Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Scope for new Kimber Hunter 22

Going to finally be getting my Kimber Hunter with the pretty wood off of layaway by this weekend, and it is scope decision time. I have about narrowed it down to these models, and would appreciate any comments regarding experience with these scopes, and any photos of them on rifles would be appreciated greatly also:

#1. Leupold VXI 2-7x 33mm
#2. Leupold VXI 2-7x28mm Rimfire Special
#3. Weaver RV-7 2.5-7x 28mm rimfire
#4. Burris FFII 2-7x35mm with ballistic plex reticle.

I like Leupold because of previous great experieces with their products. I know how to reset the parallax free distance myself, so getting any of the centerfire scopes would be no problem for me. The Weaver 2.5-7x rimfire is the cheapest, but I have heard nothing but good from them. I'm worried it would look a little long as compared to the other scopes, otherwise it's pretty good. I like the Ballistic Plex reticle on the Burris, but it's one of the Phillipines built scopes, no longer a USA Burris. Wondering about the quick eyepiece focus and that the entire ocular bell rotates to change magnification, looks like I would constantly be rotating the reticle focus accidentally. I like the Leupold Rimfire Special, but I need matte finish to match the Kimber Hunter 22's finish, and it is $20 higher to get a matte finished scope. I'd need low rings for all but the Burris; I have a set of medium Leupold matte rings to go on the bases that are already on the rifle. All the others would require another $20 to $25 for a set of low rings. I want to keep the entire purchase under $250.00.

Feed me some pros and cons of each if possible.

#1. Leupold VXI 2-7x 33mm

I go with this scope given your restrictions. You can reset teh paralax, and use it on other guns (if you change your requirements sometime in the future).

Phil,

I have had a parade of scopes on my Hunter. First a 1-5x Simmons Whitetail, followed by a Simmons 4-12 (or something like that, it has been a while), then a Nikon 4x, followed briefly by Bushnell 3200 3-9x, then a Leupold "Rifleman" 2-7, and finally a Bushnell 4200 6-24 (just for the H*** of it). The smaller scopes definitely look better, and the rifle sure feels/balances better with them. I found the 4x and the 1-5x lacking in power, maybe due to my poor vision. Even at 30 yds in dark timber I lost squirrels against trees at 4x, so I upgraded. I thought I would like the big scope for long shots in winter, and I did use it at maximum power to great effect, but I found it wasn't "hunting" to me. Not what I was after. 75% of my shots are taken at under 40 yds with the scope at 6x or less, but there is still that other 25%... Trust me though, don't overload the pretty little hunter with a big scope like I did. It is accurate enough to justify it at the range, but it ruins the really nice balance they have for still hunting.

I believe the Leupold 2-7 would be a great choice, just dont get the "Rifleman" versions. Mine was about as clear as a hazy LA evening, and without click adjustments too. They sure do look nice on the rifles though.

I am saving for a Leupold 3-9x EFR myself, I just cant decide whether or not the rimfire reticle would be too thin for woods use.

BTW, I tried the parallex adjustment technique advertised on RFC on the Nikon. While it worked, it is not the same as having a handy AO adjustment ring. I found that while it was ok at the range, in the woods it was NEVER in focus. I am a believer in the AO, although they can cost you squirrels if you fiddle with it too much.

Enjoy your Hunter, I sure have. I have an itch to try a new rifle this year, as I have hunted with the Hunter for over five years now. I just can't find a better rifle, I am not sure one is made. Maybe a Cooper Custom Classic, but that is three times the Hunters price. I can by a lot of gas to go hunting for that.

Good day,

Rex

Thanks for the reply, Rex. Looks like I may not get many hits in the rimfire forum, but I wanted to avoid the "Leupold vs Euros" wars in the optics section. I've done quite a bit of shooting in the last few months with nothing but 4x, and it works great up to about 60-65 yards, after that I start running out of eyesight. I have a 3-9x 32mm Burris on my Kimber 82, and can shoot up to 100 yards with that pretty fair, although a 4-12x would be better that far out. I had a Burris 4-12x32mm AO on a CZ 452 .17 Mach 2, but I sold that scope along with the rifle. Fair scope, junk rifle, no big loss, but I wish I'd managed to have kept the Burris, I might could use it now. I don't really want to spend over $300 on a scope for this rifle or I would try another Burris 4-12x. I like the Leupold 3-9x EFR scope. I used to have one, the first really nice scope that I owned. I foolishly traded it off on a M8 7.5X AO I put on a Volquartsen 10-22, which is also long long gone. The reticle was not a problem in the woods, it showed up just fine. I'd buy that scope too, but after they upgraded them, they priced them too steep for me to swallow anymore. They did the same to the old M-8 4x32mm, upgraded it to a FXII model and ran the price up a hundred bucks. I might could go for one of those if the price weren't $270 + tax. I had a 2.5-8x 36 Leupold VariX III on another rifle I was foolishly talked into selling to get a Winchester M-70, which I didn't like and sold too. Live and learn I guess. Maybe! Maybe not. I'd love another 2.5-8x Leupold, but they're $400 now, waaay too pricey for my current state of affairs.

Phillip,

Sounds like you have a pretty good set up in mind with any of the scopes you mentioned. I bought a Kimber Hunter back in December and found a used Leupold VX II 3x9 light weight in the free classifieds. I sent it to Leupold to have the parallax reset and mounted it in Leupold medium height rings. I couldn't be happier with the scope and rifle but would use low rings next time. The Leupold customer service said they didn't have info. on the Hunter rifle and couldn't give me any guidance on the ring height so I went with the medium just to be safe but I could have used the low.

