"Standard" scope on a 22LR

BigWaylon

BigWaylon

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The only scope I own is a Bushnell 2-7X rimfire...everything else is a non-magnified red dot...so I have next-to-nothing knowledge on the subject.

Can you use a standard scope on a 22LR rifle? What's the downside of doing so?

I've seen some 3-9X offerings, but was hoping to get a little more magnification.

Read a thread on here and saw a BSA Sweet 17 mentioned for a 17HMR host. It's a 3-12, which would be nice...but how would it do on a 22LR?

I guess the reality is I'd probably sight it in at 50 yards and leave it there. If that's really my application, I'd guess any scope would work? The dedicated rimfire scopes just work better when adjusting distance since they're set up for 22LR trajectories? Just wanting to up my game in the monthly rimfire contests. :D
 
The primary difference between rimfire scopes and "standard" models is the distance at which parallax has been corrected. Most rimfires and set to a closer distance due to the cartridge's effective range. Either will work but be mindful of the distance when you're looking through the higher magnification models.
 
I’ve had no problem with any PA products I’ve purchased. I think I see a 25 yd mark on the parallax knob so yo would be good there. The only thing that might come into play in higher mag small target playing is the reticle’s crosshairs thickness. Good thing is it’s a 2nd focal plane so as you increase mag the reticle doesn’t swell. As to mag ... while I admit to having a Hubble on 1 CZ rimfire my absolute favorite is my Leupold VX2 4-12x40 adj objective w/ fine duplex reticle. I gave $300 for it a couple years back and love it. With the 4X I can shot off hand real easy but if there is a tree rat in the farthest pecan tree I can crank it to 12X rest it on the window sill and knock the little booger out of the tree. That PA scope’s range will do nicely and since it seems you’re mainly going to use it for range that extra mag to 16X will be a bonus.
 
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I have a Leupold 3-9x36 EFR on one rifle and a Sightron 4-12x40 AO on another rifle. When I first got the Leupold and had it sighted in at 50' I started playing around with the EFR feature to see how much it influenced POA. Sitting at a bench and trying to shoot one hole groups it was noticeable when the scope was set to a different distances. I could move the POA around by adjusting that setting. So basically the same thing happens if you use a standard scope and set at 50 or 100' and shoot other distances. I would decide what you are doing with this rifle and set up and get the appropriate scope. If you are shooting steel or squirrels a normal scope will likely be fine. If you are trying for tiny groups the AO feature will help refine your groups a little bit. When I grabbed the Sightron I figured at that pricing I might as well get the AO feature.
 
Fwiw I run an athlon Argos btr 6-24x50 on my 22lr. Is it overkill? Absolutely, but I built it for precision shooting and you can't shoot what you can't see... Last time I had it out I was shooting golf tees at 100 yds. Other shots include splitting playing cards at 50 yds, 22lr brass at 50 yds, ect. I want to try matchsticks at 50 next. It has a parallax adjustment that focuses down to 15 yds I believe.
 
BigWaylon said:
The only scope I own is a Bushnell 2-7X rimfire...everything else is a non-magnified red dot...so I have next-to-nothing knowledge on the subject.

Can you use a standard scope on a 22LR rifle? What's the downside of doing so?

I've seen some 3-9X offerings, but was hoping to get a little more magnification.

Read a thread on here and saw a BSA Sweet 17 mentioned for a 17HMR host. It's a 3-12, which would be nice...but how would it do on a 22LR?

I guess the reality is I'd probably sight it in at 50 yards and leave it there. If that's really my application, I'd guess any scope would work? The dedicated rimfire scopes just work better when adjusting distance since they're set up for 22LR trajectories? Just wanting to up my game in the monthly rimfire contests. :D
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I've shot at rimfire matches where folks have had US Optics, Schmidt & Bender, and Night Force scopes on their rifles.

one thing I will suggest is ditching the rimfire rings that go in the dovetail and putting a picatiny rail scope base on the rifle.
 
