What scope would you recommend?

[FuzzyM]

The Ruger precision rimfire has a stock rail with 20moa of elevation. Its a good start for long range rimfire. Not that I have had a chance to try it yet.

[SCJ429]

I think they may only have 38 MOA adjustment so using some added cant would be required.

[bladeracer]

The Ruger precision rimfire has a stock rail with 20moa of elevation. Its a good start for long range rimfire. Not that I have had a chance to try it yet.

30MoA actually on the RPR, but the rail is not adjustable. You need at least 60MoA of adjustment in a scope to be able to zero it at 100m, more to zero at 50m.

[bladeracer]

I think they may only have 38 MOA adjustment so using some added cant would be required.

A canted rail though doesn't change how much range you have. 38MoA full travel would be able to zero back to 50m on the RPR's 30MoA rail, but you'd still only have 38MoA of adjustment, which I don't think would get out past 250m - I'd have to check the trajectory. I have my Ruger American Rimfire target set up with a 100m zero right at the bottom of the turret (using an adjustable mount), which puts it about 110mm high at 50m, so not suitable for hunting, but the 105MoA on my scope just covers the distance from 100m out to 500m with CCI Standard Velocity.

[Member-Deleted]

Man....

You are just beginning the world of painful head scratching that is selecting a scope.
I've just completed that rigmarole

Scope choice is just that, choice! There are many choices you must make to get the scope you like... And for the price you want to pay. I was looking to buy an expensive scope... But then Santa came along and took all my money so I had to search all over again.

So now I'm in the same boat as you mate.
It's my first rifle & first scope. I just bought a new Lithgow LA101 in lefty.
I want to build mine as a target only all rounder that will do from 25m out to 2-300mif I liked and as accurate as possible, so pretty similar to what your saying.

This was my checklist...

*Magnification. Personally I can't see the point of only running a -9 or -12 power scope. With a higher mag it's there if needed and can be easily turned down to suit distance and target size when not.
*Quality. How long they have been around, where they are made. Is their glass any good. Do they have a lifetime warranty? Do a lot of research. Stick with the reputed stuff.
*FFP or SFP. Both are good for target depending on the reticle. It depends on what you like.
*Reticle. This was the painful part for me. I didn't want a reticle that was too busy with hold off stuff that in reality, as a target shooter, you shouldn't need. It would be really easy if different scopes came out with the same reticles, at least a standard 'plex' type, but they don't. I guarantee you that at some stage you will find a scope that's looking good only to find that the reticle is no bloody good for your needs.
*Adjustable Parallax. It is a must for target if your going to use it at different distances. I don't think it matters whether its side adjustment or AO really makes a difference. Look for ones that are 10y to ~
*Objective Lens Size. It's really just for gathering light so bigger lens = more light. From research, I don't think anything over 40mm is required for target. Unless you are going to be shooting at dawn or dusk that is. Nothing wrong with having it bigger... You can always sun shade it if things are too bright. Although bigger scope rings will be required and the scope will be further away from the barrel line the bigger you go.
*Eye Relief. It's only gonna be on your rimfire so it's not really a big issue. 3-4 inch will be heaps. What ever is comfortable.
*Mrad or MOA settings. Another personal choice. It can be looked at as metric vs imperial or inch vs cm.
*Turrets. A "target" or "tactical" scope will generally have exposed turrets for easy adjustments. Hunting scopes are usually capped. The most important thing that any target scope needs to do is repeat itself... ie. Always return to the same set/zero point everytime after it's been moved.
Turrets that are zero settable are good and zero stop are better again. Makes it easier to get back to your zero. (@50m or 100m or whatever it's set to)
For long distance .22 stuff you want to make sure it has a lot of elevation and windage adjustment too. I'd say at least 60moa of both.
*Main Tube Size. A bigger tube will generally give you more elevation and windage adjustment. Other than that it's just bragging rights



I have ended up ordering a Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x40 with the Wind Hold reticle. It's a compromise of course of features, quality and price but it ticked most of the boxes above, still came in under $500 and will go on my air rifle once I save my bickies motor a super good scope in the future.


...the above advise is from a noob to a noob and may be incorrect in places but this is what I have found after weeks of reading the web's, asking peeps and pestering staff at gun shops...
Feel free to correct me where needed

[Oldbloke]

Most bushnell scopes now also come with a lifetime warranty

https://www.bushnell.com/warranty/

[bladeracer]

I have ended up ordering a Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x40 with the Wind Hold reticle. It's a compromise of course of features, quality and price but it ticked most of the boxes above, still came in under $500 and will go on my air rifle once I save my bickies motor a super good scope in the future.

That would be, and is, my choice as well, but what is the Wind Hold reticle?

[sungazer]

I think if you check your trajectory it will be about 47MOA from a 50 yrd 0 to 300 yrd. about double the drop a 308 would have from a 100yrd zero out to 1000 yrds.

[Member-Deleted]

That would be, and is, my choice as well, but what is the Wind Hold reticle?

Correct mate. It's one of the reasons I brought it.
They really do tick most boxes for a target scope for a noobie target shooter.


The windhold reticle is pretty simple with windage marks. Thought it might be handy. I don't really want a dropzone or btr type ones that are available so went with that.
If you google the Bushnell Tactical catalogue it shows it in there.

