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Squirrel scope for .22LR

My Ruger 10/22 carries an ancient Browning rim fire scope, Exact copy of a Redfield, But for the name Browning, 1973 vintage. My CZ 452 carries a Leopold 4X12 40mm AO VXIII. My CZ457 presently carries a Leopold 6X18 40 mm AO, While I am working on the rifle and testing ammo, May put a smaller scope on this rifle for squirrel hunting.
 
On my anschutz 1416DL, I have the Leupold 3-9x33ao efr, it's a great rimfire scope. on my CZ 452 American I have a Nikon bushmaster 6-18x40. It is a decent rimfire scope, 6x on the low end is a little high for squirrel hunting though. I still like to use it, the CZ extracts empty cases a lot better than the Annie
 
Ive used the leupold and now 3 tract rimfire scopes. Much prefer the tract over leupold. Great value. Held the nikon and vortex rimfire scopes at cabelas and still prefer tract. Taken birds through the head or neck at impressive distances as well. You can definitely pay more and get a higher end scope. I have no regrets with tract for rimfire though
 
I have a sightron stac 4-20x50 with MOA-2 reticle on my CZ452. SK Match put through a Neil waltz hollow point die. I really really like the scope. Easy to take the close or long shots. Especially those 15yd shots where things are trickier then you would think no matter the scope you have. The long shots are easy too. We practice LR to 200yds for LR on empty shot gun shells. I recommend a mil dot reticle or sightrons moa reticle. Practice close, far or vertical and shots are much easier since you have a consistent point of aim with this style of reticle. When the corn pickers are done in the fall we set up on Squirrels for LR 100-200yds.
 
I have the Leupold 2-7x33 rimfire on my Browning T-Bolt in a DNZ mount. I love it, light and handy and I don't really see the need for a BDC reticle or turrets for squirrel hunting.
 
Leupold VX 1 2-7x28 Rimfire Fine Duplex

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I have an olde Weaver 4-14X40 GrandSlam on my 77/22 ground squirrel (gophers) rifle. I can focus down to less than 20 yards and since its only a .22 LR usual max ranges are 75 yards. I have an older 6-20X40 GrandSlam on my CZ457 .17HMR. If these rodents climbed trees my choice would remain the same. Amazing that the tree type squirrels are able to descend trees head first.
 
Hard to pick a scope without knowing what kind of gun it will sit on, but right now Nikon scopes are on closeout everyplace because they are quitting the business.
Get a low power (for fast swinging at squirrels in .22LR), and get a smaller objective. You'll want as little parallax as possible since your shots will be close in.
Most likely you'll set it up for 40 to 50 yards at sight-in, so a large objective will have you cocking the scope too far downward to keep it accurate for the rare 80-90 yard shot.
So, 2 x 7, or a straight four power, Nikon, should run $75.00 to $125.00 right now.
I like the comment about minimizing parallax. The little difference between close in and farther shots can be significant.
 
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