What Scope Power for a .22 pistol?

[Kframe]

I recently picked up an 8" .22LR auto pistol from a company I won't name in a model I won't mention, except it starts with Ruger and end with 22/45.
I've decided to mount a scope on it, and keep my other .22/45 with open sights.

I am debating between three options.
2x scope.
4x scope.
1" red dot sight.

I will be using this gun mainly at the indoor ranges, as well as bunny-killin' and tree-rat-poppin'.

Let me hear your thoughts please.

Thanks, -Kframe

 

[PlayTheAces]

I just went through the same decision making process last month on my own Ruger. Although the red dots come pretty highly recommended, I went optical because what I'm really after is magnification to help my aging eyesight. In my case I need to see the silly target before I can be too concerned about where I'm hitting it.

That brought it down to the 2x or 4x. Almost everyone recommended the 2x because of the field of view. At 100 yards I believe the 2x will give you around a 12' field of view while the 4x is roughly half that. That means at 25 yards, with the 4x you'll see the target and not much else. Target acquisition becomes a challenge.

I ended up getting a Leupold M8 2x and mounted it a couple of nights ago. Haven't taken it out to the range as of yet to zero it, and with rain coming tonight and tomorrow may have to wait another week or so, but playing around with it, I think I made a good choice.

What you need to decide is whether you want magnification or not, and if so then how much? If you go optical, and plan on shooting at less than 100 yards, I would recommend the 2x.

 

[10-Ring]

Years ago, when I was in your shoes, I went w/ the 2x. If I were to make the same decsion today I'd go w/ the red dot, especially for bunny use. Red dot is very very quick

 

[cratz2]

I have a Red Dot on my 22a which never gets any use. I have also used a friend's Dan Wesson 22 revolver that had a 2x Leupold scope. Overall, I think I'd go with the optic version.

 

[Kahr carrier]

Red dot .

 

[YodaVader]

I have used both a 2X Leupold and a 30mm red dot on my Ruger MKII. For indoor league shooting I prefer the use of the red dot. Fast target aquisition during the timed and rapid fire stages. Also the red dot shows up very well in the somewhat dimly lit indoor range I shoot at.

For scope use I would recommend a 2X if you have no prior handgun scope experience.

 

[Kframe]

I've got a 3-9 on my Exemplar, but obviously that gun is not for general can-rolling and snap-shooting.

I've got a 1" red-dot on my Marlin Papoose. Nice, but the dot covers about 2-3" at 25 yards, so not too precise.

I went to my pusher this morning and decided on a 2x scope for the Ruger.

Got it mounted and everything, now I just need to get to the range.

Thanks for the posts, -Kframe

 

[YodaVader]

Kframe - what brand of scope did you go with? Yeah , my more powerful handgun scopes are on my Contender barrels. I have a 2X-7X Burris on a 22 match barrel and I used a fixed 7X on my old .223 barrel.

Back when I shot NRA Silhouette a lot of guys shot their Contenders with higher power rifle scopes which of course required holding the gun close to the face.

 

[22x9]

Gotta a 2-6x28 Bushnell Trophy on my Beretta NEOS. I rarely ever use 6x, Find that I mainly stick to 2x & 4x.

 

[V-fib]

I have a 4X on my rifle and a 30mm red dot on my pistol.

 

[labgrade]

Perhaps quite silly on a .22/45, but the only scoped handgun I have is a T/C 2.5X8 which works wonderfully for that caliber ( a .309 JDJ) ...

I'd bet a straight 2Xw would be just the ticket on your stated platform.

Indoor only & I'd got for the red dor, but the added magnification for small game (really does help picking 'em outa the clutter), I'd go for the 2X

 

[clown714]

2X,if i were in your shoes

clown

 

[444]

It sounds like you made a good choice with the 2x. I don't have a lot of experience with handgun scopes. The only scoped handgun I ever had was a S&W 686 .357. I bought it with a 4x Leupold scope on it. I really enjoyed playing with it. It allowed much more precise shooting than I can do with iron sights, and allowed me to explore the true potential accuracy of the gun. The problem for me was that at 4x the movement of the gun was magnified to the point that I had a hard time with it. Even when shooting from a bench it seemed like the gun was moving, offhand it was driving me nuts. So, I got a 2x for it. Now I realize that the gun is moving the same whether I know it or not, but it is easier for me to shoot with less magnification. If I had a big single shot like the Striker or Contender, the 4x might be the way to go.
I also have a Ruger Standard Model 4",.22 auto with a red dot on it. I find that this also seems to be an aid to good shooting once I get used to it. I don't shoot it very often and have to shoot it a little to get used to it again. But once I get myself dialed it, it seems to offer all the advantages of a red dot on a rifle. Easy to pick up, nothing to align. It is similar to playing a computer game. You just put the dot on the target and squeeze. Red dots seems to be popular with bullseye shooters, so very fine accuracy is possible with them.

 

[gbran]

2x or red dot

I hunt small game with a .22 mag revolver. I use a Tasco Optima red dot that is 1.8 oz and is more like a small heads-up display. It uses a 3.5 MOA dot, which is great for target or precise shooting. You can get red dots up to 16 MOA that are only good for rapid firing at steel plates (most of the race guns use large MOA dots). I've had both red dots and 2x power scopes on all manner of hunting guns. 4x and higher scopes never give you a chance for a quick shot, but are OK if you have a fixed place from which to shoot. I'm thinking about trying a variable power unit that starts at 1.5x. I don't know if anyone makes a straight 1.5x power scope.

