Scope for .22

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I am finally, after 50 years or so, gonna replace the scope on my Marlin Model 80 .22 LR. Since I got old I need all the help I can get.

I'm looking at the Simmons 3-9 x 32 mm and some new tip off mounts. Anybody used this scope that will share your experiences with it?

The rifle still shoots great, it's my old eyes that I have problems with.

Thanks in advance and have a blessed day,

Leon

[Ozark Howler]

I assume your looking at the Simmons .22 Mag 3-9 X 32mm, if so, I'm sure you will like it for this type of application. I use one on a Henry Golden Boy and it provides excellent accuracy, the quality for its price point is very good, eye relief is very comfortable, optics clear at all power settings.

[Boolit_Head]

Consider a 4x12, my old eyes appreciate a bit more magnification at 100 yards.

[FredBuddy]

I just re-scoped a Marlin 39A for a neighbor.

I used a Simmons 4x32 '22 Magnum' since it
will likely be abused after I return it today.

It zeroed nicely once I found the rifles preferred ammo.
(Thankfully there was enough windage adjustment to
compensate for a misaligned scope mount)

For 30 bucks at wal-mart, it seems to be serviceable.

[Texas by God]

My favorite .22 scopes are old fine crosshairs 4x 1" tube that came off of a deer rifle. My Rem 581 has an old Japanese Valor that is very clear and will pass the box test every time. I've had good luck with Bushnell sportviews and of course old Weavers. I don't like big scopes on a .22(or the old small tubes either).
Best, Thomas.

[Scorpion8]

I assume your looking at the Simmons .22 Mag 3-9 X 32mm, ...

An excellent choice. These are great rimfire scopes. I use 4 or 5 of them on different rimfire rifles of mine.

[atr]

I use older Weaver 4x and 2.5x scopes with fine cross hairs on my .22's

[rfd]

i like fixed power for .22rf's - typically better overall optic/mechanical quality than a comparable priced variable. i just stuck a cheap but purty good konus pro 4x32 AO on an adult sized crickett - what a fun tack shooter. don't need more than 4 power out to 100 yards.

https://i.imgur.com/xOwj1qq.jpg

[Texas by God]

The Nikon prostaff is a good one but I think it's discontinued- the 4X Rimfire.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[rfd]

got a simmons 4-12x44 coming for a savage mkIIfv - i've used those before, good glass for the price tag.

[18Bravo]

While I particularly don’t care much for Simmons, I must admit that the 6-21x44mm 44 Mag scope on my Savage BJR has been stellar. I bought it on a whim thinking I’d replace it with better glass when time and money permitted. 7 years later and the scope is still on the rifle and doing just fine. I think they are running in the $125 to $150 range in today’s market.

[rfd]

yep, for the most part the simmons 44mag scopes are a value investment. i prefer the 4-12 for it's lesser up front magnification.

[country gent]

On a general use 22 a 2-7X is my choice. On a target grade use rifle then a 16X - 20X. At 2X picking out squierrels from leafy trees is easy and at 7X target grade work can be done

[Drm50]

I had 1" scopes on 22s way back before it was cool. When I was a kid the 1/2" tubes drove me
crazy squirrel hunting. Field of view was so poor that I took them off. I took a Win 74 and had it
D&Ted for a one piece Weaver base and put a K4 on it. It was a squirrel killing machine. I have
several 22 rifles now and they all have Weaver Ks, 3x&4x on them, except for a Ruger 77/22 that
has a Redfield 4x. They have served me well. I bought a new Burris Compact 6x for 77/22 back
in 80s when 77/22 was first out. This was a very nice scope but again the compact had a limited
field of view. I was in bussiness for 25yrs and sold a lot of scopes and was on receiving end of a
lot of returns with the cheap scopes. I have come to the conclusion that if you are going to buy
a new scope for your 22, buy a top brand. If you don't want to put out a arm & leg pick up a good
used Weaver or Redfield in 3x to 4x and you will have a good rig. The older varible powers have
a lot of parallax problems, I fooled with them some but never got good results.

[uscra112]

I use older Weaver 4x and 2.5x scopes with fine cross hairs on my .22's

DITTOS. The J-4 is my favorite, for having adequate eye relief.

Have had only two Simmons scopes in my possession over my lifetime, (came on rifles I bought). Both were junk. Buy cheap, buy twice.

[primersp]

a sightron 4x32 on my semi auto unique x51bis
À Old Weaver 2,5_7x32 on cz bolt

[webfoot10]

Try the Vortex 2x7x32 crossfire II scope with dead-hold BDC reticle. Nice scope for
the money ($130.00) at Midway. Life time warranty. I have two of these on my center
fire rifles, Nice and clear, You won't be disappointed. Would be sweet on a .22 rifle.

[too many things]

IF you can find one NcStar is the best i have used. they are {or was cheap to buy} i got 4 for about 59 to 89 these run from a 3x9 22 to a 4x12 with lighted hairs
they only been on the AM market for about 5 yrs and i will put anyone against the best.
i got one the first time for a pellet rifle. i put a 22mag simmons on a gamo and 10 shots the scope came apart inside. sent it to the warranty dept .
they said it was not made for the type of recoil on the hi power pellet rifles . it dont [ or didnt say in the papers] anyway they did send a new scope and told me NOT to use on that type of pellet rifle .
I put a NcStar made for a 22 and its still in fine shape
i checked and several show out of stock on most but you may try OpticPlanet

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Thanks for the replies, I'm probably gonna purchase the Simmons. With Auto insurance and a broken ice dispenser on the refrigerator, my choice has been made for me. :-)

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[woodsie57]

I picked up 3 of them from Optics Planet on sale for $20 each, refurbished, free shipping. That was about 5 yrs ago; all still going strong, no fiddling with zero adjustments- a good deal!!

