6 Best .22LR Scopes- Reviews, Features & Buying Guide

By | February 8, 2023

Contents

The .22 long rifles are mostly used firearms in the United States. Be it for personal defense or pest control, every third person owns a rimfire rifle. If you pair these with the best .22LR scopes, they get even amazing. Adding a proper rimfire scope helps keep the recoil perfectly.

A .22 caliber rifles are ideal because of their lower caliber and they also serve as a good plinking rifle. But with the market brimming with various amazing scopes of a similar kind it is a challenging task to find the most appropriate one for yourself. To help you with that, this guide is created to serve with the best available options of .22LR scopes. So read on, get set and explore.

Note – Qrossfire earns a small commision when you buy the products by going through our affiliate links. Learn More.

Best .22LR Scopes a Quick Overview

Here is the list of the best .22LR Scopes picked by our team Qrossfire. The below list is picked by our team experts by keeping the quality and price meter.

$29.99
$36.99
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1 new from $29.99
1 used from $28.30
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$32.95
in stock
1 new from $32.95
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
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$39.97
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4 new from $39.97
3 used from $26.98
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
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$39.99
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11 new from $39.99
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
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$46.99
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8 new from $46.99
4 used from $45.71
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
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$52.11
in stock
6 new from $51.54
1 used from $24.29
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
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$72.99
in stock
1 new from $72.99
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
Amazon.com
Free shipping
$129.00
in stock
26 new from $129.00
1 used from $118.68
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
Amazon.com
Free shipping
out of stock
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
Amazon.com
in stock
as of March 27, 2024 2:18 pm
Amazon.com

Best .22LR Scopes Detailed Reviews

The following are some of the best scopes, read on and find the most suitable one for yourself.

#1. Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire

Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7x32 Rimfire
This is a renowned riflescope, and this series comes with a lineup of popular sizes and configurations. This brand prioritizes quality and value by offering premium features at an entry-level scope. The one thing entry-level about this scope is its range. Other than that, this rimfire scope is created to compete with all other similarly priced scopes.

A notable thing about this product is the ultra-forgiving eye box that comes with long eye relief. This helps you in aiming your target and get a perfect picture of the sight. Moreover, these features multi-coated lenses that are anti-reflective. The lenses confirm that your view is clear and bright.

This best .22lr scope is made with a single piece aircraft-grade aluminum tube, and only due to that its durability and strength can’t be doubted. It gives fog-proof and water-proof performance for a longer duration. The capped turrets have an appropriate size and you can adjust them by yourself.

Lastly, the fast-focused eyepiece allows you to dial in a sharp focus of the rectile. If you are searching for the best rimfire scope without spending too much, and still want the best quality then this is the ideal one for you.

PROS
  • Quick-focused eyepiece for reticle adjustments.
  • Adjustable dials with MOA clicks.
  • Multi-coated lenses.
  • Strong 1-piece tube construction.
CONS
  • Only ideal for a scout setup.

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#2. Nikon Prostaff Rimfire ii 3-9×40 bdc150

Nikon PROSTAFF RIMFIRE II 3-9X40 BDC150
Oh, this one doesn’t need any introduction because it belongs to the Nikon family. It’s a sturdy, high-quality scope and there is nothing flimsy about this one. You won’t find any complaints about this amazing scope. No doubt, there are some negative reviews out there and some customers may have experienced a defective product which is very rare.

They have a spot-on reticle system that makes it very convenient for you to take long-range shots once you sight it from a particular distance. Its glass is crystal clear and you’ll experience a better visual.

It’s water-proof, fog-proof and shockproof, and you won’t have any complaints regarding its durability. Not only this, this scope features fully multi-coated optics for a better view. The overall clarity and sharpness of this riflescope will leave you astonished. And the price is just worth the product.

PROS
  • Premium quality scope at an affordable price.
  • All the lenses are fully multi-coated.
  • The clear and sharp image even when zoomed to the max.
  • BDC 150 reticle designed for .22 long rifle.
CONS
  • Make sure to check for defective units within the return period.

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#3. Bushnell Optics Drop Zone-22 BDC Rimfire Reticle Riflescope

Bushnell Optics Drop Zone-22 BDC Rimfire Reticle Riflescope
All the turrets are exposed so if you are aiming for target shooting you can adjust and calibrate on the go. They are not that convenient to click, but that’s a good thing. As they won’t move easily if you accidentally know them, this scope has a bullet drop compensator built.

It also features a side focus parallax adjustment feature. The reticle is far better than other reticles with crosshairs.

Not just this, it allows you to take shots at targets quickly and confidently at more than twice the usual distance.

Furthermore, the reticle is only effective on maximum magnification. The scope is highly versatile with a huge range of effective shooting distances. If you set your scope at two then you’ll easily shoot more quickly when hunting in the woods.

PROS
  • The turrets can be reset to zero once you sight in the scope.
  • All the optics are fully multi-coated.
  • High-quality and durable aluminum alloy tube construction.
  • Adjustable finger turrets
CONS
  • It is heavier than most .22LR scopes.

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#4. Primary Arms Classic Series 6×32 Rifle Scope

Primary Arms Classic Series 6x32mm Rifle Scope - ACSS-22LR
These scopes are ideal for plinking, hunting, or range competition. It has a non-illuminated ACSS 22LR reticle with a 6x second focal plane. The best thing about this Primary Arms optic is the reticle. If you are the type of person that loves to shoot a target within a range of 100 yards, this ACSS reticle is suitable for you.

