Hi everyone, I have done lots of searches for a good answer on here and google, but nothing really thats good. I am looking to buy a scope for a 22, which is going to be a Brno model 5. I would say it will be 90% used for gophers/coyotes, 10% for target shooting. What power would be too much for this gun? Do i need to get a scope with AO? Thanks to everyone in advance for any suggestions.
What size of scope for a new shooter with a .22
- Thread starter dewey1680
- Start date
Just get a variable power, that way you can just change it depending on what you want to do, low end for hunting and high end for longer range/target shooting.
I would say yes to AO unless you are just going to get a low powered fixed scope.
I would say yes to AO unless you are just going to get a low powered fixed scope.
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
Get the best variable 4-12 or similar that you can afford for shooting gophers and targets. Then get a centerfire for shooting the coyotes.
Rimfires are marginal at best even in the hands of a seasoned expert for game of that size. Only exception might be for coyotes in traps.
Rimfires are marginal at best even in the hands of a seasoned expert for game of that size. Only exception might be for coyotes in traps.
Thing about what your shortest range shooting is going to be, and then get a variable starting at that range. If it is say 50m, then a 2x or 3x is plenty, and it will also give you a much better field of view than a high powered scope.
My preference for hunting is going to lower power scopes, because they have a much wider field of view. Get a scope with an Adjustable Objective. Most centrefire scopes have parallax set for 100m or so.
A lower power scope is not a disadvantage IF you have reasonable glass, meaning spend more than $100.
My preference for hunting is going to lower power scopes, because they have a much wider field of view. Get a scope with an Adjustable Objective. Most centrefire scopes have parallax set for 100m or so.
A lower power scope is not a disadvantage IF you have reasonable glass, meaning spend more than $100.
For varminting, plinking and some target work. A 4-14x, 4.5-18x is the general compromise. At least that's what I've gone with on my rifles.
Here's a break down of the magnification levels that I chose:
1) Bench guns. I plan on getting a 36x
2) High end varmint/target rifle 6-20x Leupold EFR
3) Semi auto Varmint/target/plinking Falcon 4-14x 44mm Note: I have a 4.5-18x Falcon on my Thompson R55, I upped the magnification a bit due to the known accuracy of these rifles
4) Hunting/plinking, 2-7, 3-9x red dot Or iron sights.
Yes, get a scope with AO. Especially if you plan on doing any target shooting with it. I've used a non AO scope and even with a consistent sight picture, it was frustrating.
There are a few scopes out there that have a parallax adjustment down to 10 yards. 20 yards is common for many indoor ranges. Bushnell Elite, Falcon Menace, Leupold EFR, have this feature. I think some of the Sightrons II might as well but can't confirm at this time. Zeiss conquest lower magnifications only go to 30 yards, while the 6-20x are at 50 yards minimum. So be carefull about this.
Other things to consider, are the crosshairs. I'm a fan of fine duplex, NP-R1 (Night force), ML-16 (falcon) reticles. Make sure to check the different reticles available.
Here's a break down of the magnification levels that I chose:
1) Bench guns. I plan on getting a 36x
2) High end varmint/target rifle 6-20x Leupold EFR
3) Semi auto Varmint/target/plinking Falcon 4-14x 44mm Note: I have a 4.5-18x Falcon on my Thompson R55, I upped the magnification a bit due to the known accuracy of these rifles
4) Hunting/plinking, 2-7, 3-9x red dot Or iron sights.
Yes, get a scope with AO. Especially if you plan on doing any target shooting with it. I've used a non AO scope and even with a consistent sight picture, it was frustrating.
There are a few scopes out there that have a parallax adjustment down to 10 yards. 20 yards is common for many indoor ranges. Bushnell Elite, Falcon Menace, Leupold EFR, have this feature. I think some of the Sightrons II might as well but can't confirm at this time. Zeiss conquest lower magnifications only go to 30 yards, while the 6-20x are at 50 yards minimum. So be carefull about this.
Other things to consider, are the crosshairs. I'm a fan of fine duplex, NP-R1 (Night force), ML-16 (falcon) reticles. Make sure to check the different reticles available.
Homesteader
CGN Regular
- Location
- In a Wallow West of Edmonton.
Given your scenario's I would suggest a fixed 4X rimfire scope of decent quality. I saw a perfect one on the exchange recently, it was a Weaver rimfire fixed 4, same as I have on my 10/22. I like it every bit as much as my leupold 2-7 rimfire which is also an excellent scope just a little more harashy
Found the scope, so I added the link.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364523&highlight=rimfire
Found the scope, so I added the link.http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364523&highlight=rimfire
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I have a 4.5-14 on one and while at times I could do with more magnification, at other times, I could not do with a higher lower end of magnification either. I have a 6-24 on another, and 6x is a lot when you are shooting at some gophers that pop up in the grass only 20 feet away. They are very hard to find if you have too much magnification. So, you're doing like Epoxy says, and making a compromise.
