Is this enough power for the 223 as a varmint gun?
What say you?

When I am on a stand my scope is set on 6x. It has an MQ reticle in the FFP. They have to be way out there before I adjust magnification. It works at 20 yards as well.


mike r

If you will be shooting PD's and such, then no. If on the other hand, it is to be used for coyotes and such OK.

Why not ?
I guess it depends on the distance and size of the receiving party.
I have a SAKO L46"Full Stock" triple deuce that had an old Weaver K6W for years; it worked just fine for groundhogs, fox, coyote, bobcats, crows and even a few unlucky ground squirrels.
I never felt under scoped.
The rifle currently wears a Swarovski AV 3-9X36mm, that usually stays on 6X.

StarchedCover

I have a SWFA fixed 6X on my Ruger Predator 223. Not a lot of varmint hunting for me, but it makes a good range toy. I've shot it out to 400 yards with enough accuracy to hit most varmints. Having a clear scope with fine cross hairs is more important than a lot of X's in my experience.

Heavens no. You need at least 40x with an objective bell no smaller than 60mm, gathers a lot more light, you know, so you can shoot PDs in the dark, oh, and elevation turrets the size of baby food jars.

Note: The rings need 4 screws per side (total of 16) for that heavy recoil, and if the barrel twist is slower than 1 turn every 4 inches, chuck it in the dumpster with the other scrap metal.

I was very happy with a 8x36, yes, 36 mm non-AO on a 222 Rem 600......but a 223 can go a bit further.......a 12x will do all you need, but if you are running a sporter weight rifle, 8-10x on a top end should do most of what you need to do.

What size varmints, what distance?

My 222 howa mini has a 2 to 7 power and so far it seems ok. I am not a turret twister or 600 yard lead flinger though.

The distance to target is more relative than the chambering IMO.

700 Rem in .223 and a 6X Weaver works fine for me. Plenty of power, but I don't shoot prairie dogs in Wyoming.
Bob

On my 223's for PD's I use a variable usually set at 10X or occasionally 12X, at 6X you will find yourself wanting more magnification.

For coyotes or other varmints of opportunity I usually have it set on 6X.

drover

My 223 proly wear a 3-9x for yotes.
If chucks were around, 4-12x

No, I like a 10 X

Fotis: For "predator" Hunting you could get by with 6 power.
For Colony Varmint Hunting you would be better suited with a high power variable scope - my suggestion would be a Leupold 6.5x20.
Best of luck to you with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

What ever you feel comfortable with.

Personally a straight 6x lacks the FOV for the type coyote calling I do so I use a number of 1.5-6x40mm scopes and find 6x plenty for long range coyotes.

For PD's and GS I's want more like a 4-16 or 6-24 or 6.5x20 on a rifle.

Thanks fellas

I have a Leupold VX3 2.5-8 x 36mm with the B&C reticle on my Kimber Montana .223 calling rifle. Just right for the purpose. For prairie dogs I much prefer a 3.5-10 x 40 or better yet a 4.5-14-14 x 40 for that use on a .223.

My CZ 527 .223 wears a 4.5-14X Burris. When calling dogs, it is usually set at 6x. For longer range prairie dogs and such, the 14x magnification can really help.

My sporter weight .223 wears a 4-12 which has been fine for everything from antelope to prairie dogs. For the smaller targets at distance, usually set on 10 or 12. My heavier weight .223 wears a 6.5-20 which rarely gets past 12x due to the mirage when PD hunting. Both are at 6-6.5 x for larger targets.
YMMV
David

My brother has a Bausch & Lomb 6x Scopechief on his 222 Rem chambered Win 70A sporter. Works great for chucks. Nice thing about a 6x on a 222 Rem, is that you can spot your shot through the scope as the recoil and scope magnification match well. I have can 8x Leupold on my heavy barreled Sako 222 Rem, but I would be just fine with a 6x on it. A 223 chambered rifle shouldn't be much different.

If you are hunting faster moving targets up close, you may want lower power. Also depends on the weight of your rifle.

Overall, 6x is very useful.

Yes. Spotting your own shots is a good thing.

All three of my Tikkas in .223 wear Leupold FX-3 12x40 AO Target scopes.



P

Leupold M8 6x on my 223 Montana.
Pic in Image Gallery.

It's all I have ever had on my .223. I have not seen an issue with it, other than prairie dogs out past 300 or so yards. Bigger varmints like coyotes and such isn't an issue to 500 or so. Maybe more.

I have an Excellent Zeiss 6x Diavari as an extra. It would be perfect for a short action .223. If interested send a PM as I'm willing to part with it to a new owner who can use it.

6x Diavari?

Farm gun that lives on the ATV and tractor is a .223 Montana with a 6x SWFA. Kid's .223AI wears a 6x Meopta. RRA AR wears a 6x SWFA.

.223 and 6x42....peas n carrots......

Fotis, for calling predators, yes. For buck toothed colony varmints, no.

This.

