after the sun is up and before the sun goes down. I’d recommend this scope for casual hunters, but maybe not for those hunters who eke the most out of their hunting time by taking advantage of the 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after regulations.

How Wide is the Field of View?

The field of view on this scope ranges from 15 feet (with 9X magnification) out to 41 feet (at 3X magnification), all from 100 yards. This is a reasonably generous field of view, especially the 15′ at 9X magnification. You can easily spot your target at 3X, focus on the target, and then zoom in tight for that precise kill shot.

How Easy is the Scope to Mount?

You don’t get any rings with this scope, but once you have a set of 1″ rings it is very easy to mount. The 40mm objective lens might require a medium or high profile set of rings, to prevent the objective lens from making contact with the barrel, but I didn’t need those for any of my firearms.

Any Tricks or Tips About Mounting the Scope?

The only “tip or trick” to this scope is the possibility of needing a set of medium- or high-profile rings to prevent the larger objective lens from rubbing the barrel, but I didn’t need to do that with my scope. Your mileage may vary; if you have ever needed medium or high rings with scopes, you will likely want to use those rings with this scope.

How Easy is the Tasco World Class 3-9×40 Riflescope to Sight In?

Whenever I sight in a new scope, I use a laser bore sighting tool first. This allows me to get the scope “on paper” without ever firing a round of ammo, and considerably speeds up the process of sighting in the scope. I highly recommend using a laser bore sighter! Once I’d finished getting the scope on paper, it only took about 10 rounds until I was shooting 1″ groupings from 250 yards with this scope. Since then, it has held zero for hundreds of rounds without any adjustment at all.

How Durable is the Tasco World Class 3-9×40 Riflescope?

The Tasco World Class 3-9×40 Riflescope is made from aircraft-grade aluminum with fully coated optics, so it is fairly durable and rugged. I’ve dropped my rifle on the scope a couple of times, and there was no damage at all to the scope or adjustment to the sighting. You should note, however, that this scope is NOT nitrogen-filled. It is fog resistant, but it will fog up if rapid temperature changes occur, so bear that in mind.