If I could spend the bucks, I'd buy one with as wide a range as possible, and side parallax adjust to ease and speed up the process of shooting at varmints at various distances. Maybe one of those Bushnell elite 6200's?
If I could spend the bucks, I'd buy one with as wide a range as possible, and side parallax adjust to ease and speed up the process of shooting at varmints at various distances. Maybe one of those Bushnell elite 6200's?
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
I'll buck the trend here a bit. There's absolutely no need of something on the order of 4-12, 4.5-14 etc for a new shooter to punch paper and shoot gophers. Most gopher shooting can be easily had within 100 yards which is the 22LR's practical range limit for such things in the hands of the vast majority of shooters. I've shot a boatload of gophers using a fixed 4x (and only maybe a half-dozen using a 22LR and high powered variable, oddly enough) and I believe that a low powered, fixed magnification scope has a few advantages.
1) There is no desire to play with the power setting. For a new shooter this gives them one less thing to think about and allows them to focus on the task at hand - sight picture and release.
2) With a fixed, low-powered scope (4x or 6x) there is no need of an Aadjustable objective set up. As such, there is no chance of an adjustable objective being set at the wrong setting. Again, another feature that then new shooter should not have to contend with.
3) Low power results in a large field of view. This allows the new gopher shooter to easily acquire their target. At 14x the new shooter will be hunting around with the scope until they come across somethign they can see.
Start the new shooter with a 22LR at 25 yards with a 4x scope and let they shoot until they can competently handle the rifle and have acheived good results. Once the shooter has shown profeciency at a given range, increase the range to the target 10 yards and repeat all the way out to 100 yards. Then take them to the gopher patch and turn them loose (with supervision). They will have a hoot shooting gophers out to 100 yards and will never know that they're "handicapped" by not having a mildot scope, 20x top end or adjustable objective. A good new Leupold FX3 (my main gopher rifle, a Ruger 77/22 Target, on the farm wears the old M8 4x and does yeoman's service on critters out to 120 yards) may be pricey ($400 from Prophet River according to their EE ad which makes you an idiot to buy it from WSS at $589!), but a used M8 can be had for cheap (There's one on the EE right now for $250 shipped - maybe not for long though!) and they're fine glass, and covered by Leupold's warranty.
1) There is no desire to play with the power setting. For a new shooter this gives them one less thing to think about and allows them to focus on the task at hand - sight picture and release.
2) With a fixed, low-powered scope (4x or 6x) there is no need of an Aadjustable objective set up. As such, there is no chance of an adjustable objective being set at the wrong setting. Again, another feature that then new shooter should not have to contend with.
3) Low power results in a large field of view. This allows the new gopher shooter to easily acquire their target. At 14x the new shooter will be hunting around with the scope until they come across somethign they can see.
Start the new shooter with a 22LR at 25 yards with a 4x scope and let they shoot until they can competently handle the rifle and have acheived good results. Once the shooter has shown profeciency at a given range, increase the range to the target 10 yards and repeat all the way out to 100 yards. Then take them to the gopher patch and turn them loose (with supervision). They will have a hoot shooting gophers out to 100 yards and will never know that they're "handicapped" by not having a mildot scope, 20x top end or adjustable objective. A good new Leupold FX3 (my main gopher rifle, a Ruger 77/22 Target, on the farm wears the old M8 4x and does yeoman's service on critters out to 120 yards) may be pricey ($400 from Prophet River according to their EE ad which makes you an idiot to buy it from WSS at $589!), but a used M8 can be had for cheap (There's one on the EE right now for $250 shipped - maybe not for long though!) and they're fine glass, and covered by Leupold's warranty.
D 1680
Offering scope buying advice is very easy once you tell us how much money you want to spend on a scope? There are $100.00 scopes that will work just fine, and there are 1000.00 scopes as well. My current favorite for a rimfire is the Weaver 2-7x28, should be right around $199.00. I have several of the Leupold 2-7 x 28 which are now well over $300.00, and I find the Weavers very comparable in image quality. FS
Thank you all for the advice and opinions. Its a tough decision here, always changing my mind. But its great to hear what you experienced guys think, and I think I will go for a fixed power, less things to worry about to start. Older co worker said the same thing to me as well the other day, just learn to shoot good first, get the big toys later. And thanks for the link Homesteader, gonna try to get that weaver as a first scope, heard good things about them. Thanks again everyone.
