Scope for a varmit rifle......

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viking499

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What size/make of scope would you put on a 204 or 223 varmit rifle. Due to the lay of the land around here, not able to take "1000" yard shots. Max distance for anything around here is about 400 yards.

Looking for a decent scope or two, but not wanting to get into the "you need a scope that goes to 150 magnification for a varmit gun"..........
 
Nikon or leupold

at 400 yards you will still want at least 16 power and I believe a variable that a variable like a 6.5x20 is better at those distances. A Nikon Monarch or Leupold will do you very well. I f low light conditions are a concern the nikon has better light transmission capability.
 
I hit prairie dogs regularly at 5 to 600 with a 6x IOR scope with the MP9 reticle. Magnification is not as important as clarity, IME. Anything over about 7x is very hard to hold steady from shooting stix.
 
What kind of varmints? Groundhogs - go for high scope power (10 to 20x or more). If coyotes are your main prey (especially called coyotes), think low power. I call coyotes in the midwest, and have replaced my medium power scope (3.5 - 10x) with a lower power one (1.5 to 5x Leupold). A called coyote may give you a 300 yard shot, but it may also come running up from behind you and pass you at 8 to 10 yards! I can easily hit a 200 yard coyote on 5x, but it is tough finding one running top speed at 10 yards in your scope with anything but the lowest power. When I set up a stand, I set the scope at 1.5x. I have the time to up the power for a far shot, but not when the reverse happens.
 
Mainly groundhogs and yotes. I was thinking about no more than 14-16 power on the top end.
 
You might want to look at the Vortex scopes also. I've been hearing/reading lots of good things about them.
 
Something in the 2-10X50 guise. Check out the different models/brands in this range.
2X for the 10 yard yote, and 10X for the distant whistlepig.
No doubt, price will be your deciding factor.


Burris has their 2-12X50 and 2-12X40 Six-X series, but they lack objective focus.
Burris Xtreme Tactical 3-12X50, has Side objective focus. Also in the 6-24X50 flavor.
Then the lesser expensive Signature series 3-10X44 No focus,and the Fullfield II Tactical 4.5-14X42, the Fullfield Tac30, 4.5-14X42 and the 6.5-20X50, again with no focus on the objective.

Now for the good stuff....Sightron SIII, the SS Long Range, 3.5-10X44 or X56mm objective or the awesome 6-24X50, all with side focus parralax adjustment and target knobs.
The lesser expensive SII series in the 3.5-10X42 Adjustable objective, 4.5-14X42, 3-12X42 adj.objective and the Target series SII 4-16X42 and 6-24X42 both with adj. objectives.

Moving on.....

My personal favorite, and the brand we sell the most of in the mid price range, the Weaver brand. Although the 'Super slam' is billed as their top of the line unit, the 'Grand Slam' series is actually better built with better glass.
The 1.5-5X32, 3-10X40, 3.5-10X50, 4.5-14X40 and the 6-20X40 all with micro trac adjustment and adjustable objectives.

Next, the excellent Tactical series in 3-15X50 and 4-20X50, both with side focus and target turrets.
For the lesser costly Weavers, the Classic-V seris in 2-10X38 No adj. objective or 4-16X38 Adj. objective.

One of our very best sellers has been the Weaver 40/44 scopes, several good pig poppin' models such as the 4-12X44 adjustable objective or the 2.8-10X44 non adjustable Aspherical.

Not knowing your price range, it is hard to advise on the Leupolds, all excellent as long as you remain at least VX-3 or above...money is the limit.

The Nikons, while durable and popular are not the best scope out there, so caution as to the popularity generated praises you will encounter.
Nikon does have some good units, but again they are due to go through changes. The Monarch Golds are headed out as with the X30's leaving the standard Monarch, the Primos series Monarch along with the Buckmaster and the Coyote Special.

They are what they are, many people like them, but for the same money you can do much better!

Don't overlook the Ziess Conquest, an excellent scope...probably the best mentioned here. The 2.5-8X32 and the 1.8-5.5X38 is your close stuff, get them while you can, they too are history.
The 3-12X56 FFP is my favorite, but costly, and there is the 3-10X50, 4.5-14X50 adjustable objective models.

And don't forget the Bushnell brand, the Elite 6500 series is great, 2.5-16X42 or 50mm objective with side focus or the 4.5-30X50. Best of the Bushnell brand, the 6500 Elite Series.
Less pricey is the Elite 4200 series, 1.25-4X24, 2.5-10X40 or 50mm objective, 4-16X40 or 50mm objective and the 6-24X40 or 50mm objective adj. objective.
 
