Ruger 10-22 Scope and Rings Recommendations

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RSanch111

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Having very little experience with scope and scope mounting, I'm looking for help with recommendations for a scope and rings for my Ruger 10-22.

I THINK I'd like a variable power scope...Or don't I? I would like to be able to use rings that will attach to the mount that came with the rifle, OR a mount that will attach to the factory pre-drilled and tapped holes on top of the receiver.

Are there special scopes for the .22 semi-auto? I'd heard that it would not be a good idea to use my Redfield 3x9 scope on my Ruger because .22 semi-auto's have a tendency to break scopes? I found that hard to believe considering the low recoil..... True?

Anyway, suggestions would be appreciated. And please include the brand/size/model number if at all possible for your scope/rings recommendations.

Thanks.
 
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.22's won't hurt a scope designed for a center rifle, but the parallax on them is typically corrected for 150 yards. That's well beyond the range of a rimfire rifle and can result in accuracy issues if you're not aiming directly through the center of the scope. Piston airguns are said to be hard on traditional rifle scopes, but I've used them and haven't destroyed one yet.

Parallax correction puts the crosshairs and target in the same focal plane when you sight through a scope and brings them both into sharp focus. If the parallax isn't properly corrected for the distance you're shooting, slight misalignment of your eye behind the scope will move the crosshairs off the point of impact. You can see the misalignment error by securing the rifle in a shooting vice or on sandbags, sighting through the scope at a target and moving your head slightly right/left and up/down without moving the gun. You'll see the crosshairs move off the bullseye, even thought the gun and target haven't budged. The error can amount to about an inch if your target is 50 yards away and the parallax is corrected for 150 yards. It's more important with precision target rifles than plinkers and field guns.

Leupold makes several excellent rimfire scopes, a fixed 4X and a 2-7X variable. Expect to spend $200 to $250, but they'll last a lifetime and are warrantied forever. Any Weaver style rings sized for the scope will works just fine. I prefer my scopes mounted as low as possible.

Here's a link to the Leupold 2-7X Rimfire scope: https://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/rimfireultralight-riflescopes/vx-1-rimfire-2-7x28mm/

Here's one to their 4X: https://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/rimfireultralight-riflescopes/fx-i-rimfire-4x28mm/

Retail price is typically well below MSRP.

Here's a link to Weaver rings, compatible with the current rail supplied with 10/22 Carbines: Weaver - Scope Mounting Rings - Detachable Top Mount

If you don't want to spend that kind of money on a dedicated rimfire scope, you can mount your Redfield 3-9X in the same style rings and see how it works for you.
 
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I used a one piece Weaver and low rings for my 2.5x8 scope. I tweaked parallax by using the rear adjustment on the Leupold.

Whomever told you 22 LR's damage scopes was probably thinking Airguns. An airgun recoils to the front instead of to the rear. Airgun crosshairs are on the opposite side of the lens.

And by using the Weaver single piece mount I had better luck in getting the scope where it needed to be. It is a rock solid mount. Both it and the rings are very reasonable too. Read, not less quality but less money than other brands.
 
When we first got my son his 10/22, I put a Centerpoint 3-9x32 on it. Very good optic for the money. Impressed. My thinking when comparing scopes for this rifle was to not overspend but still get a good quality piece.
22_scope.jpg


But one day, I took my son on one of my day-walks in the uninhabited woods along the KY river and he carried one of my Colt carbines (carry handle, w/ iron sights). Relaxed day of shooting and talking; plenty of time to teach him about bullet trajectory and the iron sights on the AR. He really took to the aperature sights and asked if they made sights like that for his 10/22.

Turns out they do. These are Tech-Sights TSR100 with dual flip-type aperture. We took the scope off :)
1022one.jpg


1022rear2.jpg
 
RSanch111 said:
Having very little experience with scope and scope mounting, I'm looking for help with recommendations for a scope and rings for my Ruger 10-22.

