Fixed scope for gophers: 4X vs. 6X

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evan the cdn

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I want to try a fixed scope on my next rimfire (10/22) and it's probably going to be used mostly for gophers. Would you recommend spending a little extra to get a Leupold 6X or would you go for something with 4X magnification?

Here's my list of possibles right now:

Leupold FX-II 6 X 36mm $359 at Prophet River
Leupold FX-I 4x28 Rimfire $309 at Prophet River
Nikon Buckmasters 4 x 40mm $260 at Cabela's
Weaver Rimfire 4 x 28mm $???? Haven't found a Canadian source yet.
Nikon Prostaff 4 x 32mm $140 at Cabela's
 
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Off hand shots or from a rest???

If you are gonna have a rest then the higher power would be an advantage for longer shots. However if you are planning to use it for offhand shooting then the higher power can make it a little harder to find the target quickly.
 
I've got my CZ 452 Varmint with a Bushnell 6500 2.5-16x40 for the longer shots. For this one I was planning on using a bipod and I would guess it'll be used for mostly <100 yards.
 
I have a straight 4X on my gopher gun (10/22) and it works well out to about 75 yards, which is probably about as far as I can regularly hit the little buggers. If I had a 22 mag or 17 HMR, I would go with a 6X or 3X9.
 
I use variables; usually 4-12's on my rimfires - mostly because you don't usually see AO's on smaller scopes. In the field, I usually leave them set at around 9 or 10 power (any higher and I find the light levels REALLY start to fall off), with the AO set for 40 to 50 yards. Set like this, shots from about 20 yards to a hundred are relatively easy, though the super-close 5-yard ones are more challenging. I also REALLY like mil-dots, for easy reference points to assist 'walking it in' in high winds or long distances.

With a little experience and a comfortably setup rig, the higher magnification doesn't make it at all hard to find your target.
 
evan the cdn,
I've got the two Leupold scopes you mentioned and the 2-7 Rimfire as well. Any will work, but if you want to run the 6X it might be better to send it to Korth and get the parallax set for about 75 yards. Much will depend on the actual .22 you are mounting it on, a bigger gun would also be a good match with a 3-9 EFR or 4-12 AO and smaller, trimmer ones will look better with the 4X Rimfire and 2-7 Rimfire.
 
Dogleg said:
evan the cdn,
I've got the two Leupold scopes you mentioned and the 2-7 Rimfire as well. Any will work, but if you want to run the 6X it might be better to send it to Korth and get the parallax set for about 75 yards. Much will depend on the actual .22 you are mounting it on, a bigger gun would also be a good match with a 3-9 EFR or 4-12 AO and smaller, trimmer ones will look better with the 4X Rimfire and 2-7 Rimfire.
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Thanks for the input Dogleg. Who is Korth?


...Also, what is the parallax set to on the Leupold FX-II 6x36??? I can't find it listed anywhere.
 
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the 4x and 6x fixed scopes seem to be too restrictive for the longer shots. All my .22s have a variable 3x9x or greater for gophers....it lets you shoot close at 3-4 x and further at 9x....much easier to see them in the grass and further away with the extra power.
 
I'd miss having a variable. The edge in optical properties that might be gained by going to a fixed power scope doesn't afford me any advantage out in a gopher field. If I was going to spend money on anything, it would be a variable with side focus or just a plain variable 3-9 or 4.5-14 or something in that range.
 
evan the cdn said:
Thanks for the input Dogleg. Who is Korth?


...Also, what is the parallax set to on the Leupold FX-II 6x36??? I can't find it listed anywhere.
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Korth is the Canadian distributor and warranty center. The Rimfire scopes are parallax free at 60 yards, the muzzleloader/shotgun series at 75 and most of the big game scopes around 150, maybe edging closer to 200. There are several possibilities in the shotgun series for you as well. I have a lot of respect for the leupold fixed 6s (fx 11 and 111) , and with a parallax reset they would be a great .22 scope as well. Better in most ways then some that say rimfire on them.
 
Why go with a fixed scope? Is it so you can judge hold over without the use of mildots or drops just for fun?
Personally, I take as much magnification as I can afford on every rifle I own. Better to have it and not use it than want it and not have it. Just my opinion though.
 
Even I had a Leupold 4x on one of my 22's and i changed it out for a 3-9. I have a BRNO with an old fixed 6x from Weaver, but it is a huge scope. My favorite rimfire scope is the Leupold 2-7, followed closely by the newer Weaver 2-7. Compact, great optics, can't beat them in my opinion.
That said I have a lovely older Bushnell Banner in a 6x I'd be happy to sell you. FS
 
I use an 1981 vintage Leupold 8x40AO scope on my bolt action. It has the very fine target crosshairs and is parallax adjustable down to 25 yards. Works very well in the gopher patch.
 
I've been told that some regular scopes don't work well with rimfires, and can even be damaged, because the recoil is "different". I'd like to put my 25 year old Leupold 3-9 scope on my Savage 17HMR heavy barrel, but I'm a bit worried about it.

Any opinions on this?
 
I just got back from a gopher derby in southern SK. The 2 rifles I took were a 10-22 and a Rem 7 223, both wore a copy of the Leupold 3.5-10X40 mil dot jobbies. Both performed very well, shots with the 22 ranged from 3ft to 107 yards, (paced to confirm) and the 223 was picking them off out to 200 regularily. Optics were good and neither scope gave any problems, despite bouncing around fields in & out of trucks for many hours, sometimes not too gently either. These had the side adjust objective, and that worked well also. 10 is lots of power, but the 3X was the most common setting. The mildot was easy to aim and use. Over 200 prairie poodles met their maker with this set up, kinda slow, but they had snow and -10 the night before, kept the activity down.
 
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I went out today to sight in my Vortex crossfire 3.5 - 10 X 50 on my R-55. I would adjust the variable to where it felt good for all shooting ranges with out looking at the actual magnification. It was almost always at or around 6 x . I have a 4x on my BL-22 and always found it a little low for my taste. The Crossfire is only 149.00 so its a good .22 scope for the buck.
 
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