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UPDATE--What Power Scope for 223 Varmint Gun?

sw282

Silver $$ Contributor
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/what-power-scpoe-for-223-varmint-gun.3950860/

l posted the first thread two years ago. Experience, opinions, and choices have CHANGED since 2018.
MY 22 caliber holes are easier to see with a 6.5-20 than a 3.5-10 or a 4.5-14 scope at 100 yards!!
My 223 Rem Varmint Gun now has a 6.5-20X40 VXIII. The 30mm tube resembles a Big Screen tv after looking thru 1inch tubes all these yrs. The Fine Duplex reticle helps too. After a June2018 trip to New Mexico a 22-250 came to live with me. A 6.5-20 vxiii is on it too. My little 221FB still has the 3.5-10vxiii... That could change shortly, for l found an 8.5-25x50vxiii that's looking for a new HOME;)
 
This is just my humble opinion, here goes. My eyes get worse with increased age. Four years ago I started using large power variable scopes for benchrest shooting. This has become an real “ eye opener” , yes......pun intended. If I can’t see it, I certainly can’t hit it. The only drawback I’ve experienced is increased mirage. In that case I am forced to reduce the magnification a bit. I think more is better than less.
 
I look at this like a tool in a tool box. Certain tools for certain jobs. You can’t take head bolts off with a 1/4” drive ratchet, yet you may need a 16” extension to do a job.

I know there are some that like a “do all” rig, akin to pliers or adjustable wrench. Yeah they work maybe to well on somethings and not enough on others.

My optics needs have changed as mentioned above with older eyes. Side focus has spoiled me and I am reluctant to go back to objective types. I look at the furthest distance and target size. I know some stretch the legs on smaller cartridges. I prefer to move up in case size or projectile size, if not both at extended ranges.

I like to keep enough speed for good acrobatics at what ever range on colony critters.

I find myself staying around 25-30x at the top end. Early morning before mirage sets in I can use it. Other wise I hoover around 14-20, what ever MY eyes will let me do.

That is where a lot is not payed attention too amongst others on discussion such as this. Take a young person and a good 10-12x and they can make 400 yard shots look easy.

The 6.5-20 Leupold varmint is hard to argue with to cover over a wide area. A walking varminter rifle I see much as a sheep rifle, carried a lot longer than it is shot.
 
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Heck, i did a URB match yesterday at Anderson Creek. At 100 yards, with an 18 power Vortex i found myself wanting more.

I can see another 4-20X50 Sightron STAC in my future. :D
 
My feeling is that mirage causes the same distortion to your picture regardless of what power you are on -- you just don't notice it at reduced power.

I therefore tend to shoot targets at max power or close. If at times I have to wait for the mirage to subside before I can squeeze off the shot, so be it.
 
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Mirage is a subject in its own. I don’t want to derail the OP’s thread.
I have shot with some guys that complained about mirage when there was very little. If the sun gets to blazing down hard on an open span it is tough. I think also it is dependent on your position to the sun. I can deal with pretty bad mirage at my home range.
Get in the field and in a field position that is the only option it can be a whole different game.

Lol, there have been days if I waited for it to subside it would be dark.
 
For many years I ran straight 6x42mm Mil-dot Leupold scopes on my 223's. It was a case of knowing if could not clearly see the target, it was time to use a longer range cartridge. These days I've pretty much settled in on 3-16x class variables. The US Army studies determined mirage is a problem above 16x decades ago so that's the high end of magnification for me. Having the wider field of view for close work keeps me down in 3-4x for the lower power side.

I still run a straight 6x on one of my 17HMR's, that's plenty for a walking around rifle, the other one wears a 2-7x with the TDS reticle.
 
I've hunt varmints (eastern ground hogs) extensively for about 50 years give or take. Like some have said, you can't hit it if you don't see it so it largely depends on the range you'll be shooting as to the appropriate magnification selected.

For me, 95% of my available shots, if not more are under 300 yards so a 4 x 16 is about optimum for me. Also the clarity of the glass is just as important as the magnification.

