Optics for a varmint rifle

J

Jasun

New member
Going to be getting a savage 12fv 22-250. Want to spend 200-300 on optics for it. I know this is probably like asking what oil do you use so please don't chastise me but what would anyone recommend in that price range to shoot at 200 to 400 yards?
 
I've never had a problem with a 3-9x40, but a 4-14x40 would work just fine. FWIW I was doing well on prairie dogs to 300 yards with a 2-7 on my .243.
 
That price range a 4-12X40 would be the best bet for a varmint rifle. I'd just search scopes in your maximum price range and decide on what you want. For varmint shooting I prefer as fine of a reticle as I can get, and I really don't want a BDC reticle. However the trend to BDC reticles, makes it hard to get one without a BDC reticle. I'm not recommending any scope but with a max power of 12X seems to work well on Prairie dogs for me.
 
I like lots of magnification. I have found that optical quality is somewhat less important in a varmint rifle, depending on what sort of varmint you're shooting. If it's woodchuck/groundhog/prairie dog then you are usually in good/bright light and don't need a lot of low light capability. If you're after coyote in low light conditions then it's a different consideration.

If you want lots of magnification, like 25+, then you're best bets are the Mueller Eradicator (cheaper) or the Konus Pro M-30 (expensiver;))

If you can live at 15x or less, well, you can but do you want to? That's up to you... but if you want to, it opens up much higher quality optics, such as Sightron SII, Minox ZA5, several Vortex models and lots more.

Check out samplelist.com for "demo" models with some really good pricing.
 
3-9x40 will do. But it's a matter of preference.

I recently topped a new varmint rig with a 3-9x40 mueller sport dot. Seems like pretty good glass for the money and has 1/8th moa clicks.

However, this is all theory since I've yet to fire it.
 
Based on scopes I have and have had, counting expensive and less expensive models and makers, I'm going to suggest the Burris 4.5-14 Fullfield II. It's bright, clear, and sharp, and it's $299. It comes with BDC, but with a 22-250 you won't really need it to 300 yards if you sight the rifle in for 200 yards. The drop will only be about 5 inches at 300.

I bought the Burris just to see what you could get for that price, and I needed a scope for the wife's 260. I was very impressed and bought a second one. Used it on coyotes and pigs out to 400 yards, using the BDC. They are the least expensive scopes I have, by far, but easily hold their own with the higher dollar scopes.
 
If you can make do with 3-9X40 you'll get more scope for the dollar. A 3-12X or 4-14X scope of equal quality will be roughly $100-$150 more expensive. You can get a good 3-9X40 scope for $300. For $400 you'll get a GREAT 3-9X40 or a GOOD 4-12X40.

Personally I don't see that much advantage to 12X over 9X and I'd rather go with a better scope with less magnification. Even though the image is smaller the quality of the view more than makes up for it.
 
Jason- Natchez has the Weaver Extream 8-32-50 on sale right now for like 325.00. Normally about 700.00. I just picked up 2 of the 6-24-50 from them for 289.00. Weaver scopes are dead on tracking. I would say get the 6-24 like I did, but I got the last 2 they had:D
 
You might want to look at the Redfield (aka Leopold) Revoouti9oh in the 3-12 power.

Comes in around $200
 
fixed power

I'm going to go counter the trend and suggest a fixed 10x, specifically, the Bushnell Elite 10x. They can be had for right around $2oo, have external turrets that can be set to zero, and one can fairly easily fashion a zero stop for under said turret caps.

Been running one for a while on a .22 and the only drawback their has been that the scope does not have parallex adj and comes in to focus at about 50 yds or so, inside that, pretty blurry. My mistake as I should have bought an para adjustable scope. But, beyond 50, with a fair amount of clicking windage and elevation for long range play with the .22, the scope has held up fine. As I don't see a 22-250 as a sub 50 yd rifle, might be OK.
 
I used an inexpensive 4-12X on two occasions when shooting prairie dogs and left it set on 12X. Personally, I would choose a scope with at least 9 or 10X magnification. However, the scope I used wasn't very clear and I'm sure that didn't help. Clarity is just as important as magnification when shooting small targets at longer ranges. For me, clarity would be more important than things like BDC or adjustable parallax in a lower cost scope.
 
