[sonny]

I need a scope for a 10/22 whadaya think $100 bucks will get me?

[Art Eatman]

Go to a gunshow and dicker over a good used Weaver
K4 and have $60 left over.

:), Art

[sonny]

Art Eatman,thanks for the quik reply...I'm looking to buy something new and was just wondering what was availlable in that price range.

[Art Eatman]

While I'm serious about the K4 for all-around usefulness, there are a whole bunch of decent scopes in the $50 to $100 range.

As a generality, an el-cheapo fixed-power scope will be more reliable than a variable of similar cost.

Folks swear both by and at Tascos.

Bushnells seem to be fairly reliable for casual use. With a .22, you're not gonna be fiddling with the adjustments all the time, anyway.

Browse the various manufacturers' websites. That will give you an idea of what's out there. Working from a back-issue (or current copy) of Shotgun News will give you some more notions of brands, models and costs.

But I would stay away from the "no-names" shown in Shotgun News...

:), Art

[cratz2]

I hate to recommend against what you're looking at, but I agree with Art - under $100, there is nothing on the market that will compare to a used steel tube Weaver. Nothing! Clearer, brighter, will last probably forever.

If you're really set on getting a brand new scope under $100, I guess a BSA or Bushnell Dusk & Dawn. I own both (several BSAs and the D&D 4-12x) and would gladly trade them for a steel tube 2.5x, 4x or 6x. No comparison.

[Stinger]

My 10/22 wears a Tasco 4x. It cost about $25 at Wal-Mart. I bought it a couple of years ago, thinking I would replace it in a couple of months with something better/nicer, but it works for me. 100 yards is about my max with the 22, and it works just fine.

Stinger

[MP-44]

Simmons 4X32 Pro-Air. Or for just $12 over your limit a Swift 4X12X40.

[Art Eatman]

MP-44's recommendation gets us back to the old, "Whatcha gonna use it for?"

12X gets you up close and personal, for sure, but the field of view is a bit narrow for wandering along squirrel hunting. It's a bit "shaky" for offhand plinking at tin cans; your own wiggles appear magnified. The Swift seems to be an okay scope, though.

Not knocking anything, but my variables spend more time down on low magnification than on the high side...

I traded into a rifle with a Tasco 3x9 on it and moved the scope to my 10/22. So far, works just fine...

Art

[MP-44]

The Swift seems to be a lot of scope for the money. I will admit I don't have mine cranked to 12x all the time but it does see its fair share of use when shooting fun targets which it seems a lot of people use their .22 s for. I like bottle tops, beer caps etc. @ 75+ yds or even those little wooden ball from the car seat covers at 50yds. Thats when I use the 12X. But now that I think of it the amount of time on 12X might be less than the lower settings ( hunting ) but for amout of ammo fired the 12X is tops.

[JohnBT]

Some of the folks at www.rimfirecentral.com like the Simmons 1022T 3-9x32 (I think it's a 32.) The prices seem to run from $99 to $139 depending on who has them on sale.

Sorry I can't help more. Drop by and search the old posts for other suggestions. I haven't really paid attention to the smaller scope info you need because the last two scopes I bought were 36x Weavers and the one before that was a Leupold 6.5-20EFR.

John

[TJC]

For the money look for a new Simmons. They have numerous models for right around and less than what you are looking to spend.
Check out Midway catalogue for sales on the Simmons scopes. There is usually at least one in the sale section.

The other advice about a used steel tube Weaver is also very good. I have a Marling .22 Mag bolt gun that wears a Weaver 3x9 that is older than I care to admit. Great scope and always reliable.

[Zip06]

JohnBT is right on the money. I purchased a Simmons 1022T for my 10/22 and couldn't be happier. Its bright, rugged and most importantly, has an adjustable objective. You also need to brush up on the base for the scope and the mounting rings. The base that comes with the Ruger is cheesy. Mine is mounted on a Weaver TO-9 base ($6.00) and Millet rings. You also need to get that 8 pound trigger down to about three pounds. That means a Volksquarten Target Hammer ($32.00).

John is also right regarding www.rimfirecentral.com. They have everything you ever wanted to know about rimfires in general and 10/22's in particular.

[Art Eatman]

Funny about "old" scopes. I don't need a fixed 10X, so I swapped out the Weaver K10 off my father's .220 Swift. He put that scope on in 1952.

And then there's the 1930s Kollmorgen 2.75X, as bright as ever...A 1950s Weaver K2.5.

They aren't as bright as today's scopes, but they work...

:), Art

[JohnBT]

You're right Art, but you know where those old scopes have been and who owned them. A decent scope bought today might be around years from now too. Whether or not a C note will buy a real keeper these days is another discussion, but a Leupold
3-9EFR is only $312 so there must be something good between $100 and $300.

Onward...

According to the 1967 Shooter's Bible, the Weaver K4 listed for $45 and the K10 was $59.50.

