Want to learn more about pew pew pew repair? mgs.edu Like me on Facebook / 22plinkster Follow me on Twitter / 22plinkster Follow me on Instagram @22plinkster
I use a Nikon Buckmaster on my CZ455 and it works great. I also have a Prostaff on my Ruger 10/22 and it is also an excellent scope. Both are 6 - 18 power and 40 mm. In fact, I use various Nikon scopes on all my rifles now. They just plain work and the optics are really clear. For the money they are excellent scopes that hold up well.
Awesome video. I finally got ahold of my little 22 from my parents and need to drop a scope on it. Mossberg M344 K from 1985! Still looks new, passing it along to my children.
I bought a Hawke Sidewinder 30 scope. Took it out the box and dropped it, brand new scope,......and I dropped it. Hit the floor big time so it was no wonder the POI wandered from left to right as I zoomed in and out. I rang Hawke and told them straight up what I had done, they said to send it to them, which I did, and they returned it in full working order totally free of charge. Got 2 of them now, one on my CZ452 .22LR and one on my CZ452 17HMR. The other thing I like about the Sidewinder is the wheel that fits on the parallax. I do a lot of night vision shooting and this wheel makes it quick and easy to focus on a target. A 4-16x50 Sidewinder costs £380 which is about $490.
Good job... Very good presentation. Fluid, excellent review; it provides examples for different selling points. This dog and pony show makes it less difficulty to make a definitive decision. Thanks
Thanks so much! I was amazed to see this vid pop up at the exact time I was searching for a scope for a .17HMR I just picked up. I mostly use Nikon, but your video made me aware of good alternatives.
I have purchased a number of .22 rimfire rated scopes from optics planet and am pleased not only with the products, but the customer service was excellent.
I've bought El Cheapo brand 6x-40x scopes from Amazon, at about $100, and they work like a champ on most 22LRs. There's simply not enough recoil on a 22LR to screw up the cheap reticles and the earliest one I've bought has been solid for more than 4 years and counting. Granted, it's only used for rest-shooting (not walking around but from a fixed position) but my old eyes love all the Xs it can get :) . Never had any problems with any of them on any 22LR rifle. The drawbacks are when pushing out to 200+ yards, there's not generally enough adjustment to range from 50 yards out to 300 yards without an MOA riser. But from 25 yards to 150-200 yards, no problem. And if you're walking about hunting, it's big and heavy.
I love my Nikon Prostaff, it was the first scope I ever bought! I opted for the bigger caliber one because unfortunately I'm on a budget so its nice to have the option to put it on something bigger
It would be great to see an update to this video! This was created over 2 years ago and I'm sure there are a number of better scopes out there that you would recommend. I'd love to hear about 'em!
Sadly, almost all the reliable and lightweight rimfire scopes have been suspiciously discontinued. Everything available now is either unreliable, too heavy, or more expensive. The only reliable ultralight scope available now is a Leupold. And even they discontinued their ultralight VX1 Rimfire 2x7 power recently. The very best rimfire scope for the money was the Walmart Bushnell 4x32 Rimfire Scope for under $30. It was lightweight, unusually reliable, and had decent glass and a clear reticle. It was sold for a longtime but Bushnell abruptly canceled it in the last couple of years. Weaver also canceled their excellent made in Japan ultralight rimfire scopes. Now? Junky, heavy and unreliable Simmons, Barska, Hawke scopes etc or much more expensive scopes or ones that are too heavy for field use. Just 3-4 years ago though, there was an abundance of excellent rimfire scopes. It is a travesty that all of the way too heavy, too expensive or unreliable rimfire scopes Plinkster is reviewing here are all that are available now. If you can find the older scopes from before 3-4 tears ago grab em up and keep them because they are much better.
Scope optics, so long as they are weather-tight (post 1950s) vary very little. Older scopes, generally, do not have variable magnification, but the optics are from the U.S. and Japan (or, Switzerland) and have both excellent color and also nice quality build for narrow rail applications, i.e. .22 or .17 hmr. There are high quality USED optics available. Because they are shipped from America to anyone with the money, they qualify as an American product, too.
LOL! Vortex warranty, "lean it up against the truck and take off.." Been there, done that against my wood trailer 35 years ago while woodcutting with my Marlin 25M .22magnum. All the way under the trailer tire, loaded with 1-1/2 chord of wood. Luckily the rifle and bushnell scope were undamaged and only had to re-zero couple 1/4 MOA clicks at 50yd.