I've had good luck with Swift rifle scopes. Swift has been in the optics business for a very long time, and the price/quality ratio with them is excellent.

Well within the budget mentioned.
 
With the well known budget scopes, many get high enough marks.... Until you get to the AO/parallax versions of the same scope; the positive reviews tend to drop off from that point.

Practice focused on consistency will reduce or eliminate parallax issues for the most part.

The mueller I just bought is very clear, seems well built but that's all I can mention at the moment.

I've had a good run with a bushnel banner, but I hear that others were not so lucky.
 
Rickyrick- You will be very Happy with the Muller. I have a 8-32 on my 308. Tracking is awesome. Glass is good. Not sure what size you got, but mine is the 8-32 x 44. I am nnot to hot on the 44mm, but I am getting used to it. The turrets do move a little to easy, but I bench shoot so it has not been a problem yet.
 
It's 3-9x40. I like that it has an itty bitty illuminated dot for low light (the smallest dot I've ever seen) and a German reticle for daylight. The dot isn't much bigger than the crosshairs intersection, at least on mine. Perfect
 
You might take a look at this Weaver 6.5x20x44. It looks very similar to the Intensity 6.5-20X scopes I picked up several years ago. Also similar to the Simmons Whitetai . Classic that Midway has featured over the years, hailed as one of the favorite "cheap scope" options. For $169.95, I think it might suit your needs. I wouldn't mount one on a 30-06, but on a 22-250 or .223, it will probably be fine.www.natchezss.com/6-5-20x44mm-dual-x-matte-finish.html
That would leave plenty in your budget for rings and bases.
If you do want to upgrade to a better piece of glass, the SME vendor has the Burris Fullfield E1 6.5-20X for $279.95.www.natchezss.com/burris-fullfield-e1-6-5x20x50mm-ballistic-plex.html
 
My question would be "what kind of varmints?". If you mean ground squirrels or prairie dogs, then a high magnification scope would be ideal since you would be sitting in one spot and waiting for the buggers to pop up. If you are talking about coyotes, then a mid-range variable would be better so you don't miss the close-in shots. For jackrabbits or such, a mid-range variable works well because there are shots from 5 to 150 yds.

When I first started varmint shooting in CA, varmints meant ground squirrels. I started with a Weaver K4, and it worked great until I saw an ad for the then-new Leupold 6.5-20X. Suddenly, the whisper-thin crosshairs on my Weaver were not fine enough, and the magnification which had worked fine for several years was insufficient. I just had to have the Leupold, so I got one. In the meantime, I had moved to NV, and the game had changed. It was no longer sitting ground squirrels from 100 to 400 yds, now it was jacks from 5 to 150 yds at a dead run. My new sweetie turned kind of sour. I finally traded it for a Leupold 4.5-14X, and that worked fairly well, well enough that now, 35 years later, my 22-250 still wears that scope. I have used it to shoot jacks, rockchucks, ground squirrels, coyotes, and a variety of other so-called varmints, and the low to mid-power variable works quite nicely after all.
 
Going to be getting a savage 12fv 22-250. Want to spend 200-300 on optics for it. I know this is probably like asking what oil do you use so please don't chastise me but what would anyone recommend in that price range to shoot at 200 to 400 yards?
Click to expand...

I have both the fixed 6 and fixed 10 power SWFA SS scopes on two different rifles, I'm extremely pleased with both.

Both scopes have the Mrad cross hair and turrets.

I just ordered another fixed 10 power for another rifle I have.

The price of these scopes is $300.00, I always order mine with the flip up lens covers, that adds a little to the price.

I also get mine with the rear focus adjustment instead of the side focus.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
 
depends on what caliber and what distances you are wanting to shoot with your rifle. I have a henry .17 that I just use the iron sights on and a marlin model 60 that I have a cheap Taurus red-dot site on and a henry .22 that I have a simmons scope on for squirrel hunting at 50 yards.
 
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