22 Hornet scope?
- Thread starter GaryO7
- Start date
Traditionally, a 6x is about right for a Hornet. Higher powers can certainly be used, but 6x gives enough magnification for small targets at not too far range, without the smaller field of view and magnified wobbles that you get from high power varmint scopes.
This dates from the era when fixed power scopes still ruled the roost, back when vairables were large, heavy, and prone to change point of impact when you changed powers.
Today, anything under 9x, or 3-9x variable will do fine, provided it is small enough to not "unbalance" the rifle.
My Ruger No.3 currently has a huge old 3-9x on it, (just for testing purposes), and while it works, that scope seems like it is half the size of the rifle. I will be mounting a smaller scope on it for field work.
My .22 Hornet Contender barrel has a low power (<2.5x, I can't remembe right now, and am not going to go look,
) and it works pretty well, although spotting your misses at 100+yds is kind of tough.
This dates from the era when fixed power scopes still ruled the roost, back when vairables were large, heavy, and prone to change point of impact when you changed powers.
Today, anything under 9x, or 3-9x variable will do fine, provided it is small enough to not "unbalance" the rifle.
My Ruger No.3 currently has a huge old 3-9x on it, (just for testing purposes), and while it works, that scope seems like it is half the size of the rifle. I will be mounting a smaller scope on it for field work.
My .22 Hornet Contender barrel has a low power (<2.5x, I can't remembe right now, and am not going to go look,
) and it works pretty well, although spotting your misses at 100+yds is kind of tough.Ideal Tool
Moderator
Hello, Gary07. On mine, I knew I wanted to find just how accurate this little number was so I put a Leupold fixed 12 CPC on. It is in detatchable mounts so I can use vernier tang, & globe front.
trg42wraglefragle
New member
a 2-7 or 3-9 or 4-16 or 3-12 or 4-12 or 2-12 or 2.5-8 or 4.5-14 or 4.5-30 or 2.5-16.
Something along those lines
Something along those lines
For that particular rifle, I think I would want the lightest scope I could find. If you are talking about a variable power scope, then the lightest one I know of would be the Leupold VX-II 2-7. It weighs in at about 10.5 oz. I've got one of those on a Rem Model 7 and I've also got the VX-I version on a muzzle loader.
Clifford L. Hughes
New member
Gary07:
I would select the lightest variable, with a AO, in the range of 2X7 through 4X12. When shooting targets as small as ground squrrels an AO is desirable. A 4X12 Leupold would complement your rifle just fine.
Gunnery sergeant
Cllifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
I would select the lightest variable, with a AO, in the range of 2X7 through 4X12. When shooting targets as small as ground squrrels an AO is desirable. A 4X12 Leupold would complement your rifle just fine.
Gunnery sergeant
Cllifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
Depends on how high your bases are. I had low rings on my VX-II 2-7 (30mm) on a Leupold Std base. It was so close that I could't fit scope caps on it until I switched to medium rings. That tells me that a 40mm scope would not fit on low rings with that Std base. A Weaver base is taller, so that might provide enough clearance. Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where you are probably going to have to do some experimenting.
I have a Burris Compact, 3x9 scope with low ring/base mounted on my Browning Low Wall, chambered in .223. I would think a 2x7 Compact scope to be almost ideal for a .22 Hornet (which is what I have-another Burris- mounted on my Browning A-Bolt Micro, chambered in .22 Hornet). I'm of the opinion that petite rifles are best served with compact scopes to preserve the handling qualities inherent in small rifles.