Need advice on new .22LR optic

[waco]

So I am looking to upgrade my scope for my Kimber .22 Hunter Bolt action rifle. Right now it wears a Nikon 2x7x32
The rifle is very accurate and I am looking to get some thing with a lot more magnification. I think 12 power would be the minimum on the high end.
Budget would be probably around $400-$500
I’m thinking some sort of Leupold. Am I missing another viable option? I would love to hear your opinions please. Thank you. Walter.

 

[Ian]

I put a 3-9x42 Vortex on mine, and here I thought that was overkill. Having tried lots of things and becoming a Vortex fanboi over the past 6-8 years, I would look at the Viper line for better glass at high magnification in your price range. The only issue is everything over 12 max power has a 30mm tube and without looking I doubt anyone makes 30mm Kimber .22 rings. Leopold has been pretty disappointing to me in their sub-$500 scopes. Spend a grand and it's a whole different story.

 

[waco]

Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical Rifle Scope 4-12x 40mm VMR-1

Exposed tactical turrets built for dialing elevation and windage allow quick and precise bullet drop and wind drift compensation at extended ranges....

www.midwayusa.com

Hmmm. This might be worth looking at...

 

[Ian]

That does look good, but I have the dbk-04-bdc and anything over 9 power starts to distort. Not as bad as many other brands in that price point, but consider it a 4-10 even being Phillipino-made. Also, the reticle is exeedingly coarse for a 4-12 scope, but maybe the tactical one is better. The eye relief is certainly better, mine is only 3.1".

Let me amend my previous post due to apparent early-onset senility. After actually going and looking at mine, turns out it's a Model 82 made in Oregon and has the receiver dovetail instead of the holes for bases like yours has. It also has a Weaver K16 on it, the Vortex is on my Glenfield 25.

 

[waco]

Nice. Mine is made after they moved to Yonkers NY. I got to talk to the man who designed my rifle. Pretty cool guy. He helped me locate a new mag. For the rifle. Thought it would be a good idea to have a spare in the safe.

 

[CZ93X62]

I am a pretty staunch fan of the Leupold middle-priced optics, but the Vortex scopes I have looked through and shot with on other guys' rifles might just turn my head. I put Burris Rimfire 2x-7x on both my CZ-527 x 22 Hornet and my CZ-455 22 Win Mag, and I like these scopes for the uses I put them to (blowing rats up) at middle ranges. I am hoping to sting some rockchucks this year with my Hornet.

 

[Ian]

Excellent, Allen, one more positive thing to look forward to being able to do again as you rehab and adjust to the new, bullet-resistant foot.

I'm a po' boy who has managed to acquire more good rifles than he probably deserves over the years (many of them represent annual income tax refunds or cash-money side work, particularly when I was single), so putting decent, reliable glass on all of them has been a challenge. For around $200 with good mounts, the Crossfire line has been tough to beat. Might not be the best glass, but is at or near the top for the money and the scopes are extremely durable and dependable. Lower-end Burris and newer Weaver have been pretty good as well, but Burris is slightly more spendy and Weaver not quite as good with the optical quality or reticles IMO. With so many options out there and the technology to make a passable scope becoming much less expensive, at some point a person has to just pick a brand and stick with it, which is what I decided to do with Vortex and SWFA.

 

[waco]

I have to agree with Vortex and SWFA.

 

[Arlon]

I love the old Weaver scopes. I have a passel of them on a bunch of different rifles.

 

[Bret4207]

I'm a Weaver fan too. But I have to ask, how much scope do you need on a 22? The highest power I have is 6x Lyman Jr Targetspot on my 52 Winchester nit on a gnats nut shooter. How far out are you shooting?

Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical Rifle Scope 4-12x 40mm VMR-1

Exposed tactical turrets built for dialing elevation and windage allow quick and precise bullet drop and wind drift compensation at extended ranges....

www.midwayusa.com

Hmmm. This might be worth looking at...

What is a "fiber optic radius bar"? BTW- parallax on that one fixed at 100 yards. Distortion closer in I imagine.

 

[Ian]

Parallax. Now I remember why I put the AO fixed-16 Weaver on that one. Dial in the range and fuggetabout parallax. Kind of important when using big power at relatively short range. My Winchester Model 69 will hang with the Kimber all day long, though each prefer different brands of ammo.

 

[fiver]

the radius bar thingy is a little glowing bar on top of the up/down adjuster that is set above the zero.
you can glance up there and see if you have returned to your initial 0 setting or whether you still have dialed in clicks for further out.

my only issue with Vortex is the size of their exit housing.
it has forced me to use ring sets one size higher in some instances so the bolt handle clear which kills my cheek to stock weld.

 

[Ian]

True, they have ginormous ocular bells and power adjustment rings.

 

[RicinYakima]

A most useful scope is the Leupold .22 scope from years past. Factory adjusted perfectly for 50 yards and fine plex reticle. I use mine up to the range of a .22 LR. You can find them on evil bay for less than $200 in very nice condition.

 

[Jeff H]

.......my only issue with Vortex is the size of their exit housing.
it has forced me to use ring sets one size higher in some instances so the bolt handle clear which kills my cheek to stock weld.

That's almost like a "thing" these days, like it has to be a big, honkin' knob or you won't fit in with the other boys at the range.

That has steered me away from several other otherwise desirable scopes. It is especially critical on the CZ 527s and when you want to use really low rings on about anything.

 

[RicinYakima]

That's almost like a "thing" these days, like it has to be a big, honkin' knob or you won't fit in with the other boys at the range.

That has steered me away from several other otherwise desirable scopes. It is especially critical on the CZ 527s and when you want to use really low rings on about anything.

I would like to find some 7/8" rings for the CZ 527's so I could put a Lyman Alaskan on my 7.62 X 39. I like low and trim scopes.

 

[waco]

This might be the ticket...

Crossfire II 4-12x40mm AO BDC Reticle (MOA)

Crossfire II 4-12x40 AO BDC Reticle (MOA) by VORTEX OPTICS With long eye relief, a fast-focus eyepiece, fully multi-coated lenses and resettable MOA turrets, there's no compromising on the Crossfire II. Clear, tough and bright, this riflescope hands other value-priced riflescopes their...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

 

[fiver]

I have a couple of those, make sure the AO slides easily.
I have got so I turn the objective with my left thumb then quickly glancing on where it clears up the pic. and using it as a very quick yardage estimator if I have to turn it very far.

 

[Ian]

I still don't think you'll be super happy with it at high power settings, but the AO will help a lot with that. 12 power is as high as I remember seeing magnification without some sort of parallax adjustment, even 10 power is pushing it. AO really makes a difference.

 

[Ian]

Doubled. Fiver, since you have those, am I right about the AO helping the image be more clear at high magnification? All I hsve to go by is a different brand comparing plain 4-12 to AO 4-12.