Varmint Scope

[Coolhand]

I have a .220AI which currently has a 3.5-10 x 50 Kahles KX scope on it. I particularly like the Kahles but am of the opinion that it is a bit under powered.
I would be grateful for any advice about which magnification may be a better choice for tied old eyes shooting to ranges of usually not more than about 400 yards.

Mike.

 

[jonbearman]

Take a look at the sightron SIII 8-32x56mm scope. Get the model with the lrmoa reticle . My buddy has 2 of them and they are a clear and functionally correct scope for the money.

 

[Tommie]

Something variable with a max power of 20 or 24 will be plenty. You won't need max magnification all the time but there will come times when you'll appreciate the extra power.

 

[tjtjwdad]

If it were me I'd get something with;

- No less than 18x.
- Has a varmint hold over reticle.
- Has adjustable wind and elevation knobs.
- Good clarity throughout the entire zoom range.

Depending on the caliber and the MAX shooting distance would determine if it were 1" or 30mm tube.

HTH,

 

[IA_shooter]

Since we're on the subject. I just purchased a Vortex Diamondback HD 4-16X42 with the dead hold reticle to put on top of a 17 Hornet. This will be strictly a varmint gun. I doubt I'll be using it out past 300 yards max so I thought the 16 power would be plenty. Is my thinking correct? Thoughts?

 

[lpreddick]

another vote for the sightron 8-32(i have 5) or 24 power. i shoot paper and varmints and the clarity of the sightrons rival scopes costing 2-3 times as much. the fine crosshair with dot is perfect when trying to get on a ghog. too much clutter reticals get in my way.

 

[SmokinJoe]

Three others to consider are the Leupold 30mm LR models & the old 6.5-20X EFR scopes (they are tough,too!) plus a Zeiss Conquest (the clarity will blow you away).

 

[Witchhunter]

I use 6.5-20 Leupolds on all of my varmint rigs. 220 AI, 223 and 222 Rem. You can use less power when there is mirage. These are all the old Vari X III models, Fine Duplex.

 

[johnmyers]

I use 6.5-20 Leupolds on all of my varmint rigs. 220 AI, 223 and 222 Rem. You can use less power when there is mirage. These are all the old Vari X III models, Fine Duplex.
[/quote)


These are great and you can also do in Varmint reticle

 

[justinp61]

I have a Leupold VX3 6.5-20 with a varmint hunter reticle on my Savage model 12 FVSS in 22-250. Great scope, I really like the reticle.

 

[lrgoodger]

You don't really NEED any more magnification, but it can be handy to zoom in to confirm what you are looking at, then zoom back out for the shot. I made my 1 mile PD kill shooting with the scope at 12.5x, the minimum on the Schmidt & Bender PMII I was using.

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3846054.msg36411068#msg36411068

More important than magnification is knowing your bullet drop at all magnifications. If you build a drop chart for a load at maximum magnification and then shoot at a lesser magnification, your point of impact will change for every point on your drop chart except the range you are zeroed at. That is on a second focal plane scope. That is why all of my PD and tactical scopes are first focal plane. For FFP scopes, the drop chart stays the same regardless of scope zoom.

 

[Coolhand]

Gents , many thanks for the advice etc , well I just this minute got in from the local gun store and set about mounting up a Schmidt & Bender Klassick 4-16 x 50 Varmint Reticle FFP.
I have some Kahles & Swaro Scopes which I really like but the image in this Schmidt is just that much better even if my decrepit eyes say so.
The Varmint reticle is odd to say the least and too difficult to describe but it grows on you. As the magnification is increased there are a series of dots on the lower vertical stadia which I really like. The dots are impossible to see when the power is down at 4x but on 16x they are just evident enough & not intrusive.
The thing I really like is that despite that it is FFP, as the power is increased the reticle side bars & cross hair, increase in proportion to the magnification, unlike some FFP scopes that increase the side stadia & cross hairs to the size of fence posts.

All in all , I am extremely happy with it.

regards
Mike.

 

[rvn1968]

If you can afford the S&B,you must have been getting a good chuckle over most of these responses.. Tom

 

[justinp61]

If you can afford the S&B,you must have been getting a good chuckle over most of these responses.. Tom

I guess we should've asked what the budget was. ;D

 

[Coolhand]

If you can afford the S&B,you must have been getting a good chuckle over most of these responses.. Tom

Not at all Tom , any and all advice is welcome. I actually set out to buy another scope, a Leupold, I was seriously checking out the S & B and the dealer offered it to me at 12% off. So it was a no brainer really , seems that not too many high end scopes are turning over lately and for that matter high end rifles either. Sales are in the doldrums apparently.

Mike.

 

[GrocMax]

I'm a big fan of grid style reticles for small varmints, FFP preferred. Most varminting will be done in open areas with lots of variable wind, optical ranging and wind 1st shot is a crapshoot, with a grid and low recoil 2nd shot is a 90+%er.

 

[people]

Night force might be a good option. There are some great deals on some of the older models.

They are heavy.

 

[Brians356]

The Varmint reticle is odd to say the least and too difficult to describe but it grows on you. As the magnification is increased there are a series of dots on the lower vertical stadia which I really like. The dots are impossible to see when the power is down at 4x but on 16x they are just evident enough & not intrusive.

So is that a "first focal plane" plane reticle, then?