CZ 527 .223 Cal. Varmint Kevlar Rifle w/Weaver 6-20x40mm AO Grand Slam & CZ Rings, Medium (.555")

cz527_02.jpg
 
How much do you want to spend? Nikon is coming out with a 4-12 x 40 Prostaff for around $189, great lenses for the price. You can find Bushnell Legend 4-12 x 40 AO for around $159. I'm saying at least get a 4-12, probably a 6-18 is a little more practical for varminting, but you can't cheap out, spend at least $300 on a 6-18. Don't mess with mil-dot garbage .204 and .223 are pretty flat shooting out to 300yrds, you dont need a fancy reticule, it just covers up the target at longer ranges. Sight in the rifle at 150-200yds depending on the topography of the landscape you hunt. Don't worry about close shots, you're varmint hunting, not stalking deer.
 
I wouldn't go less then 16x for what you want. I'm a fixed power person and my rifles are all topped with 24x to 36x Leupold or Weaver target scopes.

I do have 1 variable Leupold, a VX 2 that is 6x18. Decent scope and the price was pretty reasonable. It performed better then I ever thought it would.

One of my rifles is a Savage 10fp in .223 that is topped with a 36x Leupold fixed power scope. Probably overkill for the .223 but it was just sitting around and I threw it on.

I've always stayed with Leupold but a few years ago I started buying the Weaver Targets. So far no problems with them.
 
Leupold VX-3 would be my first choice. I recently purchased a Bushnell Elite 4200 6x24x50 with 30mm tube and side focus and have been very pleased. The clarity could be a better @ 20 and above but the scope is very nice for the money. Also purchased a Weaver Grandslam 6.5x20 for my 22lr very good glass and crisp at all levels. Does not gather light as well as the Bushnell but a very nice scope as well. The Weaver also seemed a little limited on the MOA's as well. Anyway, for the price both the Bushnell Elite and Weaver Grandslam are very nice scopes.

Good Luck and have fun,
David
 
I have a Mueller 4-16x 50mm IR scope on my Savage 12FV .223 and it works great. haven't had a chance to stretch out the legs (or scope) beyond 100yds yet, but I'm quite happy with both.

0424081416.jpg
 
I like to get a scope that has a bit more power than I plan to use since most all scopes are not their clearest and brightest when turned up to maximum power.

So if you "need" 16x, I would get something around 20x and turn it down a bit.

Tony
 
I have a 6x42 ncstar that I paid 40 bucks for from shotgun news and I shoot jack rabbits at 500. You get a fixed power with either mil dots or hashes in it and you can range find with the scope too, you don't have to worry about power changes and different holdover
 
Depending upon your budget:

IOR, Ziess Conquest, Leupold VX-3 (only worth it IMO if you want "custom" features), Bushnell Elite 4200/6500/3200, Nikon Monarch, Bushnell Trophy, save up for a decent scope...roughly in order of preference.

:)
 
EAJ That's exactly the set-up I am looking for, what's the CZ Kevlar .223 run you for price

When I purchased it in 07 it was about $675. Scope was about $280.
 
I have a 4.5 x 16 x 50 Leupold Mk 4 that I like a lot.

For small stuff, at about 500 I would like more magnification.
 
6 X 18 or 6.5 X 20 or something very similar. Get one with parallax adjustment. The side adjust ones are nice, but don't work any better. I think 50MM objectives are a waste on varmint/target scopes.

Buy some good glass. Get at least a Leupold Vari X III or equivalent.

The benchrest type 24X & 36X scopes are very nice, but they can wash out when mirage is bad. With an adjustable, you can dial it down and keep going.
 
I handled a Swift Premier 6-18x44 yesterday along with 2 Nikon Buckmasters, 1 Monarch, a vari x II and a III. The was just as clear and bright as any of the others and was under $200. Have not bought it yet, but am leaning towards it awful hard. To me, it seems hard to bet for the price.
 
Try to check them out in a low light situation. If you can't do that, look into some shadows with them. Under a shed, deep into branches, etc. Almost all scopes look good under non challenging conditions.

But the bottom line is what looks good to you and how much you want to pay.
 
I'll have to agree with Walkalong on the high magnfication scopes, in some circumstances they shine and some they dont like hot days and low light.

I have a stable of varminters and they individually fill certain needs. They range to strictly bench style to the walking varminter type.,
What is perfect for one might not be to another, it really depends on it's intended use. I have a couple with fixed 12X Leupold's with target dots and out to 400 they do great as a truck gun or walking rifle. Others wear 8.5x25,4.5x14, 5.5x16 6.5x20, 6x18,5x20, 20x,24x,36x etc. It really comes down to what works for you and your budget, I will say you have a more flexability if it's a variable and for varmints I like a light reticle for precision shot placement.
 
excellent scopes all mentioned above, in the over 12 x range;
bushnell, burris, vortex, mueller, swift, nikon, pentax, and especially Weaver.
All will be around 200 bucks or less, and be excellent.
 
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