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Best rimfire scopes for the money

Nicktheshooter

Just looking for a list of suggestions to look into. Looking for a few scopes for some plinking rifles and something descent for a Winchester model 52 that I am upgrading to a modern optic.
 
For plinking and hunting tree rats, i've been using something that is usually laughed at.

The 4 power Cricket scope off the Cricket rifle for kids.
Actually has decent glass, mil dot.
I've used it out to 300 yards.
$40.
 
I suppose you should choose according to what you are going to do with the rifle. I have been wanting to try Tract out, so I bought their 2x10x42 with a response recticule. I'm not fond of the reticule, but otherwise the scope is great. So far it has dialed up 58 clicks from 100 to 200 yds and back down into the same group at 100. But the reticule doesn't work for my eyes in fading light to well and the windage marks on the reticule aren't graduated in a way that makes them useful. Oh - $274.

https://tractoptics.com/response-2-5-10x42-bdc-223-5-56-ar-rifle-scope-closeout
 
I put a Weaver T-24 on a CMP M52D, and have always enjoyed shooting behind that scope. Almost all my other .22s (including three V22s, three CZ457s, and a CMP 40XB converted to use the V22 mags) wear various Athlon scopes - four of their top-of-the-line Cronus 4.5-29x56s, two Midas TAC 6-24x50s, and a new Midas BTR Gen 2 4.5-27x50, which is the only 2nd focal plane scope in the bunch. It's on a V22 sporter that I take out early every morning & late every evening to protect my little 34lb Aussie shepard/border collie cross from coyotes while she 'does her business'. All these Athlons have tracked & retained their zeroes with excellent results; I'm very pleased with all of them.
 
Nicktheshooter said:
Just looking for a list of suggestions to look into. Looking for a few scopes for some plinking rifles and something descent for a Winchester model 52 that I am upgrading to a modern optic.
Click to expand...
Let’s talk about the 52. How much do you want to spend? And what use will you have for the rifle? For a rimfire, I'd recommend two things: (a) a low end of, at most, 2 power (if hunting is planned) and (b) parallax adjustment. Particularly for hunting, I'd want a scope with a low power no greater than 2X, and better with 1 or 1.5X. Even a 3-9 gives you a pretty narrow field at usual squirrel-hunting ranges--10 ft. at 30 yards range, for example. The Leupold 1.5-5, on the other hand, provides a 20 ft. FOV at 30 yards.

As for parallax correction, most fixed-parallax scopes are set for 100 yards, yet most rimfire shots are at less than 50 yards. (There may be special rimfire scopes that are set with a shorter fixed parallax range.) I'd want a scope that I could set zero parallax to something like 40 yards and use that for all reasonable shots in a hunting situation. As an example, consider two scopes, one with parallax fixed at 100 yards (as most fixed-parallax scopes are), and a second with adjustable parallax which you set to be parallax free at 40 yards. Here's the amount of maximum parallax error you will have with both (using an objective lens diameter of 36 mm. for this comparison) at a reasonable squirrel-hunting range of 30 yards:

1. Fixed parallax 100 yards: .496" of maximum parallax error at 30 yards.

2. Adjustable parallax set to 40 yards: .177” or less from 30 to 50 yards.

With a scope having a 24 mm. objective lens, the results are:

1. Fixed parallax 100 yards: .331" of maximum parallax error at 30 yards.

2. Adjustable parallax set to 40 yards: .118" at 30 yards and less than .118" between 30 and 50 yards.

Again, considering hunting, it seems to me that a head shot at a squirrel at 30 yards could be missed with the 1/2-in of parallax error present with the fixed parallax scope with 36 mm. objective, but wouldn't be missed because of parallax error with the adjustable-parallax scope. If woods hunting for squirrels, I'd set the parallax setting to 40 yards and leave it there for the hunt.

Cost may be a factor. Here’s my nomination for best all-around rimfire scope with hunting at least one of the activities planned:
xcVvJA1.jpg

It’s the March 1-10x24. I have this scope on my .22LR hunting rifle, and it’s a great scope. At 1 power, the field of view at 100 yards is 105 ft. and at 30 yards, 32 ft. It has parallax adjustment down to 10 yds. But it’s pretty expensive—currently $1550 at one source. A far less expensive option if hunting is in your plans would be the Leupold VX-Freedom EFR 3-9x33 or a Leupold VX-2 Rimfire 3-9x33mm. if you can find one (no longer in Leupold’s catalog). These scopes provide a 36 ft. FOV at 100 yards or about 11 ft. at 30 yards and have parallax adjustment down to 10 yards, I believe.

There’s one other consideration with respect to the 52. It’s a classy rifle and, in my opinion, calls for a scope that looks as if it belongs on a rimfire rifle. This means (a) ideally a 1” main tube, (b) a length of not much more than 12”, and (c) an objective bell diameter not greater than about 1.80”. The bigger scopes just look out-of-place on rimfire rifles, in my opinion. They tend to overpower the smaller rimfire rifle. Your 52 will look good with a proportionally-sized scope.
 
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For low cost I have the Mueller 4.5-14x40 APT Tactical on my Anschutz 1700FWT Sporter. Zero at fifty and move up three dots and dead on at 100yds. using Midas+.
Great for the money and easy to use. Also have the Mueller 8-32 as a test scope on my Anschutz 1907 with no problem.
 
Check out the Hawke 3X9 Mildot scopes. I have two (one on a a RWS springer pellet rifle for over 6 years now without damage, and the other on a Browning T-Bolt) and like them. Decent glass and positive adjustments without breaking the bank. Parallax down to 10 yards (actually a little closer) and mildots small enough to not obscure small targets. Sighted for 50 yards with the .22 LR ammo my T-Bolt prefers, the dots (at 9X) are on for 24 and 50 yards at the cross-hairs and 75, 101 etc. with the dots below the cross. I have a chart pasted to the inside of the rear scope cover for ranges at 4X and 9X for reference, but since the "zero" never changes enough to matter for general shooting out to 50 yards I don't use it all that much.
 
Nicktheshooter said:
Just looking for a list of suggestions to look into. Looking for a few scopes for some plinking rifles and something descent for a Winchester model 52 that I am upgrading to a modern optic.
Click to expand...
I have a Nikon PROSTAFF 3-9X40 BDC 150 on a custom 10/22 that I like really well. With Nikon going out of the rifle scope business, no doubt you can find some really good deals on these.
 
Leupold vxII 4x12x40 AO is just about perfect for me on my rimfire's.22lr,17m2.17hmr,and 22mag. all cz 452 american's...They just work for me but there is a bunch of others that will get the job done.I mostly hunt squrilles and punch paper with all of them.My limit is 100/125 yards with a rimfire though....
 
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