Optimal scope hight for a .22LR

[Hunter2011]

All my life I've been using a scope on low mounts. But my shooting ranges was very seldom over 50 meters. I've been trying longer distances of up to 100 meters recently. My scope is zero'd at 25 meters and is basically spot on till 50 meters. But its here where the problems start. At 100 meters I've run out of mildots on my 2-7X33 Leupold with a LR retickle.
I'm shooting with the same ammo I'm using on the silhouette range, Subsonics, as I don't want to adjust my scope depending on where I shoot.

Will a higher scope mount help me? I see the guys shooting FT, airgunners, like the scope very high to compensate for the loopy trajectory of an airguns pellet.

What is the optimal scope hight when shooting from 25 meters to 100 meters with a .22LR using subsonic ammo?

Also, what scope would you recommend with lots of fine mildots? I like Leupold but they don't seem to like mildot retickles

Thanks guys

 

[steven58]

Hunter,

Higher mounts are not going to help you as you would still have the scope zeroed to 25 yd and don't want to change it to shoot to 100, you will still run out of mill dots on that scope. Here are your options:

1) Cheapest, Use high velocity ammo at 100 yd this may give you the little you need to continue to use the scope you have. Or, break down and adjust your scope and keep track of how many clicks you needed to get to 100 yd. After you are done shooting at 100 yd., turn it back the requisite # of clicks and you are zeroed at 25 again. You can even make a laminated card with the # of clicks for a variety of ranges and tape it to your stock. However, if you have capped turrets that you need a coin to adjust this can be a PITA so see #2 below.

2) Buy a scope with a mill reticle and target turrets like this one and you will be able to make the above adjustments much easier. Not only that but you can build a range card for your .22 LR that goes out to 200 yd and even beyond that. This can be a fun game all it's own as shooting a .22 LR out to 200 is very similar to a .308 win out to 1,000 yd. You have to dope wind and calculate your "come ups". Great sniper practice for long range precision rifle.
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/59...mm-1-10-mil-adjustments-mil-dot-reticle-matte

3) If you want to shoot from 25 yd to 200 yd with no adjustment with a .22 LR then you buy one of these scopes that have reticles calibrated to the .22 LR cartridge.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/69...22-long-rifle-first-focal-rapid-reticle-matte

All you do is pick the right stadia bar for the range you are at and shoot. This is what I did and it works great.

Note: this reticle will work best within a certain ballistic coefficient envelope. Here's what the manufacturer recommends:

http://www.rapidreticle.com/Main/ScopeItem.aspx?ID=5&grpID=5#

Once you find the ammo that your rifle likes and that best matches the reticle when shot from your rifle you can hit from 25 to 200 yd with no adjustments to the scope and the reticle will be valid at any magnification setting as it's a front focal plane type.

Hope this helps.

 

[Hunter2011]

Thanks for the great tips. I especially like the second scope you've linked me to. On paper it sounds perfect. I did not know that its settings remain the same no matter the magnification its set on, brilliant!.

But there are still two concerns.
I need to keep on shooting subsonic ammo. The reason is because that is the only ammo allowed on the silhouette range. If I swop to HV ammo my poi is a bit off-centre, to the right, and a bit higher, at 25 meters that is. I know its easy to overcome by marking the settings on your scope but I prefer to sight in a scope and never touch the turrets again unless it looses its zero for some reason.
Secondly. Surely to be spot-on with the scopes reticle the scope hight will have an influence? Even if its not much.

I think the first scope will suit my style better. I like too aim off using mildots. Its just a pity my Leupold scope does not have a mildot reticle. I just love this scope. Its only a VX-1 but never, does not matter what have I experienched any changes in poi, that too me is the most important aspect of a scope. It needs to maintain its zero no matter what.
Seems I need a bigger scope with a mildot reticle and some range time. I just wanted to keep the scope on my .22LR as compact as possible. But a higher mag mildot scope of the same dimentions does not exist.

 

[sscoyote]

Hunter--i actually have 5 of the PFI scopes and they're one of the finest 22 Long Rifle optics i own. I actually have 2 of them on specialty pistols--a custom Ruger Charger and a Magnum Research Picuda, and their small enough to compliment those little rigs perfectly. Even if the load you're using doesn't match the reticle it can simply be recald. to your load--put a cheat sheet in a Butler Creek scope cap cover and go shooting. One of the nicer under-appreciated aspects of that optic is the very repeatable low profile target turret, so you can add comeups to much further than the 200 yd. 20.6 MOA line. I've shot with the rig to over 400 yds. with HV ammo i use, and hit a pill bottle a little bit bigger than a coke can several days ago @ 300 yds. on the 6th shot using Fed. Bulk ammo from Wal-Mart. IMO, it's the finest (and most fun) rimfire optic made.

Picuda--



Charger--



reticle--

 

[steven58]

Using higher rings won't increase elevation because the scope is still parallel to the bore and since you are zeroed at 25 yd your trajectory has not changed. What it will do is screw up your cheek weld as you try to climb up into the scope.

The 40 mm scope is not that much bigger than the 33 mm I think you would be happy with either one. The mil reticle with mil turrets will make your adjustments fast and easy and you can make up a range card for as far out as you care to take it.

If there's a chance that you will use the elevation turret as it is intended instead of just shooting off the reticle you could put a 20 moa base on your rifle and shoot out to 400 yd if you want.

 

[Hunter2011]

Thanks for all the responses. I will first look for a more appropriate scope and then look into both methods, using the mildots, or sighting it in for every distance