- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
Looking thru a 10 power fixed scope at a close target ( gopher) is futile as well as trying to sight on a 200 yard 3/4 inch dot.. The variable allows for both short and long shots.
Apologies To The Optics Nazis
- Thread starter mmattockx
- Start date
- Location
- Central Alberta
I picked up a CZ 452 Silhouette model a few years ago and kinda cheaped out on the scope, bought a Tasco 2.5 -10x W/ adjustable objective as a temporary scopeand ended up keeping it on there.Ordinarily, I do not buy Tasco or Simmons or many Bushnells, but i cheaped out! And it works well! No complaints, a good scope for the $$$ in my books. I live in central Ab.there are a ton of gophers, and this combo has been the end of many, many, many gophers and other assorted Varminskis. Kinda surprised that the scope has lasted as well as it has. Plus it came with a cheapa$$ boresighter kit.
My Tasco 6-24 wasn't so great after ~6 years, the reticle would rotate with the zoom adjust, I basically gave it away.
I would concur, an entry level fixed power will be better than a variable version.
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I always get a good chuckle of some shooters... they'll spend some big $ on a centerfire rifle... and will skim on the optic and ammo... and will fire maybe 50 rounds a year...
Then they'll complain about the price of a nice 22lr that they'll shoot every other week... Ho well.
Scopes
For my 17HMR's, I went with a 5-15- 3200 on one, a 6.5-20 44Mag on another, and my American I went with a Browning 5-15. My mach 2 has a 4-12- 3200.
All of my 22's I went with the 2-7 Leupold, lucked out and got them before they became $340.00 each.
I have used the less expensive products from Bushnell and Simmons and on their lower power settings they will work, just not quite as well. FS
For my 17HMR's, I went with a 5-15- 3200 on one, a 6.5-20 44Mag on another, and my American I went with a Browning 5-15. My mach 2 has a 4-12- 3200.
All of my 22's I went with the 2-7 Leupold, lucked out and got them before they became $340.00 each.
I have used the less expensive products from Bushnell and Simmons and on their lower power settings they will work, just not quite as well. FS
- Location
- Thunder Bay ON Canada
Now that's an interesting "take" on the matter.
Photography was my university arts minor, and although I thought it was going to be a bird course, it taught me alot more about optics than my first year physics.
The comment about compromise relates to how variable magnification optics are built. The glass elements all slide in relation to each other to achieve the variable magnification, and the lenses are ground to compromise and minimize the various resulting distortions. Fixed power optics can and usually are built around an optical "sweet spot". (oversimplified, but you get the idea)
Last edited:
Here's my gopher rig. It's an FN98 mauser .22LR heavy barrel, weight 10.5 lbs. Scope is a 3.5-10x40 Mk4 clone with target turrets and side AO. I used to use a fixed 4 power - this scope is the best thing that i ever tried on a .22. I leave it on 10X most of the time. It's easily added 40 yards to my gopher "kill zone" over the old 4X. The mildot reticle works as a practical rangefinder and comes into it's own on 100 - 200 yd gopher shots with the .22LR, The scope glass is surprisingly clear and sharp for a $100 clone, one of the best buys I ever made on ebay.
Last edited:
For plinking or positional shooting 4x and iron sights work well. For precision work a scope with high magnification really makes it enjoyable. Especially with good clear glass.
Those guys who are putting on cheap glass, when it either breaks on you, or you get sick of feeling like you're looking through water then give a good scope a try. I'm pretty sure you won't be buying anymore crap scopes after that. By the way I have a Simmons mag 44 and a BSA scope that I just threw in the garbage. Both came with rifles. They just don't make the cut.
Ever tried a good scope? I just mounted a Bushnell 3200 3-9x40 on a new rifle tonight and there is no comparison between it and the Tasco 3-9 I have on my rimfire. At max magnification it is much clearer, sharper and the eye relief is much less fussy. Now I would like to try a Nightforce or similar level of quality and see if I notice that difference, too. Unfortunately, this discovery has just made shooting significantly more expensive for me...
Mark
Last edited:
I see lots of threads where guys have put ridiculously big scopes on weenie rimfires and thought those guys were nuts to blow that kind of money on glass for a rimfire. Until today...
Well, I was out at the range playing with my Mossberg 140K. I put a new Tasco 3-9x32 rimfire scope on it this spring and wanted to fine tune the zero for 50yds. With max magnification, I could make out the staples holding the targets on the board at 50yds and even managed to hit one, with nice 1"-1-1/4" groups around a couple others. Went out to 100yds and could hardly zero on the 3/4" bull I had on my targets because the crosshairs covered it completely. It was also fussy on eye relief at 9x and generally not as user friendly as I would like. To hit the same targets at 150yds would be a stretch at best, maybe clays would be a reasonable target but nothing less.
I plan on upgrading to a Savage Mk.II BTVS this winter and I will now be spending at least the same on the scope as the rifle. I want rimfire precision out to 200yds or so and I can see that a Bushnell 3200 5-15x50AO is probably going to be the minimum I will live with.
