Rifles are a brilliant demonstration of the progression of optical technology. Superb optics help marksmen pull off difficult shots with greater accuracy rates. The team at Firefield created a detailed timeline of all the critical moments in rifle optics technology. It begins with the invention of the Galilean telescope in 1608 and concludes with the longest sniper kill shot ever recorded in 2023.
Between these two events, numerous pivotal inventions bridged the moments. You’ll find all the highlights on the timeline, including:
- The invention of telescopic sight in the 1630s
- The first telescope-mounted rifle in 1776
- The first rifle scope on the market in 1840
- The first militarized sniper unit in 1889
- Invention of the periscope rifle in 1914
- Invention of the first night-vision scope in 1945
- The creation of the first laser sight in 1978
- The first holographic sight in 1996
infographic by: firefield.com
