Editorial Guidelines

Last updated: April 16, 2026

Our commitments

Reviews cite measurable specs, not subjective marketing language. "Clear glass" is not a review; "ED glass with 92% light transmission at 550 nm" is.
The Optics Score is consistent. Every scored review is weighted the same way: glass 25 / durability 25 / reticle 20 / value 20 / warranty 10.
We disclose every affiliate relationship. Outbound links with commission potential are marked rel="sponsored", and the affiliate disclosure appears on every page that contains one. See How We Make Money.
Negative reviews get published. If an optic fails our durability, glass, or reticle standards, we say so — including products we earn commission on.
Corrections are prompt and marked. If we get a spec wrong, we fix it and note the correction date at the top of the article.

Sourcing: We buy review units at retail where possible. Manufacturer samples are marked as such in the review and have no effect on scoring.
Testing: Every scored optic is range-tested. Testing covers zero retention, tracking (for adjustable-turret scopes), parallax, reticle illumination behaviour, and real-world glass performance at multiple lighting conditions.
Second review: Any review that alters an existing ranking is cross-read by a second editor before publishing.

Reviews and verdicts: Optic reviews, Optics Score components, pros/cons, and verdicts are written by human editors from range-test notes. We do not use AI to produce review verdicts or scores.
Buying guides: Long-form buying guides under /guides are AI-assisted. The initial draft is produced by a large language model, then fact-checked and edited by a human editor before publication. Sources and outbound links are verified during editing. An AI-authorship line appears at the end of every AI-assisted article.
Glossary: Definitions are written in-house and reviewed against manufacturer specifications.