One more thing about my Hawke scope it has a side turret for yards which you use for focus. Just an awesome scope also it lights up the dots in the mildot reticule, to see in low light.
Plinkster, One important feature that you failed to mention was the focus range for these scopes. Out here in the west, it is not uncommon to need a rimfire scope to focus at very close distance - we are talking 10 or 20 feet - all the way out to 150+ yards. Not all scopes can focus at those distances and give you a clear image. A second thing that you didn't discuss much was the reticle. Trying to do some precision target work with a fat reticle is frustrating. Trying to shoot a live or moving target with a thin target reticle is equally frustrating. You did show an image of the reticle's in the video, but little or not discussion on philosophy of use.
The best scope for a rimfire under $200 is a used or refurb Nikon muzzleloader or slug gun scope (so that they'll have a 75 yard parallax free setting)... such as the Omega / Slugmaster / Turkey Pro of various configs. Though admittedly, I haven't tried the Primary Arms.
Called Primary Arms and the 6x .22lr reticle was designed to use the 36grn mini mag from a 16.5inch barrel. For anyone that gets technical about this BDC stuff like I do 😅
i love my vortex crossfire II 4-14x44 scope. clearest scope I've ever used. dead on on my k31 out to about 300 yards as far as i can shoot on my land. great scope
I have 2 BSA Sweet 22 6x18x40 and they are excellent with very clear glass at all magnifications. I use them for target shooting with my Anschutz 1416D and M1913 rifles. They come in at about 150 dollars but very much worth it. I also have 3x9x32 Bushnell Banner that I bought in Germany back in 1986 and have kept it because the glass is so clear that puts many expensive scopes to shame.
I too, have a BSA Sweet 22 on my CZ 455, and the brilliant glass makes the sight picture brighter/clearer than looking with the naked eye. My only beef is that the lens caps are "screw on" and can scratch the lens if not careful..But neither do they get caught by my hat brim, so there are both pros and cons I guess. As for the reticle, mine is a rather thick plain X until right at the target area and it goes very thin. There are no other marks or dots on it for any hold-over. Where the reticle gets thick is a pretty good hold over for about 200 yards, however.
I got one of the Nikon ProStaff for my wife. She loves it. Honestly, it's quite a bit better than the bushnell I have on my model 60...brighter and somehow quicker and easier to get comfortable with.
Got a sonic king 3x9 40 for my ruger in 10/22 w/ Lifetime warranty for $30.00 .at 14" long it's kinda big but gives me the perfect eye relief for me plus it also perfect for any sniper longer range shots as well ! For the $30.00 and the warranty cant go wrong with it if a little extra weight isnt a big issue ! SACRIFICING ONE THING FOR ANOTHER 👍😁
I am preferential to Bushnell and the Sportsman series in particular, but these are scopes I can afford on the used market. People think more about the objective lens and forget about the eyepiece lens, and these scopes have a nice large diameter lens, even in the 4X32mm unit.
Thank you for your informational video. It would be nice for you to explain why there is a difference between rimfire optics and non-rimfire optics. If I buy a non-rimfire optic and mount it on a rimfire rifle, what disadvantage will I incur? Or vice versa? Thank you.
Great video, love the channel, and the Henry channel, thanks for sharing. It's a shame in today's society you have to give so many disclaimers, but you did a great job working around it.
Great video, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience! one of my biggest struggles with some of the less expensive Scopes is a lot of times I find the crosshairs to be thick on my target. Do any of these Scopes that you have used thin Target crosshairs? Any recommendations for a scope with thin reticles?
I just picked up a Savage 54FBSR and I'm looking at scope options. I use Vortex on my PC Carbine and I'm purchasing a Venom RMR for my 12 gauge, so I love Vortext products. But this video gave me a number of other great options to consider. Thank you for the fantastic run down. What are your thoughts on the Vortex Diamondback?
I have a Nikon 4/16X50 Monarch3 on my 243, around 500€ but i like very much. I'll for sure go for the Nikon when i'll have to buy a new scope for my 22lr.
The Crossfire II series has a much better eye relief and overall better quality. I own one and have tried the Hawk. Its nice, but going from that to the Xfire II is like hopping off a 250cc Bike onto a 1300 Busa, It is that noticeable. Just throwing out my experiences in choosing the last scope I purchased is all.
