New .22-250, now scope question

[TexasPatriot.308]

just got me another .22-250, this one Ruger, heavy barrel varmint gun, I usually stick to 3 x 9 or 4x12 power scopes with 50mm objectives. I got a new Leupold 6.5x20x40 with AO sitting in a box ready to go. just wondering if yall think this might be overkill for a .22-250? I know guys like Chuck Hawks aint too high on AOs, but I just had to have one.

 

[LTR shooter]

Seems to me that a Leupold 6.5x20 would be ideal for one of the longest range varmint cartridges out there. The fact that Chuck Hawk is not suppose to like AO scopes shouldn't matter since its your rifle. I've used a Leupold 6.5 x 20 on couple of .223 bolt actions.

 

[wingman]

Wouldn't be any question for me these old eyes love power it would have been on the rifle yesterday.

 

[RickMD]

Overkill? Who says that you have to set it on 20 power? Years ago during my prairie dog blasting days in Colorado, I found anything much over 12X to be more of a detriment than an advantage. You've got a nice scope. Use it and never look back.

 

[2ndtimer]

I agree with the other posters. I always thought the Leupold 6.5-20X scopes were made for the .22-250. I have a couple of Intensity 6.5-20X scopes mounted on a .223 and a .243 (I wish they were Leupolds, but some of us are on a budget), and I don't think they are overkill. As Rick said, who says you have to use them on 20 power? When the mirage gets bad I turn them down to 16 or 14 and they still work well. If the mirage isn't bad, then 20X is a nice option.

 

[joed]

You've got the right scope for the gun. I mostly use 24X fixed power scopes but have one variable with 6x18 that I use for my .22-250.

 

[BrocLuno]

The one you have is good for that cartridge

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

yall talked me into it, guess I'll play musical scopes now, put the VX3 on the .22-250, take the Weaver Grand slam and put it on my 6.5 swede Tikka T3 and the Leupold 3x9x40 and put it on an open sighted 10/22. now what to do with myM1A, leave it open sight or scope it....decisions, decisions...sad part, I usually only take a couple rifles with me when I make rounds checking cattle, too many hogs, so little time.

 

[Moose1995]

I had a ruger 22-250 varmint rifle.... and used a 6-18 power scope on it. It was the most accurate rifle I ever owned. The longest range nearby was 200 yds. I Never used anything but the 18 power at 200 because I used dime sized target dots, and shot less then 3/4" MOA all day long with 5 shot groups, with a best of 3/8" MOA. Using hand loads, of course.

 

[451 Detonics]

I just added a 6X24X50 AO to my Savage 12 BVSS in 22-250. As others have said you don't need to crank it up all the way but on a long whistle-pig shot it is a nice option to have.

 

[rbernie]

My 22-250 wears a 2x-7x/32, simply because I tend to prefer 2x or lower on the low end. I'd have preferred a bit more magnification on the high end, just to have more flexibility, but I'm generally not willing to sacrifice the low end to get that.

I also like my optics low, and that means no 40+mm objective lenses. Since it's unlikely that I'll use the 22-250 for hunting during those legal 'before dawn'/'after dusk' low-light periods, I'm OK with the smaller objective.

 

[SwampWolf]

I've got a Bausch & Lomb Elite 3000, 4x12 power scope mounted on my Ruger No.1 Varmint, chambered in .220 Swift. This rifle is too heavy for me to do a lot of walking/stalking with but it makes for a very potent and accurate woodchuck "sniping" rifle.