The good thing about this is that you can mount it on any .22 rifle. It is really designed for the 22 long fire rifle calibers. This is ideal for short distances. Even though this best .22lr scope comes with a lot of advantages there are some downfalls with this one.

It’s only a fixed six power so, if you want the shoot out 200 yards or do small game hunting then this one is less suitable. Unlike crosshairs, you can get a fine bead on your target at distanced ranges. But for 95% of the applications, this scope will meet your requirements and a notable feature is that it has very good eye relief and the glass is crystal clear.

PROS
  • Fixed six power scope with ACSS reticle.
  • Perfect for 100 yards range shooting.
  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Finger adjustable turrets.
CONS
  • Not suitable for over 100 yards range.

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#5. Leupold FX-I Rimfire 4x28mm Fine Duplex

Leupold FX-I Rimfire 4x28mm Fine Duplex
Leupold is a trusted name in the market. The scopes they manufacture possess high-quality construction and are available at a decent price. The Leupold FX fixed power riflescope is convenient, lightweight, optically superb and reliable. It’s also highly accurate with a simple reticle that is ideal for a 22-rimfire. The FX-I from Leupold delivers the rugged simplicity of a fixed power scope.

All the scopes of this brand are machined, designed, and assembled in the United States. This is not something that you’ll see every day. It used to be the only type of scope that you can get, but now the market is brimmed with multiple scopes.

This scope comes with high-quality optics as the VX-II. The rimfire parallax is adjusted for 60 yards and as it’s a fixed power scope it comes with a 1-inch main tube design. All in all, this is one of the best .22lr scopes and the knobs are finger adjustable.

PROS
  • Fixed power scope.
  • Rugged and designed to withstand harsh usage.
  • Clear and bright optics.
  • Lightweight
  • Decent price
  • Impressive low light performance.
CONS
  • Less durable

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#6. BARSKA 3-9×32 Plinker-22 Riflescope

BARSKA 3-9x32 Plinker-22 Riflescope, Black
The Plinker-22 from BARSKA is a popular riflescope that is manufactured specifically for use with rimfires and .22 caliber rifles. Apart from plinking, you can use its general hunting feature as well. It comes with rugged construction and is engineered to withstand heavy usage and other harsh situations that hunters usually face.

Other than that, this comes with scope rings but they are only for ⅜ rail. For a Marlin 69 rimfire rifle, you can mount this rifle with the given scope rings very conveniently. Its optics are clear and they are multi-coated. If you want amazing performance and sharp optical clarity then the Plinker-22 is the best .22lr scope for you.

This one has a 30/30 reticle with generous 3.5-inch eye relief. The knobs can be adjusted easily which permits you to react to any environment at any moment. The scope offers a 0.25-inch click value and the matte black finish looks appealing on any rifle. On its purchase, you will get a lens cover and a lens cloth. The major drawback of this is it might change at different magnifications.

PROS
  • Easy to sight and clear optics.
  • Multi-coated lenses.
  • Cheap
  • Waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof.
  • Comes with mounting rings and lens covers.
CONS
  • The mounting ring might not be compatible with your gun.
  • Many shortcomings

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q.1 How to Choose the Best Scopes For 22LR?

From small game hunting to casual plinking, a 22lr is the most used caliber. It is widely available in a variety of rimfire cartridges. Due to its popularity, there is a good amount of scopes available out there. Here are a few things to be considered while picking the best 22lr scope:

  1. Magnification: the foremost thing you should decide is your shooting distance. That will determine what magnification you will require, and it’s a good idea to determine this factor beforehand as it will save your money.
  2. Long Range: scopes that offer 9x magnification or more are recommended for long-distance shooting at 100 yards and above.
  3. Clarity: your focus should not be just long-range but also the clarity of the scope. Popular scope manufacturers use multi-coated lenses to provide a clear and bright version. So you should look for those only.
  4. Durability: as .22 LR rifles don’t have any recoil, you don’t need to worry about that. You just need to keep the substantial capacity of the scope and its ability to withstand challenging weather conditions.
  5. Heaviness- usually 22LR rifles aren’t heavy, but if you add a scope that is heavier there is a possibility that it might imbalance the fun. Since the .22LR rifles are lightweight, the optics that you are going to mount should not be heavy.

Q.2 What should be your main focus while purchasing a .22LR scope?

The scopes will give you the opportunity that you never thought you’ll witness with just a rimfire rifle. , while purchasing a 22LR scope it is suggested you must focus on two things:

  • Accuracy
  • Rifle’s range

Q.3 Which scope is stronger?

The scope with a single-piece tube construction is generally stronger as it will help in increasing the durability. Be it you mount it on a rimfire or high caliber rifle, always go for a scope that possesses one-piece tube construction. Most of the scope in this list has such construction.  So you can pick the one that you prefer the most!

Conclusion

A 22lr rifle is one of the most used firearms in the United States. Literally, every gun owner owns or two in their arsenal and because of their simplicity, they are a perfect entry-level gun for amateur gun users. The above-mentioned list of best .22lr scopes can be used for small-time hunting games. From pest control to varmint hunting, a good rifle with the best rifle scope will help you achieve your set target.

Get back to us if you need any further insights and wish to share your experience.