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Hello ,
What scope in 3x9x40 would you lads recommend for a 22 winmag.
Looking to upgrade the scope on a marlin 22 mag. Im looking at the hawke option but open for options. I am shooting rabbits and magpies but want more magnification than the standard scope.
Don't want to spend moonbeans , under $300 if possible .
Thanks in advance.
I've been using a Hawke Sport HD on my air rifle for over a decade, while it has been reliable and held zero, the optical quality is on the very bottom end.
Weaver V9, Leupold VX1, VX Freedom and Burris Fullfied can often be found secondhand for less than $300.
If you have the patience, wait for a second hand Bushnell Elite, Weaver Grand Slam or Vortex Diamondback to pop up for around $300.
All of the above will be a significant step up in optical quality compared to your Hawke scope.
IMO the best value scope out of the above is the Weaver V9.
If you can find one a Nikko Stirling Airking 2-9x42 or 4-12x42 would be good. Both are AO and both should be well under your budget of $300 (around $250?) but I am not sure if they are still available. Never seen a 2nd hand one as owners tend to hold onto them.
I just had a rummage through our boxes of scopes and I have the four below, all brand new and in the box
(been in the box for about 11 years in storage from the shop.... and priced at the same price they were then...)
3-9x40 Nikko Gold crown $199
3.5-10x40 Nikko Stirling Gold Crown (silver or black) $ 235
3.5-10x42 Nikko Stirling Night Eater with AO turret $349.00
4-16x50 Nikko Stirling Night Eater $379
3.5-10x45 Nikko Stirling Platinum range $450 (their premium range at the time in Gloss black with euro style eye piece)
Thanks lads.
I will do some research into those scopes @timattalon and see if I like what I see , thanks mate.
I have a cometa fusion Air rifle with a air king on it but not sure if I want to separate it and put the air king on my 22 while I look into another decent scope.
how come you have so many scope lol @timattalon
@Jusepy I have a mate who owned / owns a gun shop that was closed after the quakes. I still have access to his stock and am selling it for him. Slowly whittling down the options though. I used to have them stacked in fish cartons but now only have about a couple dozen left. Mostly Nikko Stirling, but a few Arctic Fox as well. Almost all the Nighteaters have already been sold, along with most of the diamonds and all of the Air Kings. Most are 3-9x40 Gold crowns or 3-5-10 x40 etc. Though there is a Nikko 10-50x60 Diamond Target master and a couple of 8-32x50 target masters there as well.....They may be a bit large for a 22 magnum....Quote:
Originally Posted by Jusepy
I also have some 22magnum ammo here as well but that wont really help you up there as I cannot ship ammo easily.
I run a 3x9x40 Bushnell, functions great plus the rain guard is pretty usefull to. My rifle is a BRNO semi .22mag.
I run a 4-12 VX1 Leupold
I rate it over the similar 3-9
Mine’s worn a few different scopes over the years:
-kilwell 3-9x40 (rubbish)
-leupold vari-x iic 3-9x40 (great old scopes)
-leupold fx ii 6x36 (great fixed power option)
-weaver classic rimfire 3-9x32 (good but debatable whether the A/O was necessary for me)
-leupold vx3 2.5-8x36 (light and nice optics)
You should get a decent 2nd hand 3-9 on trademe (Burris, leupold, Bushnell etc.). Also keep an eye out for a Nikon prostaff rimfire 3-9; they are bulky for a rimfire scope (to the extent that you may need to remove your rear sight) but have a useful BDC reticle and very good glass for the money
For the mean time im going to put my airking scope from my air rifle on the 22 and save some pingers for a decent scope .
Its not 3x9x40 but its better than whats on the rifle at the moment.
Thanks for everyones help.
I may still take you up on your offer @timattalon.
What size Airking? They did a 2-7x32, 3-9x42, 4-12x42. and I think they may have done a couple of fixed powered ones 4x40? Mountmasters with AO are another one in that budget, but the have a slightly thicker cross hair from memory.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jusepy
Its a 2-7x32AO niko stirling gold crown.
Had it on my cometa fusion air rifle for a few years now.
You don't need a dearer scope for your 22mag - its a shorter range 0-125m (usually) caliber. The Nikko scopes timattalon is mentioning would be spot on. My Marlin 22mag like yours wears a Tasco World Class 4-16x and shoots 0.3" grouping at 50m. All you need..
Which nikko scope are you talking about @mudgripz ?
The 2-7x32AO niko stirling gold crown or the one he has up for sale. :)
the one your going to put on it will be fine might even find you dont need to change it after youve used it for a bit
FWIW the current Hawke scopes especially the Vantage SF are light years ahead of those from a decade ago, and some of the best bang for the buck.
Timattalon says above he has 3-9 and 3.5-10 Nikko Gold Crowns - good for your 22Mag. But as northdude notes so too is the Nikko Airking 2-7 you already have. Could be ideal.
If you are after precision 100m shooting on the range you'll need minimum 12x to quarter 1" dots with crosshairs. But if you're just shooting bunnies a 2-7 is ideal. The scope on my magnum doesn't move from 5x for 25-110m bunny shooting. A bunny even out at 140m for your scope on 7 power is 20m away in the crosshairs - that's a good size target.
I'd give your 2-7 a few months trial... good unit. You could pay $2-300 more for next to no gain.
Thanks @mudgripz , I shall give it a trial and see how it goes.
I will be shooting out too max 80 meters (if that) so it should be way better than the silly little scope it had on it.
Today I am getting my dpt suppressor put on the 22 , hopefully it quietens it down so I loose the "crack" it has.
Good times
to loose the crack,you need to run subsonic...and you can do that with the magnum too.
2 3/4x ------9x is all Ive ever used on any rifle...any more than 9x is wasted on me.
I didn't realise until recently that you could get subsonics for the mag.
Do they still have enough power to drop rabbits out to 50 60m. I guess the only way to find out is to try them out.
no different to 22LR except possibly a heavier pill. My personal view is subs in a WMR ,-may as well be a 22LR. I dont really see the point unless you are using much heavier pills.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jusepy
As for the Suppressor, it wont remove the "crack" but it will change to more of a "woompfff" if that makes sense. Much more pleasant to shoot.
agree Tim....but if you have a 22WMR and not a .22lr it is an option....
true. Just seems an expensive way to do it thats all.Quote:
Originally Posted by Micky Duck
Admittedly I use a 223 instead of my WMR most of they time if I have to choose one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by timattalon
Image as requested @Jusepy Please note that the "free cap offer has expired. (I still have the caps but the age of them means the plastic insert in the cap peak is cracking when you look at it so nice looking caps but they are not functional....)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jusepy
Attachment 145767
Damn it @timattalon. Those Nikko scopes are a good enough reason to buy another rifle to put under them.
By the time you've bought about 5 packets of 22 WMR ammo, the savings from switching to 22lr to run subs could pay for the second rifle.
I disagree @gadgetman It would have t be at least 10 packets of WMR vs LR......There is only a $15 difference per packet after all...Quote:
Originally Posted by gadgetman
Well I make it nearer $20 difference. I bought a very accurate JW15 for $100.Quote:
Originally Posted by timattalon
https://www.gunworks.co.nz/shop/item/federal-22lr
https://www.gunworks.co.nz/shop/item/hornady-22-magwmr
I get professional pest controllers and people who are out every day worrying about the cost of ammo, but for the rest of us who shoot half a dozen bunnies a month, does it matter? Still cheaper than golf (I think!).
Jeez @gadget I think we need someone to start doing bulk pack of WMR ammo.....Quote:
Originally Posted by gadgetman
17 HMR are doing bulk ammo...$125 for 250 rounds...Federal ex GC. No complaints yetQuote:
Originally Posted by timattalon
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Im actually heading into town today to buy some .22 mag ammo.. I was googling last night and I found CCI amo for .22 mag is by far the cheapest.
Compared to the Winchester power point .22 mag . It worked out to be five dollars cheaper so im going to try it out.
I am also considering buying a .22lr to bring down the cost of shooting as .22lr ammo is dirt cheap. I think if I do this the .22 mag would become redundant and not be used again , I know you are going to say "sell it " , but it was given to me by my wifes granddad so I cant. If I was going to buy another .22 it would be a 10/22 .
The ammo you need to buy is the one that shoots accurately in your 22WMR. To find this out buy just one pkt each of the different makes over time, and test grouping at 50m. And include some Hornady V-Max 30gr as that's a round with a very precise load that tends to perform very well in alot of magnums.
I have been trailing several different brands of ammo for about three months now.
Found the Winchester power points to be most accurate and the Hornady to be the worst as they don't cycle properly .
I really like the federal premium to be pretty awesome for stopping power.
I have not tried the CCI yet which I thought I would because I have heard they are very popular and a lot of my hunting mates.
