Plinking / teaching optic for a 10/22

Spats McGee

Spats McGee

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I use my first 10/22 as a plinker, and also for teaching new shooters. I have it equipped with a threaded barrel, a Hogue stock, and a cheap Bushnell red dot. Because I know we all love pictures, here she is:
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She may well be my all-time favorite rifle. She'll eat anything in .22LR, and I'm pretty sure I've shot some .22 Longs in the past, too. (She's not fond of .22 shorts, nor subsonics when suppressed.) Anyway, that's all really neither here nor there. I'm just not sure I'm going to keep the red dot on there. Here are the problems: When I went to the range yesterday, I didn't think to check the battery before I left. (Yep, you can see what's coming...) Sure enough, dead battery. Fortunately, one of the other dudes at the range had extra batteries that fit. That's Problem #1. Problem #2 is that I have some astigmatism, so the dot flares in my vision. I have to turn it pretty far down, or I'm just guessing at the center of the dot for aiming purposes.

So, with that in mind, I'm wondering if there's some kind of optic that: (a) does not run on batteries; (b) has some reticle or dot other than an illuminated one; and (c) allows for fast, easy target acquisition. This is a plinker, not a target rifle.

Any suggestions?


Thanks in advance,
Spats
 
LPVO - Low Power Variable Optic. Can be shot like a dot on low power with some practice and will introduce the shooter to scopes with more magnification when turned up.
 
Spats McGee said:
I'm wondering if there's some kind of optic that: (a) does not run on batteries; (b) has some reticle or dot other than an illuminated one; and (c) allows for fast, easy target acquisition. This is a plinker, not a target rifle.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
I think you are looking at Trijicon ACOG® (Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight) type 4x32 optics but not at $1100+ pricing - https://www.amazon.com/Trijicon-Green-Illuminated-Chevron-Reticle/dp/B002E6RDJY/ref=sr_1_26

Here are some sub $100 options - https://www.amazon.com/acog-style-4x32/s?k=acog+style+4x32
www.youtube.com

$80 ACOG??? | 100 YARD TEST | Budget Friendly ACOG

How good is a cheap acog? Watch and find out!!!
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
I have an acog reflex that checks the boxes but they are expensive enough you can stick a bubble pack of CR2032 batteries in your range bag, back pack, truck,...

 
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The 1x and 3x prisms are great. I have a bunch of them from various manufacturers. This is the PA 1x, it comes with several risers or you can bolt the optic directly to the picatinny mount. It has the most forgiving eye relief and is the most like a red dot.

1710995513120.jpeg

This is the PA 3x.

1710995568025.jpeg

The Burris 3x is one of my favorites.

1710995588373.jpeg

Also have two of the Vortex GenII 5x's. I have one on a 10/22 without the riser but no pics.

1710995679071.jpeg

The ACOG is probably a little much for what you want.

1710995650949.jpeg


chicharrones said:
I like those first gen Spitfire Prisms because they also come with low mounts.
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The GenII's do too.
 
What's wrong with new shooters learning on plain old iron sights? They would check all your boxes...
A compact 2-7x scope could too, plus give the option of wading into a bit more precise shooting off the bench. The more types of shooting you can introduce someone to, the higher likelihood they find something they like.
 
Another vote for irons. Perhaps it is the fudd in me, or perhaps because I am a hated "boomer". Learn to shoot with those little bumpy things on the top of the gun. Nothing wrong moving to some form of glass later down the road, might even be the same day, but you need to get good with irons first.
 
Howland937 said:
What's wrong with new shooters learning on plain old iron sights? They would check all your boxes...
A compact 2-7x scope could too, plus give the option of wading into a bit more precise shooting off the bench. The more types of shooting you can introduce someone to, the higher likelihood they find something they like.
Click to expand...
That's certainly not out of the question, but I've got a different rifle for teaching iron sights. When I took my ~16 y.o. nephews to the range, I took: (a) a bolt gun with irons; (b) the 10/22 with the red dot; and (c) a bolt gun with a scope.
Remington1911 said:
Another vote for irons. Perhaps it is the fudd in me, or perhaps because I am a hated "boomer". Learn to shoot with those little bumpy things on the top of the gun. Nothing wrong moving to some form of glass later down the road, might even be the same day, but you need to get good with irons first.
Click to expand...
Bold of you to assume that I don't know how to shoot with iron sights. 😉

Thank you one and all, for the suggestions. Irons or a ghost ring aren't a bad idea. I probably should have put a budget on this, because the odds of my putting a $1K ACOG on a $300 rifle are zero. For that matter, I'm unlikely to go over $200, because: (a) this is a plinker/trainer; and (b) I also have that other 10/22 sporter build in the works. I'll guarantee y'all that I'm That Guy that will either forget to check the battery before leaving the house, or will forget the batteries. I did both of those on Tuesday, and it wasn't even the first time doing it with that rifle. So I'm big on not wanting to deal with batteries. I was looking at the Ruger ReadyDot, but it's made for the Max-9, and I'm not entirely sure it's what I'm looking for. I'm going to keep looking. May just have to go to the gun show to look through some scopes.