Winner! LMAO

I have one 223. It is a bolt gun, a Savage model 10 with a Leupold M8 6x42. I don't use it for varmints, but rather general rifle practice, and the scope is fine for that.

friend was varmint hunting 20 years ago and was using a low powered scope on a 22-250. he kept seeing a ground hog setting up at 350-400yards and everytime he would get ready to shoot the hog would go back down and out of sight. after 15-20 min a guy stood up right where he had been watching what he thought was a groundhog,he had been seeing the back of the guys head raise up and down as he trout fished the stream behind the field, pretty much broke him using low powered scopes. get a higher powered scope and see what you are shooting at instead of what you think you see. yes I called him stupid a thousand times after that.

I'd of called him stupid for using his rifle scope, of any power to spot critters.

A few years back I took a Kimber Montana with a 6x SWFA MQ to Colorado to shoot Richardson ground squirrels. I had a ton of ammo loaded for it so it got the nod when my buddy gave me short notice.

Now, I'm not saying the 6x would be my first choice, but my hit count was very impressive out to 400 yards + and the Milquad reticle a veritable rock star!

Granted, the Richardsons are pachyderms compared to the tiny sage rats Ingwe is talking about.

That one aint about using your scope to spot critters as much as it is knowing your back stop and what's behind it.

Whew, hate hearing stories like that even when nobody got hurt.

I’m running a SWFA 6x MQ on an RAR .223 1/8.
It’s my range gun and general plinker. The first centerfire I use to introduce newbies to the sport.
It’s fine for ground squirrels to 200 yards or even rock chucks to 300.
But generally for colony varmint shooting I will use the .204 and 4.5x14 Leupold.
I think 6X is a pretty good match for calling coyotes or on any big game rifle.

That too, no doubt.
They're both dumb things to do but srwshooter never said there was or wasn't a safe background, just that his friend was trying to shoot a "groundhog" he'd "identified" through his low powered riflescope. There easily could have been a high bank to that creek that would have made the shot itself safe....assuming the target really was a groundhog.

It spooks me too to even read about such situations, even if the shot never happened.

That could be a major problem. I remember one time when a buddy and I went coyote calling and my buddy thought he saw a yote coming towards us. He was looking through his low powered rifle scope and after he fired, the doe jumped up and spun around and high tailed it out of there...
A lot of guys here are using low powered scopes on their 223's. Seems like a good idea, right?

It's not very fun to have someone inadvertently shooting in your direction. That story makes me nauseated. Fuucking morons everywhere I go anymore. Apparently that isn't a new trend.

I got a Bushnell 6x on my Tikka 223. I've got a Burris Fullfield II 3x9x40mm with Ballistic Plex that I'm planning on putting on. the 223.

^^ This ^^

I have a 6X Leupold M8 on my 222. It works for me but 200 yards is as far as I ever shoot with that particular rifle. I couldn’t be happier with the setup.

Are you suggesting that in srwshooter's story, using a higher powered riflescope would have made everything all cheeky, safe and acceptable?

If you don't know exactly what it is you're thinking about shooting at THEN DON'T SHOOT. Never mind the magnification.

Don't even look at something through your damn scope until you know exactly what it is.

I have a fixed 6x on both a ultralight .308 and a .257 Rbts. I have found they work well. Usually deer rifles but I have shot a couple of coyotes with them over the years.

When shooting colony varmints, nobody is gonna have a spotter set up. Maybe binos. Maybe.

It’s just not practical and 95% of varmint hunters are using their scopes to ID targets and doing it safely without huge losses of human life regardless of what the fire might think.

T Inman;
Top of the morning to you sir, I trust all is more or less as it needs to be in your life and this finds you well.

While I know I've mentioned this previously many times, I've spent the last 31 springs teaching our provincial hunter safety course and over the 8 nights of class we absolutely, positively beat the students over their collective heads with that concept.

Honestly I personally believe that relatively good quality and inexpensive binoculars have been the leading contributor to lowering hunting accidents here in BC - as far as accidents where the target was misidentified.

Nowadays I carry a spare pair of binoculars in the pickup, but previous to that there were a couple of occasions where I was half way up the mountain, realized I'd forgotten my binos and I just turned around and went home to get them.

Here's a plea from north of the medicine line to one and all to always pack optics other than on your firearm, identify your target and what's beyond it. Thanks in advance.

All the best to you on the upcoming Fourth of July T Inman, I hope it's a good holiday weekend for you.

Dwayne

I have a FFP 6-24 on my 223 and when I am out shooting whistle pigs in Oregon, S Idaho or Utah it stays on 6 power. I don't shoot at them beyond 400yds anyway. If you're shooting under 600yds then 6X should be very sufficient.

This is my take exactly.

I don't care if it is practicle or not. A person doesn't necessarily need optics to 100% ID something they're looking at. Prairie dog colonies often fit this scenario. So can other critters. The groundhog story above wasn't one of those sitations, for whatever reason. Bad eyesight, inexperience, unfamiliar terrain, whatever.


Apologies to the OP for getting off topic.

Positive target ID is a basic tenet for all shooters as is being sure of your fore and background. I always scan the area w/ binos when picking a stand and then again with a 6x rangefinder. You have to know where even a ricochet can end up. Using your scope as a spotter has been discussed here previously and several folks have glassed up someone looking at them through a scope. The scope is an aiming device, not a spotter. Does anyone hunt w/out binos or a spotter?


mike r