I have another question regarding optmal scope magification for 200 yard shooting.

jhegg

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Minuteman
Mar 8, 2007
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Fargo, ND
I have a CZ 452 Military Trainer. I also have a choice of two scopes to put on it. Scope #1 is a 4.5-14x Nikon Buckmaster. Scope #2 is a US Optics 3.7-17x (MOA adjustments). Realistically, will there be any difference in my ability to hold groups with either scope? Obviously. I am more interested more in the ability of the scope than my ability in shooting the same.
 
Neither. Select a target/benchrest scope for tiny group shooting. Leupold or Nightforce Competition lines are both good places to look. Think high mag/fine reticle, lots of cant or travel.
 
The USO is much better than a nikon buckmark, and the reticles are going to be much thinner.
I use a USO Sn-3 ergo, at 200 I usally shoot on 13x. I find my groups are much tighter on 13x were crosshairs are finer compared to 18x where the crosshairs are larger seaming in the picture
That nikon buckmaster is also a sfp scope designed for hunting with thicker lines.
If it were me Id stick that nikon on your beater hunt rig and run the uso.
 
Of the two you listed the USO 3.7-17x (MOA adjustments) scope will give you the better performance at that distance. But do not expect it to enable tiny groups at 200yds. Some suggested a high mag Benchrest scope from sightron or others. The kicker is this. Do you plan to also use this rig at other distances? If so, the high power benchrest scope might not be the best choice for maximum flexibility. It will be the best for precision at one distance or two. Why? The field of view for a 36x scope at 200yds is so small that you will not be able to easily see where your rounds are hitting and the bullet drop is so extreme with 22lr that they will fall below the FOV if the rifle is zeroed for say 50yds. If you plan to zero it at 200yds you will need a +MOA mounting rail that tilts the scope to enable that. Most scopes will not allow a 200yd zero for a 22 without it. Once zeroed at 200yds it will be shooting way high at 50yds. It is a trade off you make to obtain maximum precision at the chosen range.

On the other hand. A scope that has no more than 24x magnification will still be able to see where the rounds are hitting when zeroed at 50yds and then fired at 200yds. In fact with mine the POI is right about the bottom of the FOV at 24x and 200yds. If the range is longer you can dial down the magnification to open up the FOV. This coupled with the mil dot recticle will facilitate using a hold-over point of aim to get the rifle on target. 24 power is still enough to see the bullet holes most of the time. 17x is not. But 17x will still let you see the hits in the dirt and "Dust and Adjust" using good old KY windage. So while more is better, sometimes it is not. Pick your poison to get the best compromise that you want. I have a rifle with a 6-24x mil dot scope on it and it is by far easier to use at 200yds when originally zeroed at 50yds. It is my hunting rig but is also a decent tactical rifle. I have another rifle that is topped with a 36x Sightron BRII and it is more accurate by half at 200yds than the other but to get there requires building a tgt that is 6 feet tall with additional aiming points about 39 inches higher than the expected point of impact. It is totally impractical to use it to shoot at tactical steel tgts since the POA has to be so high that the actual target cannot be seen in the FOV. Useless for practical shooting at that distance and lacks the vertical adjustment to enable a true zero without the +MOA mounting rail. Just my opinion.

Irish
 
the Weavers, the Leupold 6.5-20x EFR and the Bushnell 6-24x40 4200 can focus from like 10 yards to infinity, have ample magnification and accurate adjustments for rimfire from 10 to 200 yds. I used them all but use the EFR now. I use Burris Signature rings with offset inserts to center my crosshairs for 200yds
 
I thank all of you for your advice. I think I will put the USO on it and see how it does. I haven't shot bench rest for a long time so it will probably take some time to get back in the groove - especially with the winds we have had for the last few weeks. Thanks again!
 
I run a USO SN-3 on my CZ 455 and am happy with it's performance for what the rifle was built for. It along with a 25moa base gets me to 400 yards with subsonics without any hold overs. It's not a BR rifle, it's just a trainer/plinker

Any power scope will work dependent on what size targets you use. If you can clearly dissect a target with a reticle, you should be able to get good results. There are quite a few that use fixed 10X's at 1000yds with CF's and are content. Sure higher magnification fixed powers offer more precise holds but there are always tradeoffs with small FOV and problems with mirage.
 
12x is plenty to get hits on a 6" gong at 200 for me... BUT... if I were shootign groups or on a scored bull ring, I'd want much finer crosshairs than what my scopes have (they are hunting scopes, not target scopes)