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Nikon v. Vortex for 22LR Semi-auto

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    Posted: June/01/2017 at 21:41
I have a junk scope on my Ruger 10/22 and I've just done some accurizing work on it so I want to strap on a decent scope in the $200 price range.  The scopes I'm currently considering are these:

https://swfa.com/nikon-2-7x32-p-rimfire-scope.html
https://swfa.com/nikon-3-9x40-prostaff-target-efr-rimfire-scope.html
https://swfa.com/vortex-2-7x35-diamondback-rimfire-rifle-scope.html

I'm also interested in this, mostly because aside from the price difference, the difference between it and the other similarly sized Nikon is pretty opaque to me:  https://swfa.com/nikon-3-9x40-prostaff-rimfire-ii-scope.html

I don't mind the BDC reticle, but if there is a choice and price is the same, I want plain crosshairs.  For a $50 savings though, I'd choose BDC.  Tactical or hunting turrets:  not an issue for me -- I'll take either so long as I don't need a coin to operate them.

My use for the rifle is not hunting -- just plinking and recreational punching paper.

So I'm requesting advice from the collective wisdom here -- First, is there a difference in glass quality between the two $180ish Nikons or is just a size and zoom issue?  What is the difference between those and the $120ish Nikon (glass quality that is)?  And between the Vortex and Nikons -- similar glass, one superior?  All those sorts of questions.  Finally, if I should be considering something else, please point that out to me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/02/2017 at 05:23

Take a look at this one:

Swift 4-12x40 Premier Tactical 30mm Rifle Scope


Matte, Mil-Dot, Side Focus


Stock# ST7904 UPC 79040179124


$199.95

I owned one for years, (but with a duplex reticle and objective focus) taught 3 of my 4 daughters to shoot with it and the Leatherwood ART Sporter.  A lot of scope for the money and a great warranty.  I gave mine away to someone who was down on his luck looking for a scope to teach his daughter to shoot... last I heard they were still happy. 

MOA adjustment/mil dot reticle.  Actually pretty easy to get used to. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote urbaneruralite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/02/2017 at 10:36
How far or close will you shoot?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/02/2017 at 17:50
I'd look at the Weaver Rimfire's also. Mine, (2-7x) is on a Marlin 60 and has served me well. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/02/2017 at 17:54
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote urbaneruralite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/02/2017 at 20:24
cheaptrick, how is the image through your Weaver out at 100+ yards? I wonder if mine should be better.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2017 at 06:39
Originally posted by urbaneruralite urbaneruralite wrote:

cheaptrick, how is the image through your Weaver out at 100+ yards? I wonder if mine should be better.

Compared to what? 

I shoot mine only out to 50 yards or so and it's taken MANY MANY bird feeder raiding squirrels and field rats.  
  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2017 at 07:24
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2017 at 07:37
Originally posted by bugsNbows bugsNbows wrote:

Originally posted by cheaptrick cheaptrick wrote:

http://https://swfa.com/weaver-2-5-7x28-classic-rimfire-rifle-scope.html


This ^^^

I was thinking of you when I posted, Ric. How would you rate my Weaver, having used it? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pbw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2017 at 09:53
Thank you for the responses.  Here is a corrected link for the Weaver BTW.  ;-)

https://swfa.com/weaver-2-5-7x28-classic-rimfire-rifle-scope.html

As for shooting distance, mostly 50 to 100 yds and a bit maybe as far as 200 on very calm days just for variety.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2017 at 13:01
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote urbaneruralite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2017 at 13:32
The RV7 I have isn't so clear past maybe 80 yards. Its great inside that. Image is in the neighborhood of Leupold Yosemite in close, but loses quality to below that further out. I don't recall noticing so much difference in other rimfire models I have had. I've been eyeing the Diamondback HP 2-8x adjustable objective scopes that are still out there, but I haven't pulled the trigger so to speak because the rifle in question is used 80% for sq. with subsonic HPs. The RV7 works very well for that.

Back on topic, if you're doing slow fire at static targets past 50 yards most of the time then an adjustable objective and maybe more magnification might be worth looking at.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pbw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/03/2017 at 14:30
Originally posted by urbaneruralite urbaneruralite wrote:

The RV7 I have isn't so clear past maybe 80 yards. Its great inside that. Image is in the neighborhood of Leupold Yosemite in close, but loses quality to below that further out. ...
Back on topic, if you're doing slow fire at static targets past 50 yards most of the time then an adjustable objective and maybe more magnification might be worth looking at.


My eyesight has been deteriorating pretty rapidly lately so I do appreciate more magnification and definitely need all the clarity I can get out of a scope. 

The type of shooting I'll do with it is mostly at a gravel pit range from seated, kneeling, or standing positions -- not really slow fire like you'd do on a bench rest but not trying to make it sound like a full auto either.  More like POP ... 1-5 sec pause ... POP ... 1-5 seconds ... let's say medium fire, something to go out and have fun with where fun means shooting at clay pigeon fragments that scatter the various banks of the pit.  When I go there during the week and am the only person around, I can pick on a seeming unlimited number of bright orange fragments at 50 -- 200 yds from a single position. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote urbaneruralite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/04/2017 at 12:44
If you're not doing rapid transitions between targets at the same distance, you can afford to give up some field of view for more magnification. 