Good luck with which ever scope you choose.

Jeff M.

Phil,

I made my longest shot ever (70 paces)on a squirrel with the Nikon 4x/Hunter combo, so they work, but it was a shoulder shot. I have pretty much decided on eyeballs or nothing now, and I can't even see them with a 4x from over 30 yds. Nothing like a few more Xs. Those simple 4xs sure do look nice though.

I forgot to add, I use to have a Burris 4x with AO, a compact, that was ok. I remember it being kinda dim, but i understand that most compacts are like that. Its what got me hooked on AOs in general. Sold it with the Ruger it was on, but it was the only Burris I have ever had. I would like to try their 4-12 compact though.

I agree with you on the CZs, they appear to be a good value if you can get used to the crudeness of the design. I couldnt.

Good luck with your search,

Rex

PS. You may want to consider the Weaver 3-9x with A0. Its about 250$ I think, and I have heard good things about them.

Phil,

I have the super lows ready if you want to give them a try.

Best,
JB

The bigger scopes don't look as nice on a quality .22 as the sleek glossy scopes like the Leupold 3-9x EFR, but if you want performance, look at the airgun scopes in the 4-12x40 AO class. You can get a deal on the Simmons from Natchez Shooters Supply ( www.natchezss.com ) or the Bushnell Airgun. The difference at 100+ yards is dramatic!

On my Kimber Hunter I have a Bushnell Elite 3200 4-12x40 and I feel it looks great and balances pretty good. Don't overlook the Weaver rimfire scopes also 2-7 and 3-9 W/AO .

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I'm still waffling on what to buy. The rings depend upon which I happen to choose, I'll be keeping your offer in mind JB. I thought I knew perzaktly what I wanted, but now that the time has come to decide, I realize I still ain't sure! If I get the VXI 2-7x33mm, I think low rings will be as low as I can use, as I remember the bolt handle on the other Kimber 22 Classic being VERY close to the ocular bell of the VariXIII 2.5-8x. IF I get the compact, the superlows might be more what I need. Will 1/8" of height drop make much difference though? The stock fit of the other Kimber worked well with the low rings. The Hunter may have different comb drop though. Guess I'll be finding out this weekend.

I've always admired the little 2-7x28mm Leupold rimfire special. I THINK I want that one. I have lots of photos of that scope installed on rifles, along with the 4x version, and it looks mighty good. I shot some good groups this afternoon with the Kimber 82/Burris 3-9x set at 7x, so I KNOW I can shoot well at 7 power magnification. I can at 4x and fifty yards, but I'm leary of longer ranges. As much as I admire the mechanical simplicity and classiness of a fixed power, I still find myself needing a variable for a rimfire rifle, as I am shooting everything from moving rabbits to crows to squirrels to rocks and paper at any range from off the muzzle to 100 yards. I had the Nikon Prostaff 4x32, and it was a good scope; very bright, very clear, good tracking, etc, but I ended up selling it too, as for some reason I just couldn't make myself like it that much. One of those you just cannot explain. Just didn't "feel" correct to me for some reason.

I'll probably pay for the rifle, stick some rings on the bases, and see if they'll let me set a few different display scopes on the bottom rings and see which is most appropriate, then go from there.

Too bad I can't just stick another 2.5-8x36 Leupold on there, that sure would be nice to have again!

I hope to be in the same situation in the coming months, but with a Cooper JSR, and have been kicking around the idea of going with the Leupy 6X.

Boy I wanted the Leupy AO rimfire scope, but couldn't bring myself to drop the $$$. Bought a Simmons Master series 22mag with AO instead. Not as good optically as a Leupy, but it does every a scope needs to do.

This spring I put a 3-9 Leupy EFR on my Anschutz .22 mag and a Burris 3-9 Quad on my Sako Quad. The Leupy is the winner, hands down. The Burris is the first I've ever had. It's good in most ways, but the eye relief is just too critical. Personally, I can't imagine putting anything but a Leupold on a high grade rimfire.

Atop my Kimber 82C I have a Burris 3-9 AO compact with turrets. I enjoy using it on PDs a little ways past 100 yards.

RR

I bought the Leupold VXI 2-7x33mm matte. The 2-7x 28mm Compact Rimfire was too short to work with the eye relief it had, it would have required a front extension ring. I didn't like the Burris after examining it carefully. The Weaver was a good scope, but it looked a tad long at 11" with a 28mm objective, plus the eye relief was a tad shy of what I wanted. The 2-7x33 worked great. I got it home, loosened the objective lens lock ring with a strap wrench, installed the scope, set it up on the bench, and adjusted it parallax free at 50 yards. First group out of the rifle landed 6" low and 2" left at 50 yards, so I turned the dials 12 MOA up and 4 MOA right, and fired the second group, right into the bullseye. I upped the adjustment to about 5/8" high at 50 yards for my favored hunting ammo zero, and put the caps back on. Perfect.

PS to JB, I couldn't use the Super Low rings; the lows were as far as it can possibly drop without the ocular bell hitting the bolt handle. (Leupold bases must be lower than the Kimber bases.)

Thanks to everyone who replied for comments, ideas, and suggestions, I do appreciate it all.

Phillip,

Glad all is well. Pics please...

J_Scott

Arrr, pictures there be lads! Sorry I just saw a pirate movie. [img][IMG]http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q316/Phil-Nesmith/KimberK-22Hunter003Large.jpg[/img][/img] [img][IMG]http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q316/Phil-Nesmith/KimberK-22Hunter002Large.jpg[/img][/img]

I wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen with it!

Ah yes. Very nice!

J_Scott