The 10 Best Rimfire Scopes of 2026: Budget to Precision Optics Tested

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A rimfire rifle used to be the next step up from a Red Ryder. You'd grab it to plink at the range, teach a new shooter, or shoot a few squirrels. But rimfire rifles have evolved, and so has the entire hobby of shooting them. It's now completely normal to expect a rifle to shoot 1-inch groups at 100 yards and a range session to stretch from 25 to 300 yards.

Scopes have kept pace with the rifles. You might find a basic 3-9x on a stock 10/22, but you won't find one on someone's RimX build. Today's rimfire shooter wants close-focusing adjustable parallax, a first-focal-plane reticle, and plenty of elevation travel to reach well beyond 100 yards.

I selected the best rimfire scopes with those demands in mind, but I haven't forgotten the utilitarian and budget friendly scopes. Here are my top picks from my testing and our optics tests.

• Best Overall: Nightforce NX6 2-12×42 F1

• Best for Competition: Vortex Razor HD Gen III 6-36×56

• Best Traditional: Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32

• Hawke Vantage HD 30 4-16×50 SF

• GPO Centuri 4-16x44i FFP Compact

• Bushnell R7 4-20×50 FFP MOA Hybrid Dot Tree Illuminated

• Burris Veracity

• Leupold VX-Freedom 2-7×33

• Tract 22 FIRE 4-12×40

• Best Smart Scope: Burris Eliminator 6 4-20×52

The Best Rimfire Scopes: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Overall: Nightforce NX6 2-12×42 F1

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 Pros 

• Good ergonomics

• Versatile

• Bright and clean glass

 Cons 

• Some might find the reticle too busy

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•  First-focal-plane FC-MRx reticle, in MOA or MRAD 

•  Exposed FieldSet elevation turret with a zero stop you can reset in the field 

•  Parallax adjusts down to 11 yards 

•  Illumination with five brightness levels and auto shutoff 

•  30mm tube in a compact 12.5-inch, 23.1-ounce package 

•  Built-in throw lever for fast magnification changes 

I use rimfires for hunting, fun shooting and occasionally competition. I'd typically need at least two scopes to cover those pastimes: a handy 3-9x for hunting and a 3-15x for shooting small targets at extended ranges. But the Nightforce NX6 2-12×42 F1 can take on all of those uses, and do them well.

We tested the entire NX6 line at Outdoor Life's 2026 optics test, and I was thoroughly impressed with the 5-30x56mm F1's ability to ring steel at 300 yards and focus down to 11 yards. That scope is a bit big for my typical rimfire uses. The 3-18x is a highly versatile option that Outdoor Life Editor-in-Chief, Alex Robinson, recently picked as the best high-end scope for deer hunting, but it's still a bit heavy for my taste. The 2-12x is my pick for the ultimate rimfire scope because it's ideally suited for small-game hunting, plinking and shooting steel beyond 100 yards. While it's not the scope you want for hitting tiny targets at long range, it has enough magnification to hit rimfire-sized targets around 100 yards, and I routinely shoot my KYL rimfire rack with it at 50 yards.

The scope's attributes extend beyond its versatility. It has decent glass, an incredibly easy-to-use zero stop, close focusing and excellent tracking. Some might find the FC-MRx reticle too busy, but I like it for fast holdovers and its reference points for wind holds.

I currently have the NX6 2-12×42 on a CZ 457 American with a Proof Research carbon-fiber barrel. The rifle is a hammer and very light, and the NX6 is right at home on it.

