Help me with a 22LR scope please

[Markbrowning]

Hello all, yet again I am looking for the knowledgable PW guys to offer me their advise.

 

Looking at getting a scope for a 22LR, I am after quality but most of all value for money. I don't really want to spend anymore than I have to for the task at hand.

Will be a mixture of 25m club shooting and taking it out into the field for the usual bunnies / squirrels etc. Which I would imagine would be engaging up to and around 100m. I am looking for solid & reliable accuracy, although I like to see a good group I'm no match grade shooter. Recreational not comps.

 

So first question, am I better off with a 2-7x33 or a 3-9x40? Would both of them collect enough light for the occasional low light shoot, or would 50mm be a consideration? I was keen to keep a good cheek weld and go for lower profile scope.

 

Secondly the complexities of AO/ parallax. Some people would say just get a fixed Rimfire scope set at 50m parallax whilst under x10 mag, and any differences from close range up to 100m will be negligible. Others would say go for a fully adjustable objective.

How much more accurate will a AO be? At what ranges? Is it worth the extra faff? I would be going for a mil dot or mil dot variant with a reticule suitable for bullet drop. So a fixed closer range parallax and just use the reticle graticules, or just go with AO?

 

The scopes I am looking at so far:

 

Various Hawke scopes, Sport HD, Airmax & panorama in either 2-7, 3-9 AO / non AO

 

Nikon prostaff 3-9x40

 

Nikon p-rimfire 2-7x32

 

Bushnell AR22

 

Leupold vx1 2-7x32 (ideally not wanting to spend that much)

 

If anyone has any experience with the above and has an opinion with the above questions would love to hear from you.

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

[Guest stevo]

I have the airmax 30 SF with the AMX retical on my cz455 and love it . Not a bad thing to say about it .

[Paddy Galore!]

I started out with a hawke 3-9x50, it was plenty good enough for rimfire ranges, and was fine under a lamp, although the lamp had to go on a little earlier as it's cheap for a reason and the light gathering capabilities aren't exceptional.

currently have a leup vx111 on there and apart from the fact it's clearer and gathers more light, it's not really any better.

[Savhmr]

A fixed parallax (50 or 75m) is fine; 6x42. It's all any 22LR really needs. Avoid zoom scopes unless you really feel the need would be my advice. The extra elements needed increase effects of internal aberrations and reduce light gathering ability. I use a 4 x 32 on my WMR and have never felt the need for more tbh but I rarely shoot more than 100yds with it. Most decent 6 x 42s are fine. Simmons offer some good vfm scopes in used Philippines made guise but avoid newer ones (optically not as good). Most older scopes use lead in the optics as it produces better optics, so cheaper newer scopes will never be a match for a reasonable older one of say 10 to 20 years of age, as lead is no longer used AFAIK for optics. You do have to pay a lot for really decent glass these days but for 22LR ranges, it's unnecessary. I use a humble Gameking 4-9 x 40 on my 22Lr as that's hat I bought it with. It's not great but does the job well enough.

Edited June 14, 2015 by Savhmr

[bicykillgaz]

Depends on budget but I don't think you can go wrong with meopta 6x42 fixed mag, about £110-£150 secondhand and you won't find better for the money.

[1066]

What ever you buy just make sure it will focus down to 25 yards, not all of them will.

[kent]

spend as much as you can but you don't actually need more than a 7mm exit for light. 4x32, 6x42, 8x56 objective divided by magnification gives 7 in all these in theory they are equally as bright.

 

Adjustable parallax can make a difference to scores o the range but it wont help much in the field were you wont be able to twiddle it. Parallax error effectively means for simple explanation the cross hair will wander to different points on the target as you don't look exactly central through the scope, so you might well be seeing the aim point as dead centre but its really a little low, to the left, right etc.

 

Mag levels are as simple as this 4x effectively gives the same image you might see without magnification at 25 yards at a 100 yards target , 8x 12.5 yards etc. The issue with too high a magnification in the field is it shows you all your wander in the aim, often leaing to lack of confidence and a snatched trigger pull, the better an image you can get in competition as long as you are not under time pressure the better. Look at .22 prone shooters in action though they have effectively an open sight and can pretty much put bullet on bullet through a card.

 

A 3-9 x is perhaps the most versatile scope ever made and be warned it costs a lot more to keep swapping scopes than it does to by a good one in the first place. I think my newest out of quite a lot is maybe 6 yrs old ( it was also bought second hand ) and most are 10 or greater. You can improve a rifle but you will seriously struggle to improve a scope that's not right, a gun can only shoot as well as the sight

[Carman06]

Can't give you loads of advice from experience but I just put a 4-16x50 IR AO Hawke vantage on my CZ452 and loving it on the 25 and 50 yard range. Cost me £139 so not too bad.