I THINK I'd like a variable power scope...Or don't I? I would like to be able to use rings that will attach to the mount that came with the rifle, OR a mount that will attach to the factory pre-drilled and tapped holes on top of the receiver.

Are there special scopes for the .22 semi-auto? I'd heard that it would not be a good idea to use my Redfield 3x9 scope on my Ruger because .22 semi-auto's have a tendency to break scopes? I found that hard to believe considering the low recoil..... True?

Anyway, suggestions would be appreciated. And please include the brand/size/model number if at all possible for your scope/rings recommendations.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

What is your budget and what kind of shooting are you going to be doing? What ranges will you be shooting at? Plinking or competition?
 
I've had a 10/22 since before they were "cool" My original 10/22
standard carbine has Weaver 1 piece base and Weaver rings and
Weaver K4 scope. They have been on it since middle 60s. I bought Sporter when it came out, put same rig on it. Bought
77/22 when it came out, put Redfield 4x on it. I use these rifles
for hunting small game and varmints. Sighted for 45yds, never
had parallax problem, seemed to be enough focus to overcome
this. That first 10/22 was $38.50, that K4 rig was more than the
gun at the time. I have noticed since, a lot of the cheap 3x9s
are terrible when it comes to parallax. No doubt one of the Leupold 22 scopes makes a nice rig. Just depends on what you
want to shoot with your 10/22. Head of squirrel accuracy was
my goal. With K4 sighted at 45, I was good out to 75yds.
 
WVSig said:
What is your budget and what kind of shooting are you going to be doing? What ranges will you be shooting at? Plinking or competition?
Click to expand...

Just plinking, BUT, I do like to also shoot at distance too. See where I can put the .22 round out past 150 yards and I have access to a 200 yard range. Not more than 100.00 bucks on the scope and maybe another 40-50 on the rings and maybe mount, but I could get it at FFL cost from Zanders or one of the other distributors.
 
model70hunter said:
I used a one piece Weaver and low rings for my 2.5x8 scope. I tweaked parallax by using the rear adjustment on the Leupold.

Whomever told you 22 LR's damage scopes was probably thinking Airguns. An airgun recoils to the front instead of to the rear. Airgun crosshairs are on the opposite side of the lens.

And by using the Weaver single piece mount I had better luck in getting the scope where it needed to be. It is a rock solid mount. Both it and the rings are very reasonable too. Read, not less quality but less money than other brands.
Click to expand...

That's the only scope base that I'd use on a 10/22. It's drilled so that base can be mounted forward or to the back. They're strong and work great on the 10/22. As for as the scope is concerned, I've been using the Weaver Rimfire Series of scopes for the last few years. They're great scopes set up with the right parallax, clear optics, and about half the price of a Leupold.
 
150yds is not a very practical distance to be shooting a 22rf.
I put a straight 16x Redfield on a heavy barrel single shot once.
It didn't do bad sighted for 100yds, and shot a 100Yds off bags.
The trajectory of 22 made the rifle sighted this way about useless for anything else. They make scopes than can compensate / return to 0 target scopes, but you ain't going to
find one for $100.
 
Well...I got a Bushnell Banner 4x32, circle X scope for $50.00 and some Burris 3/8" dovetail rings that I'm hoping will work with the base that comes with the rifle. If not, I'll get the weaver base.
 
RSanch111 said:
Well...I got a Bushnell Banner 4x32, circle X scope for $50.00 and some Burris 3/8" dovetail rings that I'm hoping will work with the base that comes with the rifle. If not, I'll get the weaver base.
Click to expand...

I bought 2 10-22's last year, one for my grandson's HS graduation present and one for me. Both came with the single weaver type long base.

There are many brands of rings that will fit on the Weaver base. This is a much more solid set up than the grooved rings.

I've used Weaver bases and rings on CF rifles many times. I do prefer some of the newer type rings over Weaver as they are more streamlined and look nicer.
 
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