Rifle Scopes New Varmint Scope

[HOGGHEAD]

Guys I am in the market for a scope for a new varmint rifle. The cartridge selection is 223 Remington. I am having the barrel shortened right now for a Yankee Hills suppressor. This rifle will be used strictly for ground hog hunting with the farthest shots being 400 yards. However 300 yards is more realistic in the areas I will hunt with the rifle.

I am not real concerned about light transmission since it will be a daylight only varmint rig.

I want the scope to have exposed target turrets. And I want to buy a scope that tracks very well. The high end of the power range needs to be somewhere between 14-20X. I do not need the scope to be extremely durable-it will not be used under some of the conditions like some of you guys need. As expressed above-tracking is my main concern. But I still want quality optics.

I have a 6.5X20 Conquest with TT's that I can put on the rifle, but then I would have to buy a replacement for the rifle I take it off of.

I have considered a lot of scopes. Including the new Sightron SIII's(fixed power scopes---16X, and 20X).

Weight of the scope is not a real issue.

Just looking for some general or specific opinions. Thanks, Tom.

 

[fdkay]

Re: New Varmint Scope

You don't say what your budget is.
If you are on the cheap and don't care about mil-dots, then look at the Mueller 8-32 side focus target scope.
Good options abound in the mid=price range with the Nikon Buckmaster and moving up to the Monarch. Bushnell elite 4200 series and mid-level Burris. You can move up to Luepold, high end burris, high end Nikon and then even higher with the nightforce, USO, S&B etc...

 

[Wabird]

Re: New Varmint Scope

Or the Sightron BigSky line. The optics are on par with VX-III, lightweight and solid tracking

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Re: New Varmint Scope

I am not really on a budget with this purchase. I can afford a NF if I decide it is the one I want. I am by no means rich, and buying a NF would be a big purchase for me. I just do not think I need the durability such a product provides. I was just trying to determine a high quality product that would do what I want. But not necessarily more than what I want. In essence I would like to be prudent, but not necessarily cheap.

I am a handicapped person so I only hunt from a fixed position(my chair). And a fixed power scope of higher quality is an option. I am thinking somewhere in the 10X, 12X, or 16X range. But a Zeiss Conquest in 6.5X20 with TT's is a great idea. I have 3 of these scopes now, and they function very well. But again this may be more scope than what I really need.

I have been researching this a good bit. I did study the Bushnell 5X15 in the Elite 3200 series. But I have no idea how these scopes track?? Are they friction or positive click adjustments?? I also thought the Weaver Tactical series would be a nice scope. But I am old fashioned and it is tough for me to pay that much for a Weaver?? I am not knocking the product because I do not have any first hand experience with this product. But you know what they say about old dogs!! Thanks, Tom.

 

[TEAMSENDIT]

Re: New Varmint Scope

from my experience I think strictly for varmiting under 500yds the leupold vx III 4.5x14LR with varmint hunter reticle is the best. I almost never need more power especially since it is typically to hot to use over 14x (to much mirage). plus the reticle is perfect it gives to precise holdovers and windage holds. I fun nxs and uso on my tactical precision rifles but that is a hole different monster all together. I run striclty the varmint hunter reticle on my pdog and squirrel rifles. the shooting is just to fast to be clicking the turrets all the time. especially since you are running an ar15.

just my .02cents

 

[RH4540]

Re: New Varmint Scope

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: diggler44</div><div class="ubbcode-body">from my experience I think strictly for varmiting under 500yds the leupold vx III 4.5x14LR with varmint hunter reticle is the best. I almost never need more power especially since it is typically to hot to use over 14x (to much mirage). plus the reticle is perfect it gives to precise holdovers and windage holds. I fun nxs and uso on my tactical precision rifles but that is a hole different monster all together. I run striclty the varmint hunter reticle on my pdog and squirrel rifles. the shooting is just to fast to be clicking the turrets all the time. especially since you are running an ar15.

just my .02cents </div></div>

I run 6.5-20 as a MINIMUM on my varmint rifles.

I thought a leupold 4.5-14 would be plenty for my .17HMR, which I pretty much limit my shots to 200 yards, but, I was wrong. I bumped that up to a 6-24 power.

 

[Stringer]

Re: New Varmint Scope

If durability was the top priority, NF would be the obvious choice. But, as you stated it's probably overkill. Out of the scopes I have personal experience with, the most suitable ones for you are NF NXS 3.5-15x56, Leupold VX-III 4.5-14x40 AO, and Sightron SIII 6-24x50. I like them all, but out of those, I'd definitely recommend the SIII. It actually bummed me out when I compared each scope and found the SIII to be noticeably brighter than the NF and the Leupold. I prefer the SIII turrets over the Leupold, but in those regards NF might be the best out there. Best thing about the Leupold is that it's very light.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Re: New Varmint Scope

I do a good bit of varmint hunting. Especially for ground hog's. High power can be helpful at times, and can also make hunting more fun. However most of my hunting is in the afternoon in the summer. Rarely can I go much above 16X without a god bit of mirage from the heat. You can get to 20X or more in the shade, or when it cools off, but not in the heat of the day.

I have hunted with the Leuopld with both the VH reticle, and the B&C reticle. They will work pretty well. But I was just wanting something different. I was a bit more interested in short range precision shooting. This rifle will be used around houses, barn lots, and live stock. That is one of the reasons for the suppressor. And that is why I wanted a scope with turrets.

I am just trying to put together a fun hunting rig that can do serious hunting when I want to. Thanks, Tom.