Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Squirrel Rifle Scopes

New member here. I specifically joined after reading many useful entries from other users, and not having any great success regarding a specific task on which I am working.

The popular recommendation to go look through specific scopes and judge for oneself is definitely my preference, but I am not having much luck finding two scopes so I thought I'd get some opinions here while continuing my search.

I am looking for a squirrel rifle scope for my Anschutz 1415/1416. Shots between 15-40 yards. Specs aren't any different than for most; clarity and brightness are top priorities. In addition for me, I would like a forgiving eye placement (side to side and fore/aft), and a close focus up to maybe 15 yards. This last spec pretty much limits me to a low end no greater than 2x, or an AO I think (though I looked through a Diamondback 3x9 which was sharp at this distance). I do not have any sort of max budget. Really prefer 50 yd parallax but your thoughts on the amount of error when shooting at a 15-40 yd squirrel head with a scope set at 100 yds, is welcome.

Following is what I've checked out and what I (literally) saw....


Leupold 2-7 rimfire (not too good with forgiving eye placement and not the brightest).
Vortex 3-9 Diamondback (very good with all specs but probably set at 100 yds).
Vortex Corssfire II 2-7 rimfire (noticeably less on all specs than the Diamondback).
Nikon P-Rimfire - Not going to have those turrets on my squirrel rifle
Nikon Prostaff "something or other" 4-12 AO - (very nice on everything and the AO got me nice and close. Don't have enough FOV at 4x).

Can't locate these scopes on which I'd at least like your opinions...

Weaver 2-7 rimfire
Leupold 3-9 EER
Vortex Diamondback 2-7 rimfire.

,,,And of course any others you feel would be suitable.
And finally another option which I've done before is to just send my 1.5-5 VX3i to Leupold and have them move the parallax free range to 50 yards (or for that matter go buy any Leupold I want and do the same). My 1.5-5 beats everything previously mentioned on all specs. I am going to take the rifle that it is on right now, to the range and set up a 25 yard test to see just how much error in bullet placement is introduced with head placement variation at short distances. May as well since I'm apparently not buying a rimfire scope anytime soon.

Thanks in advance folks,
Ed

I would not consider myself an expert, but my favorite Squirrel Rifle scope was the Burris Mini 6X with AO. Not the high turrent model. Those scopes are no longer made so I now use a Leupold FX II 6X with the parallax set at 40yds. and fine duplex crosshairs. When I did a lot of Squirrel hunting I always set the AO parallax at 100ft. and that worked very well. I shoot more 50yd. paper and a 40yd. parallax works a little better for me.
The Leupold 3-9 EER is a very good Squirrel and paper scope, but I prefer the brightness of the new FX II.

I never liked the Leupold 2-7 rimfire scope, but I know that is because my eyes are not what they used to be. Now the VX2 2-7X33 with the parallax set for 100ft. of maybe 40yds. would be great.

Not one of your listed choices and I don't think it's produced anymore, but the Nikon Prostaff 4x32 rimfire scope is slim, simple, and easy to use with a 50 yard parallax. I've got a couple of them on 22's.

Opposite end is the 6x42 SWFA in MOA or Mil quad. Adjustable parallax down to 10 yards, precise reticle for headshots, turrets with a lot of adjustment so you can play at longer range. I've got one on the 22 I use most and love it for how I use it.

Just a thought but what about a redfield revolution

The efr 3-9 is a very clear and good scope for rimfire, but, in my opinion suffers the same eye box problem as the 2-7 rimfire. They are both based on the compact models with shorter eye relief than the regular Leupold scopes. I have tried several scopes and finally went with the 2.5-8x36 vx3 and set parralax for 50 yards myself. My older eyes like the regular duplex vs the fine duplex in the rimfires also. I would think the 2-7x32 with parralax change would be very good also.

I have a couple of the Weaver rimfires. 2x7 and 3x9. Happy with them all

Ed, you should be able to reset the parallax on your VX3i yourself, I have done this on many VX2 and a few VX3, it's simple and quick to do and works on Redfield Revolutions, maybe other scopes but not a Zeiss Conquest.

Unscrew the forward ring of the scope, forward of the gold ring and take it off, the front lens is housed in a barrel that can be screwed in or out of the scope tube as needed. There are 2-4 slots in the edge of the barrel where a small screwdriver can be used to rotate it. I set the rifle on a rest or sand bags with a target set at the distance desired, I use 50 for small game rimfires. Put the crosshairs on the target and move the barrel in or out to eliminate reticle shift, paint the gold ring black <grin> and reinstall the forward ring and focus the reticle.

the 2-7 Leupold RF has long been my favorite rimfire hunting scope. I never found them hard to get behind at all

I do a LOT of squirrel hunting with dogs. Shots are mostly around 15-25 yards (horizontal distance). It may be way up in a tree but the tree is usually close.