So, to the ones who say glass is critical, even on a .22 rimfire, I have to say you were right and it does matter.
Mark
When I bought my first 22s, the gun shop owner convinced me that a 3-9x32 was all I would ever need. Hell, even with my young eyes, I had trouble seeing gophers past 50m. Good glass with higher magnification sure made a difference, both on paper and in terms of splattered gophers
notsorichguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
I bought my first scope when I was 17, many moons ago.
I got my FAC (thats right a FAC) when I was 16 and my dad gave me a deer rifle (His old one a Model 700 in .243). I was never really happy with that scope, I could shoot the old lever gun with open sights more accuratly out to 250 yrds (oh to have those young eyes again!).
I was at the local Wildlife Federation Range shooting my .243 and my dads .22, when one of the other members came over to talk about what I had, I forget what he was shooting, but long story short, I tried a couple of rounds with his rifle and that was when I "discovered" the help good optics are!
So with the idea of buying a good scope, I started saving up my pennies from my after school job and 3 months later I bought a new Bushnell 4-12 for $400 (ish) if memory serves. I have never looked back, I always seem to spend ALOT on my optics, it just makes sense.....
A good scope is essential IMO, if I can't see it I can't shoot it. I want to have the ability to count the points @ 250 yrds with out digging out the spotting scope.
Cheers!
I got my FAC (thats right a FAC) when I was 16 and my dad gave me a deer rifle (His old one a Model 700 in .243). I was never really happy with that scope, I could shoot the old lever gun with open sights more accuratly out to 250 yrds (oh to have those young eyes again!).
I was at the local Wildlife Federation Range shooting my .243 and my dads .22, when one of the other members came over to talk about what I had, I forget what he was shooting, but long story short, I tried a couple of rounds with his rifle and that was when I "discovered" the help good optics are!
So with the idea of buying a good scope, I started saving up my pennies from my after school job and 3 months later I bought a new Bushnell 4-12 for $400 (ish) if memory serves. I have never looked back, I always seem to spend ALOT on my optics, it just makes sense.....
A good scope is essential IMO, if I can't see it I can't shoot it. I want to have the ability to count the points @ 250 yrds with out digging out the spotting scope.
Cheers!
skeetgunner
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Burlington
The Mark II BTVS just cries out for a Silver Mueller 4.5-14AO.
With silver SigZee rings too.
Last edited:
well, tell you what-couldn't agree with you more those lousy old low powered Leupold fixed power scopes are just plain junk-can't hit a thing with them-and because I'm a nice guy I;ll take it off your hands cheap....after all, it IS no good....
Not saying that a low powered scope is no good, it is just no good for any kind of longer range fine work. For bush hunting in close a 2x is perfect and I don't think anyone here would really call a Leupold a budget brand.
Mark
It all comes down to what sort of shooting you are doing-I just tried out an old single shot cooey that I refinished the stock, cut and crowned the the barrel and filed in grooves to accomodate a cheap 4 x bushnell .22 scope and was pleasantly surprised -it's accurate and will do just fine for plinking and maybe small game which will likely be 50 yards max.Had fun doing it too
Dominion Link
CGN frequent flyer
I realise that this tread has kind of petered out, but I figured I'd add my $0.02.
I have a B+L Elite 3000, 3x9, on my BRNO #1. Nice little tack driver. I like the old B+L Elite and Balvar scopes. Most of my scoped centre fires have Leupolds, but my .22 K- Hornet has a B+L.
My 10-22 wears a red dot scope, which is very handy for dealing with coons in the dark recesses of the barn, and plinking. Originally I had a cheap Bushnell on my 10-22. One day while I was plinking with it the reticle came loose and fell sideways. No apparent reason for it- the gun had never been dropped and it certainly wasn't a recoil issue. That was about 20 years ago and I haven't bought a cheap scope since- for any gun.
I have a B+L Elite 3000, 3x9, on my BRNO #1. Nice little tack driver. I like the old B+L Elite and Balvar scopes. Most of my scoped centre fires have Leupolds, but my .22 K- Hornet has a B+L.
My 10-22 wears a red dot scope, which is very handy for dealing with coons in the dark recesses of the barn, and plinking. Originally I had a cheap Bushnell on my 10-22. One day while I was plinking with it the reticle came loose and fell sideways. No apparent reason for it- the gun had never been dropped and it certainly wasn't a recoil issue. That was about 20 years ago and I haven't bought a cheap scope since- for any gun.
- Location
- Sudbury, On
Ever tried a good scope? I just mounted a Bushnell 3200 3-9x40 on a new rifle tonight and there is no comparison between it and the Tasco 3-9 I have on my rimfire. At max magnification it is much clearer, sharper and the eye relief is much less fussy. Now I would like to try a Nightforce or similar level of quality and see if I notice that difference, too. Unfortunately, this discovery has just made shooting significantly more expensive for me...
Mark
My only magnified optics that I previously owned was that very same "rimfire" 3-9x32 scope.
My new 10-FLCP just got a 6500 2.5-16x40 mounted on it.
And YOU thought you just made it more expensive!
Last edited:
