Big scope on .22 rifle?

Gamecock

Gamecock

Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
3,614
Reaction score
3,723
Location
SC
I'm looking at buying a Steyr Zephyr II .22 rifle.

Available .22 rifle scopes seem rinky-dink. I'm thinking about putting a centerfire scope on it, like a Leupold VX-3. Does anyone have experience with full size scopes on .22's?

Is it doable?

Does it work as expected?
 
My Belgium Browning grade3
SA, wears a Leopold 2x7x36
Vari x 111. It absolutely works in
Style and function. You might also checkout the .22 as well
as the other models of Tract
scopes, they are quality items.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
All my 22 rifles run full sized rifle scopes. Nothing high dollar, but one has a 4X Weave and the rest have 3x9s. There is no problem I know of with running center fire scopes on 22. Most of the regular 22 scopes suck. Just get some 1" rings that clamp onto the dovetailed frames or a mount a base, some you might have to drill and tap the receiver. I even have taken old bolt 22s and run a dovetail mill down each side of the receiver so a clap on mount would work.

The only thing that may be a problem for you is the center line is a bit higher and as lots of 22 shots are at close range if you sight then for say 50 yards a bit more vertical adjustment is needed for closer shots to be dead on. but that is not hard to deal with.
 
Of course you can, but why?

Until you get to the ends of the spectrum, there isn't that much size difference between a "rimfire" scope and a "centerfire" scope. Several of the scopes on my rimfires are as big, or bigger, than the scopes on my centerfires. Keep in mind, most of my scopes are 2-7 or 3-9 in either case. Some of the rimfire scopes are shorter or lighter than the centerfire scopes, but not all.

The primary difference is that most rimfire scopes are set at 50 or 60 yards parallax, and most centerfire scopes are set somewhere between 100-150 yards. Of course, an AO/EFR scope does away with that and can be used on either rimfire or centerfire equally well.

What scopes are you considering and what is your intended use for the rimfire?

If those "available...rinky dink" scopes are the $10-$20 WalMart specials with 3/4" tubes, you're absolutely right - they're junk. But the Leupold, Weaver, Nikon, etc. rimfire scopes are not.
 
Last edited:
Bigger is better. After all, if you can't see it you sure can't hit it. Have a very nice first year Ruger 77-22. Once out of curiosity I put a Leupold 6.5x20 on it and did some shooting at 50 and 100 yds. The 50 yd. groups (10 rounds) were nice, round and under one inch w/ good ammunition. At 100 yds. most groups were under 2 inches. With selected lots of ammunition groups were about 1 1/4 inches. Occasionally I'd get several groups in a row under an inch, but that was not the norm. These were better results than normally obtained using a Weaver V 4.5 and a Weaver 2x7. Currently it has the Weaver 2x7 mounted. It is remarkably accurate at 50 yds., a pure pleasure for using in the woods and fields. HTH. Sincerely. bruce.
 
I run a Mueller APV 4.5-14x40 AO on my built Ruger 10-22 (on med Burris Z-rings). It'll adjust out parallax from 10 yds to infinity. Great scope for a rimfire and at a very affordable price.

gnZdiFml.jpg

D6apkCol.jpg

x6AICtxl.jpg
 
True that parallax is different. But, if you make having the same cheek weld on the rifle a habit the effect of that is minimized. Also parallax gets greater as magnification increases. When I am hunting I keep all my scopes at 4X. Seldom going to have time to adjust anything. On a bench or shooting things like gophers or prairie dogs I usually have more time and some sort of rest so I can lock in on the gun better.

I believe an decent low end center fire scope is superior to run of the mill 3/44 rim fire scopes. You can often find decent older uses scopes like Weavers and Redfields for around a $100. My best 22 has an older 3x9 Redfield, I have a old Remington 511 I bought at a Pawn shop for $75, Bolt handle was loose, cobbled on scope mount. I machined and bend a new bolt handle and attached it firmly. Tossed the mount and milled it for a dovetail mount. Stuck on a Tasco 3x9 and I have been taking it to the 22 bay for the step daughters to shoot steel targets with. It might not be perfect, but the knock over and swing a lot of small targets with it.
 
All of mine have center fire scopes......."magnification" depends on intended use...........

For field use or just out walking in Penn's Woods I like a "little" Leupold 1-4x20 scope ( also fond of Weavers 1-3x20 shotgun scope /parallax is set at 50 yds)...... as most of my shooting with a .22lr will be 50yds or less.

