Suitable scopes for .204 Ruger

[wildcat284]

Hey guys,

Planning on purchasing a Kimber Pro Varmint in .204 Ruger. What scopes do you recommend. I was thinking along the lines of 16 - 20x at the top end, maybe with a dot.

All replies appreciated.


Regards,

Michael.

 

[M700]

Well, mine has a simple 4-12x, but it's a lightweight CZ rifle primarily used as a walking varminter for coyotes and rockchucks.

Seems like you're going for more precision, longer ranges and smaller targets? If so, yes, the higher magnification could be a help!

 

[acloco]

Treat this as a 700 yard gun on small varmints. Might want to go with a small dot....

 

[antelopehunter]

Last year I was looking for a scope for a .204 for a Cooper Phoenix. I put on a 6.5 X 20
Nikon Monarch with a fine cross hair. It works well for me for both paper punching and longer range prairie dog work. The good news is that you have a lot of options to choose from and that will make the selection process interesting in itself. Good luck in your scope selection decision.

 

[Codeman]

I topped my 204 Savage LRPV with a Leupold 6.5 x 20 50mm with the varmint reticle and couldn't be happier

 

[wildcat284]

Thanks guys for your input.

I bought a brand new Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16 x 40. I had considered a Weaver 4-16 x 40, but then the Elite came up for sale at $500.00 NZ, and after reading all the good comments on here about them, I decided on the Elite.

 

[F224]

On my 1st one, a Kimber, I used a 3.5-10x Zeiss, not enough on the top end. On rifle No 2, a Steve Satern built AR15 with a 9 twist barrel, I have gone up to a 4-12x Leupold 30mm Euro scope with a fine cross hair and a vertical target knob. I wanted as low a low end as I could get with at least 12x on the top. It works well out past 600 for prairie dogs, but I can still track fox and coyotes with the 4x in close. The 4.5-14x scopes would also work very well with this cartridge.

 

[Ackman]

The .204 has little recoil. If you're gonna park the gun on bags and shoot at small targets, a scope that goes to 24X won't be too much.

 

[Silverfox]

My Savage 12VLP in .204 Ruger wears a Leupold VX-III 6.5-20x40mm long range side focus scope with the silver finish and a wide duplex reticule. I use this rifle for shooting prairie dogs and when I go out coyote calling as well. The wide duplex doesn't seem to hinder my shooting at small varmints or shooting paper at the range.

The low end magnification of 6.5x can get a little dicey if you let the coyotes get in too close, but it hasn't cost me any missed coyotes yet,I say "yet" because nothing is absolutely certain with coyotes and women).

When I am out shooting prairie dogs, the power ring sits at 20x almost all the time. The only time it gets turned down some is if I have a smart-mouthed prairie dog doing the warning bark at me while sitting real close at like 25 to 50 yards. Then I have to crank the power ring down so I can get a clear focus on the lippy prairie dog. I use a mirage shield on my barrel and don't seem to have much problem with mirage even at the 20x power setting.

 

[ocsjr]

I put a Zeiss Conquest 6.5-20x50 on my Cooper .204, very happy with it. Would do it the same way again, even to getting it from Optic Zone.

 

[acloco]

At the moment, on the 12BVSS chambered in 204, resides an 8-32x56 BR Nightforce with the NP2RR reticle. Believe this will be "enought" scope.

,no...not made of money...got a heck of a deal on it!!).

 

[ThadJB]

Long range shooting it sounds like you're on the right track. I use a 6 X 24 Black Diamond on one and a 6.5 X 20 Zeiss Conquest on the other. On a recent coyote hunt, while looking through the scope for my target, my partner dropped the coyote. I now have on order a 2 X 8 Zeiss Conquest. Decisions, Decisions...

 

[MrMister]

I have the same set up as SilverFox but on a Remington 700 VSSF II, LOVE IT! My scope is a 30mm tube, I'm sure SilverFox's is too.

On my calling gun, a CZ 527 American I have a Nikon 1.5x6x44 with the 30mm tube. I consider this one of the best walking gun combo's out there. The FOV is awesome and being able to power up to 6 on coyote's is plenty.

The 204 is a great little round.