Let's see, if minimum wage back then was $1.15 and hour and it's about $5.35 now, then a new K4 today might cost around $209.35.

Now, just for the history of it, the book shows the Weaver A4 for $18.75, the C4 for $9.75, the V9 for $69.50 and the V22 for $14.95.

I knew some folks who had the $10 scopes way back when. Not good. Blurry and fragile. Sounds like Tasco.


John

[Art Eatman]

Yeah, in constant-dollar terms, lotsa stuff is cheaper. Trouble is, too many salaries haven't kept up.

My Wby Mk V retailed for $350 in 1970. A brand new plain-vanilla pickup truck retailed for $2,400. The rifle is less than three times as much, now, I think, but the truck is up by over five times.

As near as I can tell from the various discussions at TFL and a bit of comparison in a couple of gunstores, the overall best quality for the money is the Leupold. If you need bells and whistles, you'll pay for them, but the "just a good, working scope" versions are rather reasonable.

Art

[Ron L]

Currently, I have two scopes that I've gotten great bargains on.

First is a Sears/Ted Williams, made by Weaver, 1960's 3x fixed power scope. The thing is amazingly clear and bright. Bought it at a gunshow for $20. It's also seen some limited use on my shotgun during deer season.

Second is a Tasco World Class 2x7, not the rimfire one, the regular rifle/shotgun one. Picked up in a clearance bin at Dunham's for, you guessed it, $20. I've had Tasco scopes before and never had problems with them. I'd put this on is my Marlin 357 lever gun if need be.

[Johnpl]

I put a Simmons Deerfield 3-9x on my 10/22 and love it. Bright, clear and looks nice on the rifle. Cost about $40 at Walmart if I remember correctly. At that price, it may have been a discontinued model sell-off, though...

[bad_dad_brad]

Weaver rimfire classic 4X28. A great scope. Mine was $99. Very clear and crisp. I put mine on a Marlin .17 bolt action.

[JohnBT]

Art,

I know what you mean about rising prices. I bought a new Datsun B210 in 1975 for around $2400. My '86 4WD Subaru wagon with a dual-range 5-speed, skid plates and armored exhaust system was $11k. Top of the line 2002 Forester was $24k and it has more gizmos on it than I would have believed possible, but I wanted to get the limited slip diff and disc brakes all the way around. Found out I really like the giant sunroof, too.

Looking at the possibility of early retirement in a year or two is making me much more aware of the rate of increase in prices vs. a fixed income and increasing insurance costs. My next door neighbor retired from nursing 14 years ago and I've seen what happens to income vs. property taxes and utility bills.

Back to scopes, I've always been envious of people finding good deals. I don't think they exist at the gun shows here. Or the stores either for that matter.

OTOH, there are lots of gun owners in Virginia and they prefer private sales because the dealers won't give them much on trades.

I guess I'll keep buying expensive new scopes since staring at a target through bad glass for any length of time will give you a headache and make you go blind - and I'm already 1/2 blind and wearing expensive glasses.

I think for a new hunting scope I'd look at the lower priced Leupolds, the Weaver Grand Slams and V-series, and maybe the Swift line. I'm sure there are others that will work just fine, but the older I get the more inclined I am to pick up the phone and say "Send me the good stuff."

John

[cratz2]

Nicest, brightest and bestest scope I've ever looked through cost me $225. A banged up 26mm Swarovski sniper scope. Steel tube and objective and aluminum ocular bell, German No 1 reticle. This thing is SO bright, it's unbelievable. Glass is perfect. I'd buy about three more if I could find them. I've bought a new 30mm 6x42 Swarovski and a 30mm 2.something -10 Zeiss and neither are of the quality of this old Swarovski. They're good... great even, just not as good. I keep moving it from rifle to rifle, whichever I'm shooting the most.

Right now, in my opinion, the best value is the Weaver Grand Slam 3-9x40. Nice and bright and clear, seems reliable enough, only time will tell for sure. The Nikons are also very good but seemt to vary a bit too much from scope to scope. Some are stunning, some are less so - all are as good optically as Leupold. But people still line up for Leupold. Good quality, good glass, excellent warranty, just the VarixX IIIs seem over priced and I just can't see spending the money over the Grand Slams.

The deals are out there... you just have to keep looking.

http://photos.imageevent.com/cratz2/guns//DCP_1784a.jpg

[foghornl]

I just picked up a Tasco 4x32, with rings for $25 at my friendly local Dunhams Sporting Goods. Works good on my Marlin 99. I have had several other Tasco's over the years, and always got decent performance from them. For an inexpensive "knocking around the zoo" scope, works for me.

[Sleeping Dog]

The Simmons 22-Mag 3-9x32 AO seems bright enough and it's in your price range.

Regards.

http://www.picturefuse.com/images/1102/11283.jpg