Please don't hesitate to throw out any other suggestions you might have. I've found a few articles online for shooting with astigmatism, so I'm also going to go read those.
 
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I had Romeo5's on a few guns, cheap, reliable, great battery life. Then I bought a Primary Arms Slx 1x Prism, and I saw the light. All the usability of a red dot, long eye relief, big, clear window, but with the additional benefit of a more useful reticle (both has ranging/bdc info, and is etched, still useable with a dead battery) and an adjustable eye piece to deal with vision irregularities. Now I own more of these little prisms than Romeo's.

For a plinking gun, a red dot is probably fine, but something like the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x33 is a great fit for a 22. For keeping it lightweight, the Leupold FX-I 4x28 is a great choice.
 
Howland937 said:
What's wrong with new shooters learning on plain old iron sights? They would check all your boxes...
Click to expand...

Thats kind of my thinking too, if I am teaching someone to shoot, as they develop they are exposed to pretty much anything they want to learn. It could be irons, red dot all the way to 30 X plus optics.

That said, I've seen 3 year olds that can't even hold up a rifle to shoot it hit a can on their first shot with the lowly 3-9x...

619AD894-724A-451F-9C02-61C9B757FA85.jpeg
 
Spats McGee said:
I'll guarantee y'all that I'm That Guy that will either forget to check the battery before leaving the house, or will forget the batteries. I did both of those on Tuesday, and it wasn't even the first time doing it with that rifle. So I'm big on not wanting to deal with batteries.

Please don't hesitate to throw out any other suggestions you might have.
Click to expand...

Lol. I'm sure you'll think about doing what a lot of us with red dots do . . . put spare batteries (and compartment tool, if needed) in your shooting gear bag.
 
I quickly learned to carry spare batteries in my range tool box when my GG kids started shooting my guns with red dot sights. They would forget to turn the sight off and grandpa would frequently forget to check to see if they did.

Young kIds quickly become bored with learning if it doesn't produce results quickly. I took kids fishing for perch, this area's name for any sunfish, because they are plentiful and always hungry so they can catch a bunch and it keeps them interested. Start with a Zebco spin cast reel (oh, how I hate these these things when they manage a back lash) and then move them to a spinning reel as soon as their hands are large enough to use one. Chunking lures or watching a bobber with nothing grabbing onto a hook quickly sees a bored and uninterested kid. It's the same with shooting. Can't hit what they are shooting at and they quickly lose interest. I start them with red dots for close range and scopes for longer range. Targets that move when hit draw more interest than ones that stay stationary. After they learn to hit something regularly then I will offer them an iron sighted rifle. Make things as easy as possible to start with to hold their interest to get them hooked and then introduce them to harder to do things like iron sights or casting rods..
 
Spats McGee said:
That's certainly not out of the question, but I've got a different rifle for teaching iron sights. When I took my ~16 y.o. nephews to the range, I took: (a) a bolt gun with irons; (b) the 10/22 with the red dot; and (c) a bolt gun with a scope.

Bold of you to assume that I don't know how to shoot with iron sights. 😉

Thank you one and all, for the suggestions. Irons or a ghost ring aren't a bad idea. I probably should have put a budget on this, because the odds of my putting a $1K ACOG on a $300 rifle are zero. For that matter, I'm unlikely to go over $200, because: (a) this is a plinker/trainer; and (b) I also have that other 10/22 sporter build in the works. I'll guarantee y'all that I'm That Guy that will either forget to check the battery before leaving the house, or will forget the batteries. I did both of those on Tuesday, and it wasn't even the first time doing it with that rifle. So I'm big on not wanting to deal with batteries. I was looking at the Ruger ReadyDot, but it's made for the Max-9, and I'm not entirely sure it's what I'm looking for. I'm going to keep looking. May just have to go to the gun show to look through some scopes.

Please don't hesitate to throw out any other suggestions you might have. I've found a few articles online for shooting with astigmatism, so I'm also going to go read those.
Click to expand...

Well when you open the thread with a rifle with no iron sites and then say it is for teaching new shooters.......

It is a good effort I will give you that.

1711038740945.png
 
If you like the red dot, I'd just tape a CR2032 to the bottom of one of your magazines, and have a spare on hand any time you need it. (Or under the buttstock, in the barrel channel, spares in the range bag, etc etc...)

Super cheap scopes are more apt to cause frustration than fun.
 
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