Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints varmint shooting optics?

I almost bought a new varmint rifle today but couldn't find any real varmint optics. What's up with that? Has everything gone tactical?

I'm looking for something seemingly simple and seemingly non-existent now: 6.5-20x roughly, AO, not side focus, 1" tube, 40mm objective, with a ranging crosshair, and absolutely NO knobs of any sort.

Seems like everything is either high end tactical with so many bells and whistles they get in the way .. or cheap junk. Or both.

What .. happened?

I use Leupold VX-2 6-18x40mm on my varmint rifles, standard low knobs. I did use Leupold 6.5-20x40mm for quite a few years but I like the slightly smaller VX-2 6-18 better. Mine are fine duplex but I belive that they are available with the LRD feature (long range dots).

drover

It looks like the VX-2s are gone. Most of the VX-3is as well.

Any of these work?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sightron-SII-Rifle-Scope-6-24x-42mm-Adj-Objective-Mil-Dot-Reticle-11111-319-95/362253431635?epid=1302166773&hash=item5457fcb353:g:6fEAAOSwUXxalEvs

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Burris-200193-Fullfield-II-6-5-20x50mm-Ballistic-Mil-Dot-Reticle-Riflescope/332507867220?hash=item4d6b036854:g:k2oAAOSwEK9T284h

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Weaver-40-44-Series-6-5-20x44-A-O-Black-Matte-1-Tube-Varminter-NIB-849552/152701081086?epid=129321740&hash=item238db195fe:g:hTIAAOSwiOFZOTFa

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Weaver-Grand-Slam-6-20x40mm-A-O-Varminter-Reticle-Matte-Japan/142658562249?epid=1800046239&hash=item21371ce8c9:g:EOYAAOSwmSdaXn69

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Swift-6-5-20x44-High-Recoil-Waterproof-Duplex-Reticle-Riflescope-Matte-SRP686M/391973897030?epid=79850234&hash=item5b43770346:g:8hQAAOSw1RVadBxf

I own 3 Leo in 6-20x40 A/O with fine duplex. Got my last one in Dec from Woodbury’s Outfitters.
I just bought 2 Sightron SII 6-20x40 A/O off eBay. Both older made in Japan but perfect condition. Can’t go wrong with a Jap Sightron. Check eBay...

I am using a Leupold, 4..5 X 14 X 40 on my .308 tactical. Most of my shots are closer than 100 yards, so I have more scope than I need.

The Weaver Classic V-16 or 24 should fit for you. On a Varmint(Ground Squirrels and Prairie Dogs) rigs I don't find turrets to get in the way, the guns are big and bulky to start with. I run two Vortex Viper 6.5-20's one with a target dot, one with a BDC and a Weaver 40-44 6.5-20 with a varmint dot but the dot on these are almost non-existant. Just for fun I have a 22-250 set up with a Balvar 8 in Leupold standard mounts just to baffle the newbies I named it the "Turret Twisters Nightmare", it's dead on at 200 yards. The Weaver 40-44 has better glass than the Vipers in my opion but the work just fine for me.

Now if your including predators, I use different rigs when calling them and all my predator guns have 1-4 and 1.5-6 scopes on them.

pick your favorite 30mm tube 4-16x50 with turrets & SF of course

reticle choice may vary.....

4-16 is all you need

T O M: I have a bunch of Leupold 6.5x20's on a fleet of Varmint Rifles and I find they suit me to a "T" on all manner of Colony Varmint Hunts - and they work pretty well on predators and night calling at the lowest power.
I am constantly on the look out for (and buying!) used Leupold 6.5x20's.
They are a bit scarce on the used market because, I think, they work so well folks hate to part with them.
The last three used scopes I have bought in the last couple of months were two Leupold 6x18's (both "Target" models) and a Weaver V-16 with fine reticle (no dot - dang!).
During the shopping for these scopes I came across NO good deals on used Leupold 6.5x20's!
Keep looking, they are out there, and they are "worth it".
Good luck.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My coyote calling consists mainly in big, open country where I can get prone to shoot, and can see along ways. I like this setup for coyotes.

I don't consider a scope that I need to dial in elevation to be a handicap of any kind, especially when I need to make shots past 400 meters.

This scope is a 4-16X50 S&B PMII.

Pat,

What rifle/caliber?

GA Precision
6 Creedmoor, .183 freebore
Templar V2 action
Manners T6F folding stock
Bartlein #7, 1-7.5" 5R22"
Badger M5 DBM Jewell trigger
AIAW 10 round mag
Near low 34MM rings
AE30 suppressor

My primary work rifle. It's on it's 2nd barrel, and soon to be replaced with number three....