[mac1911]

Scopes are tough to choose from.
Also note the higher magnification is not always going to help. Especially if you have vision problems. The resolution can be so poor on on high magX on cheaper scopes it can make your vision struggle.
I have several 22 scoped rifles. Some of the most fun are in the 3x-9x 32mm objective. Zeroed for 75 yards and I can basically point and aim and hit anything 2.5" in from zero to 75 yards.
I recently bought a Muller 8x32x44 tactical reticle scope and use it for 100/200 yard rim fire tactical fun.
I will often mount my sightron 8x32x54 AO on my 22lr AR and shoot rim fire F class style at 200 yards. Silly nice scope
Currently it's hard to dismiss my old gen Luey 2x8x32 duplex ret and a Bushnell sportview that's been great for many years.

[rfd]

simmons 4-12x44, savage mk II fv, boyds barracuda stock.

204925

[pertnear]

I am finally, after 50 years or so, gonna replace the scope on my Marlin Model 80 .22 LR.
Some excellent advice & recommendations in this thread. Your decision to buy the Simmons is probably a good one & I'm sure it will enhance your shooting. But I'd like to make a general comment about .22's & scopes.

I'm somewhat surprised that most of us, myself included, treat .22's like they are sub-standard to other firearms. After all, they do make cheap ".22 scopes" with claw mounts thrown in for free. I too have a .22 I've owned for 50 years. Needless to say I'm not going to sell it, trade it or trash it soon. I hope to keep & shoot it the rest of my life time. I suggest for such treasured rifles you put a scope equivalent at least to what's on your deer rifle. Now that may be a Simmons & that is great. Personally, I like Leupold so that is what I put on my .22 realizing that it cost more than the original price of the little rifle. But that .22 is a joy to shoot every time I pick it up. Not a rant, just a thought - to each his own. Good shooting to you!

[Traffer]

I know very little about scopes. I was kind of forced to use a 1" tube scope on a Savage MK II because the base mount was for a standard 7/8" or 22 MM Weaver dovetail mount. My other 22's have either 3/8" dovetails or tip off type drilled and tapped holes.
So I bought a Standard 1" tube scope for the gun. It is a Tasco Pronghorn model 3x9x32 with adjustable parallax. I have it dialed in for 50 yards and it seems to me to be vastly superior to the 4x Weaver, 6x Weaver and 4x7x20 Tasco 3/4" tube scopes I have been using on my other 22 rifles. My question is, as I said, I know very little about scopes... what are the disadvantages of using this Pronghorn 3x9 on my Savage MK II if any? I am not a champion shooter and never will be but like anyone else I like to hit the target as accurately and consistently as possible. P.S. I only shoot it at the range, don't hunt anymore.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Some excellent advice & recommendations in this thread. Your decision to buy the Simmons is probably a good one & I'm sure it will enhance your shooting. But I'd like to make a general comment about .22's & scopes.

I'm somewhat surprised that most of us, myself included, treat .22's like they are sub-standard to other firearms. After all, they do make cheap ".22 scopes" with claw mounts thrown in for free. I too have a .22 I've owned for 50 years. Needless to say I'm not going to sell it, trade it or trash it soon. I hope to keep & shoot it the rest of my life time. I suggest for such treasured rifles you put a scope equivalent at least to what's on your deer rifle. Now that may be a Simmons & that is great. Personally, I like Leupold so that is what I put on my .22 realizing that it cost more than the original price of the little rifle. But that .22 is a joy to shoot every time I pick it up. Not a rant, just a thought - to each his own. Good shooting to you!

Sometimes my wants over run my check book. In this case, being on fixed income, it's about all I can afford.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[kmw1954]

Joe, don't know if you looked at my recent thread but I went with a Barska 22 Plinker scope for my new used Savage 22. Not knowing anything about scopes I did a lot of reading in the forums I could find and the a lot of product reviews. Seems all 22 rimfire scopes have some sort of short coming and normal rifle scopes seem to have problems focusing down to the short 22 ranges.

I would have liked to put a Nikon or Leupold scope on it but the reviews I had read on this Barska scope were impressive. Everywhere I looked this scope was about $50.00 though for some reason Walmart had one in store for $25.00. Half price? Don't know why.

Like you being on a fixed income I couldn't pass it up for that price after the reviews I'd read. Now time will tell if it was a wise purchase.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I finally purchased a Simmons from Amazon yesterday. It will be here in a few days and I should know something soon. I know the rifle shoots where you point it. Sometimes I can't see well enough to point it to the same place.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have a few Simmons scopes on around, a Marlin 25 22LR, an RWS 24 .177 pellet rifle, a Marlin 336C 30-30. I have not put them on any hard kickers, I have had no problems with them holding zero and they are a very good value considering the price, far better than open sights for most eyes. Bigger scopes on light rifles tend to make handling awkward, the 3-9x32 is a nice sized scope for most rifles where good handling is important.

[scattershot]

Joe, let us know how you like it.