How to Keep Scope from Fogging Up

Love hunting but worried about fogging up on the riflescope? They are indeed one of the biggest concerns of the hunters.

After all, if the riflescope isn’t clear, you cannot see anything properly, let alone hunting. So, it rounds up to the question, how to keep scope from fogging up? Are there any ways to prevent this?

Well, the good news is there are some pretty good steps and hacks you can follow to stop this from happening. A little bit of extra planning and preparation is what you require!

Without further ado, let’s begin the discussion:

Why Does Moisture Collect on My Rifle and Scope?

The formation of moisture on a substance is a natural problem that happens when exposed to humid outdoor air. Similarly, when you move your rifle and scope from an extremely cool air-conditioned place to a warmer and moist outdoor area, condensation occurs.

Storing your firearm in a cold and dry place inside of your home is a pretty good idea. But the moment you take this cool rifle outside on a warmer day with high humidity, air moisture will accumulate, especially on those cold lenses. The same scenario will happen when traveling in an air-conditioned car.

However, it will not be a problem when the rifle and scope are being transported from a warm place into a chilly weather. Since more hunting occurs in the fall and winter seasons, the majority of the hunters never get to see the formation of condensation on the scope’s exterior portion.

How to Keep Scope from Fogging Up?

Condensation or formation of fog on the riflescope is indeed a big problem. However, the good news is there is also a remedy to solve these issues. By following some tips, you can keep the scope from fogging up in any weather conditions.

Here’s to how:

Prepare your rifle and scope for use

The difference in the temperature is the ultimate cause of moisture developing on the exterior of your rifle and scope. When you keep the rifle at a much warmer place than the temperature outside, naturally, moisture will start to gather on the scope as they begin cooling down.

So how to prevent this fog build-up or accumulation of condensation on your rifle and scope?

You can consider following the below-mentioned points to prepare your scope:

Take some time

Give your rifle and the scope some time to settle down and adjust to the outside weather condition. As when you bring a warm scope straight out of your house or vehicle into a chilly weather, moisture is bound to gather up.

Put it in the case

While driving to your hunting location, make sure to carry the cased rifle and scope in the most freezing area of the automobile. Doing so will help them to get gradually adjusted to the outside temperatures.

Once you arrive at your hunting spot, your first task is to open the case right away containing the rifle and scope. This will, in return, help them to get adjusted to the outside weather conditions. If your scope has a best scope flip caps, open it up.

Keep the scope away from the mouth.

Never make the mistake of breathing on the cold lenses of your scope. This is a really bad practice that can result in severe consequences, especially for the scopes coming with various eye reliefs.

Besides, a cold scope lens tends to condense your breath moisture on your scope lenses at a rocket speed.

Use lens cleaner

Nowadays, a wide range of lens cleaners is available to prevent the accumulation of condensation on the lenses of riflescopes. Most of the shooters use them to solve fogging-related issues on their scopes.

Although they are labeled as safe to use, the best is to crosscheck with the manufacturer before using any product on the scope’s lenses. After all, they are an extremely sensitive and crucial part of a rifle that needs proper care and maintenance.

And you will definitely want to avoid experimenting with this part. Otherwise, instead of doing any good, you may end up harming the scope. So be extremely cautious while dealing with it.

Apply liquid dishwashing soap

Many shooters claim to clean their cope lenses using a very diluted quantity of liquid dishwashing soap. We believe that certain scuba divers may be responsible for this.

As before diving in, they have the habit of washing the mask’s interior portion using a dishwashing soap solution.

However, one crucial point to note, the protective coatings of the riflescopes greatly differ from the dive mask’s protective castings. Hence, before applying anything on the lens of your scopes, make sure to consult with the manufacturer if you don’t want to regret it later on.

Some Recommendations for Condensation on Your Riflescope

• As a ground rule, we advise you to use only a lens brush and a microfiber lens cloth for cleaning the scope lenses.
• Another hack can be storing the rifle and scope at the same temperature as like the outside temperature. After all, a sudden change from a chilly house to a warm and moist environment is the ultimate formula for a disaster in the case of a riflescope.
• If you notice any kind of condensation on the lenses, give them some time to warm up and get adjusted to the environment. The condensation will slowly evaporate.
• For wiping the scope lenses, use a microfiber lens cloth. They are the perfect piece of fabric that is specifically used to clean the riflescope.
• Another thumb rule is to avoid breathing on the scope. If you breathe and fog appears, swipe the lens with the thumb or finger. Don’t try to wipe it up. It will be more difficult to look through it. Besides, doing this kind of activity is bad for the durability of the lens coating.

What If the Lens on My Riflescope Has Moisture Inside?

If you observe moisture forming on the riflescope lenses, understand that you have a more serious issue to look at than simple condensation.

Any kind of moisture developing inside a riflescope lens is a clear indication that the tube seals are damaged. Because when the tube seals are damaged, only the nitrogen inside the riflescope can leak out, letting the outside moisture air make its way into the scope.

Besides, once the tube seals are broken, they cannot be used anymore. If this happens, the scope must be sent back to the manufacturer as soon as possible for repair. They will fix the tube seals and refill them with nitrogen.

Can I Remove the Moisture from Inside My Riflescope?

Warming up the scope is the most recommended way to get rid of the inside moisture in the scope. However, this approach is not a preferable for an expensive one.

Below is a list of some of the quick and temporary tips you can follow to remove the moisture:

• Heat up the riflescope slowly and gently to evaporate the moisture.
• Putting the scope in a warm oven can temporarily dry out the moisture from the interior of the scope.
• Another proposed solution is to place the riflescope in direct sunlight so it can warm up naturally.
• You can even use a blow dryer with low heat settings to eliminate the fog inside the scope.

To Conclude

Hopefully, you have no queries regarding how to keep scope from fogging up.

Formation of the condensation on the outside of the scope is a natural occurrence. However, the good news is with a bit of pre-planning, and following the above-mentioned crucial points, you can effectively reduce and eliminate these issues.

FAQs

What causes a scope to fog up?

The leading reason for moisture accumulation on the exterior part of the scope is the temperature difference. This is a natural process that happens when the scope and rifle go through a sudden transition from freezing cold to a warmer environment.

What Kind of Cloth Should I Use to Clean My Scope Lens?

Always use a microfiber lens cloth for wiping your lens. They give a good cleaning without causing any sort of damage to the scope lenses.​