scope advice for 3 different guns

[rimrock]

I started out thinking I wanted to put the same scope on 3 different guns-- 10/22, Marlin .444 & Rem VTR .308. My thinking was same reticle on all 3 would get me more consistent with them. I'm not so sure. The guns shoulder different, hold different, and certainly have different ranges. Since they are different, maybe a different reticle for each gun actually makes more sense. What's your opinion?

rimrock

[Canuck Bob]

I have very limited experience with scopes but it does include a 444.

I put a 2.5X Leupold ultralight on my 444 years ago with real low rings. Then moved it to a Browning BLR in 243 for prairie hunting hoping to swap it back and forth. I found the scope was ideal for the 444 but sucked on the Browning and its mission. I found a low power variable worked well. Offhand I never mastered even a 4X sight picture wobble. But for long shots on coyotes the higher power was welcome with a rest. The BLR worked ok with the real low rings but medium rings really fit. That is my sum total of scope experience.

I found tailoring the scope to the rifle was important. Matching the ring height was even more important. A good rifle should always fit.

[Ben_Rumson]

Well if you utilized bases on those rifles that your rings would would swap over to, you could try the one scope idea without any extra scope costs...

[Lastmohecken]

I started out thinking I wanted to put the same scope on 3 different guns-- 10/22, Marlin .444 & Rem VTR .308. My thinking was same reticle on all 3 would get me more consistent with them. I'm not so sure. The guns shoulder different, hold different, and certainly have different ranges. Since they are different, maybe a different reticle for each gun actually makes more sense. What's your opinion?

rimrock

you don't want the same scope for these guns, nor even the same price range, unless you just want to spend the money.

The 10/22 could benifit from a wide range of scopes, probably, depending on what you are doing. I have one that I have owned for years that wears an old Redfield 4 power, and it worked very well for squirrel hunting, but before that I had one with a cheap 3 x 9 variable and it worked pretty good too. At any rate, you should be able to find a scope for the .22 that would serve you well for $100 to $200 tops.

On the 444, I put a Leupold 1 x 4 or a 1.5 x 5 variable, or a fixed 2.5 scope, with a 2 x 7 power being the biggest I would put on it. It's a close range gun, out to 200yds yards max IMHO, and works best for close in woodlands.

On the .308 I would go with a 2 x 7 power or a 3 x 9, 2.75 x 6 or a of 2.5 x 8 power which would still give you resonable wide field of view, but enough power to see well at 300yds or more. However, a lot of old timers would would have been happy with a fixed 4 power.

But the bottom line is the .22 would get a cheaper scope then either of the other two, unless I just happened to have a more expensive scope laying arround gathering dust.

One of the worst choices I hate to see people make is to go out and purchase a big powerful scope, and to top it off buy the cheapest brand out there to boot. Huge, cheap variables are the worst scopes out there, for darn near any use.

[El Chivo]

I like your idea of the same scope for all, you know how to use it and the sight picture is familiar.

What you swat it with is immaterial, you got to see it first.

I do that with my guns except I do have a rimfire scope which I am thinking about getting rid of.

[FWiedner]

Are you meaning the same actual scope or just a scope of the same model on each firearm?

[Old Savage]

I have a 1-3x Weaver on my 10/22 and I think that is about perfect. Nath tells us that 80 yds is in his opinion the dependable max for the 22 LR on rabbits and the 3x is good for seeing their little heads at that range and you can open it to 1x if you like. On my 45/70 I have a 4x - what ever brand you like and the tops might be the 1.5-5x there. For the 308 - a range will work great 4x if you like them, again the 1,5-5x Leupold or the 2.5-8x if you want more power. I think scopes are a great advantage and frankly have never had any problem carrying scoped rifles but shhhhh! I have some without scopes but don't tell the others. I put scopes on rifles and leave them there and I know where they are all sighted in.

[rjohns94]

A nice 2x7 leupold would serve well on all three, being very versatile. Low power for the 22 and 444 and higher power for the other rifle. Not sure how the transfer between the rifles would go except to say poorly. Sighting in would have to be done between swaps so one scope for three rifles would be a hassle. Same scope, mounted on each would not really do well except to cost you more money than you need. I personally would choose specific scopes for each rifle and practice with each. Though I had a 2x7 scope as mentioned laying around and I put it on my Ruger 10-22 takedown.

[Lastmohecken]

I agree, the 2 x 7 Leupold is a pretty good choice, for about any gun, and has been my first choice for over 35 years. I have tried several others on a lot of different guns, but often ended up switching to a 2 x 7 Leupold. 2 power gave me the field if view I wanted for close fast shooting, and 7 power was adequate for the longer shots, although there has been times when I would have welcomed a little more power on the upper end, but not at the expense of giving up the low end field of view offered by the 2 power.

I did stray from the Leupold recently, and purchased a 2 x 7 Redfield Revolution, because I was impressed with the aparent quality for the very resonable price of about $170.00, It's now made by Leupold and seems to have the same very forgiving eye relief that the Leupold always had. I mounted it on an AR-15. Right now, I believe this is the best scope in it's price range, for sure.

[Old Savage]

See what you like and don't know why but the 2x7 is the only one I don't like.

[86er]

One more vote for the 2X7 Leupold, although with the rimfire and all the 2.5X8 will give you more range of adjustment (VX-3).

[new pig hunter]

the 2.5-8 x 36 ..... this is the one I have on my Marlin 375 levergun:

http://storesonline.com/site/491938/product/LP-55034

Cheers,

Carl

[t.r.]

I really like my Bushnell 1.5X - 4.5X scope. It rotates between my CVA 50 caliber and my Henry 22LR rifle.

Good clarity, sturdy build, and priced right. I've owned it for 2.5 years with no problems.

Bushnell is a KEEPER!

TR

[rimrock]

I have a Burris Fullfield 2 x 7 on my .308, and like it. I have a Simmons 4x EER scope on my .444 mounted as a scout scope. And a Tasco red dot on my 10/22. I like the Fullfield but not the other 2. Nothing against either the Simmons or Tasco (they both provide killing accuracy), they just don't satisfy me. The Bushnell mentioned above is something I've been studying for the my .444 and 10/22 as separate scopes for each gun, not 1 scope and 3 guns. Thanks for the replies.

rimrock

[Dave]

For the 10-22 I think I would choose an inexpensive scope of some kind. Maybe a straight 4X or a smaller 2-7 or 3-9. I am a scope snob but have had good luck with Simmons and Bushnells on 22's.

For the 444 and guns like it the Leupold 1.5-5 is hard to beat. The low power is great close up and 5 will take you about as far as you want to shoot a 444.

For the 308 a 2-7 or 3-9 Leupold would be nice.