I was tossing up on a few different ones... Hope it's as good as it's supposed to be.

[SCJ429]

*
For long distance .22 stuff you want to make sure it has a lot of elevation and windage adjustment too. I'd say at least 60moa of both.
*

I have ended up ordering a Bushnell AR Optics 4.5-18x40 with the Wind Hold reticle. It's a compromise of course of features, quality and price but it ticked most of the boxes above, still came in under $500 and will go on my air rifle once I save my bickies :

What sort of conditions are you shooting in where you need 30MOA of windage?

After all your talk about FFP you bought a SFP Bushnell. Will your next scopes retical be in the first focal plane?

[bladeracer]

[quote="bladeracer"

That would be, and is, my choice as well, but what is the Wind Hold reticle?[/quote

Correct mate. It's one of the reasons I brought it.
They really do tick most boxes for a target scope for a noobie target shooter.


The windhold reticle is pretty simple with windage marks. Thought it might be handy. I don't really want a dropzone or btr type ones that are available so went with that.
If you google the Bushnell Tactical catalogue it shows it in there.

I was tossing up on a few different ones... Hope it's as good as it's supposed to be.

I put "wind hold" into their website search engine got nothing at all.
But that Google search did find it.

[Member-Deleted]

What sort of conditions are you shooting in where you need 30MOA of windage?

After all your talk about FFP you bought a SFP Bushnell. Will your next scopes retical be in the first focal plane?

I have no idea why you would need that much elevation. I found in my research that that amount would be plenty for target shooting.

And yes my next scope will more than likely be FFP because "after all my talk about FFP" I think I like it.

Sorry if I have gone contrary to your expert opinion but nothing you have said is really relevant to my cause. But thanks for trying.

Besides, it's rather difficult to buy a decent scope for under $400 with FFP.
The Nikko Sterling 6-24x50 in FFP came in as a close second but was pipped by reputation.

[SCJ429]

FFP is more complicated and costly to make. I don't think buying a cheap scope with a FFP retical is going to end well. Get a fixed power scope if you want to range with your retical and you are on a small budget.

What do you think of the retical on your AR Bushnell?

[Member-Deleted]

FFP is more complicated and costly to make. I don't think buying a cheap scope with a FFP retical is going to end well. Get a fixed power scope if you want to range with your retical and you are on a small budget.

What do you think of the retical on your AR Bushnell?

Don't know yet mate it's in the mail.

It might help with windage adjustments.

It was the best of the available ones for that brand/model of scope.

[SCJ429]

Just make sure your next FFP scope is a Nightforce so I get my commission and they continue to sponsor me.

Cheers,

[bladeracer]

[quote="SCJ429"

What sort of conditions are you shooting in where you need 30MOA of windage?

After all your talk about FFP you bought a SFP Bushnell. Will your next scopes retical be in the first focal plane?[/quote

I have no idea why you would need that much elevation. I found in my research that that amount would be plenty for target shooting.

And yes my next scope will more than likely be FFP because "after all my talk about FFP" I think I like it.

Sorry if I have gone contrary to your expert opinion but nothing you have said is really relevant to my cause. But thanks for trying.

Besides, it's rather difficult to buy a decent scope for under $400 with FFP.
The Nikko Sterling 6-24x50 in FFP came in as a close second but was pipped by reputation.

30 minutes of elevation is not much on a .22LR. On the RPR due to its 30MoA rail, that full 30MoA of adjustment won't allow you zero it at 100m, or any closer than that.

Set the turrets to the centre of their travel, then mount the scope on the RPR and boresight it at 100m. Your reticle will be 30MoA below your boresight, that's almost 900mm low at 100m. To bring the reticle up to zero you need to wind the turret up more than 30MoA, the bore axis plus the bullet drop at 100m.

30 minutes of windage though would be extreme.

[sungazer]

Perhaps changing the rail may be a better option. The 22LR is certainly not the gun I go for if I want to shoot stuff at 300-500 yrds. Perhaps for on paper to 300 on a good day. Never for anything else ok maybe a coke can.

[bladeracer]

Perhaps changing the rail may be a better option. The 22LR is certainly not the gun I go for if I want to shoot stuff at 300-500 yrds. Perhaps for on paper to 300 on a good day. Never for anything else ok maybe a coke can.

It's a great learning tool at roughly half-scale of centrefire shooting.
And plinking stuff at 300m+ is pretty good fun despite the learning experinxe

[sungazer]

But really I think it is more hit than miss. Depending on the size of your target and expectations I guess. I think my trajectory numbers are right but when I looked closer as I had only some real numbers at larger intervals but a 10yrd difference say 290 and 310 is like 2.5MOA each side of 300. So easy to get wrong without even all the human and environmental and real world stuff going on.

[bladeracer]

But really I think it is more hit than miss. Depending on the size of your target and expectations I guess. I think my trajectory numbers are right but when I looked closer as I had only some real numbers at larger intervals but a 10yrd difference say 290 and 310 is like 2.5MOA each side of 300. So easy to get wrong without even all the human and environmental and real world stuff going on.

That's what makes it more challenging