Shopping for a .22LR Scope

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  • jrh84

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Jun 9, 2009
    364
    28
    Columbus
    What's your budget, and what are your goals? Trying for groups? Plinking empty soda cans?

    Ingo loves Vortex, and for good reason. I do, too. I've got a pile of them. They're a known quantity.

    I'd say your desire for 18-25X max magnification might be a little misguided. For a 10-22, not sure you'll be able to take advantage of that much power. I always say I'd rather have a good clear 3-9X or 4-12X than a muddy looking 6-24X with mushy turrets that don't track.

    I've got a 4-12X40 AO Crossfire II on a .22 thats just about perfect. 4X is good on the low end if you want to pop a squirrel or blackbird, and 12X on the top end let's me aim well within what the rifle is capable of for accuracy. It tracks well as I dial it up 28 moa up from a 50 yard zero to hit at 200 yards, and is spot on when I go back down. Its what I'd recommend for anyone wanting a a reasonably priced, but quality scope for a .22.

    I'm primarily a target shooter, and I rarely use a BDC reticle. I dial for everything (which is why I prioritize good tracking). A BDC is only correct for one type of ammo in a given set
    of conditions.
     

    Plinker556

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 12, 2020
    68
    8
    Central Indiana
    Sorry about that, I meant to say what I would be shooting....targets only with this one.
    Budget is ideally under $150 ish, this 10-22 is kinda a budget build.

    I've got a 4-12X40 AO Crossfire II on a .22 thats just about perfect. 4X is good on the low end if you want to pop a squirrel or blackbird, and 12X on the top end let's me aim well within what the rifle is capable of for accuracy. It tracks well as I dial it up 28 moa up from a 50 yard zero to hit at 200 yards, and is spot on when I go back down. Its what I'd recommend for anyone wanting a a reasonably priced, but quality scope for a .22.

    Are you able to see .22 holes in paper at 12X ?

    I actually have been leaning toward the 6X18 but I guess its coming down to which reticle I prefer as the price difference isn't a factor.
    I was also thinking the 6x would be more useful indoors at 25 yards if I wanted.
     

    jrh84

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Jun 9, 2009
    364
    28
    Columbus
    Are you able to see .22 holes in paper at 12X ?

    I actually have been leaning toward the 6X18 but I guess its coming down to which reticle I prefer as the price difference isn't a factor.
    I was also thinking the 6x would be more useful indoors at 25 yards if I wanted.

    At 100 yards, sometimes, if the light is right. If I've got a blob of shots (3-5 or more in the general area), I can definitely see them. I can see them better at 12X through the vortex than at 18X on a cheap Bushnell.

    My point earlier was exactly that....you can see more through a better quality 12X than a crappy 18X. To be 100% honest, I have no idea where Mueller falls in the quality spectrum, so don't take this as me poo-pooing them sight-unseen

    This is a bit over your $150 budget, but would without a doubt do what you're wanting to do.

    The BDC reticle works. It's thin enough for precise target shooting, and has the BDC subtensions if you want them. I ignore them 99% of the time.

    https://aaoptics.com/CROSSFIRE-II-6-18X44-AO-RIFLESCOPE-DEAD-HOLD-BDC--BACK-ORDER_p_113.html
     

    KokomoDave

    Enigma Suspect
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    75   0   0
    Oct 20, 2008
    4,500
    149
    Kokomo
    Vortex makes decent optics. You don't need the higher end that they produce. Get ahold of AAoptics on here as he DID have some nice refurbs that carry the warranty.
     
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Oct 3, 2008
    4,184
    149
    On a hill in Perry C
    If you've got good glass a 22 hole at 100 yards is visible at 6x. Another brand you might want to take a look at is Hawke if $ is a consideration. I've got a couple of them and they're fairly decent scopes for the money. Oh, and a lot of the lower priced Chinese scopes are made in the same factory, with the same glass and internals, they just get a different label on them.
     

    Tyler-The-Piker

    Boondock Saint
    Rating - 100%
    101   0   0
    Jun 24, 2013
    4,756
    77
    ><(((((*>
    I have 4 Vortex optics (all from A&A) and love them.
    Had the crossfire II rimfire 2-7×32 on it but now.have the Vortex Crossfire II 3-9×40 on my 10-22 and I've been very happy with it.
     

    Plinker556

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 12, 2020
    68
    8
    Central Indiana
    I have 4 Vortex optics (all from A&A) and love them.
    Had the crossfire II rimfire 2-7×32 on it but now.have the Vortex Crossfire II 3-9×40 on my 10-22 and I've been very happy with it.

    Good to hear, I was just having a hard time justifying the additional cost for this build. This is going to be shooting mostly bulk ammo for the foreseeable future, until things improve with ammo availability and cost. So it's a budget build that can, and will, develop into something better down the road.
    I really like my Vortex Strike Eagle 1x6 I have on another rifle, hopefully the Crossfire II will be just as good.
     
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    Oct 3, 2008
    4,184
    149
    On a hill in Perry C
    The Crossfire will have better glass. The SE has some of the worst glass I've seen so just about anything would be an improvement. Not hating on Vortex in any way, one of my favorite scopes is a Diamondback HP.
     

    TolusD

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jun 23, 2020
    44
    8
    Dream World
    This is what's on my Ruger Precision Rimfire:

    https://www.ritonoptics.com/product/rt-s-mod-3-gen2-2-7x32/

    The BDC dots really do work perfectly for 22LR. I swithced ammo to some of the 60 grain Aguila SSS and pulled it up 2 dots at 100 yards and arced one into the same hole I had just shot with a CCI Mini Mag. I'm a huge fan of RITON. Amazing glass and really practical engineering. And they're built like brick ****houses so you don't have any fear of working with them.
     

    singlesix

    Grandmaster
    Industry Partner
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    May 13, 2008
    7,197
    27
    Indianapolis, In
    One factor besides the scope for seeing hits at 100 yards is the type of paper. Your standard office printer paper is crap. I've found cheap paper plates make excellent target paper. Nice clean round holes.
     

    Plinker556

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jul 12, 2020
    68
    8
    Central Indiana
    Thanks for the tips on cereal box and paper plates!
    I use some splatter target I got off Amazon and they work fairly well but a paper plate with a couple circles is a great idea.
     
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