Varmint Rifle Scopes?

S

SRE

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This is for all you longer range varmint/ target shooters that prefer the smaller calibers (ie. .17 Remington .204 Ruger, .22-250).... What kind of scopes do you have on your rifles? Looking to put a new scope on my .204 Ruger, just do not know what yet. I have currently on my .22-250 a Bushnell 6-24 x 40mm and thats just fine, but looking for other options.

Thanks!!
 
i like burris scopes. they are excellent scopes for the money. they are very clear and IMO easily on par with Leupold and others. i have 3 so far and will be buying more (7mm-08, 35 whelen, and 17 hmr, all fullfield 2 4.5-14x42's)
 
I have a Mueller 8x32x40 on my Thompson center Precision hunter .204 ruger. I have it set at 24 for 100 yard shooting it has the target dot with fine reticle, price was $229, i prefer it over my Nikon Monarch 5x20x44 that I have on another rifle.
 
I have 2 Sightrons one 6.5x20, one 4x16 and one Leo 6x18 I really lean toward the Sightron just seems clearer, ajdusts better, for me. Their mounted on a ,223 and 22-250. The 4x16 is waiting for a 25-06 XCR coming to my home SOON :)
 
I have a Burris 12X with a fine plex reticle on my 220 Swift. Most variables of the cheaper variety tend to not be real clear at the higher magnification. Now, if you want a real clear scope and don't mind the price, may I suggest from personal experience a Nightforce.
Ralph
 
i would have to agree with Ralph on the Nightforce. i have a 5.5-22 on a custom .308. its probably going to be the only one i ever own though unless i come into a lot of money. they are very expensive but they are the perfect thing for a high end rifle. sightrons are good scopes too, not nightforce good, but i would say burris or maybe leupold good

just wanted to add that the turret clicks on my burris scopes are very clean and there is no backlash. that is one of the major things i look at when getting a scope
 
First off, the two applications may seem similar to non-hunters, but IME varmint hunters typically max out at around 16X or so, and target shooters usually start at around 16X for scopes and go up from there. The reason is that even if you are shooting ground squirrels, there is no need for that much magnification, in fact it usually gets to be a problem becasue animals move and holding a rifle steady with that much magnification is a challenge. Target shooters, on the other hand, shoot from steady benches with adjustable rests, and their targets do not pop up at varying ranges or suddenly jump up and run 25 yards off to one side. So, like I said, different applications.

That said, I have a Leupold 4.5-14X VX III on my 22-250. I started out with a 4X with fine crosshairs (it worked just fine out to about 400 yds or so), switched to a Leupold 6.5-20X, then stepped down a notch to the 4.5-14X. Too much magnification is hard to use in the field, you can't find animals up close in the narrow FOV, and if they move you've got to go looking for them all over again.
 
My target .223 (Howa 1500) wears a Mueller Eraticator, and for me, it's the perfect combo. It's one of the few variable power scopes I've owned that holds its accuracy and clarity through all magnifications.
 
SRE: My 5 varmint rifles are in cal.'s .221 Fireball, .204 Ruger, .22-250. Scopes and main complaints, are: Nikon Monarch 5-20X (poor glass quality compared to older AO Monarchs) and Buckmaster 6-18X ("tunnel vision"); Bushnell 4200 Elite 6-24X SF (excessive lash in side-focus) and 3200 Elite 7-21X (no major gripes, esp. at closeout price, although I'm now sold on side-focus and it's AO); 20X Supersniper/Tasco (glass not the greatest, controls are either "sticky" or "mushy".) As one might presume, these are lower-mid and mid-level scopes, and their performance pretty much reflects that: decent, but not great. Am looking to gradually upgrade most of these, and I'm looking at Leupold, Zeiss, Sightron, and maybe Minox (although have heard of some QC problems with that brand.) Swarovski would be the high-end (for me) choice, not only because of their quality but also because their relatively light weight and reasonable size (1" models) should work well on varmint rifles carried in the field.
As for magnification, I say buy as much as you can afford; with variable power you can always dial it down.
 
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I really like the VX-3 4.5-14x50mm on my Savage 22-250... Its far easier to use than the Leupold 6.5-20x50mm AO on my other 22-250, although the 20X comes into its own when going after small targets such as ground squirrels at long range.. But for 95%+ of my needs the 14.5-14x is a better...

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If the scope is on 32X, you get to see the rodent better before the shot.

If the scope in on 4X, you get to see the rodent fly through the air.
 
take a look at the vortex 6.5x20-50 30mm tubes good price and quality well be the scope i buy most likely for my rifles
 
Depending on what price point you want I have been happy with Mueller, Vortex and Nightforce. Big difference in prices, I think the Vortex is the best bang for the buck. You get excellent glass, rock solid, precision adjustments and a life time warranty that goes with the scope (good resale) and it's made in the USA if that matters.
 
On my 22-250 I have a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20x40mm I have been very satisfied with the quality,my 6mm sports a Leupold VXIII 4.5-14X40mm which works well.My favorite glass Leupold VXIII 4.5-14x50mm w/30mm tube and iluminated reticle sits on top of my 7mm rem mag.I have a Leupold VXIII 3.5-10X50mm w/illuminated reticle I still have this one uninstalled sitting in the safe waiting for the right rifle.
 
I own/ shoot several varmint rifles from classic single shot to bolt guns in .14 caliber but I think the best by far that I've used is the Leupold 8.5X25 with the varmint hunter reticle that I have on a Dakota Predator in 20TAC, it's light, clear, the reticle is practical for hunting and the 30mm tube with side focus is tops in it's class IMHO.
 
My reach-out-and-touch varmint rifle is a 220 with a Leupold Vari-X III 6.5X20X50, with a 30 mm tube and the fine crosshairs. Maybe it's the 30 mm tube, but that scope is bright way into the dusk. I've had it for some years now, but after hunting with my other rifles, I'm always surprised all over again at how clear and bright that scope is. None of the other scopes I have (all 1 inch tube Leupold Vari-X III's and Burris Fullfield II's, one VXII, and a few others) are in the same league. There is a noticeable difference, and I feel like I can hit anything I can see (which takes me to the limits of my open pastures, which is about 500 yards), though I haven't tested that feeling out past about 350. I don't have any Nightforce or US Optics or any of the high dollar German scopes, so I can't comment on how they all compare.
 
Wow thanks guys! Reading all your responses has been awesome and insightful. I am going to check out some Vortex and Nightforce scopes tomorrow. Looked at Steiner Scopes today (awesome yes, but too much $ it seems like as I can probably find a comparable for half the price).

Thanks for the info/ feedback on magnification preferences. That has been helpful. My Bushnell 6x24 has been great on the .22-250's and .17's. I tend to stick with things that work well but it's time for a change.
 
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