Who has the best scope for a .17 HMR Rifle!

[sstkmkrr]

Title says it all! I would like to know your opinion and experience on this one please! Just purchased a Savage 93 .17HMR Thumhole Laminated. A Critter shooter under 150 Yrds.

Thanks, Have a Merry Christmas and a better New Year!

Steve Murphy

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

Weaver T-36 around 400.00

 

[Fotheringill]

The "old" Weaver T-36's are going for less than that NIB.

What are you shooting at? Paper or animals? Distance(s)?

36 power is just fine for paper shredding but way too much for animals. You will never easily acquire your target and hold it unless shooting at Friar Tuck asleep while fishing stream side.

 

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

I'm pretty happy with my Mueller 4.5-14x40. It's on my savage 17hmr. It's relatively inexpensive and the gun and scope consistently shoot groups under a nickle at 100 yards. (Provided there's no wind) Occasionally, it will shoot under a dime. I wanted something that was a good value for the $$...without being too expensive. It's $135 at amazon.com....no tax, free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Rifle-Scope-Black-4-5-14/dp/B000SULCTA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418318771&sr=8-1&keywords=meuller+scopes

It's my long range squirrel and short range groundhog gun. Not quite enough umph for a general groundhog gun, so it has to be either a brain or heart/lung shot, and under 150 yards.

Here it is in action...with the reflector extender added to the scope. (yes, I'm left handed)

 

[Ohio1]

I have three of these meuller scopes on three different rifles....they work for me!

Steve

 

[hogpatrol]

Sightron SI Hunter series. Pick your reticle.

http://info.sightron.com/Riflescopes/SI-Hunter-Series/SIH-TAC412X40AOHHR/

 

[JohnHenry]

I would recommend that one consider one of the Weaver 4-16X42mm scopes that are currently on sale at Natchez Shooters Supply. For the money, a nice Japanese optic.

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentId=productDetail&prodId=WE849414&green=4A627F54-A11A-58C5-0FCC-04C3829D7A18&src=mbProd

or: http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=WE&prodID=WE849409&prodTitle=Weaver%204-16X42%20Classic%20V-16%20AO%20Riflescope%20STT%20Fine%20Crosshair%20Reticle%20Matte

 

[searcher]

Not seeing price restrictions, my fave is a Nightforce 3.5x15 NXS. I put one on a Volquartson .17HMR as a temporary scope till I "found the right one" but loved it so much on that rifle I could not bear to take it off. Bright, clear optics and a large field of view are as nice on the small guns as the large. My $400.00 Savage now wears one as well. No more headaches after a long day of varminting that I got from lesser quality 1" tubes.

 

[thekriebles]

I'm pretty happy with my Mueller 4.5-14x40. It's on my savage 17hmr.

It's my long range squirrel and short range groundhog gun. Not quite enough umph for a general groundhog gun, so it has to be either a brain or heart/lung shot, and under 150 yards.

Here it is in action...with the reflector extender added to the scope. (yes, I'm left handed)

Nice shooting there!!

 

[thekriebles]

Title says it all! I would like to know your opnion and experince on this one please! Just purchased a Savgae 93 .17HMR Thumhole Laminated. A Critter shooter under 150 Yrds.

Thanks, Have a Merry Christmas and a better New Year!

Steve Murphy

Another good value choice is the Weaver Kaspa Tactical 2.5-10x44mm Illum. Mil-Dot. It's a 30mm tube, side focus, illuminated reticle for under $200. I've had mine for two years with zero issues.

