The best varmint scope for the individual user can be a difficult question, made more complex by the fact that with modern technology, a dizzying number of new types of scope are now widely available with an increasing amount of power that was unheard of a mere twenty years ago. However, varmints remain the same as they were some centuries ago and this is unlikely to change, meaning that the destruction they bring calls for ever more impressive technology to counter the damage these vermin do to agriculture land and buildings. Being able to hunt these vermin at long range is essential as they tend to retreat to places humans will not fit if they’re spooked.
A good varmint scope may be limited by the user’s budget or even their typical needs, which is why reading some of the best varmint scope for 223 reviews. Someone who does most of their hunting during the day or hunting diurnal animals likely does not need a scope, while someone going after nocturnal animals such as boars and coyotes likely will want a night vision scope to take down these shady animals. Budgetary concerns, always a problem for most hunters, can also play into the matter, especially since simply gunning down varmints does not require a military grade rifle scope intended for serious battlefield use. Below are a few of the best varmint scopes out there.
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Top 5 Varmint Scopes Reviews
1. Tasco Varmint 2.5-10x 42mm True Mil-Dot Reticle
The Varmint 2.5-10x model is an offering from the Tasco corporation intended for the shooting of varmints at relatively close range. Featuring an actual mil-dot reticle, this scope is a pretty serious scope for a device selling for under 70 USD. With its extra large 42 millimeter objective lens, this device has a variable magnification system that allows the user to go from 2.5 range to 10x magnification with next to no problems. It boasts quality optics and high durability, along with multicoated optics of the SuperCon variety intended to keep dirt and fog from damaging the lens beyond salvation. Intended for intermediate and long range, at least as far as varmint shooting is concerned, this scope is a lower priced model, even for a varmint scope, retailing for between 50 and 60 USD on most retail outlets.
Most users find that this budget rifle scope works quite well for its price. Many customer reviews praise its clear magnification at all its available ranges, as many low end rifle scopes get blurry at maximum range, making hitting the target a dicey proposition. Users also praised its ease of use as well, saying that it was quite easy to adjust even in the shooting position, as well as being capable of holding its position of magnification even after firing several shots. However, some users complain that even without external damage, the reticle came loose and rotated to one side after a few years of use, rendering the scope completely useless. Users who want a scope that will last are advised to aim a bit higher, as it were.
2. BARSKA 6.5-20×50 AO Varmint Target Dot Riflescope
This model of rifle scope from BARSKA is definitely a varmint shooting scope on the lower end of the price spectrum. It uses a target dot style of rifle scope, a standardized method that most hunters are quite comfortable with after even a short time using a scoped rifle. The 50 millimeter lens features 6.5x to 20x magnification, a fairly typical range for scopes of this variety. It boasts of a complete water proof and fog proof system of optics, as well as a caliber proofed elevation adjust intended to keep the damage of firing the rifle the scope is on to a minimum. It also includes a 3.6 inch eye relief, as well as a 2.5 millimeter exit pupil and a 1/8 click value.
Most users find that this a good solid bargain rifle scope, but most acknowledge that it does come with bargain quality. Most of these users are perfectly satisfied, though most note that at magnification range of up to 16x magnification and beyond, the view through the scope becomes distorted, making it a poor choice for truly long range shooting. However, adjusting for elevation and windage is a relatively uncomplicated task with this rifle, and the sight is clear and bright at the medium and low powered ranges. Most users do find that the scope meets their needs as long as they do not need to make a truly long range shot with it, and those shooters who don’t find themselves needing to make very many such shots find it quite a good deal for what it is.
3. Tasco Target/Varmint 6-24x42mm Rifle Scope Mil Dot Reticle
Another offering from Tasco, this is a somewhat higher end device from the Varmint 2.5-10x model, with an attendant cost. Still intended largely for varmint shooting, this device boasts of quality optics intended for a clear sight at as many range as possible. It features a 6-24x magnification systems, made possible via a 42 millimeter objective lens. Something of a tougher device than the previous model, this rifle is intended to be water proof, fog proof and shock proof. The optical systems are coated with multiple layers of specialized coating to provide the user with a incredibly clear and crisp visual sighting by protecting the lenses from various hazards associated with use in the field. Finally, it features a genuine mil-dot reticle and weights in 19.6 ounces, a hefty device intended to take a beating in the field.
Users in the field report some mixed results. Most users do feel that this is a good rifle scope for the money, finding a good over all bargain scope. It needs little adjustment, even after firing upwards of a hundred rounds through a Remington 700 rifle of the SPS SS variety. It generally takes very little adjusting to make it fit to a specific user and users also praise the ease at which the device’s magnification can be adjusted. However, like most low end scopes, this scope generally gets blurry at longer ranges, generally starting at 18x magnification and elevating from there. Other users report that it should not be mounted on a high powered rifle as the muzzle flash is too bright for comfort, and some users even report being blindly by an overly bright environment.