General purpose scopes in the 2-7 and 3-9 range are popular over on a Rimfire Forum's CZ sub-forum.
 
Last edited:
I was trying to do a bit of benchrest work with a CZ452 but gave up and sold the rifle. I took the 6-24x42 Weaver off and plopped it on my Marlin 60. It is an absolute hoot to shoot. It replaced a Simmons .22 riflescope and I like it quite a bit, but I am only a paper puncher and it might be a bit to much to carry around.

EDIT: Thought it a good idea to throw a photo in here.

Stu
yc4ynona
 
Last edited:
None of my .22's are scoped, but I have a full size target scope on my Marlin 917 .17HMR. No problem hitting a golf ball at 100+ yrds or a round 5" steel target at 200. I have owned the cheep .22 scopes in the past, but would never buy one again. The lesson learned was buy the best optics you can afford the first time.
 
I sold off this rig a few years ago; a M-8 Leupold 24x, a Anschutz 1903 Prone rifle from the mid 70's, and Eley Club Extra or Team ammo. That combo would hit shotgun shells in the primer 8 of 10 tries at 200 yards from a rest.

I still have the Kimber of Oregon 82 Varmint with a 4.5-14x 40 Veri-X III Leupold. With Eley Club it will dime size groups at 50 yards easily (if I read the wind right) When I bought the gun in the late 80's, I had a 2-7x30 Leupold Rimfire Special on it but my eyes aged beyond using low power scopes. This was such a well balanced and handy rifle combo!

Ivan
 
brucev said:
Bigger is better. After all, if you can't see it you sure can't hit it. Have a very nice first year Ruger 77-22. Once out of curiosity I put a Leupold 6.5x20 on it and did some shooting at 50 and 100 yds. The 50 yd. groups (10 rounds) were nice, round and under one inch w/ good ammunition. At 100 yds. most groups were under 2 inches. With selected lots of ammunition groups were about 1 1/4 inches. Occasionally I'd get several groups in a row under an inch, but that was not the norm. These were better results than normally obtained using a Weaver V 4.5 and a Weaver 2x7. Currently it has the Weaver 2x7 mounted. It is remarkably accurate at 50 yds., a pure pleasure for using in the woods and fields. HTH. Sincerely. bruce.
Click to expand...

Bolded, I have just like you.:D Bought it and put a Leuplod 4X on it the day I bought it way back when. No problem with parallax.

Gun is very accurate and having a big gun scope on it is the way to go. I started scoping my .22s with big glass back in the 60s.

Way back then it was hard to find mounts that worked as most .22s had those small diameter little gun scopes.
 
I just bought a Bushnell Trophy 4.5-10X for my new Ruger American .22 Precision. haven't got it mounted yet as it will be a while before it is warm enough for me to go shooting. I've become a "fair weather" shooter the last few years. lee
 
My Savage-Anschutz Model 164 .22 sporter is equipped with Redfield steel tip-off rings and an older Weaver steel-tubed K3 with post and crosshair. Capable of very precise shooting within any parameters of the .22LR cartridge. Sub-1" groups from the bench at 100 yards not uncommon with good ammo.

The same Weaver K3 provided good service on a Savage 99 in .300 Savage for quite a few years.

One trend I have noticed over recent years has been the use of high-end scopes with less than optimal mounting systems. Can't imagine why a person would pay the price for a premium scope, then scrimp on bases, rings, etc. But they seem to do it frequently.
 
Depends on what you use one for, and how good your eyes are. I have a Remington 40XB .22 with a 10-40X Tasco on it and keep it on 40X. Of course, that 12 pound thing just sits on a bench.
 
Anschutz 54 sporter with a Zeiss 10X AO with T coated lens . Can shoot bugholes @ the range or head shoot tree rats , quail , grouse or anything else w/o meat damage . When it's a precision rifle get the best glass & ammo you can afford . AO for rimfire is the ticket IMHO . Granted most don't spend that kind of money on a 22 .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Narragansett
Help with a CZ Varmint Rifle Scope Mounting
Replies
6
Views
1K
65Whelen
65Whelen
Narragansett
Bergara 22 Rifles
2 3
Replies
41
Views
1K
reddogs
R
THE PILGRIM
Evans Rifle
Replies
4
Views
525
Ivan the Butcher
I
Glenn R. McMannly
My Finest Rifle
Replies
19
Views
1K
6string
6string
TJm15.38
My First "Black Rifle"
2
Replies
23
Views
805
zeke
Z

Latest posts

Back
Top