Good varmint scope

[SHAGGY101]

Gentlemen,

I recently bought a Ruger mini 14 in .223. I am wanting to buy a scope for it and was wandering what magnification/brand would be the best (I hunt in woods and also wide open areas). I mostly hunt coyote and other smaller varmints such as rabbit and prairie dogs.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JEE]

The Weaver V16 4-16x42mm is a fine scope for around $300.
http://www.theopticzone.com/default.aspx?act=pro&opt=detail&id=1430

If you don't want to spend that much, check out the Mueller APV 4.5-14x40mm... a very clear scope for $115 delivered... it doesn't have target turrets, but they are at least finger adjustable.
http://www.mizzoumuleguns.com/id12.html

 

[rcmodel]

A 2x-7x or 3x-9x is way plenty of power to put on a mini-14.

Do Not make the mistake of going to a huge target scope to put on a 3 MOA carbine.
You need a wide field of view for coyote hunting, and none of the 14x to 16x variables have that. A 9x is plenty enough scope for prairie dogs as far as the mini-14 is capable of hitting them.

You also don't need target knobs.
If you sight it in at 200 yards, the .223 shoots flat enough to hit nicely as far as the Mini-14 is capable of hitting.

Without any dial fiddling & twiddling necessary!

rc

 

[fprefect]

I only mention this scope because the title of your post was a "Good" Varmint Scope, but I have doubts that mounting this 26" tube is even possible on an AR15. And then there's the problem that Unertl Optics ceased producing these fine scopes several years ago and the market for 2" calibrated head model puts the price in the $1000 to $1500 range and rising.

Hopefully you have at least seen one of these beasts as they are a bit difficult to describe. But the first impression of anyone seeing one for the first time is usually one of a fragile piece of junk. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact after having used at least 7 or 8 brands of rifle and pistol scopes, the Unertl will hold a zero better than any other and the optics are unsurpassed.

I keep trying to imagine the sight of an AR15 with one of these beauties resting on top, but I suspect it would turn more than a few heads. But if you could get one mounted it would make a fine varmint sight. I believe the 2" aperture model comes in powers from 15 to 36 and the optics are the finest to be found on any telescopic sight. (Unertl is a precision optics company making lenses for many applications and is still in business but no longer manufacturing rifle scopes)

I realize the price does sound a bit high, but from the time they ceased to be produced, prices have steadily risen and I suspect that will continue into the future.

So there you have it. A "Good" varmint scope. And quite possibly a Great investment as well.

fprefect

 

[sscoyote]

I had 3 of those Unertls and currently have a BV-20 on top of a big custom specialty pistol. But for a Mini-14 RC's got it right.