What rifle scopes are yall using for your Varmint/Predator hunting?

My Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .204 Ruger I am using a 3-9x40 Nikon with BDC reticle. I need to equip my new Ruger M77 Mark II VT in .220 Swift with a new scope but I haven't pulled the trigger on ordering one yet.

most of mine are either 4-16 or 6-20

4-16 and 4.5-14 Nikons - mildot and wouldn't change them for anything

4x16, 4x12 is about all you can reasonably use. Mirage becomes a factor as you go up. bigger isn't always better. I like to use the low end to find the varmint and then dial in on him.

What kind of varmint, where, and when?

I use a much different scope for 400 yard prairie dogs in mid-day than for 60 yard coyotes by artificial light.

Very rarely do I shoot prairie dogs, I would set that rifle up for predator calling as well. I'm looking at Leupold and Nikons under $400

A 4-12X power range will give you enough magnification for long range stationary targets and still allow low enough magnification and attendant wide field of view for calling (if you're good/lucky and can bring them in close, that is ). Within your price range you can buy either a Leupold VX-II or, if you can do without the little clicky sounds as you zero the scope, the VX-I will do exactly the same thing for you (despite all of the advertising hype).

Buy a Nikon when you need a camera. Buy a Leupold when you need an optical gunsight.

I'm more of a Canon guy myself (5d mkII)

6.5-20X Leupold w/ varmint hunters reticle. If you don't want to spend that much, a Nikon 6-18x Buckmaster w/ mil dot (available only from Midway USA).

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
6.5-20X Leupold w/ varmint hunters reticle. If you don't want to spend that much, a Nikon 6-18x Buckmaster w/ mil dot (available only from Midway USA).

I've been eyeing that midway Nikon deal for the 6-18. Seems like it would be a good scope!

quote:

I've been eyeing that midway Nikon deal for the 6-18. Seems like it would be a good scope!

Have you ever looked at the sight picture of a Nikon scope, especially the low-end leader line like the "Buckmaster"? Well, take the cardboard tube out of a used up roll of paper towels and look through it. That will give you an idea of what it looks like.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

I've been eyeing that midway Nikon deal for the 6-18. Seems like it would be a good scope!

Have you ever looked at the sight picture of a Nikon scope, especially the low-end leader line like the "Buckmaster"? Well, take the cardboard tube out of a used up roll of paper towels and look through it. That will give you an idea of what it looks like.

AMEN!! I am a huge Nikon camera guy, but the Buckmaster varmint scope I bought was terrible - it's just as Stonecreek described.

I have a leoupold 4x12 fire dot on my 243 the one I use for night hunting coyotes over bait 7 coyotes 3 fox so far this season not really enough power if going to shoot p dogs but for low light this one works great Kevin

Leupold 4.5-14X40AO LR, 30MM tube. Add the VHR, for the PD hunts.

Take THAT....Stoney!!!

Friend Of The 17....and 20
Kevin

A crow taken at 311 yards with a 204 Ruger whilst prone shooting out my front door.

The scope; a Leupold 2-7X which I've used on bunches of stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin Gullette:
Leupold 4.5-14X40AO LR, 30MM tube. Add the VHR, for the PD hunts.

Take THAT....Stoney!!!

Friend Of The 17....and 20
Kevin

Bugle: Thats a great scope that Kevin recommends. I'll bet he'll spot you the extra $300 over your budget in order for you to buy it. (Right after he brushes a coat of brown latex paint over the stock on that O'brien to cover up all the squiggly grain and distracting fiddleback in its defective wood.)

Stone,

Budget....budget????....who the hell needs a stinkin' budget??!!

Bottom line: I learned, long ago,.....save a little longer, and get what YOU really want. Just my $0.02...

BTW....I'm running a bit low on latex paint. Do you have any oil-base....left over from YOUR stocks??!!!

Kevin

Currently made of unobtainium, the US Optics 6.5-30x58 was made as part of their custom scope program before the death of their founder John Williams. The scope shown here mounted on a 6.5-.308 Custome Model 70 was the perfect thing for PDs out to 700 or so with 100 grain Sierra Varmit HP.



The scope shown below or something very similar in a 25x scope is available in their current program.

Well, at the risk of being tarred and feathered and forcibly thrown off this section, I have a CZ .223 that I used mainly for jackals and slightly bigger varmints in RSA and I outfitted it with a Leupold 2-7X28 scope (I hear it's for rimfires).

I'd change it, but it looks so good, because it just matches the CZ 527 fullstock, and it really gets just about all the accuracy I can I think I can out of the rifle.

I am thinking of moving it to a 22 Hornet as a rabbit getter.

Personally I would not go any higher than 20x for pdogs and or ground hogs. The mirage would be too bad.
I think the best scope for long range critters is the Leupold 6.5-20x40 with the varmint hunters reticle.

Dave

All my scopes are in the 15x range.

I have a heavy barrelled Ruger 22/250 with a Nikon Monarch 5.5-15 (or is it a 5.5-16?)works great for prairie dogs and the like however for coyotes I often wish it had a 3-9 on it. When a coyote gets on the move that much scope isn't a help unless he's way out there.
I have 2 .223's that wear Leupold 3-9's and those work great.

I have 6 HB rifles from 204 to 22-250. They have scopes from 4-16 to 8-32. The reason I buy variable optic is I can go fron low powers to high power, all in one scope. Don't short yourself on the top end, you never know when you might need it. I hunt p-dogs and bait for coyotes. If you are looking for some fine optics at a moderate price, check out ALPEN apex scopes in 6-24x50 30 mm tube.(about $350)

Out west we usually use variable with 16 to 24X top ends for long distance varminting. my medium range guns use variables with 12 to 14X on the top end.

