Hi Guys...

Thought I'd get your input. I generally shoot .270 and above...all my scopes have leopolds on them....Last Sat. I won a .223 at an SCI Fundraiser. Finally get to shoot varmits!!! What type of scope do you guys think I should get?

Thanks

It depends on the type of varmints you are hunting, The guns i use when i call fox wear a 3-9 and 4-12 power scopes with illuminated reticles. my groundhog guns have 6-24, 6.5x20 and 8.5x25 scopes, I bought two mueller 8.5 by 25 power scopes and really like them for groundhogs, but if you can afford it get somthing better.

If you're accustomed to Leupolds and like them, there's no reason to change.

You don't say what kind of .223 you've got or whether its to be used as a "walking" vaminter or fired mostly from a rest.

A good combination scope for either is a Leupold 4-12X. It is low enough power on the low end to give you plenty of FOV for a running coyote or jackrabbit, and powerful enough on the high end to shoot gophers or other colony pests about as far away as a typical .223 is capable. It is also the same size as a 3-9 scope, so it is not so heavy and bulky on a small-actioned rifle.

There are a lot of scope "partisans" here on AR, and singing the virtues of your favorite brand is fine. Folks whose favorite brand is something other than Leupold seem to conveniently disregard the fact that the great preponderance of benchrest shooter use Leupolds, and those are the guys who are supposed to know what they're doing.

Price range? for around a bill you can get a simmons whitetail classic from midwayusa which is good enough for most applications with a 223

Steven,

Again, Depends on the type of hunting or shooting you do.
You might want to check out the optics section.
Take a look at the scope ranking thread.
I own a few "cheap" scopes. Simmons is not one of them.

Well.

Once again, a question that's hard to answer.

For these, I often refer to the 6mmBR website.

I find 6mmBR more analytical, and less emotional than AR.

And influenced less by status.

Here's the 6mmBR optics evaluation.

Some of the information may be outdated, as the page has been up for a while.

Now.

Were you to ask me, I'd suggest a Sightron. Yes, they used to be inexpensive, but they've updated their whole line.

They're a little more expensive, but not compared to the big names.

Call me a skeptic... but I'm convinced a whole lot of people pay for a name, and not performance.

Admittedly, my credentials are pretty minimal. Yep, I work in a top-of-the-line target rifle shop, but mainly we don't do benchrest.

Our clients pay damn near as much for adjustable rear apertures and globe fronts as AR contributors pay for Leupolds on their hunting rifles.

Palma rifles.

Funny world, huh?

flaco

N.B. Always happy to see your posts, Stonecreek.

Did I say I'm very pleased with my Sightrons? Did I mention that they, well, track?

If the 223 Rem is a sporter weight rifle look at a 4-12X scope if it is a varmint weight look at a 6-18 X scope. I like the Leupold scopes on my Howa 1500 Thumbhole Varminter and Browning Varmint 223 Rem rifles. I also have had good luck with Burris brand scopes. Most all of my shooting with the 223 Rem rifles is at prairie dogs. What brand and type if rifle do you have ?