What Power Scpoe for 223 Varmint Gun?

[johnfred1965]

Nice brace of Coopers there! Just a bit jealous

Tried to use a fancy word there. Just found out a "brace" is only two!! But that third Rifle is Purty too!

 

[sw282]

Well l put the 4 1/2-14 VXIII on the 223rem 700 ADL varmint and the 3 1/2-10 VXlll on the 221FB 700LVSF.. The 223 has 4'' more barrel @ 26''. My reasoning was the 223 is more capable at longer ranges, so it needs a bit more magnification... While both guns shot well l find myself liking the little 221 most.. The Shilen trigger on the 221 is much more user friendly than Remingtons' factory excuse they put on the ADL 223..

 

[DogBuster]

You all know this post is 8 years old 8

 

[Georgiaoutlaw10]

Depends on distance you plan to shoot. For a 223 Rem you're probably looking at under 300 yards. A 4 x 16 will work very nicely with a 223 Rem. I have several on my 223 Rems and I'm very satisfied with them.

I just purchased our third rifle scope for deer hunting it’s a vxhd 3.5-10-50 for Whitetails i tried vortex viper 2.5-10-44 absolutely wasn’t impressed I feel now never another vortex anything the Leupold we now have is the greatest of all time we have 3of them on 6.5CMs for Whitetails hopefully will never need another till we possibly upgrade anyone out there agree with this statement thanks to all

 

[joshb]

You all know this post is 8 years old 8

Uh…7 by my math…or did I sleep in. Besides, you brought it up.

 

[bobcat93]

Your gonna want an older Leupold VX-lll 6.5x20x40 with fine duplex and side focus.
Good luck..they are out there 400-800$
Ive used that model optic with 223 rem and found it to be very comfortable on the 700
I was shooting the 69gr smk , imr xbr 8208 powder
Remington 7 1/2 benchrest primers
(Never crimp)
Lake city brass i worked over
Out to 300yrds i was very happy

 

[bobcat93]

Here is one but its a 50mm i like the 40mm because they can be mounted lower and you really dont need the 50mm for a 223 in my opinion.
Oh im sure many will disagree..but some time..less is more.

 

[ricco1949]

15X for PDs and 25X+ for bench and tuning.

 

[Fire Dog]

Several years ago on my first ever PD hunt, I took 3 rifles with the following scopes:

3-9, just not enough magnification
6.5 - 20, perfect
fixed 36X, terrible, couldn't find the dogs with that much magnification.

Like others have mentioned, I consider 6.5-20 to be just right. I favored the Leupold Varmint Hunter reticle, but really like the Sightron MOA-H. I have shot some 8.5-25 Leupolds, but rarely use the added power above 20X. I'm a hold over shooter, and for distance and wind, you really need some sort of repeatable reference in your scope to maximize your hits.

I also much prefer the side parallax focus. Much easier to adjust than on the objective. When I am hunting, I am either looking through binoculars, rangefinder, or rifle scope basically all the time. After 8 hours of that, it can tire your eyes. You will appreciate the better optics.

Amen to the “Better Optics” !
As the years roll by I have found investing in the best your budget can afford is wise advice… Your eyes will thank you.
The old saying of “Buy Once…Cry Once” applies.
As others have mentioned also look through a few varieties as some reticle may suit you better than others.

 

[Fire Dog]

Tried to use a fancy word there. Just found out a "brace" is only two!! But that third Rifle is Purty too!

A triumvirate…. {:~)

 

[ISS]

7 years old, but the topic is still a valid one.

I have a very accurate Savage 12 in 223 in flat bottom custom BR stock with a 3" fore end. Like .300-.325" on a not too windy day. It wears a Leupold VX 3HD 4.5-14 CDS-T. It's a 30mm side focus Diamond. I got a little time in at the indoor range in Boise with some Berger 75gr bullets before the two back surgeries. They won't let you set up your own Chrono. Instead they'd like to rent you theirs at a buck a shot. If the back lets me shoot a little this fall, I can tune and check velocity.