Read Next: CZ 457 American Review: Quarter-Inch Groups Right Off the Rack

Nightforce NX6 2-12×42 F1 Specs

Best for Competition: Vortex Razor HD Gen III 6-36×56

 Get It From Midway USA   Get It From Cabela's 

 Pros 

• Innovative zeroing system

• Excellent glass

• Infinite zero setting positions between clicks

• Clear and precise indexing

• Simple, fast, and precise reticle references

• Ships with throw lever, lens caps, sunshade, tools

 Cons 

• Reticle markings could be bolder

• Locking turrets are hard to activate

• At about $4,000, one of the most expensive precision scopes

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 Score Card 

•  Optical Performance:  Very Good 

•  Aiming System:  Very Good 

•  Design:  Very Good 

•  Price/Value:  Fair 

 Key Features 

•  Micro-adjust turret dial 

•  L-Tec+ Zero Stop 

•  34mm tube 

•  First-plane EBR-7D reticle available in MRAD or MOA 

•  Lockable illumination dial 

•  10 yards to infinity parallax correction 

•  External turret rotation indicator 

•  36.1 MRAD elevation, 15.5 MRAD windage adjustment 

If you're looking for to compete in NRL22, there are several excellent scopes to choose from. But the Razor HD Gen III 6-36×56 is my overall best pick. It focuses down to 10 yards, has 36 MRAD of elevation adjustment, and plenty of magnification for shooting matchsticks and other tiny targets. The new VMR-5 reticle is a nice clean reticle that's ideal for people who prefer dialing and you can still get the EBR-7 reticle if you prefer holdovers.

Here's what optics editor, Andrew McKean, had to say about the Razor HD Gen III after our optics test :

Vortex might have been satisfied with simply upgrading the reticle inside its flagship precision scope, which has won enough PRS and NRL matches to qualify as a class leader. But with the new Gen III version of the venerable Razor HD, Vortex has created a new turret system that is precise, smart, and innovative.

The heart of the turret update is what Vortex calls its L-TEC+ zero system in which relaxing a single set screw allows users to make fast and precise turret adjustments. The system allows zeros to be established between the turrets' .1 MRAD clicks, meaning that shooters no longer have to be satisfied with turrets set a half click above or below their true zero, a fudge factor that is more problematic the farther you shoot.

The operation takes a bit of getting used to. Tester John B. Snow, thinking the external slot on the head of the turret was designed to accept a beefy screwdriver bit, reefed on our sample, breaking the pot-metal, before reading the instructions and learning that once the retaining screw is loosened, the turret moves easily with only fingertip tension. Our other rifle-range revelation: The creepy caterpillar-looking grub that emerges from the base of the turret is not an embedded chrysalis but rather a smart revolution indicator that becomes fully emergent on the third full rotation of the elevation turret.

For the smart turret updates, the Vortex wins our Innovation Award, but that's hardly the only update to this excellent scope. The new EBR-7D reticle is a marvel of efficient simplicity. Built around a .03 MRAD red-illuminated center dot with open aiming cross, the reticle's elevation steps are in .2 MRAD hatches, and windage steps in .2 MRAD dots. We would like to see slightly bolder indexing, as the reticle references were hard to see below about 11-power.

The image delivered by the Razor HD is one of the best in the class, and we liked the turret indexing and smart and useful pull-to-turn illumination control. With a very close parallax adjustment and the infinitely adjustable zero, this would make an excellent rimfire competition scope.

Vortex is understandably proud of this scope, but with a retail price of around $4,000, we think it's pretty pricey compared with its peer group. — Andrew McKean

Best Traditional: Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32

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 Pros 

• Long eye relief

• Appealing price

• Low-profile mounting dimensions

• Simple reticle

• Excellent warranty

• Parallax fixed at 50 yards

 Cons 

• Reticle lacks windage or elevation references

• Limited focus control

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 Key Features 

•  Weight:  13.9 ounces 

•  Magnification Range:  2-7-power 

•  Objective Lens Diameter:  32mm 

•  Tube Diameter:  1-inch 

•  Turret Click Values:  .25 MOA 

•  Total Elevation Adjustment:  60 MOA 

•  Reticle Focal Plane:  Second 

•  Illuminated Reticle:  No 

There's not much innovative or surprising here, just a basic duplex reticle inside a straight-ahead scope with decent turrets and a durable build. Backed by an excellent warranty.

