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Rifle Scopes help with a 22lr scope.

CarbonMTN

224 Overbore
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 21, 2012
381
132
35
NV
So the other day a friend and I went to out 22lr pinking. I took my Tikka T1X (best gun till I can try the CZ 457 Precision trainer)

457 yards - 100 shots - 7 hits had a blast trying to shoot it. It currently has a 3-9 redfield tactical on it and i love it but Im looking to get something better.

I really like the Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18x44 MOA but its a steep price ($1800), especially for a 22lr rifle. The other option is the VX-3i LRP 4.5-14x50. losing a few features but a bit more affordable/practical at $780.

On the other hand I can get a vortex PST gen 2 5-25x50 for $900 and i know that a lot of people love them. I have two Vortex scopes BUT I feel like my redfield has better glass than the vortex does forr less money.

Help me choose, to many brands.
 
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I run Athlon Cronus BTR and Athlon Ares ETR on my 2 22lr CZ 455 with a 30moa base. Consistently shoot solid groups on steel at 300yd and 400yd. Glass is amazing and the floating center dot is awesome
 
I have the Athlon, Vortex, and NF SHV noted above. Currently the Athlon is selling for about $800, PST Gen 2 $700 (check the sales) and the SHV $1,200. I'm not over the moon about the NF SHV. For the money, more impressed with the Athlon when they were on sale for $550. $700ish should have been what the PST Gen 2 sold for from the start. $1,200 for the NF is a joke. the Vortex is on my precision 22lr. The Athlon will be on the new long range 22lr. The NF SHV is regulated to the loner hunting rifle. Hope this helps.
 
I have the PST II 5-25 on my 17HMR and really like it for that setup. For a little less than the Mark 5 the new Burris XTR III should be an even better performer and will focus close (Mark 5 focuses to 75y on the dial and my copy focussed down close to 50 but not great for rimfires as I usually like something that can go at least to 25y).
 
I've got a Bushnell Forge 3-18 MIL I have been really happy with. The glass is pretty damn good for the price, etched glass reticles, locking 10MIL turrets with zero stop, and FFP - plus a 25y minimum parallax.
 
I put a first gen BushnellHDMR with H59 reticle on a RPR .22. It really helps my 7 year old son visualize where he is aiming vs where the bullet impacts. When he gets good at holdovers he will learn dialing elevation and holding for wind.
 
I don't like lots of mag on a .22 and I don't like spending lots of money on a scope for a rifle that has such a limited range. But I hate junk, so I went with a Vortex 1-4x PST and I got it on sale for a really good price. It'd be a nice scope for an M4 I imagine but it really shines on that .22.

I'd say look at the older Vortex stuff with the finer reticles. For me, 1-4x is perfect for a .22 but I get it that many of you do prefer large mag on whatever you shoot.

Or you could double down and slap a Zero Compromise or TT like the one fellow on here... I really don't know what you gain from that over any other decent scope that checks all the marks given the caliber and range, but hey, his money and his rifle I guess.
 
I wouldn't use the Leupold LRP for a .22LR, I'm not sure if it's different for the 4.5-14 but I had two 6.5-20's for review last year and I couldn't get the parallax to focus any closer than 60 yards. Before I had them in my hands I thought that they'd make a good precision .22 scope given the magnification range, FFP reticle, zero stop, and CCH reticle. However, if it can't focus an closer than 60 yards it's about useless to me for that application where I could be shooting the rifle as close as 60 feet and zero at 50 yards.
 
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The Leupold 45x45 Competition is on my CZ 457 now.

Before that, the Weaver T36.

Both were clear at 50 yards and under. Weaver was arguably a tad clearer than the Leupold. But the 45x won out for my 50 yard ARA match use.

I just started a thread about a Vortaxx Gen 11 PST 5.5- 25. Interesting reading.

IM sent.
 
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I like the Vortex Crossfire 2. It is a 2-7v32 with one inch rings. You can get them very reasonably and they are excellent quality. Just got back from prairie dogging where I got one at 193 yards with it on my 22 magnum Anschutz.
 
Midas Tac or Sightron 4-20 S Tac should suit you.
It all depends on your budget.
Sightmark Pinnacle, Primary Arms Platinum, Athlon Cronus and SWFA HD are high quality Japanese made optics.
 
what do you guys think of the Leupold vx3i LRP 4.5-14x55mm?
 
I have an Athlon Ares BTR 4.5-27x50 in my 455 Varmint and my friend has a 6-24x50 Midas Tac and a 5-25x50 Viper PST Gen 2 on his 10/22 and custom 455. Of the three, I like the Ares the most - I think it has a better reticle than the Midas (even the new tree version) and it's smaller and lighter than the Vortex. Considering the prices the Ares has been selling for lately, I can't see buying anything else (until you're in the $1k+ bracket of course).

And as a few people have already said, the Leupold LRP has a minimum parallax of 75 yards according to Leupold itself. The Custom Shop can adjust the minimum setting but you'd lose adjustment on the top end.
 
And as a few people have already said, the Leupold LRP has a minimum parallax of 75 yards according to Leupold itself. The Custom Shop can adjust the minimum setting but you'd lose adjustment on the top end.

I dont think i will shoot this under 100 yards. i like to reach out (respectively) with my 22lr.
 
If that's the case, then you're welcome to try the Leupold out. They're behind the times on reticle design and turrets (5 mil only), and they don't have the best record for tracking, but they're very light and the small ocular gives you plenty of bolt clearance.
 
It'd be awesome if Athlon would put an all .2 mil hash reticle in the TAC, this really needs to happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That scope turned so good for the money it's hard to consider spending more on other scopes. Imagine if it ever goes on sale what a crazy value it'll be.

The SHV is a perfect example of over priced per feature set, as well as a host of other mid priced scopes, that fall short for "one reason or another" in the +$1000 price bracket. I'd rather step up to something like the new Burris XTR3 even though it's more expensive. If that Burris turns out like it's supposed to I can't call em Blurris anymore, lol.

A 22 should have a scope with close focus, period.
 
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okay, okay. well riddle me this, what do you guys see wrong with the vortex PST GEN2 3-15x44 FFP? is $800 a sweet spot for what is offered?

I did look at the SHV and I loved the reticle but I do feel like its over priced a bit and I have no clue about night forces warranty. so sell me on it!
 
The 5-25 pst Gen 2 is on sale for $700 right now. If you don’t need the extra power back it down. No point in restricting your self to the 3-15.
 
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The 5-25 pst Gen 2 is on sale for $700 right now. If you don’t need the extra power back it down. No point in restricting your self to the 3-15.
where did you see this price?
 
I put a first gen BushnellHDMR with H59 reticle on a RPR .22. It really helps my 7 year old son visualize where he is aiming vs where the bullet impacts. When he gets good at holdovers he will learn dialing elevation and holding for wind.

How did the parallax being that high not drive you bonkers? The HDMR2 or DMR2 pro is my most recommended scope, so not knocking the product. Just interested in the parallax parameters on a 22lr. If it would have gone down to 25 I would have just bought another.