My M57 Cooper Custom Classic is due here later this week.



My research and personal preferences indicate I should go with one of these two scopes; both in gloss to stay in tune with the Cooper's gloss finish.

http://www.leupold.com/hunting...pes/vx-3-1-5-5x20mm/

or

http://www.leupold.com/hunting...33mm-ultralight-efr/

Something I discovered was the 3-9 is exactly the same as the 3-9 rimfire version but in gloss.

Once I determine which load to use, I'll stick one of these scopes on it and there it will stay. Occasional paper but mostly plinking, big game practice and small game hunting in the openness of Utah.

I'm not leaning towards either one but would like to defer to your expertise, experience and preferences. Reasons "for", reasons "against".

Thanks,

Alan

Personally, I would go for the 3-9.
I am not too keen on the low power scopes.

Saeed,

Thanks for the reply. My reason for putting the 1.5-5 into the mix is the "look" the 20mm obj gives the rifle. The 3-9 makes more sense when I looked at the Custom Shop's web site this morning and discovered I can modify the scope a bit more than the 1.5-5.

Alan

That is certainly a beautiful gun!

Which scope depends in part on what use you intend to make of it. Rimfires are used at fairly close ranges, so that would indicate that not that much magnification is needed. On the other hand, rimfires are also used on rather small targets which beg for higher magnification.

I have a Leupold 3-9 Compact AO on my "premium" rimfire (a Sako Model P72), and the 9x magnification comes in handy for shooting 50 yard groups. However, if the look of the non-belled objective is important to you, you won't be particularly handicapped with only 5x magnification. If you use the 1.5-5x Leupold be sure to have the factory adjust the parallax to 60 yards or so.

Well, I pulled the trigger on the VX3 1.5-5x20mm today. Should be here next week. Once I mount the scope I'll take pics and post them.

Alan

Excellent choice!I've always been a fan of lower power scopes for hunting big game.They have all the magnification you'll ever need and a healthy field of view for the thick stuff.Sometimes even down on 3x the FOV is to narrow.Good luck!

Here's the Cooper with a NF 2.5-10x32mm mounted "just for bench work" to find an accurate load/s.


Dang! Keep getting that big toe in my pics

So far, nothing spectacular. Average of 5, 5-shot groups at 50 yds:

Rem Game Loads, 1.02"
Fed Value Pack, 1.02"
CCI Mini-Mag, .984"

Ordered a set of S&K mounts/1" rings in gloss blue the other day.

Alan

All the ammo has been tested and I've settled on the RWS Target Rifle load so I ordered 5,000 this am and got a discount of $5.52 per box of 50. Once I finished the testing I removed the NF 2.5-10x32mm Compact and installed a new glossy VX3 1.5-5x20mm in S&K Sculptured bases and rings, also in gloss.

Awesome!

I have been looking at getting another 3x9x33 EFR VXII for a recent purchase. The "ultralight" 3x9x33 EFR VXII in gloss has a regular duplex reticle vs. the "rimfire" 3x9x33 EFR VXII in matte which has a fine duplex reticle. FYI

jtinidaho: I was shooting two different .22's this week side by side, one equipped with a regular Leupold Compact 2-7X with a standard duplex and the other equipped with a Leupold Compact Rimfire with the fine duplex.

As I noted earlier, although the targets and game you shoot with a .22 LR are not at great distances, they do tend to be very small. I found I was more comfortable with the fine duplex on the rimfire model than with the standard duplex. The rimfire model also has the parallax pre-set for rimfire ranges.

Yep, my anschutz sports the rimfire version and I am very satisfied. Will get another one.