If switching between targets at different distances, you can use an adjustable objective to good effect, but there are some "depends" in there. My experience with less expensive adjustable objective scopes is I expect to adjust that thing every time the distance changes. I would not want to do that for plinking. Examples would be a cheap high magnification model I use for testing handloads. It works great for that, but is only really useful on paper at fixed yardage from a bench rest. A Leupold VX3 on the other hand is good at various distances regardless of where the AO is set.  

One thing to consider is that rimfire, shotgun and centerfire scopes are set for parallax at different distances. Usually those are ~50, ~75 and ~100 yards. The one that matches someone's specific needs for a rimfire scope might match more closely with shotgun and centerfire scopes.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/05/2017 at 19:33
The scope I have on my 10/22 is Vortex Diamondback HP 2-8x32.  If you find one of these floating around, I highly recommend it.  Aside from occasional ammo testing, I use this rifle almost exclusively for sitting and standing practice and I do not think higher magnification would do me any good for that.  Every once in a while I do settle down and take a longer shot where the adjustable parallax really comes in handy: I can focus at a longer distance if I need to.

For precision on a rimfire or airgun, I tend to use SWFA SS 3-15x42 SFP with the MQ reticle that has a small floating dot in the center.  It is a bit more expensive, but very good optically and the fine center dot is really good for precision.

This is the version I have:

If I were asked for a "one and done" scope for a precision rimfire or airgun this would likely be it: 3x is low enough to use offhand, while 15x is high enough for pretty good precision.  If you occasionally scan through the samplelist, you can find a good deal on these.

Now, back onto scopes in the $200 range: I have had good luck with the previously mentioned Weaver 2.5-7x28, but it is focused at 50 yards.  Beyond 100 yards it really starts to suffer.

If you will not use it a whole lot at distances closer than 50 yards, I would consider using a centerfire scope with parallax fixed at 100 yards.  At lower magnifications, it will not have any issues at 50 yards, but it will work a lot better beyond 100 yards at higher magnifications.

That opens up a lot of options for you, like the 3-9x40 Diamondback and a bunch of others.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote helo18 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/06/2017 at 09:31
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

The scope I have on my 10/22 is Vortex Diamondback HP 2-8x32.  If you find one of these floating around, I highly recommend it.  Aside from occasional ammo testing, I use this rifle almost exclusively for sitting and standing practice and I do not think higher magnification would do me any good for that.  Every once in a while I do settle down and take a longer shot where the adjustable parallax really comes in handy: I can focus at a longer distance if I need to.

I have two of the Diamondback HP 2-8x32s.  One sits on my Ruger 10/22 and one sits on a 17 HMR.  I have shot Prairie dogs at 200 yards with the 10/22 with this scope.  My favorite rimfire scope right now.  I also have a Weaver 2-7 on my other 22 bolt gun and it does great.  Neither is for precision shooting at 200 yards, but for hunting and general use on a 22 both are great options.

If I get into the 350-400 yard shoots here in Montana with a 22, I will probably put my SS 3-15 on for higher magnification as well as enough adjustment to get to 400 yards with a subsonic round I run in my 22 with a supressor (great for shooting pesky critter without spooking the horses or neighbors.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/06/2017 at 09:59
I may be looking for a new 22 scope, and the Vortex looks interesting.
https://swfa.com/vortex-2-7x35-diamondback-rimfire-rifle-scope.html
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pbw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/06/2017 at 20:22
Thanks to everyone who weighed in here.  I was able to track down one of those discontinued Vortex Diamondback HP 2-8x32 scopes and only exceeded my target price by nine bucks.  What pushed me that way was the adjustable parallax which gives me an opportunity to move it onto something bigger than a .22 if the circumstance should arise.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote helo18 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/06/2017 at 21:16
You will be very happy to have the adjustment on a 22 as well.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pbw Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/11/2017 at 18:22
An update.

I took the setup to the range with Vortex 2-8 that was suggested here with some various ammo.  The best performing ammo (CCI SGB: http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/detail.aspx?use=2&loadNo=0058 ) gave me a 100 yd 25 shot cloud measuring 2.42 inches.  Omitting my 3 worst shots, it falls to 1.92" and 13 of the shots -- about half of them -- fell within 1.11".   CCI Velociter and Remmington Golden bullet did not do well in my rig at all.  Fiochi Match did almost as well as the CCI SGB:  25 shots: 2.78"; -3 shots: 1.88"; 13 shots: 1.66".

A better shooter than I am could have done better no doubt, but for me that's pretty good.  Next thing I'll be doing to that 35 yo 10/22, is putting on a lighter trigger.  It didn't bother me when I was 14, but my hands have taken a beating over the last several decades and towards the end of the session, I was really noticing it how heavy the trigger pull is on that.
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