I use Nightforce, Leupold, Burris and Weaver scopes with Mildots, Varminter or target dot reticles.

Ok I'll be the wierd one here. I have 4.5-14 springfield, 4-12 leupold,and a straight 12 leupold. And an older simmons 2.8-10. And I believe the simmons is the best of the bunch.

From now on my go-to colony varmint scope from a stationary position is gonna' be the Horus Vision Predator 8-26x scope with H-70 reticle. I have 2 of these now and probably won't need another, since i don't do as much prairie dog shooting as i once did.

Have you considered a Monarch in the 2.5-10x42 with the BDC reticle? It has the great field of view at 2.5x but will give you everything you will need on the upper end at 10x. I believe it's a terrific hunting scope and the BCC reticle will allow you for longer distance holds.

I really like a 10x. Mind you, I don't praire dogs (did it once and it did not sit well with me) just groundhogs here back east. No fiddling with the power selector and really good light transmission and durability. I have one of the older Leupold MkIV scopes. Think it is perfect for hunting groundhogs if a person has access to a chronograph and can figure out the G7 ballistic coefficient of their bullet and plug it into a good (free) online ballistics program. Once you get the constants correct, the math is so true to the paper.

I just find magnification has a pretty quick to find point of diminshing returns. If the groudhog is less skinny than the crosshairs, he stands a pretty good chance of having a short afternoon.

In Idaho I would not use anything more than a 4x12, Rock Chucks can be close or way out yonder, and mostly we shoot over the hood of the pickup off bags and the motor heat plays havoc with powerful scopes and so does my beating heart!!I tried a 16X and didn't like it at all. I like to walk and shoot chucks on ocassions...also my chuck guns, a couple of 222 Remingtons, one with a 6X Lyman and the other, a 600 has a 4X Leupold, and a custom sako 6x45 are used on larger varmints like coyotes, Bobcats, and looks like wolves in the future..My 6x45 has a 3x9 compact and it works fine and I use it for Pronghorn and deer on ocassion. Over the years I have progressively gone to less power for whatever reason, mostly because I have never need more power.

I shoot with nothing less than 6x or more than 32x- that said most of the scopes are used somewhere between 10-14x, good optical quality and adjustable parallax are just as important as the power of the scope. I also feel that it is very important to be able to see the impact of the shot, if a miss so you can make the correction and a hit so you can enjoy the reason you are there in the first place.

Duane,
You make a good point as to why your there in the first place..The varies from hunter to hunter, shooter to shooter whichever the case may be...

I have several dyed in the wool varmint hunting friends that take a stand and use lots of power in scope and gun, the keep records of how long a string they can get without a miss and they are gooooood! They enjoy..

I, on the other hand kinda prefer to walk the rimrock of the Snake River Canyon taking shots off hand at scurrying chucks or running Jacks on top..I like the 222 and any scope that one would normally use on deer like a 4X or at most a 8X and have used a 4x12 varible at times..My kill runs are pretty lame by comparison, but it does prepare me for deer and elk season, and my trips to Africa...If I miss one, its no big deal as their are many in this area, and shooting gets hot and heavy at times. Also its perfect for shooting them out my Kitchen window when moms in town!

Varmint hunting in most instances is about enjoyment, and however one does it is fine as long as he/she enjoys.

If I had to choose one it would be 4-16. I'm currently using a 4-16 Schmidt Bender on a custom long range rig for chucks. So far it's working good out to about 1400 yards. I have a Nightforce 2.5-10 on a light weight .270 WSM that has been knocking the whistle pigs down out to 600 yards... it's a great walking varmint/elk rifle. On my 22-250 prairie dog rifle I'm using an old IOR 6-24. Nice scope, but more than needed. As has already been said, usually mirage is so bad I'm shooting on 12-16 anyway.

If you want to save a little money try the Hawke SF Varmit scope's I have one on my 221FB and have been impressed to say the least?
P.S. Their on sale at EABCO.COM for 179.99 (usually 199.99!

Steve

I was most happy using a Leupold 6.5 X 20 w/ varmint reticle for prairie dogs last week.
It is the same scope I use for small bore silhouette minus the fancy reticle.

Has anyone tried the Burris Eliminator?

My personal preference is the leupold 4.5-14 and I can usually find them for under 400 used.

Leupold VXII 4-12X40 AO works real well.

4-16x50 Schmidt and Bender with the number 8 varmint reticle.

FFP, finest scopes made, very expensive and worth every penny.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
I'm looking at Leupold and Nikons under $400

For under $400 I would look for a Leupold Vari-XIII 3.5X10-50MM. I am a big fan of Leupold's 50MM objective scopes and I shoot a bunch of varmits. I patrol a couple of 1500ac tomoato farms shooting coyotes, raccoon's, opossums, crows, skunks and hogs. Done in the evening and then into the night with lights I really feel I can tell a difference with the 50mm objective. You can pick them up for under $300 if you look around and I feel for the $$ it is the best scope for the job.

I have a Burris Fullfield II 4.5X14-42mm with ballistic plex that I like...It is on top of one of my 22-250's, the other has one of the 50mm leupolds. Even on shots in the 3-400yard range I am just a comfortable with the 10X as with the 14x.

Burris Eliminator 3 Laserscope, I used the 2 on our last shoot and just got a 3 for the next one. Only one I'll use now.