What power scope for coyotes using a .22-250???

[atomicjoe23]

I finally got my first high power rifle (I grew up in Illinois and there are no centerfire hunting seasons. . .everything is rimfire or shotgun only!!!). . .I got a Weatherby Vanguard Varmint Special in .22-250 Remington with a 22" #3 heavy contour barrel. . .I plan on using it for coyotes, bobcats, crows, & other small varmints. . .

. . .what power scope would you guys suggest. . .I want a variable power. . .so what like a 4-12 or something like that. . .

. . .right now I live on the wet-side so I need something that will be useful in the smaller clearcuts out here with a decent field of view at a lower power, but I may be moving to either South Texas or Eastern Washington next winter so I will have a LOT of wide open spaces to be shooting. . .

Thanks for your help!!!

[demontang]

Bushnell makes the legend in a 4-12power, 91% light transmission and they are great optics for the money, the weaver 4-16 or 6-24 Vseries is another great scope.

[catwithboost]

I like the Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-12x40 AO focus on the side. Great glass

[Big10gauge]

You could make good use of a variable of up to around 20X with a 22-250 but would lose some field of view at the lower setting of around 6x or so. I don't notice the loss in the lower power so it doesn't seem to be an issue with me.

[Bullelk]

I shoot a browning 22-250, with a Burris 4.5X14X42 Ballistic Plex. I think it is a great scope, I've had very good luck with it. The ballistic plex is great for your longer ranges. Good Luck and happy hunting.

[atomicjoe23]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. . .I think I'm gonna start off with a Burris Fullfield. . .the green one in 4-12 power AO with the DOA ballistic reticle. . .I would like to get a REALLY nice scope right off the bat but I can't afford it. . .so I'm gonna go with a middle of the line that I can afford so that I can shoot right away. . .otherwise who knows how long it would end up being before I could afford a NICE scope!!!

[wastickslinger]

If you like that green you might want to look at one more option. 509er was telling me about the new option for the Leupold VX II 4-12X40 AO. There is a site offering them in green. Love the scope too. Just a thought.

http://www.acusport.com/AcuSportWeb/

[atomicjoe23]

Thanks for the link StickSlinger. . .I'm checking it out now. . .I would much rather have a Leupold that is built in the USA than another brand that is not. . .

. . .I also have never heard a single bad thing about Leupold. ..

[wastickslinger]

I just put a VX II 3-9X50 on my new .204 and I love it. I have never had a bad thing to say about Leupold. Might not ever buy another brand actually.

As far as that green VXII, the website list them at MSRP of $650 but I cant find out what they sell them for. If you find out something would you let us know. Thanks.

[Houndhunter]

I just put a VX II 3-9X50 on my new .204 and I love it. I have never had a bad thing to say about Leupold. Might not ever buy another brand actually.

The website list them at MSRP of $650 but I cant find out what they sell them for. If you find out something would you let us know. Thanks.

thats what i would put on a 22-250, leupold 3-9x50

[wastickslinger]

I called the number on that website for ya. They are a distributor. You have to call them and they can tell you who the local dealer is. Mine is Tri-State here in Moses Lake. They can get you a price and order one. I might have stop by and see how much they want for one. I am guessing close to $600.

[rainshadow1]

4x isn't bad for this side, but it's not ideal. If you hunt in the timber here, you have to explain to guys from open country that it's like acquiring a moving target in your living room in the dark! If you can do that at 6x, more power to ya! I sure like being able to go down to 2x or at least 3x. The 22-250 can shoot further than 9x can define really well, but it's not bad.

14x or 16x would be nicer in the open country, but I'm telling you, if 6x is your low, you're not going to be happy around here. You have to compromise if you're going to hunt this side. I honestly think a 6-20ish would keep you from using the gun over here.

[wastickslinger]

Sounds like maybe 4-12 would be a good compromise

[ivarhusa]

Joel,

I opted for the Leupold VX II in 4x12, for all the reasons mentioned above. I am a firm believer in leaving the power dialed down to minimum (4x) until needed for a longer shot. Speedy target acquisition is pretty important, at times.

Ivar

[Jamieb]

I'm running a Nikon Monarch UCC 5.5x15.5 on my 22-250. I've been using this setup as my primary yote rifle for a few years and I dont feel handicapped by the scope at all. I really like the higher magnification for small targets like crows, sage rats. etc...
I'm kind of a leupold slut so the Nikon's days are numbered, I already bought a 6.5x20 to put on my 22-250, I just have to get around to sending it in for turrets.

[whacker1]

I just ordered a Zeiss Conquest 4.5 - 14 x 50 AO MC with Hunting Turrets and the z-800 reticle for my .300 RUM, but it would be the same scope I would put on a varmint rifle.

[Gutpile]

I like 4.5 X 14 power. Have a Burris on the 220 swift and a Nikon on the AR. That power seems to be about perfect for me. I had a 6 X 24 but sometimes it's to hard to find them in the scope at higher power, but it sure was fun shooting targets with it.

That said, I killed many coyotes with a 3X9 before I switched to higher magnification.

[rasbo]

STRAIGHT 4 ON THE WETSIDE

[atomicjoe23]

STRAIGHT 4 ON THE WETSIDE

Not an option to go with a straight 4x for me. . .I will either be in Eastern Washington or in South Texas next year. . .so I will want/need something that is capable of a higher magnification as I will be in VERY wide open spaces!!!

[atomicjoe23]

OK. . .I think I may have found an "affordable" scope to tide me over until I can save enough for a REALLY nice scope. . .

. . .I just got the latest Cabela's catalog. . .the "Shooting" one and I've been scouring the scope section intently. . .

. . .I think what I'm gonna get is the Cabela's Tactical Centerfire scope in 3-12x w/a 40mm objective lens and side focus parallax adjustment. . .each of these scopes comes with calibrated turrets for a specific caliber/bullet weight combination. . .it comes with two turrets for the .22-250. . .one for 50 grainers & one for 55 grainers. . .you just adjust the turret to the range (assuming that you have that much time freedom. . .not likely in the field, but a nice feature none the less) and you hold dead on. . .more realistically for me is that I will sight the scope in to where I can hit within a 4-5" circle out to the maximum distance without any hold. . .that way I don't have to try and figure out any ranges etc. . .just put the crosshairs on the heart and pull the trigger. . .

. . .I think that method is MPBR (maximum point blank range) sighting, but I don't know for sure. . .

. . .anyway the scope has multi-coated optics and is only $150. . .which is in my price range. . .I might drive down to pick one up tomorrow morning so that I can sight it in this weekend. . .

. . .the only thing that I would change is that I don't particularly care for the duplex reticles. . .I prefer a ballistic reticle like the one on Cabela's 5X Alpha scopes (they have a 3-15x), but they cost a $100 more and the duplex reticle will get the job done. . .

. . .I know that you get what you pay for, but at the moment I'm on a TIGHT budget and this is what I can afford. . .I would rather get an affordable scope and shoot than wait indefinitely with a new, but un-shootable rifle just sitting at home in a case!!!

Thanks for all your suggestions guys and I will let you know how this works out. . .

[atomicjoe23]

Next step will be a range finder so that I can range ahead of time. . .right now I suck at judging distances. . .one more reason for me to go with the MPBR method of finding my zero. . .so I can hit something until I get better at judging distances!!!