# Best 10/22 scope on a budget



## Clement (Aug 16, 2017)

I want to find a new scope for 10/22. I would like to keep it below $ 150. Where can I get the most out of my budget? I don't care if it's a red dot or a simple range. I want to see your opinion on what is the best range for my Ruger 10/22.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

To suggest a "best" scope, we need to know what you will be doing with your 10/22.

What are your primary and secondary intended uses? Hunting, informal target shooting (plinking), formal target shooting, steel silhouette shooting, short-range varminting, or something else...?


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## pblanc (Mar 3, 2015)

As for red dots, many people have used the relatively inexpensive Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 on Ruger 10/22s with good results. The dot is a little large for precision work, but it is very good for rapid target acquisition at short range, plinking at beer cans, etc. This is a "micro" size RDS that mounts low on the rail affording a decent cheek weld on an unmodified stock.

For target shooting with a 22LR rifle, I prefer a rifle scope that has the capacity for adjustable parallax correction, either with an adjustable objective or a side focus adjustment turret. Most rimfire rifle scopes are set to be parallax free at 50 yards. Centerfire scopes are more commonly set to be parallax free at 100 yards. If you are shooting with a fixed focus scope at a range considerably shorter than that for which the optic is set to be parallax free, not only will you have the potential for parallax error, but your target will be out of focus. This can be quite apparent when shooting at 25 yards with a fixed focus scope set to be parallax-free at 50 yards, and is even worse if your scope focus is fixed at 100 yards.

I have had good luck with scopes made by Hawke Sport Optics and they are some of the least expensive quality scopes that have AO (adjustable objectives). Their adjustable objectives work well. Optical clarity is quite good and they zero and hold zero accurately. Check out the Hawke Vantage line on Amazon dot com. You will find a variety of models priced under $150 with adjustable objectives including a fixed magnification 4x32 AO mil-dot for $79.99, a variable magnification 2-7x32 AO mil-dot for $99.99, a variable mag 3-9x40 AO mil-dot for $109.99, and a variable mag 4-12x40 AO mil-dot for $129.99.

How much magnification you need or want will depend upon use. I know some 22LR silhouette shooters who use a lot of magnification as do some who shoot at distances greater than 100 yards. Most of my shooting is done at 50 yards or less and only occasionally out to 100. The 22LR projectile really loses pizzazz beyond 80 yards or so. Shooting at distances greater than 100 yards becomes more "the art of the lob" and guessing the wind, but some enjoy it. For routine shooting inside 100 yards I personally like either a 2-7X variable or a 3-9X variable but a fixed power 4X is a bit lighter and more compact and is a pretty good compromise for most uses.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

pblanc said:


> For routine shooting inside 100 yards I personally like either a 2-7X variable or a 3-9X variable *but a fixed power 4X is a bit lighter and more compact and is a pretty good compromise for most uses.*


Especially when budget scopes (anything under $200-$300) are the subject, fixed-power scopes are far more simple, with fewer parts and fewer things that can break or go wrong.


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## pblanc (Mar 3, 2015)

Once again, it depends on your eyes and what you plan to do with it. I do three-position target shooting mostly at 25 meters with Ruger 10/22s. This involves the use of scaled targets and the smallest ones are about an inch in diameter.

I have used both a fixed magnification Hawke Vantage 4X32 and a variable magnification Hawke Vantage 3-9X40 for this. For shooting one inch targets at 25-50 yards, my scores are definitely better with 9X magnification than they are with 4X. Years ago, that might not have been the case, but now I definitely benefit from more magnification on those small targets.


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## SamBond (Aug 30, 2016)

I use a Vortex Diamondback rimfire 2-7 variable magnification scope on my 10/22. 
Down at 2X mag you can shoot 5 ft from the muzzle and see what you're shooting, clear as day.
Up at 7X you can see, I.D. and shoot anything that is in range of a 22LR.
It will run you a little more than $150 but you do get what you pay for. Vortex has a lifetime warranty they will stand behind. THAT'S IMPORTANT !

Sam


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

SamBond said:


> I use a Vortex Diamondback rimfire 2-7 variable magnification scope on my 10/22.
> Down at 2X mag you can shoot 5 ft from the muzzle and see what you're shooting, clear as day.
> Up at 7X you can see, I.D. and shoot anything that is in range of a 22LR.
> It will run you a little more than $150 but you do get what you pay for. Vortex has a lifetime warranty they will stand behind. THAT'S IMPORTANT !
> ...


How does the Vortex Diamondback compare to the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 on sale right now, $129?

https://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Optics-Crossfire-2-7x32-Riflescope/dp/B00794LKMW

(Make sure you click the drop-down choices to get to the 2-7x32 Rimfire V-Plex version)

.


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## SamBond (Aug 30, 2016)

DJ Niner said:


> *How does the Vortex Diamondback compare to the Vortex Crossfire II* 2-7x32 on sale right now, $129?
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Optics-Crossfire-2-7x32-Riflescope/dp/B00794LKMW
> 
> ...


I don't know about the new-ish *Crossfire II* but the Diamondback is A LOT better than the original Crossfire.

Sam


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