[quote=drover]I use Leupold VX-2 6-18x40mm on my varmint rifles, standard low knobs. I did use Leupold 6.5-20x40mm for quite a few years but I like the slightly smaller VX-2 6-18 better. Mine are fine duplex but I belive that they are available with the LRD feature (long range dots).

Great minds think alike. The 6-18x a/o with fine duplex has been my go to prairie dog scope for years. Mine are all fine duplex. I have a couple 6.5-20x leupolds also, better scope I suppose, but not for the money. On my shorter range PD rifles, 17 and 22 hornets, I use 4-12x a/o leupolds.

Thanks Pat. When my 243 AI heavy sporter barrel finally gives up the fight, I’ll switch to a 6 MM Creed, based on your and others’s good recommendation.

Pat, how many rounds before you rebarrel the Creed??

2200, give or take. I monitor the velocity. When it's starts to drop off, I change them out.

Thanks!!!! Hope the weather improves up there!

Damn sexy set up you have right there 💪😎

Thanks! It's easy to like....coyotes do hate it though...;)

Once in a while I even loan it to good friends..

We can be friends now Scenar 😊 Excellent looking pair of furs too. Nicely done!

My coyotes are mainly big open country too. I like low power glass 1.5X6, and no spinning knobs, shoot a .17 mach4.

I have two solutions now, not exactly what I wanted but adequately close enough. I'm not a big fan of CDS, but .. but.

So, first solution: I have a Leupold 4.5-14X AO/FD/CDS on my Kimber .257 Roberts for load testing. Eventually I wanted to put a 2.5-8X on it and I prefer B&C. I found one last one of those scopes at Graf's and ordered it. That will free up the 4.5-14x.

Second solution: though the vari x / vx "II" scopes are discontinued, Cabela's has a few 6-18X AOs with CDS and windplex. I ordered one of those, too.

Thanks, all, for the thoughts / input / inspiration.

Tom

Saw this pic last week and just found it again. LOVE that country out past the rifle. I spent several days in NE Wyoming week before last and looked over a lot of wide open country, all in windswept snow. I saw a fox bedded in the lee of a lightly drifted low ridge, out about 250 or a bit more, and sure would have liked to take a poke at him with the rifle you have pictured here. I was visiting friends on their ranch, didn't do any hunting.

Around here we sometimes have to part the brush to see the end of our rifle barrel. I grew up in desert and that open country always makes me feel good, like a subconscious trace of claustrophobia gets lifted when I escape all these trees and mountains!

Carry on. I enjoy your pics and info.

I just mounted a 1.5-6x42mm scope on my .204 Ruger rifle. Hopefully, it works out.

Is that a CZ 527 with an aftermarket barrel?

I though I was the only one.

Mine's a 17FB (same thing). VX3 3.5-10 It's my favorite rifle

Yes it is, great little rifle. Your close, but not quite right, I can chamber and shoot .17 Fireball in my rifle, I do it all the time to fire form brass, but you can't chamber and shoot .17 Mach4 in your rifle. Subtle difference Remington had to dance with to make their own proprietary cartridge I suppose?

I picked up a Sig Tango 4 3-12 x 42..........hope to wring it out as weather improves.

Yea....I knew that.....I guess I should have said essentially the same thing.

Lawyers doing what lawyers do.

On my 220, i have a 6.5-20x50 Leupold. Great scope. On the 223 I have a Leupold 4.5-14, which replaced a Vortex Viper PDT FFP 6-24. I’m going to sell the Vortex.

Is there some kind of downside to side focus? Just curious because I prefer that to AO, mostly because it was what I got use to with my first real varmint scope and I find it much quicker for me.

First, welcome to the 'Fire!

Second, I'm with you, I prefer a side focus to an AO. I think it's a Chevy vs. Ford thing.

Ed

I found that side focus just doesn't work well for me.

It appears that front AO is a parallax adjustment .. I can dial out the parallax. It isn't just focus.

The side focus, in my testing, was only that, focus. It had no impact on parallax.

Others' mileage may vary I suppose.

Thanks! Looks like I'm only about 18,765 posts behind you.

Long range over 300 meters open terrain: 10X 42 SWFA fixed.

Shorter range: 3X to 9X Redfield

Forested: 1-4X SWFA

I like a 1-4x20, and a 2-7x33, and a 3-9x40. I don't mind a 6x40, but it sure is nice to be able to turn down the zoom until I need it.
And something like a 6-18x something would be another nice choice depending on the particular situation or just for range work/fun. .

A 4-12x40 is something I should try. It might make the most sense for a next and last step up above the 2-7.

There was a time when I did a whole lot of prairie dog shooting.....I used (don't tell anyone) Tasco scopes 4--16X X 40....I found that 16 X was about as much as one could use as more power was lost to mirage.

I no longer use these scopes.....so if you would like one send me a PM and we'll discuss.....