Scope for my Rifle

[dbltap]

Hello, I have a bolt rifle that I want to use in benchrest shooting. Looking for an excellent scope for that purpose. I like the older US made Redfields like the 6400 but is it good for a 22 or better suited for the centerfire rifles? I remember Weaver had an excellent scope for 22 RF but I can't think of the model. I know it's no longer made but can always find on auction sites.

Thanks

[NRA_guy]

Have you looked at the Mueller APV?

I have one and like it.

The folks over on rimfire.com are all happy with it.

It runs about $120. MidWayUSA and some other places carry them.

They "only" go 4.5-14 x 40mm so you may want something that goes higher for bench rest.

[Zane71464]

I dont own one, but Ive heard good things about the Nikon Pro-Staff and from what I was told, the price isnt as bad as one would think for a Nikon scope...

[pawn]

Mueller APV is a good scope at a reasonable price. I tend to favor the Weaver V series in 3 x 9 or 4 x 16.

[Snakedriver]

While the Mueller APV is a great scope that is held in high regard in the $120 category, in the $65 range I have been very happy with the performance of my Simmons 3X9X32 .22 Mag. with A.O. (Adjustable Objective) scope. It's clear, precise and holds zero very well.

It all depends on what you want to do with your scope. For hunting and plinking, good scopes for a light recoiling .22 are not that hard to find. I've even been very happy with my CenterPoint .22 Rimfire scope that I got at Walmart for $54 and put on my old Remington 512.

.22 Scopes have the objective set for 50 yards vs. 100 yards on the centerfire rifle scopes. That is a thing you need to be sure you're getting in a scope if you don't get an A.O. scope, since you'll no doubt be shooting at targets in the 50 yard range more than 100 yards.

My Simmons on my 10/22:

[Zane71464]

NICE setup Snakedriver! A friend of mine has that scope on a .22 of his, and it's a
good scope from what I shot thru it.
(there's my old ruger, again)

[Snakedriver]

Originally Posted by Zane71464

There's my old ruger, again.

I know, sorry to keep rubbing it in. You should go and get you another one just like it so it won't hurt anymore.

[LDBennett]

dbltap:

For bench rest shooting (I do not know the limits placed on scopes by the bench rest rules??) more power is better. I would think 3-9x or 4-16x or even a 20X might not be enough. One of my friends competed for years in 22 and air gun silhouette and bought the highest power Leopold and had it modified with a lens addition for even more power. I would think you would need that for bench rest too. When it comes to high power scopes the optical design is critical. The cheapy scopes have serious problems with sharpness, optical aberrations and field of view curvature of the sharpness plane. The cheapy Tasco I have that goes to 32x needs a limiting aperture over the front element to minimize those optical aberrations to even be usable!

Any scope with power above 9x needs parallax correction ability. Without it, if you eye is slightly off center, the optics will not be pointing at the center of the target. It is because the image of the target and the reticule are not both focused on the same plane. Adjustable parallax, for the range to the target, focuses the target image on the reticule and parallax is eliminated for targets at that range. Parallax errors can be large and can impact where the bullet goes. The focus adjustment in the rear of the scope is NOT a parallax adjustment but to allow you to adjust the scope image to your eye.

LDBennett

[old semperfi]

there are a number of scopes out there that would suit your purpose but i am partial to the tasco brand.i use a 6x24 ao on my 10-22t and the same on one of my bolt guns.i am a beleiver in ebay to save dollars.try and make sure what ever you get has an adjustable objective,it makes night and day difference. old semperfi

[Snakedriver]

I missed that the OP is wanting to use the scope on the 10/22 for benchrest shooting and with that I agree, 3 X 9 power isn't enough.

I have no experience shooting in benchrest competition, so I'm not going to be of any help with that.

[Wangerin]

I have a Nikon 2-7X32. Nice glass and parallax is set to 75. About $129 at Walmart.

[LDBennett]

dbltap:

Some here have recommended some nice scopes and some scopes that will cost little and may do the job but what exactly is your "benchrest shooting". Is that competition or shooting with the rifle on a rest for fun. Those are different sports!

My recommendation was for competition. The lower magnification scopes would work just fine for rested rifle shooting for fun. But even then more magnification is the road to better accuracy. For fun shooting you probably don't need a scope more powerful than 20x and even a 3-9x would do, especially when shooting at 50 yds.

LDBennett

[raydcarter]

Originally Posted by dbltap

Hello, I have a bolt rifle that I want to use in benchrest shooting. Looking for an excellent scope for that purpose. I like the older US made Redfields like the 6400 but is it good for a 22 or better suited for the centerfire rifles? I remember Weaver had an excellent scope for 22 RF but I can't think of the model. I know it's no longer made but can always find on auction sites.

Thanks

Now, you have my interest - what could make a scope "better suited for the centerfire rifles"? I can see how one could be 'better suited' for rimfire if it were not strong enough to hold up on certain centerfires - but other way around??

You might consider the Hawke lineup for benchrest - they have some very good 24x and 32x scopes. Personally, I like the Eclipse 30SF for airgun Field Target - seems it would make a decent benchrest as well.

[Jay]

I have several .22 cal match rifles, and all of 'em wear Weaver T-36 scopes...a couple have dots, and some don't. Great scopes, but not inexpensive, by any means........ around $400.

[da357mag]

what could make a scope "better suited for the centerfire rifles"? What that statement refers to is the parallax setting that the scope is set to at the factory. Rimfire scopes are generally set at 50 yards, and centerfire scopes are usually set at 100 yards. this is the "focus" that the scope is set to see at any given distance. An adjustable objective allows you to focus the scope to the range you are aiming at. Doug

[raydcarter]

Decent scopes are inexpensive enough that I would not buy a non AO scope - at least for a rifle. There are very few AO pistol scopes, but that's another issue. It's also quite easy, on many non-AO scopes, to change it. Simply unscrew the front (objective) lens a bit - they're generally tight enough that they won't move.

[LDBennett]

Modern scopes are pressurized with nitrogen or some other gas to minimize fogging in cold weather. Un-screwing the front element MAY release the gas. Also most modern scopes are made with a one piece tube and the front objective part of the tube does not unscrew. The retaining ring for the front element will allow the front element to be loose in its mount. Not a good idea at all.

The bottom line is if you want adjustable focus then buy an Adjustable Objective (AO) scope.

LDBennett

[Kent Detective]

This is what I prefer -

http://www.jsramsbottom.com/products...mp-mounts.html

A budget scope which is better than some of my $350 scopes!