Forgot to mention, the setup I'm referring to is in my avatar. At the top of the hill above the white square is where I had the golf tees sitting
 
Flashpoint said:
If you plan on target shooting say 50 to 100yds more mag is a good thing not only for precision but to be able to see your holes without a spotting scope or taking the walk.
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Understood.

So far it's been 50yd for the monthly rimfire challenges. Depending on the target, I can usually see the hole. (As info, eyes tested a couple months ago and I'm still 20/15 in each eye, 20/12 with both open...no glasses). I do have a 45X spotting scope a member here was giving away.

But, with the max 7X I have now, it's usually a case of lining up the crosshairs with something else on the paper, as the center dot covers up everything I'm trying to see. :D

I'm just not sure I'd be happy with one of the 3-9X rimfire scopes, which is why I've asked the question. There's also a 6.5-20 for sale in the BST that's caught my eye. ;)
 
BigWaylon said:
Understood.

So far it's been 50yd for the monthly rimfire challenges. Depending on the target, I can usually see the hole. (As info, eyes tested a couple months ago and I'm still 20/15 in each eye, 20/12 with both open...no glasses). I do have a 45X spotting scope a member here was giving away.

But, with the max 7X I have now, it's usually a case of lining up the crosshairs with something else on the paper, as the center dot covers up everything I'm trying to see. :D

I'm just not sure I'd be happy with one of the 3-9X rimfire scopes, which is why I've asked the question. There's also a 6.5-20 for sale in the BST that's caught my eye. ;)
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Sounds like your reticle choice is as critical as the magnification. The fine crosshairs should help you see more of the target. My 3-9 Leupold is excellent at 50'. Decent at 100', but I can see why people would want a little more magnification at 100. The 12x on my Sightron is decent, but not a ton better than the 9x on my Leupold. I suspect some of that has to do with a little better glass and or clarity on the Leupold. I am certainly no scope expert, but getting the best glass you can afford has never let me down. If you think it is overkill now you'll likely come up with a way to need or test it later. Probably on some crazy ass 300' rimfire challenge or group shoot.
 
Think of the Adjustable Objective as the same as focusing say a camera lense. For parallax AO you adjust it using the ring on the front bell while Side Focus uses the 3rd knob on the side. Some think AO is more precise while others like the convenience of the Side Focus ... is going to be marked in yardage so a decent guesstimating of distance and quick tweak and you’re good to go.
 
NCFubar said:
Think of the Adjustable Objective as the same as focusing say a camera lense. For parallax AO you adjust it using the ring on the front bell while Side Focus uses the 3rd knob on the side. Some think AO is more precise while others like the convenience of the Side Focus ... is going to be marked in yardage so a decent guesstimating of distance and quick tweak and you’re good to go.
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Gotcha. So same end result, just a different path. Either the front bell or a turret to adjust parallax. As long as the scope has a way to adjust for it, it will probably work.
 
I did not really think the parallax focus did much until I got the one on the 22. It brought the target into focus after using the focus knob. The one on the AR does not compare to the one on the 22 LR.
 
KnotRight said:
The one on the AR does not compare to the one on the 22 LR.
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Please clarify...not sure I understand what you're trying to say here.
 
KnotRight said:
I did not really think the parallax focus did much until I got the one on the 22. It brought the target into focus after using the focus knob. The one on the AR does not compare to the one on the 22 LR.
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It brings the target into focus but it's main purpose is to correct the parallax error so deviations in your eye placement/cheek weld don't cause errors in the POA vs POI. The fact that it focuses the image is just the method it uses to precisely adjust the parallax to the distance you are shooting.
 
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Flashpoint said:
It brings the target into focus but it's main purpose is to correct the parallax error so deviations in your eye placement/cheek weld don't cause errors in the POA vs POI. The fact that it focuses the image is just the method it uses to precisely adjust the parallax to the distance you are shooting.
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This. If you spend a range session playing around with it you can figure out how much your POA vs POI changes as you mess with the AO. Being a scope noobie it was eye opening for me when I first saw it in person.
 
