Are you searching for the best precision rimfire scope for the money? In this buying guide, we will be looking at the features of the top recommended rimfire scopes available in the market today.
Rimfire rifles can shoot to about 50 yards with less than 1″ bullet drop. They are widely used for a wide variety of shooting applications like hunting.
These rifles can cater to your shooting needs, but you will find out that you are very limited when it comes to hunting small game or even plinking. This is why you need to pair up this rifle with a rimfire scope.
It is important to note that owning a rimfire rifle alone will not give you the best performance that this cartridge can provide. You need the best scope for shooting or hunting applications. This means that you should take time to research what features you need for your specific shooting application.
However, if you do a quick search, you will find that there are many scopes available in the market today. Each scope comes with different features and this may make it hard for beginners to find the right scope. This is why we created this guide to help you narrow down your search.
Best Precision Rimfire Scope
The best precision rimfire scope should have a parallax setting of about 50 yards. In addition, it should be made of high quality materials to ensure it lasts for a very long time.
The scope you buy should have detailed instructions on how you can mount it on your rifle. It should also have a lightweight design to ensure it does not weigh you down. This is because rimfire rifles tend to be lightweight compared to other rifles in the market today.
Read on, as we will discuss all the important features you need to consider when buying a scope in this category.
Let us get right into it.
1Leupold FX-I Rimfire 4x28mm Fine Duplex – Best Overall
If you are searching for a fixed precision rimfire scope for the money, the Leupold FX-I Rimfire 4x28mm Fine Duplex is an excellent scope for you. This scope is packed with many features to provide you with the best picture quality and color fidelity.
This scope comes with pre-set 60 yard parallax built into the design. This feature allows you to hit targets out to about 100 yards effectively. In addition, the reticle is not supper cluttered.
Most hunters recommend this scope because it has generous eye relief and is very easy to use. This will avoid any accidents that might be caused by powerful recoil.
The multicoated lens helps in light transmission and protects it from oil or debris. In addition, the scope features a waterproof and fog proof design. This allows you to use it in almost any climatic condition.
Additionally, it features a 4x zoom with a 28 mm objective lens to gather light. This allows you to use it even in low light conditions.
We highly recommend this scope because it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Features
- It comes with a pre-set feature to compensate for parallax at 60 yards
- It is constructed from durable materials to ensure longevity
- It offers good eye relief to protect you from recoil
2
Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire SFP
The Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire is one of the best rimfire scope that comes with high-quality glass to provide you with the best vision across all the magnification levels. It is designed for high performance and will offer you long eye relief augmented by the fast-focus eyepiece. This allows you to acquire fast-moving targets.
It is worth mentioning that this scope features a second focal plane reticle. This means that the reticle will stay the same size when zooming in or out. This is different from a First Focal Plane reticle that is large when zooming in and small when zooming out.
You are provided with scope adjustments with capped reset turrets that are finger adjustable with MOA clicks. You can reset to zero after sighting in the scope.
The fully multi-coated lenses allow you to use this scope in any lighting situation. It is also worth mentioning that you can use it even in the harshest weather conditions because it is waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof.
In addition, it features the V-Plex MOA Reticle, which is perfect for hunting small game or tactical shooting. The 1-inch diameter tube offers a versatile blend of adjustment, size, and weight for hunting applications.
Features
- It is built with the highest standard for waterproof and shockproof performance
- The outer casing is made from aircraft-grade aluminum for strength and rigidity
- The nitrogen gas purging prevents internal fogging in any weather
3
Vortex Optics Diamondback 2-7×35 Rimfire SFP – Best Value
The Vortex Optics Diamondback 2-7×35 Rimfire SFP is a versatile scope that is ideal for close range shooting on 22 rimfire, shotguns, and muzzleloaders. This scope is made of high-quality materials to ensure it lasts for a long time.
The exceptional feature of this scope is the reticle that you can use to estimate range, holdover, and check the wind drift even at the highest magnification level.
The scope also includes proprietary coatings that increase light transmission with multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces. This means that you can use this scope in any lighting situation.
The other outstanding feature of this scope is the Precision-Glide Erector System that ensures the components in the zoom lens mechanism glide smoothly at all magnification ranges.
