Help me to buy the perfect scope for my .22LR

[Hunter2011]

If money was no object I would have just bought a Bushnell 2.5-16X42MD and I would not have ever looked at any other scope for this rifle again. I believe its the best scope for my needs out there. But, I just can't justify putting a scope worth 4 times as much as my rifle on it.
Currently I have a Leupold 2-7X33 on my rifle. It actually fits the rifle perfectly and it performed flawlessly for as long as I had it. But it lacks power at longer ranges, especially if its paper targets being shot at.

Please help me to make my mind up on what to buy. My requirements are:
And it must have them all in one scope. That is what makes it so difficult

A. Must have a thin reticle
B. It must have a mildot or comparable to mildot reticle.
C. It's parallax must be adjustable. (AO or SF, does not matter)
20 meters minimum. (Its a pity the Nicon Buckmasters has a min setting of 50 yards)
D. Prefferably must have a 25mm tube, but its not absolutely required.
E. .25moa adjustments.
F. Size, preferably 3-12X40 or 4.5-14X40, or close to this. (I want to mount it on the same low mounts that I currently use)

Last requirement. It must be 100% reliable and repeatable, kinda like the Leupold. I don't want poi changes between shooting sessions and changing the magnification.

I looked at for example, just to give you an idea of my price-range and what I'm looking at, An Sightron S1 3-9X40MD and a Weaver 40/44.
But the Sightron has a fixed parallax setting and the Weavers reticle is too thick. I would have bought the Sightron if only it had an AO.

Thanks for looking

 

[Mike1234567]

The budget-priced Centerpoint 4-16x42 is pretty darned good for the money. Not "fantastic" but for less than $70 including shipping it's hard to beat, IMHO. I have three and am happy with them so far. It has a fairly thin mildot adjustable illuminated reticle that can be switched to black (off), red or green.

Beware of "mixed reviews" but Wallyworld has a great return/exchange policy.

ETA: For a little more money you can get a Vortex Diamondback which seems to have a very good reputation. I may buy one to compare with the Centerpoint. The Diamondbacks have BDC reticles though. Vortex does have a few scopes with illuminated mildot reticles in their other lines.

 

[Hunter2011]

Is Centerpoint not the same as Leapers? I allready own a Leapers 3-12X44 but are not completely satisfied by it. I agree for the price you will not find any better scopes.
Wallyworld... is that Wallmart?

 

[towboat_er]

3 X 9 X 40 Simmons on mine for years. Still going strong.

 

[Mike1234567]

Is Centerpoint not the same as Leapers? I allready own a Leapers 3-12X44 but are not completely satisfied by it. I agree for the price you will not find any better scopes.
Wallyworld... is that Wallmart?

I've read that the Centerpoint and Leapers scopes are identical but I don't know if it's true.

Wallyworld = Walmart

 

[Bonesinium]

Damn you are getting picky. I am not sure you are going to find something that meets all those requirements. It seems that other then the parallax requirement on the Nikon that it fits the bill. And for half the price of the Bushnell 2.5-16X42 you can't expect to not compromise at all can you?

 

[Hunter2011]

Yes I am a bit picky. I supose I should not be at this price level.
But to be honest, as an example, a very cheap scope like a Gamo 3-9X40MD meets all of these requirements. I have this scope on a airgun.
It has a thin mildot reticle, with .25moa adjustments
It's parallax is adjustable from 10 yards to infinity.
25mm tube.
But, it can't hold its zero. I must at least once a month adjust its poi. Its only maybe a $50.00 scope. So I believe there must be something like this scope but with better reliability out there.

 

[langenc]

I dont know about holding zero.

I shoot w/ Weavet T36 and do go from 25 to 50 yards. Occasionally I may have to do a click or two up/down etc. Is that 'not holding zero?'

 

[slowr1der]

For a .22 I think the Center Point 4-16 from Walmart is perfect. It's not great glass, but the one I had tracked well and was good enough for a .22.

 

[BADUNAME37]

For a .22 rimfire, go to "wal-mall" and buy a decent straight-power 4X scope. I firmly believe, if you try to buy a cheap variable scope, there are more things that can and will go wrong with it!

Buy a decent set of rings that will work.

I scoped an old .22 rimfire rifle for less than $40 and the Bushnell scope sighted-in perfectly. I don't expect to be dropping the gun, banging it around, etc. At 50 yards, on a rickety old table, I can pull a 7/8" group using German-made Dynamit-Nobel 40g Copper-Plated Hollow Points.

I know, that ammo is expensive, however I bought a few boxes ten years ago and still have them, this gun just happened to like them!

Another old .22 rimfire, I put on a cheapo-Tasco for about $6 with mount-rings and lens caps!
Sheesh, for that price, I couldn't go wrong!
I typically would never buy an inexpensive scope and rings, however, for a gun that barely recoils, these two work perfectly!

 

[Hunter2011]

@Langenc.
I doubt you will ever have problems with holding zero with that target scope.
What I meant by holding zero is this.
Lets say I sighted in my scope today. It hits the target just where I aim at 40 meters. I put the gun in its bag, go home. Two weeks later I go shooting again, but its shooting 0.25 inches low and 0.35 inches to the right, at the same 40 meters distance. So it did not hold its zero.
I would rather accept a scope with poor glass than one that does not hold its zero.

I had these negative experienches with Tasco, Nikko Stirling, etc etc. I don't say all of them are like that, and I talk of about 15 years ago. It was just my experience. My Leapers scopes are the cheapest scopes I own that don't loose its zero. So the advice to get the 4-16 Centerpoint is good. I just need to get another suggestion or two. Ussually just after I buy I see the one I should have bought lol

 

[Batty67]

I just zeroed my 1.5-4.5x Bushnell Banner scope (standard Weaver 1" rings on a picatinny rail) on my Ruger 10-22. I can shoot 3-4" at 100 yards, about 2" at 50 yards. Not a tack-driver, but this is a stock Ruger 10-22 with a Hogue overmolded stock (which I really like).

I must admit that the standard trigger is just too heavy for my taste, and the slide lock needs to go as well. Volquartsen Bolt Release and Target Hammer Ruger 10/22 Stainless Steel here I come. I expect my accuracy will improve with a ligher/smoother trigger. After those mods, I really don't plan on any more upgrades...

 

[R H Clark]

Mueller APT. Check it out and read the reviews on rimfirecentral.