Do I actually need one?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: egregore,

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Do I actually need one?

Depends on what you plan to do with the rifle.

The biggest difference for a rimfire scope is short range parallax adjustment. I prefer it to go down to 10 yds. IMO the best bang for the buck currently is SWFA SS scopes. I've tried others and always end up back with them. Great reticles, great glass, priced competitively, and not made in China. FWIW, I shoot ARA and PSL competitions. Although my last outing was with a Sightron SII 36x42. That was pretty impressive, too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: pace40,

You don't need one, but in general, a specific rimfire scope will be better for the limitations of a .22 rifle. Parallax (position of reticle) on a centerfire scope is fixed and set for distances 100 yards and over. Most .22 shooting is at shorter distances and smaller targets, having a scope to adjust the parallax can maximize precise shooting.

As mentioned, the parallax setting is one thing that differs about “rimfire” scopes. Traditionally in scopes with fixed parallax, it is set at 100 or 150 yards. As I recall about Leupold rimfire scopes it is set at 75 yards because it is assumed that rimfire shooters would be using them at closer distances.

If the parallax can be adjusted, it’s often useful to be able to set it to even closer distances. Many scopes intended for centerfire use have a (nominal) close distance of 50 yards/meters, but for much rimfire shooting, 25 yards or closer is better. Most of the scopes with adjustable parallax I have on my 22 Long Rifle guns can be set as close as 10 yards.

As I recall, Leupold also said that they used finer crosshairs in their rimfire models because the targets were usually smaller, and (I assume) they wouldn’t normally be used under low light conditions such as hunting near dawn or dusk when thicker reticles can be seen more easily.

I have thought about getting a 1-6x for my new small game rifle. Has anyone tried one for this role?

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
I have thought about getting a 1-6x for my new small game rifle. Has anyone tried one for this role?

I'm not a fan of variable power optics but my squirrel gun has a Leupold FX-II 6x36. Love it.

No decision made yet, but am thinking about a Leupold 2-7X rimfire. I'll need to save up a little more. I do have an older scope (Bushnell 1.75-5x), and purchased some rings for it, that I can use in the meantime. It did go on a .22 ~20 years ago, but I don't think it's a specialized rimfire scope.

This, BTW, is the rifle in question: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Rimfire Classic, Grade AA Walnut At Bass Pro/Cabela's, $350, less 10% Club Card promotion. Turkish-made, Ruger 10/22 magazines can be used in it, and has an inch-at-50-yards-with-the-usual-disclaimers accuracy guarantee. I hope I did good.

quote:

I'm not a fan of variable power optics ...

Most of my use for this is going to be at ~50 yards, occasionally 100. A fixed 4 or 6x would be fine, but fixed-powers seem hard to find these days.

A very nice looking gun.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Most of my use for this is going to be at ~50 yards, occasionally 100. A fixed 4 or 6x would be fine, but fixed-powers seem hard to find these days.

Once you've used a variable power scope, you almost certainly won't want to return to a fixed power scope. Even if you rarely change the magnification.

quote:

Leupold 2-7X rimfire

I have this on several rifles. you will be happy. But I prefer the 3-9 fwiw.

On a rimfire bolt action, do what you want.

On a semiauto, the prevailing wisdom was to use a specified rimfire scope due to the action of the bolt slamming forward that would stress a non-rimfire scope in the “wrong” direction.
Don’t know if that holds true anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
A fixed 4 or 6x would be fine, but fixed-powers seem hard to find these days.

I gravitate toward SWFA scopes due to their wide selection of fixed power. Nothing wrong with variable power, fixed is just personal preference to me. I prefer hold over/under rather than dialing. They're also lighter. If you want to go to fixed power, also check the rimfire specialty websites like Killough Shooting Sports or Creedmoor Sports. I know they both carry Sightron (Japan). (Rabbit hole warning if you start clicking on rimfire websites though. Especially ammo.)

