thinking a fixed 10x or a 4-16x variable but not sure

What are you using it for? It's mainly a varmint caliber but a lot of people use them for deer.

I have one with a 2.5-10 on it that I use as a deer rifle. I have a couple of 22-250s that are more for varmints and I have higher power scopes on them.

There is a 10X in your 4-16X. You can't go wrong with a Bushnell 4200 4-16X40. Mine is as good as my Swarovski z5 5-25X52 on an eye chart at 127 yards. Of course that is only up to 16X.

Go with the 10x fixed power. For varmint shooting, I have a AO 8x Leupold M8 with fine duplex on mine & have no problem out to 350-400 yds. There's really no need for anything above 12x I.M.H.O

There is no 12X in a 10X, but there is a 12X in a 4-16X.

IMHO balancing the optics to the gun, not just the caliber, is important. Is it a heavy varmint rifle or a sporter?

I'd probably go with a 4.5-14X Leupold if it's a sporter or their 6.5-20X if it's a heavy varmint rifle. I can't really figure out the purpose I would use a fixed 10X for. That's a bit too much for walking around yet not enough for long range on varmints, at least not how I go after them.

Tom

For all around varmint shooting with your swift, or hunting and coyotes, a fixed 10x is pretty worthless......it'll work but it's real crappy compared to a variable. The 4-16 is a useful power range, it's no contest.

My vote is a 3-9X40mm Leupold with both elevation and windage turrets.

M1's are my preference.

Best of luck to you on your endeavors that involve hitting stuff that you aim at.




Travis

I have owned at least six Swifts over the years and they all wore 16 power Leupold's. Today it would be the 4.5x14 Leupold or 6.5x20 Leupold

heavy barrel varmint single shot bolt action rifle
thanks for the suggestions keep them coming

Here's one you may not have heard of: Sight-Mark Ezekiel 3-30X56. I have one on my .22-250.

I use a Leupold 6.5-20x50, with 30 mm tube and TMR reticle. Great scope and great reticle.

Your Heavy Barreled Single Shot Swift for big Varmints : the 4-16X would be OK . For Small Varmints like Ground Squirrels at Long Range like 500 Yards and beyond .... the 6.5-20x would be Minimum unless you have eyes like an Eagle . For me , I would go for more Magnification . The Leupold VH ( Varmint Hunters ) Reticle or similar would be hard to beat for a Long Range Swift.

I had a Weaver 4-16X on mine and it was great.

I have a Leupold VX3 4.5-14 with a varmint reticle on my 223 and 22-250. Like em.

I also have a Meopta Meopro 6-18 on my 260. That's what is use on the 400+ yds stuff.

I smoked West Texas prairie dogs and coyotes with my cheapazz Weaver out to 500 yards, easily.

With both on the same setting can you detect more detail with one over the other?

I like a good scope in a 4.5-14 or 4-16 power range.

Groundsquirrels are the bottom of the food chain, everything eats them. So they breed a lot and are dumb. And they don't spook easily. Get into a bunch of 'em and shots will be 100yds or less. Never need to go past that unless you really want to. I've shot them for hours in many places where the shots were never past 50yds, with whole tons of them at 50' or less. I even got one with a golf club, it flew about 25'. You can get right up on them and I can't imagine wanting to shoot them at "500yard and beyond", or why. They're also small and move around, at "500yards and beyond" there'll be a lot more shooting "at" them than actually shooting them. In the squirrel fields a swift will heat up very quickly.

I use a 5x20pwr x 44 Nikon Monarch that works well.

My .220 wears a Leupold fixed 12x with AO, Mildot reticle, turrets and custom BDC that I ordered from Leupold. For colony varmints, crows and range work it is da berries.

I still have a Swift in the safe with a fixed 16x Leupold.

Cant decide if this is more ignorant or hilarious....OK I choose both !!!

This day and age it's silly to not get a variable. My 220, bought used, came with a Lyman 10 power. That was Ok for a while, but I went right to a variable. Why restrict yourself with a fixed power scope.

When I had a 22-250ai (almost a swift), it wore a Leupold 6.5-20.