 

[LWCmdr45]

I have an older Ruger Standard 6" with a Leupold 2x EER that I prefer for small game hunting and my wife uses a SS Mark II 6 7/8" with a Red Dot for range work. I find the Red Dot to be less accurate for me , but she dislikes the fine crosshairs of my scope. Ya pays yer money.... One thing to consider is that I never have to replace batteries, but she's always forgetting to turn the switch off on her Red Dot!

Steve

 

[Kframe]

Yippee! I got to go to the range today!
I did buy a Swift 2x20 handgun scope and mated it to the Ruger ring/base setup.
Before you scoff at the cheap Swift scope, read on.
(I had my reservations as well.)
I tried out 14 types of ammo at 25 yards, rested.
The procedure was: I fired 10 "fouling shots" at a spot in the corner of the paper; then, I fired a 5 shot group for the record on the main target. I then pulled a bore snake through the gun, loaded ten shots into one magazine and five into the other. That allowed for cooling time. Then, repeat.
The brands and types of ammo tested are as follow:
1.CCI MiniMag HP
2.Rem.Golden Bullet bulk pack
3.CCI Small Game Bullet
4.Eley Club Xtra
5.CCI Green Tag
6.CCI Blazer bulk
7.Rem. Target 22
8.Fed. Gold Medal Ultra Match
9.Win. Wildcat bulk
10.Win. T22
11.Rem. Subsonic
12.Eley Tenex
13.Aguila SE
14.Fed. bulk 36gr LHP/HV

I am very pleased with the groups. I believe that had I a proper rest, I may have some brands that will chew one ragged hole at 25 yards.
I was at the indoor range. The have partitions between points with swingdown tray/table supported by a 2x2"square tube running between the partitions. When all the trays are down, as they are during open shooting, any bumps or wobbles from people setting down guns or boxes of ammo are transmitted down the entire line.
And the sandbag was a canvas shot bag filled with kitty litter.
So, I would not say I was rock steady.
However, I did turn in some nice groups.
Here they are:
1. 9/16"
2. 13/16"
3. 1/2"
4. 3/4"
5. 13/16"
6. 9/16"
7. 1/2"
8. 9/16"
9. 3/8"
10. 3/4"
11. 9/16"
12. 1/2"
13. 11/16"
14. 15/16"

So, none of the brands broke 1" at 25 yards, or rather, minute-of-squirrel-head.

I like to test the scope out, as well as the base.
I removed and replaced the scope three times with the thumbscrew and penny mount.
It returned to zero.
The scope, all $79.95 of it wasn't bad either.
I have a little thing I do to test the reticle adjustment.
I tweeked the scope until I was putting the SGB's into a dime hole at 25 yards.
Then, I turned the scope up 5 clicks, right 5, down 10, left 10, up 5, right 5.
Which, if everything is kosher, should bring you back on target.
It did indeed! (Well, I did tweek it up one click later.)

Here's a few pics of the gun. The engraving came with it, I just added the gold stuff.

I do apologize for the bad pics. I spend too much on guns and ammo to afford anything more than a $25 dollar Target digicam.
Oh, and if the pix show as Red X's, right click and "show picture". Photoisland is crummy like that.

Oops, I'll put a couple in another post.
-Kframe

 

[Kframe]

 

[YodaVader]

"I am very pleased with the groups. I believe that had I a proper rest, I may have some brands that will chew one ragged hole at 25 yards."

No doubt about it! All the MKII's or 22/45 versions I have ever owned have displayed outstanding accuracy. If I can dig out some of my old targets I may post them later.

Kframe - Thanks for the report! That is remarkable consistency among all the ammo tested! And good shooting as well!

 

[Kframe]

Not to toot my own horn too much, but the aforementioned shooting was done with the factory trigger, and the gun only has about 500 rounds through it so far.
Lots of takeup, creepy let-off and plently of overtravel.
It takes a little getting used to.

I'm hemming and hawing (sp?) about getting the Volquartsen accuracy kit (hammer, trigger, sear and springs), or the Clark trigger and fitting it to the existing parts, or just "shooting it smooth".
Thoughts?

It's fun having a gun that can out shoot your own ability.
I bet this gun'd be amazing in a Ransom Rest.


-Kframe

 

[YodaVader]

K-frame - shooting those groups with a stock Ruger trigger makes the tight groups even more impressive! I'll attach some of my best efforts of accuracy testing with my MKII 5.5". I have to admit that my Ruger paid a visit to Clark Custom Guns to cure all my MKII trigger woes. Basically a creep-free extremely crisp 2 pound pull. Proabaly a liitle less these days. In stock condition the trigger was way too stiff for the one-handed bullseye shooting I sometimes participate in. Clark also drilled and tapped my MKII for the Ruger factory base.

All 10 shot groups:

The top group was fired on the 50 meter line at a metallic silhouette range. The large center bull was 25 yards outdoors with a 2X Burris and CCI Green tag. The small bull was indors at 50ft using a Tasco dot sight. The diamond was outdoors at 25 yards.

I have never tested my MKII in depth like you have done - maybe something I will try sometime. I have a lot more experience with my TC's and S&W revolvers for accuracy testing - the TC 22s even outshoot the Ruger!

 

[GeorgeH]

I'd go with either a red dot or 2x.