Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics 22 hornet scope

I am picking up my Browning Micro in 22 hornet on Saturday and I am trying to decide on a scope. What would you put on it and why? Here are some of the scopes I am considering:
1)Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40
2)Leupold VX-II 3-9x33 EFR
3)Weaver Grand Slam 4.5-14x40 AO
4)Weaver Grand Slam 6-20x40 AO

Congrats on the new rifle barm, i have an old M-70 Hornet and run a M8-4X leupold on mine, that should give me plenty of magnification out to 150 or so.

Gunner

Thanks Gunner500. Do you ever feel like the 4x is not enough for targets or hunting?

No sir, i've never felt that i didnt have enough glass, although i shoot irons and peeps on about 60% of my rifles.

The 4X is a wonderfully simple, and quick riflescope.

Gunner

That's what we used on our old M70 Hornet, a 2.5-4X B&L set on 4X. Worked fine to better than 150 yds.
However, if you are the kind that uses the Hornet at much longer ranges, like JB, then I can see a basic 3-9X like he uses. E

Without knowing what what your intention for the rifle it is very hard to offer suggestions.

The smallest calliber that I own 22 LR has the biggest scope an 8x32x40mm purpose to shoot very small groups. My largest a 35Whelen has one of the smallest scopes a 1x4x20mm to shoot large moving game in tight cover.

My 6x45mm has a 6.5x20x40mm for shooting small targets at long range. It's near ballistic twin 6x47 Imp has a 1.5x6x40mm for shooting called in predator, 10-300yrds most under 100yrd.

My 26" 22 Hornet wears a 2x7x38mm scope for shooting called preds where I need to keep things quiet. If I were shooting ground squirels with it it would have a 4x16x40mm.

A good all around scope is a 3x9 even better is a 2.5x10 which I have on my 22-250. Suprisingly the 22-250 stays home most of the time because I know what I'm hunting/shooting that day and the terrain I'll be hunting before I go out. The 22-250 go on trips where I don't know what kind of country I'll be hunting in.

I will be using it to hunt turkey and groundhogs. I also intend to kill alot of paper with it.

I'd go for either of the Weavers since you're going after groundhogs. I've tried fixed-AO in lower powers on my 'hog Hornet and regretted it. You can always dial the X down.
btw: where's everybody coming up with these new Browning Hornets from lately???

I usually run 3-9x scopes on Hornets and have yet to encounter any parallax problems. I also often shoot various animals with Hornets well beyond 150 yards. My longest shot was a prairie dog at 427, but the more normal max is 250-300.

RowdyYates,

I called Browning customer service and they provided me with a gunshop in Virginia which had received two this month. I called and purchased it over the phone. I have about a 3 hour drive to go get it.

John,

Do you use come-up clicks or some sort of hold over reticle with your 3-9 scopes?

VX-3 2.5-8x36 fitted with a CDS.

DF

John,

I received my copy of "Obsessions of a Rifle Loony" today and I got to the chapter on the 22 hornet. I see you are using a Ballistic Plex reticle on your Ruger #1. My question has been answered. It has a been a great read so far. Thank you.

I run a 3-9x40 on mine, hornet really drops after 220yrds or so, and 9x is far more magnification then I need at that range.

You can shoot turkeys w a rifle??
I'd do a 2-8 nikon. Mine has much better glass than my 2-8 VX3 leupolds which I will never have another.
Nikons and trijicons as soon as I can afford em.
Love to have a hornet one day. Great caliber, at least the sako I shot was nice.

JB

My Browning Micro wears a fixed 12x Weaver. It is NOT too much nor too little magnification. 200yd + prairie dog kills prove its' worth to me.
You listed a Weaver 4.5x14x40. If you are stuck on using a variable, that would be my pick.

Ed

Palmetto,

Yes, in Virginia rifles are legal for turkey hunting. If we could just get hunting on Sunday it would be great.

APDDSN0864,

Is the 12x Weaver a discontinued model? Does it have a parallax adjustment?

Yep, we have a farm up there in The Plains, VA. That's always the worst part of hunting up there, missing a whole day on the weekend because of that law. I've never understood it!

My Hornet wears an old Redfield 6X fixed scope that I've had for years. I mounted it to test out the (then) new rifle, figuring I would replace it with something fancier later. I discovered that the match of that old scope to the 22 Hornet was perfect and never replaced it. Killed lots of critters out to 200+ yds with it.