I'm using one of these on my 300blk bolt gun right now and if I didn't already have a decent scope on my rinfire I would get another. The price has gone up since this scope line came out just a few months back, I think I got mine for $140. The reticle is MOA (matches the turrets) and is very fine. My phone pic doesn't really do it justice. My only gripe about it is it's a pig (big and ugly, lol) as far as scopes go. That's a 100yd rifle target with 1 inch squares (the fine red lines on the target) at 50yds.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...-12x-40mm-side-focus-deploy-moa-reticle-matte


reticle.jpg
 
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CHRIS_WNC said:
That's a good looking reticle. How is the eye relief?
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Yes it's great against a target but I think for hunting it might get lost in the foliage, etc. I haven't noticed the eye relief and eye box being any worse or better as far as precision of head placement than my Crossfire II or Weaver Grand Slam, but I haven't seriously compared them. In other words, it's not been a problem for me.
 
Nothing at all wrong with a 6.5-20 or 6-24 or the like on a long range 22, or even more. Whatever your budget can bear and makes you happy.

There is no such thing as overkill if you and the rifle are capable of using it, and it doesn't get in the way of what you want to do with it. For target shooting, "Aim small, miss small" is truth, and you need magnification to do that at long range, at least enough to aim well within the group size capability of you, your rifle, and your ammo. If your aim error is about the same as the you/rifle/ammo group size, you'll double your group size. (Well, not quite because some of the errors cancel out on _average_, but it isn't good for your group size at all :) )

Plus, as someone else said, at some point it becomes a spotting scope too.
 
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I think I made my decision earlier today. Just need to wait until Monday for some companies to be open so I can get confirmation on a couple things. Gotta make sure host/mount/scope are all gonna play nice together.

I'll wait until everything is in hand and post a pic. :cool:
 
Hlpressly also sells the athlon line of scopes and he suggested the athlon talos line of scopes would work well with .22s
 
Ok...time to vent, and figured I'd just add it to my existing thread.

Spent a couple days looking at scope after scope. Finally settled on the one I wanted. Decided to spend an extra $5 and ordered it Amazon Prime instead of from SWFA assuming it would ship faster.

Had a tracking number showing it would be delivered yesterday by UPS. Was home all day (normally work from home)...until we decided to run out for a quick bite for supper with the family. Probably gone 45 minutes. Of course I get the pop up notification that package is delivered about 10 minutes after I leave the house.

Get home. No package to be found. Weird thing was the delivered to ZIP on my ParcelTrack app showed one digit off from mine...and not the one from Amazon. 28270 instead of 28269...so not a typo like 28268 would've been. I call UPS, and they have a completely different name and address showing for that package.

Contact the seller through Amazon, then contact Amazon Customer Service. All they can do is email the seller and see. I do get an email from the seller this morning saying:

My sincerest apologies for any confusion. We had recently uploaded tracking information of orders that have shipped and due to a slight glitch in the system, a few customers received tracking numbers that do not apply to their order. The glitch has been taken care of. Please disregard the tracking information you had received.

We have further looked into this. Unfortunately, we had just been given last minute notification from our supplier that the item you had ordered became out of stock due to higher than expected demand. Our hands are currently tied behind our backs on this one. Because of this, unfortunately, we are not able to fulfill your order and had already cancelled and refunded your order as we do not want to hold onto your funds anymore. We can understand how this can be of inconvenience to you and we would like to sincerely apologize for that.

Of course SWFA is still the cheapest, but now out of stock. Found it at Bud's, with the description, SKU and item number that matched but the pic isn't close. They do warn that the pics might not match, but the description should.

So...new order placed. We'll see how fast it gets here. Uggh.
 
Just throwing this out there...

BSA Sweet .22

Works great for me, and my corrected vision sucks. I'm just a plinker though.

I've also heard that a decent air rifle scope will do the job just fine.
 
I've got a Leupold VX-3i 4x14x40mm side focus coming for my .17HMR. Pretty much identical to my go-to deer rifle's scope, so should make critter shooting almost second nature.
 
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