Looking to top a Remington model 5 in .17hmr and a Marlin model 983s in .22mag. I'm just trying to figure out what size of objective as well as magnification. These will pretty much be gopher rifles; out to 100-150yrds +/- max. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
what size of scope would you use??
- Thread starter stefK
- Start date
I have 3-9x42 scopes on all of my rimfires, and they do a good job, but at 150 yards and beyond, a little more magnification certainly wouldn't hurt for shooting gophers. A 4-12/14x40/42 or so would likely be ideal, but many scopes in that magnification are quite large to mount on a sporter weight rimfire.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
14X or 16X top magnification with a fine cross hair.If just gophers you are after I see no need to go over 40mm, those little guys aren't out much in low light no need for a 50mm.
A fixed 36X scope would be brutal to use gopher shooting. You would spend all your time trying to find the gopher in the scope that you can easily see with your naked eye. Too much power and field of view too small. If you want to go high power it needs to be a zoom, that you go up in power after you have located the gopher in the scope.
I use a 6-18x50 AO Bushnell Banner. A friend uses a 3-9x40 not AO. He easily gets more gophers than I do as he locates them faster. I take my time and like to get them into focus, so I can shoot a little further with accuracy, but little doubt I get fewer of them.
Shooting gophers is all about estimating wind drift and drop. My longest shot so far is 140 yards with a .22LR. If you want a scope really suited to gopher shooting, I would look for one that has a ballistic reticle. You won't likely find one that is "calibrated" for .22's, but it does not matter. You will quickly sort out what the various lines mean for drop and drift. The important part is to just have them there. Black powder scopes often have ballistic reticles as they also drop a lot. Cabelas may sell some under their name.
My 3-9x40 on my 17 HMR is okay but I would like a little more for the longer shots, a 4-12 power would be ideal in my view. 40mm objective is fine, as previously mentioned, gophers arent out in low light so a 50mm bell just makes you need higher rings which may make a consistent cheek weld hard to facilitate.
My 17 HMR is shot from bipod or table, I scan with it on 3X then zoom in for the kill. My .22 is typically shot offhand and closer, (dumber) gophers and it is topped with a 1-4X scope.
- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
On my Marlin 81 .22 I use a Bushnell 3x9x40 and a 6x24x50 on my Mossy 144lsb. Easily shoot out to over 200 yards with great vision with the Mossy and Marlin takes the nearer ones.
