Magnification for 22lr precision shooting at 100yds.

[Jayjay1]

Hey guys,
I would love to hear your opinions about this.

I have already chosen the scope I want with the budget that I have, but am unsure which magnification is best for group shooting at 100yds.

The options are 3-18x50 vs 5-25x56.
Is a magnification of 18x enough (which would make the scope a bit more versatile), or is 25x better anyways for getting smaller groups?

Which magnification would you choose, and why?


Am happy for any info,
Jay

 

[Pete B]

You will never need x3, but 25 may come in handy at times.
Cheers
Pete

 

[Buzzinga]

25x, those are gonna be some tiny holes out there, lol.

 

[1911JMB]

The 3x18 will work great but when you start wanting to stretch it you will want more X and will start stretching it

 

[acudaowner]

good luck with what ever scope you get .

 

[b6graham]

i shoot on 16x almost exclusively. id rather be in the middle of 5-25 than the top of 3-18

ill never use the 3-5x range, but i may use the 18-25

 

[SirDrinksAlot]

5-25 for me. As others have stated the extra mag helps, but in competitions I tend to stay around 18-20.

I think more important is having parallax than can go down to 25. I really like my Steiner 5-25, and I can make hits at 25, but I definitely feel hindered at 25.

 

[Fasteddie01]

I've had a 6-18x50 for about 6 months, and just got a 6-24x50. Another $200 more but the 6-18 will go onto another .22. My 'hunter wears a 4-16x40 - I've been doing 'musical scopes' for a couple years now ;-0

 

[Jayjay1]

I've been doing 'musical scopes' for a couple years now ;-0

Thanks for your info.

But what is a "musical scope"?

 

[Jayjay1]

Hey guys,
feedback.

Have ordered now a Meopta Optika6 5-30x56 MRAD RD FFP.

Overfullfilled your recommendations though, the reticles of the 4,5-27x50 were not for me.
The MPO and the Strike Eagle were nowhere to get here, and I had even to order the Optika6 from a neighbour-country (Austria).

None of them is available in Germany right now, wth!

 

[barronian]

I use a Delta Stryker 5-50 x 56 for 100m prone. nearly always at 40x I suspect the best answer depends very much upon @Jayjay1 age.. Ive found older eyes appreciate the higher magnification

 

[simpletoms]

I recently purchased two of the Bushnell HDMR CR 3.5-21's. Because the scopes are clear and bright, 21x seems enough, I would not want to go with too much less. Most of my .22's have 6-24x, 5-25x, or 4.5-30x. If I had a choice, they'd all (but a couple) wear something like the Bushnell XRS2 4.5-30x. The 30x is usable most of the time. I've owned a Leupold 45x45, Sightron 8-32x and 10-50x, but all three strugged with mirage and a darkened FOV at or near max power. The Leupold was always dark. So, a scope that has a fully usable range and a crisp edge to edge picture always wins over advertised magnification.

 

[Longshot231]

I've been using Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25X on an Anschutz 64 MPR with great results. However, I have a 3-15X on a Savage B22 with good results.

 

[Fasteddie01]

Jayjay1 - Like 'musical chairs', buy a new-better scope and move the next best down to the next best rifle, on down the line. End up with scope for sale, or on a shelf. My newest is a Covenant 6-24x50 FFP w-MOA 'tree', replacing a Bushnell Engage Deploy 6-18x50 w-MOA 'tree', which will replace a Bushnell DOA 4-12x40, etc. on and down the line.

 

[roostercogburn98]

I run 4.5-18 now but am considering going up to 25x or higher. I may never truly “need” that much, but would be nice to have it around. If the LRTSi had not done so well this far, I’d have already jumped up. I have just enough turret to dial 300yds, so for now it works.

 

[justin amateur]

If I can't see it clearly, how am I going to hit it?
I punch paper with rimfire out to 200 yards.
With a 32X scope I can see 17 hmr holes clearly on white paper targets out to 200 yards.
At 100 yards image is sharp and clear, no problem seeing that 0.10" diameter center dot.

 

[Jayjay1]

If I can't see it clearly, how am I going to hit it?

Voodoo?

 

[beetroot]

I like the 3-18 range, I do find myself using or at least wanting the ability to use 3x for some occasions.
But for a precision rifle a 5-25 is undoubtedly the better option.

 

[Snoooy]

I have a Fedderson barreled 10/22...
Bought one of the close out Weaver T 25..
I avoided the T36.....

 

[ReaperDriver]

25x, those are gonna be some tiny holes out there, lol.

Yup, same here. Mo is betta.....

 

[jps2486]

Hey guys,
I would love to hear your opinions about this.

I have already chosen the scope I want with the budget that I have, but am unsure which magnification is best for group shooting at 100yds.

The options are 3-18x50 vs 5-25x56.
Is a magnification of 18x enough (which would make the scope a bit more versatile), or is 25x better anyways for getting smaller groups?

Which magnification would you choose, and why?


Am happy for any info,
Jay

Sightron S3 10-50 with MOA-2 reticle. 25X isn't enough IMO. At least you have the option. I usually shoot 35-40X. If you are patient, you can find one for way less than the $1399 price. I scored one on Dvor for $699, but that's a rare find.

 

[NewsShooter]

Shooting groups, even at 25 yards, usually at max power at 29x on my Athlon Cronus. Shooting multiple targets or improvised positions, usually 15-18x.

 

[HenryRed]

I have the same Meopta on my Ruger precision rimfire. I like it a lot. I looked through some vortex scopes at the same time as the meopta. Meopta was clearer. One of the Athlon scope shades will fit it. Do a search on this sight to find it.

 

[nockhunter]

What type of shooting? I shoot rimfire F/TR at 100y with a sightron S3 10x-50x on my anschutz. Rimfire PRS and NRL22 have different scope requirements. On my T1x I have a Covenant7 3x-21x FFP.


Mike

 

[sheepdog697]

I got 5-25, 22lr isn’t a large diameter hole. If you want to spot your impacts better anyways.

 

[308pirate]

If I can't see it clearly, how am I going to hit it?

It's no mystery to those who know how to use aperture sights.

 

[justin amateur]

That's right...pick on the optically challenged guy.

My eyesight is so bad I can't read the big E on the eyechart at 20 feet without corrective lenses.
My optometrist says not only do I need glasses, so do my firearms.

 

[acudaowner]

optically challenged guy right here and I still love 40 X's mag I enjoy having choices so anything from 5 to 50 work well for me I just love the view at 40 summer or winter spring or fall inside or outdoor it's worked wonderfully for me so far , good luck with what ever you decide to use I will always believe it's better to have and not need than to need and not have .

 

[Peahi2]

I use a 25x and a 30x top end on my two main scopes at the moment. The 30x is on my cz 457. As said above you want to see the holes. Also with my crappy eyes, the magnification helps aiming at fine points. The only issue is depending on my caffeine intake on the empty stomach when shooting in the mornings, I can "see" my heart rate lol.

Everyone's eyes degrade with age, it happens to all of us. Spend the extra money for the option of additional magnification.

My Burris Xtr iii 5.5-30x is pure comfort lol.

 

[lariat]

Parallax is the secret sauce, whichever scope is chosen.

 

[maupintn]

I run a Nightforce NX8 4-32X50 F1 and I keep it at 32 with only the dropping back to 18 for off hand shots. I have shot this way for years and do not have any issue finding my targets. I like to be able to see where on the target I am aiming not just that I am aiming at a target.