Nice looking rifle BTW.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: pace40,

quote:

Originally posted by KMitch200:
On a semiauto, the prevailing wisdom was to use a specified rimfire scope due to the action of the bolt slamming forward that would stress a non-rimfire scope in the “wrong” direction.
Don’t know if that holds true anymore.

Incorrect.
This is an issue with springer pellet rifles, due to their significant forward "recoil". If bolt slamming forward stresses were an issue, AR15 and definitely AR10 rifles would be eating scopes right and left. Also blowback PCCs. The bolt slamming stresses from a rimfire are significantly less.

It would take a really poorly built scope to be damaged by the recoil & action cycling forces of a .22lr rimfire. I doubt that even the el cheapo commie Chinese scopes would fail from a .22lr.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
Incorrect.

As usual, fritz knows what he is talking about. Of all the guns that could possibly damage a scope sight, anything chambered for a rimfire cartridges is at the bottom of the list. The concern was about certain airguns.

Sightron 3-9x32 50 yard parallax. 153.00 if you shop:
https://sightron.com/products/...im-fire-br-3-9x32-rf

Interesting about the parallax adjustments. I always figured the "rimfire" designation was more for features that the scope DOES NOT have rather for what it does have. In particular, that a rimfire scope is not built to the same specs as non-rimfire and would not hold up well to the recoil abuse of a centerfire rifle. The trade-off is it is a lightweight, inexpensive scope but don't expect it to perform on a 30-06 elk rifle.

A lot depends on the role the rifle will be intended to fill.
On a rimfire a gun that allows parallax adjustment to short range ( adjustable objectives are workable, but these days side focus parallax is the way to go) is very useful to absolutely essential depending on role again.
My optic equipped 22’s are used for PRS type shooting and are full sized 5-25 power 34mm tube first focal plane scopes. High magnification, side focus parallax and first focal plane are all requirements for my use.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
My optic equipped 22’s are used for PRS type shooting and are full sized 5-25 power 34mm tube first focal plane scopes. High magnification, side focus parallax and first focal plane are all requirements for my use.

Even though I haven’t (yet) had the opportunity to do any PRS type shooting with a 22LR rifle, the guns I practice precision shooting with the most are equipped with similar scopes. In one case it’s a 7-35× and has all of the same other features. The reason I went with the 7-35 was because in the line I wanted, it was the one that focuses as close as 10 yards.

In addition to that feature, I wanted accurate, consistent tracking along with enough magnification for precise aiming. The first focal plane is necessary for the one drill I’ve described elsewhere that involves range estimation with the calibrated reticle.

Such scopes are obviously not for everyone or every purpose, but they are what some of us need (or at least want ).

Based on a limited search, there are fixed 4x Leupold rimfire scopes available on eBay, but the ones I saw for sale were all advertised at prices higher than variable power models. Even though I once had a fixed 4x Leupold rimfire, I know of no good reason to not get a decent variable for the purpose. Want to use it at only one power? Set it and leave it there.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
Incorrect.

As usual, fritz knows what he is talking about. Of all the guns that could possibly damage a scope sight, anything chambered for a rimfire cartridges is at the bottom of the list. The concern was about certain airguns.

Gotcha.
It’s been a loong minute since I researched scopes for anything but centerfire.

Back when Charlie Askins was still "plugging jazbos spang thru the brisket", variables cost more than fixed, and cheap ones sometimes had problems with wandering zero, i.e., the reticle moving, thereby changing point of impact, with the power adjustment. That hasn't been true, if it ever was, for >50 years, I'm sure.

As for the rifle, it performed almost flawlessly, and I even achieved a couple of those advertised groups, the best with Aguila Super Extra, a 40-grain high-velocity. Almost, because I had a failure to feed. The bolt only went about halfway home and when I pulled it back a live round ejected. I didn't take time to analyze it, but I do recall it was with a 38-grain hollow-point. It only happened once, toward the beginning of my session. Except for a plastic trigger guard, nothing is "cheaped out." Even that closely mimics the metal parts.