Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Scope for a walking varminter

Ive got a Tikka 222 that I use for groundhogs and range work. It currently wears a sightron S1 3-9, but the image gets a bit hazy out past 100 yds and the crosshairs are too thick for detailed target work. I was thinking about going to a 4-12, or possibly a weaver classic V16. I do carry it some while hunting and dont want anything too big. Any ideas? Curious what others are using on their 222's, Hornets and 223's?

I've got a 3-9x40 Bushnell Elite 3200 on my .223. I use it mainly for woodchucks and deer and the scope seems perfectly adequate to me.

I really like the Minox ZV3 that Doug has right now at cameraland. 3-9x40 for $85. It's a hard scope to beat for a low price point purchase.

Hows the reticle? Thick or fine?

Well unfortunately it's a BDC reticle so it's a little busy but not nearly as bad as the Nikon BDC model. You can see the reticle if you visit the cameralandny site. I also really like the 4.5-14x44 SF he has. I've got five of them and they're great. Never an issue with any of my Minox stuff.


http://cameralandny.com/riflescopes.html?catalog[search][text]=minox&catalog[sort][on]=price

Yeah, just went to the site and saw the 4.5-14, tough to beat. How does the 4.5-14 reticle compare to the 3-9? Are you able to use Med rings with the 44mm objective.

Bushnell elite 3-9x40 3200 with the firefly reticle on my 700 204, works great, especially if a guy is gonna do some night calling.

The reticle on the 4.5-14 is a standard plex, the 3-9 has some BDC hash marks for holdover.

It's not a Christmas tree reticle, just some small holdover bars.

I've just returned from the range where we were shooting 22LR and 17HMR with the 3-9 BDC where they worked great for shooting groups at 50yds and hitting golf-ball size rocks at 100yds.

If the 4.5-14 was a BDC I'd have gone that route but the plex made it a deal breaker for me.

The 3-9 is made in China and has surprisingly good glass, I've not shot their 4.5-14.

Mine is a Leupold 2-7 CDS.....wind plex, I'm warming up to the reticle.

Walking means some off hand shooting or from a semi rest like a tree or post.... Think lower power.

I would go with a 4-16X.

On my walkabout .223's I use Leopold's fixed 6X scopes. Your choice of objective and reticle. I think the 6X36 is my favorite.

I have several V16s in service, including a couple on walking/calling varmint rifles in 204 and 223, and like them. I also have a variety of 4-12x40s on other light and medium weight rifles. I can't see where you'd go wrong if you decided to go with a V16 or with any of the 4-12x40s from from Leupold, Nikon, or Sightron. I have several Sightron S1H 4-12x40AOs and think that it is a lot of scope for $150+/-.

You can use the medium rings no problem with the 4.5-14 Minox. In fact I have a couple sporter contours that I've gotten away with lows. I've got the 3-9 BDC reticle on my 22 Hornet and 221 Fireball and have no issues seeing my targets. Have the 4.5-14 plex on a couple 22-250s and an H-Bar 223 and like them too. I think either would make you happy.

I have a 3-9x40 Bausch & Lomb on my Hornet and it's a helluva scope for groundhog or predator control around my farmplace. Great little walking varmint rig that I've relied on for many years.

I have a Burris FFII 3-9 on my Hornet, with the Ballistic Plex reticle. I have it zeroed so the crosshairs take me out to about 175 yards, and the first hash mark under the crosshair is dead on at 200 - which is about as far as I want to go with the Hornet even under still conditions. It works perfectly for this application.

I have a light little 5.6x50R which carried a 4-12 for a while, a Denver-made Redfield, but I've since changed it for a 3-9x40 Bushnell Elite. Being lighter and shorter the latter improves the balance of this little rifle, and I don't think I lost anything at all for use as a walk-around rifle on small and medium ferals.

I suggest buying better glass than more magnification. In my experience less magnification with better resolution trumps more magnification with poor resolution.

Thats true Dave, thought about just getting a better 3-9. I do like the HHR reticle on its current sightron. The second hash is dead on at 200 yds with its pet load of 50 gr bullet at a mediocre velocity.

Trying to decide between the Minox 4.5-14, or a weaver grand slam 3-10 or a bushnell elite 3-9. The weaver has a holdover reticle and should be the best quality optics considering its MRSP (on sale now). I just dont care for the goodyear tire power adjustment ring.

Thanks LowerRiver for the ring info and all for the replies.

I consider a number of my rifles to be "walking varmint" rifles, because I hunt coyotes, and do a lot of walking. I have 3 Bushnell Elite 3200's in 5X15 that I have on a 223. and a pair of 243's. I also have a couple of 4X12's, 3.5X10, and 3X9's that I have on other rifles. I prefer the higher power, simply because I have old eyes, but when I'm on a stand calling, I usually have those higher powered scopes set on 8-10 power if I'm in the open, less if I'm in the woods. I just like having the option of as much magnification as possible, but everyone is different.

You would enjoy a plain Leupold VX2 3-9 standard duplex on that rifle. The standard duplex is quite a fine crosshair. You can also get the VX2 4-12 with a fine duplex, and that scope is the exact same size.

Of the ones you had listed above, get the Weaver Grand Slam of those choices.