Have Remington Model 121 pump gun. Has some sort of old Weaver fixed power scope on it. Would like to update the glass any suggestions. Something to shoot squirrels and coons out of trees with. Current scope has small diameter tube.

You can't go wrong with a Leupold rimfire scope. I have several 3-9X rimfire scopes
The 4X is also excellent

update the mounts for a full 1" tube and install a standard Bushnell banner in 4X.....I've put this scope on several rimfires and it's as good as you can get for the money.

I've never wanted better magnification or clarity at the ranges encountered with a .22.....now to find ammo!!!!!

I like the Nikon EFR (Extended Focussing Range) 3-9x, 40 which I put on my CZ 452 Silhouette. I use it for sniping ground squirrels in front of my house.

It has an AO that lets you focus down to 10 yards, and ½ MOA adjustments, which to me is fine for a .22 scope.

The glass is pretty good: sharp at the center, very good color and contrast. There is a little spherical aberration at the periphery.

It has fine cross-hairs (which, if you hunt in low light, may work against it for your purposes) and it tracks pretty well.

I like the magnification range, particularly the lower end. The price is right.

My biggest complaint is that the parallax adjustment is not "side focus." But I can live with that.

Another vote for Leupold. I especially like the 2-7 Rimfire Special.

What BL said x2

Thanks for the advice will check out recommendations

I just have to comment on the rifle. The Remington 121 is as fine a pump 22 as I have ever wrapped my fist around. I love mine but it is too old to have the grooved receiver and I'm not going to drill it. I can't believe how much better it is than the newer offering by Remington. DW

Leupold RF 2-7 or fixed 4x

I've killed a lot of squirrels with my .22 and a 2.5 weaver. I don't understand the need for anything over 4x.

I also cannot see the need to spend big money on a 22 rimfire scope. One of my rifles has a 39.00 Simmons 3x9 I bought from Gander mountain. another wears a
$5.00 old Weaver K4 4x I bought at a yard sale and yet one more has a Bushnell banner 3x9. All have been in use for over 25 years.

Al

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
I've killed a lot of squirrels with my .22 and a 2.5 weaver. I don't understand the need for anything over 4x.

X 2

An issue arising: What is "needed" or not "needed" in the way of a scope for hunting squirrels with a .22.

We don't "need" to use a scope at all. We could just as easily use iron sights. Or a shotgun. Or not hunt squirrels at all.

It's a personal failing of mine that when I see the word "need" I react negatively.

The word "need" is often used to bash shooters, hunters, meat eaters, etc.

The fact is, we don't "need" to do anything if we are willing to accept the consequences, one of which might be forgoing the pleasure of hunting with the equipment one enjoys and takes pride in.

End of rant, sorry if I've offended.

When you're shooting ground squirrels at 100 yards or more you learn to appreciate higher magnification.

Damn Skippy, I thought we were talking about a .22. If you work within the reasonable limitations of a .22, then the higher magnifications aren't needed. However, if it makes you proud, then stick a 4x16x50 on it.

I like the new 2x7 Redfield with tactical dials. No trouble hitting critters out to 100 yd., and also no problem hitting the long range .22 silhouettes out to 200 meters. I don't see the need for a great deal more powder.

Clarence

I've started putting Leupold VX 1 and VX 2's on my 22's lately in the 3-9x40 size. My thoughts are that I want the same sight picture as I have in my Game rifles and things are pretty open around here so rabbits and prairie dogs can be shot a good distance away.

About any big game scope works on a 22 IMO..scopes set for rimfires don't impress me all that much since I can't tell any diffence..My all time favorite is the Leupold Alsaskans in 2.5X, 4X, and 6X, if you can find one and if you can afford one..short of that I have 4X compacts on my 22s or iron sights.

I hate it that Leupold discontinued those little big game scopes, they were so nice on my Savage 99s and my light weitht rifles, guess to days hunter has gone for the advertising hype and must have a 6x24 even on little bitty guns! but Lord that looks awful and certainly isn't needed by a hunter, just look on TV and some guy has a 300 RUM and a 6x24 European scope to shoot deer over a feeder at under 100 yards.

I like a 2.5-8

It fits pretty well on my Kimber K22

My wife and I probably ran close to 1,000 rounds through it getting used to shooting off a tripod before we took a trip in 2014

I pick up Burris compact 4x and 6x at gunshows.
They have good eye relief, small and are usually quite cheap for the quality.

For a mid level scope, it is hard to beat the Nikon rimfire scopes for the $100-150 price point.

Last year, I got two of these off of Amazon for $89 each!

http://www.nikonsportoptics.co...mfire_-_BDC_150.html

I put a Cabela's fixed 4x on my son's first rifle and I was very pleasantly surprised by the clarity and usefulness within the .22 envelope. I probably wouldn't do anything more after this experience.

My 22s don't shoot far enough to justify a large scope, so I opt for the 4X on a 100 yard 22 L.R., maybe it can be streached to 150 but its mighty weak out yonder. Small rifle, small scope is my motto in most cases.

I bought a cheapie 4x32 for mine ... a Luger, which seems to be made in Germany, and is quite nice and clear.

The scopes are fairly cheap in Aus, but I do remember that some of them were very strange configurations - I remember a 1-4x56 with a 30mm tube, which I thought was just outlandish - but then my tastes are not always in tune with everyone else's.

I bought 2 of these and like the AO for offhand sporter rifle target shooting. Not a bad price for what you get.

Simmons .22 Mag Rimfire Rifle Scope with Rings - 3-9x32mm AO Truplex 31.4-10.5' 3.75" Matte

http://www.natchezss.com/3-9x3...e-finish-305130.html

I was determined to keep a 3/4" scope on a cheap rifle recently- sort of a challenge/quest to prove a silly point. Having gone through a couple old Weavers and some other no-name scopes I finally resolved to spring for one of the discontinued Redfield 3/4" scopes, insane eBay prices not withstanding.

Luckily I was given a tip that I tried out before taking that plunge. For $15 or so I bought a GAMO 2-7x pellet gun scope, 3/4" tube with bells fore and aft. I thought "what have I got to lose"? Guess what, it turned out to be a pretty decent scope, with little or no parallax, sharp definition, blah, blah. Does it compare to a Leupold or somesuch? No, but for what it is I'm not complaining. I sent off for another one to set by for "just in case". You may well snicker (as did I), but the proof is in the pudding...

In my youth,back in the 60s, put a 3-8x32 Bushnell Banner scope on my 22 for squirrel hunting. Seem to recall scope cost me just a little less than my rifle. Most of the time I had it set on its lowest power. But there were a number of times I'd put the scope on its highest power to carefully scan a tree, looking for a squirrel peeking around a limb, trunk or in the notch where limb joined trunk. A fair number of squirrels fell from a bullet between their eyes when peeking from behind something to observe me.

I haven't hunted in a very long time, just shoot paper these days. But, if I did hunt with a 22 these days, I'd probably go with something like a 3 or 4-12 variable.