 

[sw282]

You all know this post is 8 years old 8

Almost 7 years to the day Buster @May 2018. But some things never change. Like factory 700 triggers, they need replacing in 2025 as in 2018.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

7 years old, but the topic is still a valid one.

They won't let you set up your own Chrono. Instead they'd like to rent you theirs at a buck a shot.

Holy guano Batman! A buck a shot? Have you considered springing for your own chronograph and shooting in "the wild" to avoid that silly indoor environment shooting a rifle?

Don't know where you are located, but here in Orygun we've got just over 32 million acres of public land to shoot on. I'm sure you've also got some viable alternatives to shooting a rifle indoors and paying someone for the 'privilege' to do it. A buck a shot.....unbelievable. I suppose when you're done shooting, they won't let you take your fired brass home with you too to add insult to 'injury'.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

6x -20x Burris, E-1's get, the same "Job" Done on Sage Rats / PD's and Yotes, as Leupold's and ARE,..
far, FAR,.. Cheaper !

 

[jwv2001]

I get where everyone is coming from on Leupold 6.5-20 but, my favorite is on my Cooper M21 223AI. It is a 6.5-20 that is converted by Premier reticle to 14.5-35. I'm really fond of this one.

 

[Lefty2506]

Yeah, still a valid subject.

I've found that for PDs I normally end up running my optic at around 15x give or take a little (Model 12FV in .223), especially if I'm standing up shooting off a tripod. If I'm sitting in a chair (more stable) and I'm reaching out to 300 yds or more, and the mirage will allow it, I'll run the magnification up into the 25x range.
I've pretty well settled on the Athlon Ares 4.5-27x50 optic because I can usually find them (or something similar from Vortex) on here used for under $500. My criteria are at least 20x (but prefer at least 25x), side parallax, MOA (but can understand why others will do millrad), FFP xmas tree reticle, and target turrets with zero stop. If I find a used scope from a reasonably well known mfg that meets these criteria for under $500, my checkbook normally comes out.

 

[1ofU]

there's nothing wrong with bringing old post up to date,
the knowledge base has no time limits .. for myself my
223 's both of them i use a Bushnell XRS 4.5 X 30 X50
ffp with the G2 reticule , one is a Tikka Super Varmint
and the other a HB AR15 , good glass is well worth
the money spent .

 

[BW64]

Fixed 20x super sniper

 

[ohlongarmisle]

Picking up a 700ADL Varmint in 223 Rem today. lt will be used strictly on Prairie Dogs..

Just trying to decide what power LEUPOLD scope to mount on it...

Thanks,

282

The highest power you can obtain, better to have and not need than to need and not have.

 

[David Milisock]

I'm a fool old fart, YES in my opinion unless God comes to you to cash his paycheck advances you can have too much scope for a rifle scope combination.

I put all sights on a firearm based on how I'll use them. White tail in PA I don't need a scope.

Varmints, in terms of cartridge and scopes depends on how far, how small and how many rounds a day.

Unless you live in a vacuum a 223/5.56 is not a 500 yard varmint rifle, yes occasionally the wind cooperates but if you set a 22 caliber for the extreme extended range most times you're shooting inappropriate bullets for varmints inside 350 yards.

So shooting real varmint bullets at 223 ranges (ranges 300 and under in wind) you don't need big dollar scopes.

Years ago I bought a Howa 1500 in 223 to experiment with, while at the shop it appeard that some junkie or alcoholic wanted to sell a Simmons 6.5 x 20, 50MM and found it capable enough for the reach of the cartridge. So much so that it remains on the rifle to this day. YES there are bettervscopes

Out to 350 on calm days head shots on chucks are standard, on a calm day I did a body shot on a chuck at 500 w8th a 40 grain VMAX. Crows to 300 on calm days are easily done again with 40 grain VMAX.

A 40 grain VMAX is a great varmint bullet, a miss hits even a small twig vaporizes and is safer than heavy weight match bulletts.