223 varmint/range setup?

Vortex makes a solid scope. I just picked up a Nikon M223 for one of my AR15's, though I haven't had a chance to really sight it in. It seems to be a good scope with good, clear glass and BDC reticle. It's adjustable zoom 2-8x. I'm not sure what your price point is, but for $350 I'm happy with it especially considering it's ballisticly calibrated for .223 round.

I used to buy cheap scopes that were not very good. When they got worse I had to spend more money to get better. Cheap scope was not worth the money.

I used to have a cheapy Bushnell Banner scope I bought 15 years ago. As cheap as it was, I took out so many game with it but only up to 150 yards. And it's still running.

I've never had trouble with parallax, so AO has never seemed to be all that important. Probably more helpful in precision paper punching, maybe.

4-12 variable should be great for prairie dogs. More than is needed for deer, although the 4X setting is okay for walking-hunting.

A good rule of thumb is to spend as much money on the scope as you did on the gun.I've been known to spend more.My 223's are a Weatherby Vanguard VGL,a bushmaster AR and a custom Remington 700.The Weatherby wears a 3X9 Leupold VX II,a good little lightweight rifle that will do good out to about 250 yards.The AR has a 3X9 Mark AR that has a nice elevation turret that's set up for most popular 223 loads.I can tear up milk jugs at 600 yards with it.The 700 has a VX-II 6X18 with an adjustable objective.It has a Shilen barrel,is well tuned and will shoot into less than 3 inches at 600 yards regularly.I try to match the optic to what I want to use the rifle for,and am a firm believer in buying a scope that has a good reputation and a lifetime warrenty.I have a good number of Leupolds,and have had to send a few back for repairs.Not one time was there ever a question from them.They fixed them all for free.Vortex also stands behind their products very well.My wife likes to shoot the AR,and one day she switched it for my 22 with a more "economical" scope.She scrunched her eyes and said "what the hell's wrong with this scope?"That's the difference.The 700 will be my groundhog gun this summer,and I'm hoping to get it done beyond 500 yards.I think that's a reasonable expectation for a very good rifle with a very good optic.

If target shooting is important to you, get the AO. This will make the target appear sharp and clear, even way out there. You can also use it as a rangefinder. If you know what yardage it is adjusted to be clear at, not always the mark on the scope, you can adjust it so that it is clear and have a close estimation of range.

All Leupold VX3's and Mark IV's on my rifles. Took me many years to get all converted over but it was worth it.

My long range varmint .223 is a SAvage model 11 topped with a Leupold VX3 4.5-14x50mm scope