Best Scope For.....
- Thread starter jtstretch
- Start date
"...Does the .223 even go 500 yards?..." Of course. It just drops a great deal depending on the bullet used. Remington factory ammo with a 55 grain bullet drops 58.6" at 500 with a 200 yard zero. And has under 200 ft-lbs of energy left at 500. A 69 grain bullet drops 45.4" at 500 with the same zero. It has far more energy though. 473 ft-lbs. at 500 yards.
At 300, a 55 grain bullet gives the same energy as the 69 grain bullet does at 500. And drops 8.2" at 300 with a 200 yard zero.
No scope is going to help any of that. The rifling twist matters. As does the weight of the barrel. You need heavy bullets for long range shooting. If your rifle's rifling twist won't stabilize heavy bullets, you won't be accurate enough at 500 yards with a .223.
That being said, there is no one best scope for any rifle or cartridge. A scope only allows you to see the target better. It won't make a rifle that doesn't shoot well, shoot any better. However, any good scope will do nicely, but don't expect a scope to allow you to shoot a .223 at anything but targets at 500 yards.
At 300, a 55 grain bullet gives the same energy as the 69 grain bullet does at 500. And drops 8.2" at 300 with a 200 yard zero.
No scope is going to help any of that. The rifling twist matters. As does the weight of the barrel. You need heavy bullets for long range shooting. If your rifle's rifling twist won't stabilize heavy bullets, you won't be accurate enough at 500 yards with a .223.
That being said, there is no one best scope for any rifle or cartridge. A scope only allows you to see the target better. It won't make a rifle that doesn't shoot well, shoot any better. However, any good scope will do nicely, but don't expect a scope to allow you to shoot a .223 at anything but targets at 500 yards.
Part of the qualification course in the Marine Corps includes shooting prone at 500 yards. I can tell you 500 yards is no problem. That being said I like the Nikon Prostaff. Its a 3-9 variable for less than 200 bucks. It works great and it not so expensive. If you are planning on competitions you may want to invest in a more powerful scope but otherwise it seems like a waste to me. Happy shooting!
popeyespappy
New member
Your 1:12 twist 700 is probably not the best choice for the heavier bullets. You need a faster twist to stabilize the longer heavier bullets. I just went through the same process a couple of weeks ago. I had a 700 SPS varmint in 223. It did well with the lighter bullets out to 300 but not so good at longer ranges. I "upgraded" to a Savage 12 long range varmint with a 1:7 twist so I could go to the heavier bullets.
Your choice of a scope should depend more on your budget and intended use than anything else. If you are anything like me then magnification is important at 300 plus yards. The more the merrier. If you are going to be shooting from a bench at fixed ranges magnification is more important to me than repeatability of adjustments. For shooting at more than 1 distance in the same outing you might want better elevation and azimuth adjustments.
For optics I choose a Super Sniper 20x42. It is a good compromise between usable glass and repeatable clicks. Considering what a really good set of optics costs, the Super Sniper is a bargain at $300.
Here's my new rig....
Here's its first trip to the range for zeroing at 200 yards....
I'm pretty happy with it!
Your choice of a scope should depend more on your budget and intended use than anything else. If you are anything like me then magnification is important at 300 plus yards. The more the merrier. If you are going to be shooting from a bench at fixed ranges magnification is more important to me than repeatability of adjustments. For shooting at more than 1 distance in the same outing you might want better elevation and azimuth adjustments.
For optics I choose a Super Sniper 20x42. It is a good compromise between usable glass and repeatable clicks. Considering what a really good set of optics costs, the Super Sniper is a bargain at $300.
Here's my new rig....
Here's its first trip to the range for zeroing at 200 yards....
I'm pretty happy with it!