The Nikon does great on my Tactical Solutions Xring and also on my Ruger Precision Rimfire. I'll pick up the Hawke and take the Ruger out for some longer shots. BTW The Ruger is shooting 3/8" one hole 5 shot groups at 25 yards prone with the Vortex diamondback it has a larger field of view and more clarity than the nikon plus the crosshairs are finer. The RPR loves Noma USA Tac 22.
I have the Primary Arms 22 optic. It is probably the perfect optic for plinking and I highly recommend it for the casual shooter, or for that 22 rifle that you just like to shoot for fun. It isn't as good as my son's Leupold VX-2 3-9x33mm EFR, that is probably my favorite rimfire scope, but it is also in the $400 range.
I have 2 of the Leupold VX-2 3-9x33mm EFR, I have one on my Smith and Wesson AR 15 and one on my Benjamin Marauder air rifle. You know you can call Leupold and have them make you some custom turrets , then all you have to do is range what ever you are shooting at and set the turret on that distance. Then pull the trigger. awesome scopes.
@@peteflores453 i for one did not know that, what exactly do you have to do? Could you please explain the procedure you go through and what you ask for? Thank you Oh, i almost forgot could you please include the approximate price point?
I have an old Leupold VXII 3-9x50. It is perfect for my .22 mag because the crosshair is microscopic, so it doesn't cover up the typically small targets U pursue with a rimfire. Like ground squirrels. Wish I could find another one.
Barska 3-9x42 dual illumination has done great on my Ruger 10/22. Had it for years. I use it 25-50 yards for squirrels, armadillos, raccoons, etc. and have the pictures to prove how a "cheap" scope works. Turned a Bruce squirrel into a Caitlyn one time too.
I have a old BSA 36X45 not a type O 36 fixed power sitting on my 50 yard bench rifle CZ 452 varmint ....I bought it refurbished on eBay for the price it's amazing ...22plinkster likes to say minute of squirrel this thing is minute of squirrel eyeball
Nikon Prostaff .22 on my Ruger 10/22 Takedown, it's a beauty. Great glass, crisp reticle, bright. With good ammo the package prints ragged holes at 100y. I've also been really happy with one that isn't' listed here, the CenterPoint scopes that are mostly made for air rifles, but work well on .22LR as well. If you can pick them up on sale at Wal-Mart it's a hell of a deal.
800lb Gorilla , hello. Purchased a Ruger 10/22 takedown for my 12yo son, and looking for scope vs Bushnell trs-25 red dot. Will rifle still fit in its backpack with the Nikon mounted? Thanks!
Sorry for the slow reply, but yes the takedown will fit in the pack with the Nikon ProStaff mounted, provided you use low-rings. I think I used Leupold rings.
You must be one hell of a shot AND have access to a VERY competent Gunsmith/Armorer if you can do one hole groups at 100 with a 10/22.....Most of the 'hotshots' I've seen at the range throw down groups that look more like .410 patterns at 25 yds,,, well not QUITE that bad, but you get the point. Can't tell you how many 10/22 guys I've heard over the years 'bragging" about .7 to 1.0 groups at 50...."Accurate" is usually reserved (imhumble experience) to describe the targets brought in by the CZ and most often, the Anschutz shooters.
@@seeratlasdtyria4584 Well, I was... I did the gunsmithing/tweaking myself. Lots of patient trial and error, meticulously documented to track what helped and what didn't. Also, a lot of the internals were replaced with Kidd Innovations parts, including his single-stage trigger. CCI Green Tag was good, but Eley Match really made it sing. Lapua and some of the other high end 22 ammo wouldn't perform as well in that barrel, the next barrel could do something completely different. Those single hole groups were best of the best, indoors, from prone with a bipod and a rear bag, when I was shooting every weekend and doing dry fire during the week. I think most people can attain that level of proficiency with a good instructor and six months of dedicated practice, but it takes work. If I stepped away from it for more than a couple weeks, it would take time to really dial in natural point of aim and breathing again. It's like most things, you can get to 90% with a little work, 95% with a good amount of work, but every 1% improvement beyond that takes A LOT of work, and must be maintained because it is a perishable skill. Since that post, I actually sold the 10/22 and picked up a CZ 455 which is my main 22 now. Stupidly accurate although being a bolt gun, it's sometimes harder to shoot really tight groups because it is easier to break natural point of aim between shots, and 22 is so finnicky. I tell myself one day I'll drop the coin on a Vudoo but it's unlikely, I don't compete anymore. For new shooters, kids, and even adults looking to improve, I highly recommend finding a local Project Appleseed. It's usually a two-day event, positional shooting with a 22 semi-automatic and irons. They teach marksmanship fundamentals and Revolutionary War history. I've seen people come in to the course having never shot a gun before, and by the end they can shoot 5-round 1" groups at 25m all day long.