If you dial up for long shots, the repeatability of the elevation turrent also is critical which tends to mean expensive scope for continued use.

The usable magnification of the scope can be limited to the amount of mirage.

Another issue related to magnification is regarding your skill as a field shot and the shooting aid you use in the field. In other words, can you take advantage of the higher magnification for long range shooting while shooting under field conditions?

In the 60's and 70's I took a bunch of ground hogs with a 243 Win, Model 70 and a 3 x 9 Redfield scope but I was very familiar with rifle and kept my shots to under 250 yards.
 
After years of trying different scopes and power ranges, I settled on Leupold 6.5-20 as my go to. I have others like the 8.5-25 and they are great but my favorite for the range and prairie dogs is the 6.5-20.
 
For me scope power depends on cartridge, gun capabilities, target and type of hunting. For my walking Varminters, 22 lr, 22 magnum and 17 HMR, shot out of semi auto’s that I mainly shoot at ground squirrels, Praire dogs, gophers and rock chucks. I keep the shots at and under 175ish yards. for those rifles I use 4.5-14 power because of the small targets.
Followed by my 17 fireball and soon a 20 vartarg or 221 fireball I use 6-18 power. These I mostly shoot from the bench or laying down and shots are 100-300 yards at the above vermin.
The next class up are my .223, 204, 20 practical and 22-250. I try and only use those for 200-500+ yard shots on varmints also, which also include coyotes. These are mostly shot from the bench, shooting stick or on my mat. For that kind of range and the capabilities of those rifles I use 6-18 as a minimum and I also have a 8.5-25 on one of them that I really like. I believe with this class of rifles I could go up in power for the 500+ yard shots at gophers, p dogs and ground squirrels, I start having trouble seeing them and also sometimes the mirage gets tough on the high power though.
my big boys, the 25-06, .308 and 300 RUM. I only use these for big game hunting which is not my forte but I am slowly getting into it. This kind of hunting involves a lot of walking on steep and rough terrain, I would be lucky to have the time to set up one of these rifles on my shooting sticks in time to take a shot, so most shots are off hand or resting against a tree. These rifles use 4-12 and 4.5-14 because the Vitals on the big game I hunt tend to be larger than most of the varmints I hunt and I also limit all my shots to under 300 yards because of my lack of ability to shoot the big cannons as well as my small calibers.
As I get older I have noticed I need more and more power. The old 2-7 leupold on one of my 10/22’s from my youth seems under powered when I draw it on a p dog at a 100 yards.
 
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This is only my opinion but I've settled on a fixed (16x) power Super Sniper. For me, this is a fantastic scope for field hunting when you are not in the woods. I've found this to be too much zoom for mountain, deer hunting but great for groundhogs and the such. Just the most versatile for me and like many people say, more power is not always better. When you are low to the ground and field hunting on a sunny day the mirage is too bad to have anything above 20x. Being a fixed power with the mil rad reticle allows for easy range finding once you learn your scope.
 
I can't imagine using anything less than 6x20 after using an average of 20x to 40x on actual settings on the scopes I use the most. If my scopes are not first focal plane - I dial them in while they are set at 25X, as increasing to 30x won't significantly affect impact and shooting something closer when I want to dial down is acceptable. Big (quality) glass doesn't strain the eyes as much when looking for those little heads sticking up out of the holes.
 
Leu Var X 111 6.5-20 40 or 50 MM gloss or matte.Buy used $425-$500 here or e bay. A 14X is about max usable power when the mirage gets bad
 
I was at a UBR type, 100 yard shoot the other weekend. I was using my wifes Savage 110FP in 223 with a 6-18 Vortex, and wishing for more power.

A few of the people there had 50 power scopes. :eek:

Aim small, hit small.
 
I noticed that no one has posted anything about tapping the scope with the butt of a small screwdriver or similar thing to settle the crosshairs after adjustments. I learned this trick from a ex marine armorer (Nam vet ) gunsmith friend. LIGHTLY tap the scope in front of the turret a couple of times , then behind the turret a couple of times. You'd be suprised how much difference it makes
 
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