 

[justinp61]

The best scope? That's like asking red heads or blonds? ;D Seriously, for shooting critters the Mueller scopes are great I had a 4.5-14 APT, 30mm tube, mil dot on my BTVLSS .22 and loved it. I replaced it with a Konus Pro 6.5-25 for shooting at 100 yards. The Mueller is much clearer, great scopes for the money IMO.

http://muelleroptics.com/category/products/mueller-scopes/rimfire-scopes

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Blondes and redheads....good analogy. With beaucoup choices out there, and having much experience with this very question myself, all three of my 17HMR's wear Leupold VX2 4-12x40mm's with AO with their excellent LRV or "Long Range Varmint" reticle, which is a fine duplex with two lower hashmarks for extended range. Mine is dialed at the main crosshair intersection at 100 yds, and the other two give me aiming points at 175 and 250 yards. Not expensive, and great optics for any 17HMR

This one is on my Anschutz 1517HB, and is quite effective on rockchucks out to 200 yds as long as head shots are taken:



I long ago gave up on "budget" scopes, and now my safe is full of Leupold-scoped rifles. The ability to service/modify any of their scopes right here in the USA (Portland, OR) is also a huge bonus. And at the end of the day, no headaches whatever (even with a 1" tube; not sure how that should make any difference, as I've got lots of 30mm tubed scopes too, and that has never entered into the equation).

This particular scope is a cataloged item, so it has good availability.

 

[JRS]

LEUPOLD 1.5-6x24

 

[Rick in Oregon]

LEUPOLD 1.5-6x24

That's what my elk-gettin' M70 .338-06 Ackley wears.

Good for elk, but a tad on the light side when all you've got to shoot at is a chuck's nose and eyeball peeking out from a rock pile over 200 yards away. I'm not sure if I could even SEE an eyeball in the rocks at 6X, but I've got geezer eyes now too.

 

[JRS]

The OP will be shooting at 150 yards. If 6x won't work, someone needs a new pair of eyes ;D

 

[Rick in Oregon]

The OP will be shooting at 150 yards. If 6x won't work, someone needs a new pair of eyes ;D

Maybe, but with over 50 years experience shooting rock chucks hiding in the rockpiles, it's obvious you've never done it yourself using a 6X scope when you've only got that eyeball peeking out. I have, and actually being able to tell IF what you are looking at is an eyeball OR part of the rock at 6X is quite a challenge, and I've got 20-20 vision.

Think you could SEE an eyeball at 150 yards in the sage, juniper and rocks, when the critter KNOWS you're there, and is doing his best to hide? Been there many times with 6X (before I learned), and the answer is: NO.



This is probably what you think is typical, but it's NOT:



But maybe you're about 20 years old with crystal vision, and have some unique ability that I'm unaware of.

 

[JRS]

Apparently, it is the difference between the guys behind the trigger. I have no problem picking off golf balls at 200 yards with my VX-7 set on 6x. I'm not looking for, nor do I care, whether I see a varmints eyes or nose. I'll trade that extra magnification for additional FOV any day.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Apparently, it is the difference between the guys behind the trigger. I have no problem picking off golf balls at 200 yards with my VX-7 set on 6x. I'm not looking for, nor do I care, whether I see a varmints eyes or nose. I'll trade that extra magnification for additional FOV any day.

Well, an unobscured, nice bright golfball at 200 is a far cry from a chucks eye, especially when that's the only visible hint he's there through all the tangle of vegetation in the natural world. If he only "gives" you his eyeball, well then, that's all you've got to shoot at.

But everyone has an opinion, and ours differ. Mine has been formed from 52 seasons of shooting these guys.

 

[CharlieNC]

I've been happy with a Vortex Viper 4-12 for the price. Clear and adequate mag out to 300 yd, where the wind get's a bit tricky for the 17. Would be great for your 150 yd interests. Of course you can spend as much as you want when you ask what is the best.

 

[kcjim]

We put a Burris FFII 3-9x scope on my wife's .17 HMR and it has worked very well for shooting prairie dogs out to 200 yds. I had read that the ballistic plex reticle would work well for the trajectory of the .17 HMR and it does. Sight main crosshair at 100 yds, the next sub crosshair works for 150 yds and the second sub crosshair is on at 200 yds. That's with 17 gr loads.