@@silvermediastudio Like I said, only a VERY accomplished shooter with gunsmithing/armorer level skills is capable of the accuracy that you have attained, and NOW, that you've provided more info on yourself, I can see why:) Though never really a paper puncher myself, many decades ago I once held the Fort Ord rifle record (VN era) as well as a few other similar unit/base titles (I was an XVIII Airborne Corps Spec Serv/Warfare "Skydragon" under the old Forces Command structure. Fortunately (for me:); all of my weapons were built and maintained by some of the military's best gunsmith/armorers of the time, including the real life fellow upon which the back wood's firearms expert in Wahlberg's movie "Shooter" was based (he was also the coach of the US Mil's International shooting team btw.) In any event, glad to hear you managed to wring the best out of the 10/22, my brother- himself a naturally gifted shooter, fooled around with his for several months and ended up giving it away. Salutations.
I can’t speak for any of the scopes except for the Primary Arms , I purchased it installed it on my 10/22 and couldn’t hit anywhere near where I was aiming ( indoor range at 25 yards) . Returned it received a new one from P.A and second time to the range ( again indoors) it was off by 4”-5” for point of aim, returned it for a refund, just for the record I was using CCI mini mags each time. Now my search for a scope begins again, but in the mean time I’m using a Bushnell red dot which at 25 yards it performs fantastic haven’t had a chance to take it to an outdoor range because of winter ( every time wind, snow, rain) but weather is getting better.
Walmart I got a Centerpoint with red, green, and black crosshairs. Think it was like $75 or less. Got it for my Hatsan pellet rifle but later put it on the Ruger 10/22 and works great.
I bought the Hawke scope and got it for 230 dollars. I bought the 4x16x44mm scope and it came with the Hawke scope rings. Truly love the scope and it has very clear glass and i bought a sun shade for it too. I think it is better than the Nikons and i love Nikon, but if you spend just a little bet more for the Hawke scope you can't go wrong with it. I put my scope on my Ruger 10/22 and now i can hit the bull's-eye at 200 yards easily.
I use the burris droptine 3-9x40 22lr for squirrels and find it to be extremely clear and bright and always holds zero. I used to like Nikon cause the glass is pretty good but they don't last for me or my friends.
Come on Plinkster! I came for the knowledge and every one is crystal clear lol. Which one would you recommend for long range shooting from a Savage Mark II FV-SR? (I realize it's not designed for that, but see my mile video. I enjoy using the hardest tool for the job)
No need. I bought one, I thought something was wrong with it so I sent it in for a new one. Before I boxed it up I put a very fine scratch on the bottom to set if I'd get the same once in return or a new one. I recieved a new one top my surprise. That also was garbage. They are not worth the cardboard they are packaged in
I'm glad that it's more of a positive review - any not included are missed by omission. In saying that I'm sure there are PLENTY that are great, just not reviewed yet.
I like the Tasco 3-9x40. I have them mounted on Marlin model 60 22lr's Ruger 10/22, Henry 22 Magnum, Marlin 357 Magnum, and Marlin 30-30 rifles. Not knocking any of the brands in this review. I'm just a creature of habit and stick with the things that I like and have served me well.
You should try Mueller optics. Best glass I've ever seen on a budget scope. I have a 8.5 to 25 AO tactical mildot on my KIDD and it's just all around good for everything from shooting tiny groups on paper to ringing steel at 400 yards to hunting and for a 25 power scope it only weighs about 17 ounces.
hey 22plinkster (or anyone in the comments), I have been looking at something like a 1-4 or 1-6 zoom scope for my TCR-22. I personally do not see myself needing anymore than 6 times zoom for a 22 plinking around. I have seen a few decent ones at a decent price, but they are all considered "AR-15" scopes. I am wondering if there is anything that would make them not applicable to a 22lr or if I need to get something specific for 22lr. thanks!
bought my 10/22 used at a gun show for $70.00 i have added a 3 x 12 cabelas scope .what they call a tactical multi turret scope for $150.00 and an extended mag release from bastion gear also a nu line folding stock. which they no longer make. i really like my set up and i have enough mags for 170 rounds of ready ammo.