This scope has a hard anodized finish that is durable and provides a low-glare matte surface to help camouflage your shooting position. The 1-inch diameter tube offers a versatile blend of adjustment, size, and weight for a wide variety of shooting applications.
We recommend this rifle scope for hunting applications. However, the eye relief is a bit short compared to some rimfire scopes.
Features
- It includes lenses that are fully multi-coated for crisp images in any lighting situation
- It includes turrets that give you the ability to zero reset after sight-in
- The precision glide erector system ensures accurate tracking and repeatability
4
Bushnell Banner 3-9×40 Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle
The Bushnell Banner 3-9×40 Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle is another excellent scope that will help you to improve your accuracy and precision skills. In addition, it is very easy to use and will deliver high-definition clarity.
This scope is ideal for varmint hunting and target shooting applications. We recommend this scope for both beginners and experienced shooters.
It is important to note that the reticle fitted in this scope helps to eliminate any guesswork in your shooting applications. This is because you can easily adjust the windage and elevation adjustments.
The durable construction of this scope ensures that it lasts for a very long time, even after repeated use. The tactical design of this scope will look good on your rifle.
Features
- The fog proof construction allows you to use the rifle in a wide variety of temperatures
- It features a durable construction
- It features a quick focus eyepiece
Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Precision Rimfire Scope
It is important to note that the best precision rimfire scope depends on the type of gear and equipment you have. Since there are many options available in the market today, it makes it hard for some enthusiasts to find a reliable scope that will deliver the best results.
In this section, we will share some general recommendations that you should consider when buying a scope in this category.
Here are the important factors:
- Eye relief – This can be described as the space between the sighting tool and your eye. It is important to buy a scope with generous eye relief that can be adjusted based on the magnification. This helps to prevent a black eye from heavy recoil generated.
- Durability – It is important to buy a scope that is made of high quality materials to ensure longevity. We recommend buying a scope with proven and tested durability. In addition, it should have a waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof construction.
- Reticle – When buying a scope for your rimfire rifle, it is important to buy a scope that is fitted with a high quality reticle that suits your shooting needs. If you want to use it for hunting applications, we recommend buying a duplex, mil-dot, or BDC reticle. These reticles make it very easy to adjust windage and elevation for better accuracy and precision. This eliminates any guesswork in your shooting applications.
- Objective Lens – The objective lens size affects the amount of light that passes through the scope. This size further relates to the brightness of the images produced. Therefore, it is important to buy a scope with a large objective lens size that offers clear images that are color accurate. If a 40mm objective lens is not enough for your shooting application, you can buy a scope with a bigger lens. However, scopes with a large objective lens will add a considerable amount of weight.
- Warranty – It is important to buy a scope with a great warranty or customer service. This can help you solve queries you may encounter when using the scope. This is very important if you want to buy an expensive scope. It ensures your scope is replaced or repaired if it suffers any damage.
- Weatherproofing – The scope you buy should have a waterproof construction that can handle everything nature throws at it. You should be able to use your scope in rainy, cold, and foggy conditions.
- Superior light transmission – The scope you buy should have superior light transmission to offer a bright sight picture even in low lighting conditions. A good scope should provide you with extra minutes of shooting time, allowing you to hunt at dusk or dawn.
- Ease of use – If you are a beginner, it is important to purchase a reliable rimfire scope that is easy to use. You should not have a hard time mounting the scope on your rifle or adjusting windage and elevation knobs. It should come with mounting rings that are compatible with your rifle. In addition, it should be easy to sight in and hold zero even after continuous shots.
Conclusion
In summary, we have shared the best precision rimfire scopes available in the market today. The scopes shared on this list are packed with many features to help you shoot further and accurately. In addition, they are made from durable materials to ensure that they last for a very long time.
As mentioned earlier, it is important to first define your shooting requirements. This ensures that you get the right scope that suits your shooting needs.
If you are still not sure, we recommend checking customer reviews and other top recommendations. However, the Leupold FX-I Rimfire 4x28mm Fine Duplex is the best choice for you because it allows you to hit targets out to about 100 yards effectively.
We hope that this guide helped you to find the best precision rimfire scope for the money.