My favorite scope for this s a Leupold 2-7x33 vxr with the firedot reticle. I got it from the custom shop and had them set the parallax to 50 yds and put a cds dial on the elevation. This is an awesome scope for a field gun. The combination of a red dot with magnification is a game changer for shots on game. The glass in the vxr doesn't seem quite as bright as VX 3 or FX 3, but the illuminated reticle more than makes up for it.

As it turn out, I probably didn't need the cds dial, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I've got it on a 10/22. Shots on squirrels from field positions from 15 to 50 yards are no problem.

Not quite what you're asking for, but....

I have a .223 that I use for varmint control at deer camp. I shoot chipmunks at from 10 -15 feet out to 100 yards or so, and larger varmints at various ranges. I have a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 on it and I like it a lot, I do have to crank it down to 3x for very close shots. I think it's OK at higher magnification beyond about 25 yards which is fine since that close I don't need the magnification anyway. The Conquests are well known for great clarity, excellent brightness and being very durable scopes.

If you were to be planning a mostly 25 yard target shooting I might advise a different scope, but for general squirrel hunting this is an excellent choice and they are reasonably priced. They are no longer made, but they are readily available used. Meopta makes a current production clone which is every bit as good which you would expect since Meopta made them.

I have a VXII 4-12 AO fine duplex on my 1416. I like to be able to shoot eye balls at 50 yards.

Check out Hawke scopes...I just bought a 3-9 Vantage AO for a pellet rifle.

E Arthur Brown has a 25% sale going on selected scopes

25% off selected scopes

Code RS25 gets the discount. Hawke has scopes with illuminated .22 reticles but I don't think they are included in the sale.
I have a Hawke Endurance 30 on an AR15 in 450 Bushmaster that I'm very happy with.

You can also call Doug at Camera Land and see if he'll match the deal or work one out on a Hawke that isn't part of the above sale.

Dan

Have one of these on a CZ 455. Works really well for a rimfire.

After doing the Scope Olympics with my 22's through the years , I've settled on these......for now......

10/22 Green Mountain barrel/Hogue stock for general squirrel/rabbit/ & plinking Leupold VX-1 2x7x33 reset to a 50 yard focus.

10/22 Volquartson barrel/Hogue stock for hunting/plinking/target - Leupold VX-II 4x12x40 AO with the LRD reticle.

Custom Stiller, Rock barrel, McMillan stock for everything - Leupold 3x9 EFR with fine duplex.

40-X heavy barrel for targets/plinking/steel - SWFA 3-15x44 MOA Quad reticle

I have a Weaver 2.5-7x and am very satisfied with it, though it pretty much stays on 4x, unless I'm at the range. I could be happy with their 4x scope.

This is what goes on my .22's and is a great squirrel scope.

I still continue to be very happy with the Nikon Target Rimfire EFR 3-9x40 that has the target reticle. I have used this scope on my last 2 22LR's and prefer to the Leupold that is on my oldest 22LR.

I agree with the vx 2 4-12ao and would use it over the efr 3-9. I had the efr first, then went to the vx2 4-12 ao, then the vx3 4.5 -14 ao till I finally settled on the vx3 2.5-8 with parralax at 50. It is fairly compact , depth of focus is good, and just plain looks good on my cz 17hmr. I use to think more magnification was better, but not for a hunting rifle. I only need enough magnification to put the bullet in a squirrels head, not watch it go through the squirrels head. Setting the parralax yourself is simple to do!

I'm a serious tree squirrel hunter and the scope that I have on my heavy/varmint contour barrel Anschutz, Marlin, Ruger, and Savage rifles is the Weaver V16, 4-16X42AO.

For several year my #1 fox squirrel rifle has been a Marlin 917M2S that is bedded in a Boyds Rimfire Hunter stock and topped with aforementioned Weaver V16. Earlier this month, I bought an Anschutz 1502 and have topped it with another V16, but haven't had the opportunity to take it afield yet.

I've used a lot of different scopes from Bushnell, Leupold, Nikon, Pentex, Redfield, Sightron, Simmons, and Weaver in a variety of different magnification ranges and keep buying the V16s if the Feng Shui is in balance.

The weaver 4-16 is a good scope. I use it on my .22 for sillohuette. Just find it too large for a trim hunting rifle.