Scope recommendations for 22lr squirrel gun?

[Thinkingman]

I put a Nikon Buckmaster 4X on my son's CZ 452 Scout.
Just about perfect for what you describe.
I would definitely want the increased field of view over power.
2-7X seems about perfect.

 

[Mildot]

I have a couple of CZ457's, one is a standard barrel .22wmr and the other is a varmint barrel .22lr.

I have Tract .22 FIRE 4-12x40 AO scopes on both of them. They replaced Leupold 3-9 rimfire scopes. Very happy with them.

 

[jprice]

I have a Leupold VX-Freedom on a Savage 93R17. I think it's a decent scope for less than $200. Lightweight and pretty clear.

 

[The Harbor Master]

Another vote for the 2-7x, a 2-7 sits on my 10/22 and takes lots of squirrels. I very very rarely have had any issues with close targets.

 

[cmo5t]

I’ve got a Leupold Mark 4 3.5-10x40 on my CZ 457 and I love it. Small / light and has the magnification to be very accurate when needed. Aesthetically it seems to fit the gun too.

 

[tracker12]

I have used everything from a 4x16 to 2x7. Allworked fine. I think it’s just a personal preference. I tend to shoot my squirrels close so have settled on a Leupold 2.5x8.

 

[Athens]

Of the options I might grab to take into the squirrel woods, 2 have Nikon ProStaff fixed 4x and 4 have old Redfield 4x (3 round ones, one TV view). I'll switch to a higher magnification scope to find out how well I can shoot a rifle, but for hunting I always go back to 4x on my .22's. Seems they do everything just well enough for shooting squirrels.

 

[Megastink]

It might be more than you want, but mine wears a USO 3-12x44. It’s a mil/mil, and I’ve hit targets out to 200 yards with it. It’s held zero (50yards) and has been repeatable when dialing. I use it as a trainer as well as small game.

 

[Pharmseller]

I scoped my rimfires with optics very similar to my hunting rifles.

If I’m gonna practice I want the practice to be nearly identical to the game.




P

 

[SloppyJ]

My favorite squirrel gun hosts a fixed 4x JC Higgins scope. Made 40yrs before I was and I've never adjusted it. No telling how many hundreds of squirrels have fallen victim to that thing. So my vote is a fixed 4x or 6x scope. Not sexy but extremely functional.

 

[mi650]

My 1st squirrel rifle was a Marlin M60 that my dad gave for Christmas one year. I scrimped and saved, and put the cheapest 4x15 scope ever made by man on it! I killed my share of squirrels with it, including a few 50ish yard head shots, but damn it was hard to see thru! A paper towel tube might have been an upgrade. I still have the rifle, with a better scope on it.

These days, I like better glass. Ultimate low light performance is nice, but not necessary for a squirrel gun. Squirrels, at least around here, aren't out at 1st or last light. Anything decent will get the job done, although I'd still say get the best glass you can/are comfortable paying for. With a .22, you'll need to see those twigs.

My last squirrel outing was last winter. I shot these 2 in the head at just over 50 yards, out of the same tree, and thru the same pine branch. I cheated and used a .22 mag. Scope is a Crimson Trace 2 series 6-24. (Discontinued for some reason, but very nice glass if you can find one. Much nicer than current CT scopes.)

 

[rclouse79]

I would put a SWFA fixed 6 x on it. I have one on my savage 220 shotgun and it is fun to dial for longer shots. I image the same would hold true on a 22 lr.