Outfitting a CZ 457---Which Scope?

[Mikail]

Using LEO/Mil programs to acquire and outfit a CZ457 .22LR varmint 20.5" HB.

the two Vortex Diamondbacks (4-16x44and 6-24x50) are first focal plane; the Vortex Viper is 5-20x50 second plane; all with excellent reviews.

The Diamondback 6x24x50 ffp is the center price point with each of the others falling w/in $40 Less and More respectively.

Mostly target use. Need some experienced advice to choose wisely
Thanx

 

[BowWow]

4x16 is plenty for 22lr.

 

[JimP42]

Define “target use”. What distances? What positions (or bench only)? Any competitions possibly on the horizon?

For 150+ yards, or benchrest style shooting, the most usable magnification you are willing to afford helps. “Usable” means clear crisp reticle and target in the scope. Note that if 25 yard shooting is important to you, check the scopes you are considering - on many scopes the focus/parallax adjustment starts at 50 yards.


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[Mikail]

50-100 yds generally

 

[Fynn]

Do NOT get anything without AO/EFR.

Leupold VX Freedom 3-9 EFR is a stellar choice.

 

[Daedalus-NC]

Another vote for the Leupold VX 3-9 EFR. I wish I could afford one. I have a Nikon 3-9 40 on my CZ-452 American and it's fine for me on the range.

Congrats on the CZ-457. Let us know how it plays for you

 

[CZfool68]

The Leupold is excellent. Have it on my CZ 512. I put a Weaver T36 on my 455 Varmint for the bench and it takes things up a notch. The Leupold is a great multi purpose scope.

 

[Flashpoint]

FFP is not all that beneficial in a rimfire target scope, no need for it in this application. You will most likely always know the distance and be working from a fixed magnification, which doesn't even have to be "the one" (usually the maximum) that the manufacturer of a SFP specifies. Just choose one that is an even fraction of the specified magnification and calculate accordingly.

The main point is that target shooting is typically at one known distance for a particular session, you can do your calculations once and done, as opposed to hunting or tactical use where variables can be anything and change often, and a quick solution is important.

 

[Smok3y]

I would choose the one with the most magnification, so in this case the Vortex Tactical 6-24. It gets great reviews at the price point too. I would not use a 3-9 for target at 100-150 yards if you don’t have to. Great scope, but I would not recommend it for this. I would not even recommemd 4-16. I had a 4-16 and loved it until I moved up to needing to hit 1/4” targets. Take the most you can get, and that is still a managible sized scope.

As far as FFP vs SFP, I think it is a personal preference. While the argument is valid for fixed distances, I still prefer the larger reticle that FFP gives you when zoomed in. If you are not staying on a bench and are doing NRL22 type stuff, you may want to consider the FFP. I use both types and love the higher mag opportunities that SFP offers at better price points when shooting really tiny stuff, but I shoot just as well at the distances you describe with my FFP up to 30x.

 

[Flashpoint]

I would choose the one with the most magnification, so in this case the Vortex Tactical 6-24. It gets great reviews at the price point too. I would not use a 3-9 for target at 100-150 yards if you don’t have to. Great scope, but I would not recommend it for this. I would not even recommemd 4-16. I had a 4-16 and loved it until I moved up to needing to hit 1/4” targets. Take the most you can get, and that is still a managible sized scope.

As far as FFP vs SFP, I think it is a personal preference. While the argument is valid for fixed distances, I still prefer the larger reticle that FFP gives you when zoomed in. If you are not staying on a bench and are doing NRL22 type stuff, you may want to consider the FFP. I use both types and love the higher mag opportunities that SFP offers at better price points when shooting really tiny stuff, but I shoot just as well at the distances you describe with my FFP up to 30x.

The way I understand it, the overall size of the reticle is up to the scope designers and the distance between mil/moa marks is a function of the magnification. FFP doesn't really give you a larger reticle when zoomed in compared to SFP, but it gives you a smaller reticle when not zoomed in.

 

[Smok3y]

The reticle is definitley up to designers, and does depend on the scopes you are comparing. I am taking about thickness of the reticle, not spacing, all of which is reticle dependent as there are MANY. FFP defenitely gets thicker to your eye as you zoom in.

Again all up to the specific comparisons, But you can pick up a high mag (24x and up like discussed) FFP scope zoomed in and compare the thickness of the reticle to a SFP, and the reticle is usually going to be thicker on the FFP at max zoom. That is one reason that many people don’t like FFP, how thick the reticle gets at high mag. I do like it myself. I have owned many of each and SFP usually has a thinner reticle. You are correct about the thinness of a FFP at lower mag though. They sometimes get so small, they are hard to see.

 

[RockRiver]

Do NOT get anything without AO/EFR.

Leupold VX Freedom 3-9 EFR is a stellar choice.

This would be my choice. I bought the VX freedom 1.5-4x20 for my 77/22 because I wanted a lightweight squirrel gun. One day I will buy a CZ for accuracy and put a 3-9 EFR on it. For a target gun the EFR is the way to go, especially with rimfire when you might be shooting close distance with high magnification.

 

[Smok3y]

The Vortex Tactical focuses down to 10 yards also. As mentioned above, I would also agree that you want a scope that focuses close.

 

[Fynn]

I mostly shoot 3 position @ 25 and 50 yards CMP Sporter Rimfire course of fire (rule-capped @ 6x) but also have tried silhouette out to 100+ and the Leupold VX Freedom 3-9 with fine duplex and adjustable objective is very nice.

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https://www.theopticzone.com/