[steve_b_wales]

Most Hawke scopes carry a 10 year warranty.

[iain]

I've got a eBay cheap 3-10 x 40 leoupold Chinese copy on mine £30.00 delivered. Does the job. Use it with a NV add on and it's fine. Might have a 6-18x40 Nikon buckmaster for sale in a few days. Pm me if interested.

[Markbrowning]

Thanks for everyone's thoughts & opinions so far, it's much appreciated!

 

People running a 50mm scope on the CZ, what height scope mounts do you have and do you find you get a good cheek weld on the standard stock?

 

Iain, thanks very much for the offer, but I'm not looking for that sort of magnification on a 22lr.

 

Regarding Hawke, does the quality of the glass change from let's say from a Sports HD, Airmax, panarama etc. Or is it just the features and magnification that puts up the price?

[Paddy Galore!]

my first hawke was a cheapy, about 50 quid, I had a really expensive hawke later and it was no clearer.

I also had problems with CZ stocks at the time as they were a bit agricultural to say the least so I ended up with a sako which is a much nicer gun to handle, I had medium height rings for the hawke which gave it just enough room between the barrel and scope.

[welshwarrior]

S&B 4x36 was my favourite but also have o e with a S&B 6x42

[wymberley]

The Redfield range is worth a look.

[Carman06]

The mounts on my hawke vantage are the ones that came with the scope. I find the position just right for me with good cheek on the CZ.

[zx10mike]

bsa sweet 22 with all the ballistics done check em out .cheap too

Edited June 16, 2015 by zx10mike

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, hawke now do a dedicated rimfire scope??? i am getting a CZ455.22 LR and this scope

[ShootingEgg]

I have a 3-9x50 ao nikko stirling mount master on both my 22 an 17, and for £75 cant really go wrong...

[kent]

I use a 6x42 S+Bender on the .22, I don't use it at any clubs though. It works just fine to ranges I will get doubters, wouldn't be my choice for anything but fun paper punching though

[Savhmr]

bsa sweet 22 with all the ballistics done check em out .cheap too

 

For a reason. Made in China, relatively poor optics, so-so build quality.

 

I'd rather save for something a little better personally.

 

Comparing one of my older Walther scopes (used about £30 now) with a new BSA sweet 22, I'd rather have the Walther. I saw the BSA's price and thought it worth a look, but was left disappointed.

 

Not all Chinese made scopes are that poor though. Like anything else out of China, it depends on the originating country's design spec, and the quality control at the factory.

[Albert 888]

Nikko stirling dimond what ever mag your happy with,they are cheap and very clear for the money you can see 224 holes at 100m easy.

My scope for indoor 25 yards and hunting is a leupold vx3 6-20-40 efr, the leupold is a great buy if you can get a little used secondhand version. For 25yrd indoors I shoot on 18 mag. Im mainly target tho. The reticule on the leupold may be too fine for dusk till dawn tho,the nikko are illuminated fire dot.

[Markbrowning]

Everytime I think I have come to a decision I change my mind or read something else to pull me in another direction.

 

I suppose I could just start off with something like a hawke, if I don't like it or fancy something better I could just donate it to the air rifle.

[kent]

 

For a reason. Made in China, relatively poor optics, so-so build quality.

 

I'd rather save for something a little better personally.

 

Comparing one of my older Walther scopes (used about £30 now) with a new BSA sweet 22, I'd rather have the Walther. I saw the BSA's price and thought it worth a look, but was left disappointed.

 

Not all Chinese made scopes are that poor though. Like anything else out of China, it depends on the originating country's design spec, and the quality control at the factory.

 

You think walther scopes are made in Germany?

[The Heron]

Some good advice on here there is nothing wrong with a Hawk or Nikko Sterling on a rim fire I have just watched this weeks The Shooting Show rabbit special and on there they have a rim fire with a Swarovski z6 mounted, £1000 + for a rim fire scope talk about overkill, just for the record I have a second hand Hawk on my .22lr.

[Albert 888]

OK all the advice you get is from what people have or have used on a mates rifle. Including my own advice. This isn't a target shooting forum it's a pigeon shooting forum with some target shooters on it. If your on a budget buy secondhand local if you can. The hawks and the mtcs I have looked through are ****. As I say I use 18 mag at 25yrds with a fine tuneable leupold vx3 6-20-40 efr scope. I do well freehand with it. Hunting in daylight is very good but ask dusk approachs I find the crosshairs to faint. It's horse's for courses. Whatever you do most buy a scope to suit. Have a look through as many scopes ad you can. ATB Albert.