4. Tasco Target & Varmint 6-24×44 Riflescope
This is something of an obscure item from the Hawke corporation, weighing in at 1.8 pounds and 14.8 inches with a monotube style of construction and costing over 200 USD. It features a parallax adjustment of the side focus variety, as well as optics coated in an advanced process called True View, intended to keep the scope’s sight clear of the problems that can plague a scope in the field. It features high grip BDC turrets clocking in at 1/4 MOA and has a fast focus eye bell. The optical systems has also been threaded to provide a type of sunshade in painfully bright environments, as well as being able to handle heavy rain, heavy fog and being dropped. With a 3.8 foot field of view at 100 yards and an eye relief of 3.2 inches, this is something of a higher end product for a simple varmint rifle scope.
Most users who did order this scope were quite impressed with its power, finding it to be a fairly good scope at some impressive ranges, giving a fairly clear sight at 140 yards at 24x magnification, though extremely precise shooting can be somewhat difficult at upwards of 100 yards. Some users report that it gets cloudy under lower light conditions, but few knowledgeable hunters expect high degrees of visual clarity under low light conditions from low end scopes. Some users find that these scopes are less of an encumbrance that other scopes. It can also be used for range finding with few problems. However, some users have reported receiving defective products of this model, though this does seem to be somewhat uncommon, all things considered.
5. Yukon Nvrs Titanium 2.5X50 Varmint Hunter Night Vision Riflescope
This is a very high end scope, clocking in around 500 USD in cost. However, it is a fairly serious scope for difficult shots. The main reason this device costs what it does is that it is a true night vision scope. It illuminator is a pulse infrared system that enhances image brightness even in total darkness and in merely low light conditions it performs even better. It is somewhat hard to use in bright light conditions, but in environments where there is little or almost no light, this rifle can pierce the darkness with ease. Featuring a 50 millimeter objective lens with a 2.5 magnification system, this weapon does suffer from some limitations in its pursuit of being a true night vision scope. Less than ideal for long ranges, it is however very good for dark environments.
Customers from across the country find that this scope is very useful for night hunting, particularly of dangerous nocturnal game such as coyotes and boars. Few users of this scope feel that its daylight mode is very good, mentioning that the magnification is severely lessened and the images it shows are quite blurry. That aside, many hunters find that it does wonders for making accurate shots even in pitch black conditions, and most are happy with its durability and construction. The life of its batteries, 40 to 50 hours, is also a positive point in most customers’ eyes. That said, some customers have gotten problematic models that were of poor quality, meaning that it would likely be best to get this scope from a reputable dealer with a good refund policy.
Choosing the Right Scope
Of course, even the top varmint scope reviews tend to be quite subjective. Sometimes people really do receive defective models, while other people are more easily impressed than others. It can be hard to tell which reviews are questionable. To do so, it can’t be stressed that the potential buyer will need to do some good research. The best varmint scope for 22 250 should be compared to other reviews of the product; a product that generally gets good reviews but has a few truly bad reviews may actually be a situation of the low rating reviewers getting a defective product, which can happen, even with high quality optical systems.
The best optical scope reviews also mention use under different conditions. A night vision scope’s review should ideally mention the various conditions the scope was used under, also considering how the device performs during the day. Even a short range scope should be considered for its longest ranges, and the best optical scope reviews take this into account. Most reviews should also mention downsides, as well as the full range of conditions under which the reviewer tested the scope. Most professional reviews take this into account, though crowd sourced reviews seldom have this level of quality control, forcing readers to draw their own conclusions on admittedly limited information. Fortunately there are a wide range of websites out there offering a dizzying number of reviews for all but the most obscure products, include varmint scopes.
Maintaining a varmint scope is generally fairly uncomplicated, but does call for certain precautions. The scope ideally should not be dropped as even the toughest scope does have an upper limit of abuse it can take before it simply stops functioning, due to the fact that even the toughest optics are still ultimately quite fragile objects. The lenses should be cleaned with optical cleaning fluids and specially designed wipes, though these fluids and wipes are no different from those used to clean other important optics, such as camera lenses, scanner glass and eye glasses.
A varmint scope is an important accessory for one who finds that varmints are a problem in their areas. Getting the right varmint scope can be quite important, but knowing which one that is will take some effort to find the best varmint scope reviews. Knowing your needs is step one and then reading up on the types of scopes out there to determine which one will best suit your specific needs is the next step. There are many type of scope out there, not all of which are intended for the types of guns usually used on vermin, and getting the wrong one can cost you.
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