If simplicity is the pathway to versatility, then the Vortex Crossfire II is at home on a small-game bolt rifle or a fast-shooting AR. It might not have the chops for precision work, but the duplex reticle is fast and reliable. The controls are a little mushy, but the eye relief and eye box are both forgiving and the fixed parallax makes it a great plinking scope. — Andrew McKean

Hawke Vantage HD 30 4-16×50 SF

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 Pros 

• Useful second-plane bullet-drop reticle

• Fine floating illuminated center aiming dot

• At under $500, a good value

• Locking exposed turrets

• Excellent field of view

 Cons 

• Reticle references valid at highest mag

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 Key Features  

•  Multi-position magnification throw lever 

•  Liberal mounting dimensions 

•  Rezeroable turrets 

•  Red and green illumination 

•  Abundant internal reticle adjustment 

Another in a long line of solid, bright Hawke scopes. This sub-$450 Vantage 30 is an upscale sibling to the Vortex Crossfire HD 6-18×50. Both sport useful second focal-plane BDC reticles with center-dot illumination. But the Hawke brings a little more sophistication to its controls, with exposed pull-to-turn turrets, immersive field of view, and a floating center-dot aiming point that lights up in either green or red.

Optics are good but not great. The illumination is good but we wish it was more intense to boost visibility in bright sunlight. And turret tracking started to slip a bit at the very end of its elevation travel.

But the Hawke impressed us with its smooth, tactile controls, and the BDC reticle is fast, with MOA-based references that correspond to the drop of standard center-fire loads. With a 50-yard zero with our standard 40-grain CCI .22 LR ammunition, we easily stretched the reticle to 300 yards by dialing 35 MOA of elevation and holding another 10 MOA. That's impressive range for the scope-and-rimfire combo.

"It's a simple, straightforward hunting scope that's priced about right," says tester Dale Manning. Enough said. — Andrew McKean

Hawke Vantage 30 4-16×50

• Magnification: 4-16-power

• Objective Lens: 50mm

• Tube Diameter: 30mm

• Light Transmission: Not provided

• Exit Pupil Diameter: 12.5mm to 3.125mm

• Twilight Factor: 14.1-28.3

• Field of View: 28.8-7.8 feet at 100 yards

• Reticle Plane: Second

• Reticle Type: LR2 Dot

• Illumination: Red and green center dot

• Turret Click Values: ¼ MOA

• Adjustment Per Revolution: 15 MOA

• Total Internal Adjustment – Elevation: 95 MOA

• Total Internal Adjustment – Windage: 95 MOA

• Parallax Correction: 10 yards to infinity

• Weight: 26.1 ounces

• Length: 13.7 inches

GPO Centuri 4-16x44i FFP Compact

 Get It From Midway USA   Get It From Amazon 

 Pros 

• At 9.9 inches, super compact

• Simple ballistic stop

• Designed for tactical carbines

• Infinitely adjustable rheostat illumination module

• First focal-plane dual-purpose reticle

• Priced under $700

 Cons 

• Limited mounting dimensions

• Stingy eyebox at higher magnifications

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 Key Features  

•  Pull-to-turn exposed turrets 

•  Oversized magnification throw lever 

•  Free custom turret 

•  Mounts nicely on cantilever extension mount 

One of the surprises of the test is how testers universally fell in love with this little, versatile scope. On the surface, it seems like an oddball. Less than 10 inches long, it requires a cantilever mount to fit most rifle receivers, and it looks more like an LPVO than a serious precision scope.

But once you get behind the GPO Centuri Compact, a whole world is revealed through the excellent milling reticle. At lower magnifications with the illumination at its highest intensity, the reticle functions as a point-and-shoot red-dot sight. But at higher magnifications, starting about 10x, the reticle's precision references become visible. A series of .1 MRAD hashes enables pinpoint aiming. For shooters who prefer to dial, the big exposed turrets pull to turn and move with authority. A smart revolution indicator pops up on the elevation turret when shooters enter the second revolution.

​If you'd rather tune the reticle to your specific load, GPO offers a free custom ballistic turret with purchase. That's an additional value for a scope that's already priced fairly at about $650.

Testers debated the best use cases for the Centuri Compact. Some felt it's best suited to an AR carbine. Others wanted it on their big-woods whitetail rifle, and still others felt it would be an excellent scope for stalking elk in dark timber. That latter use is enabled with a smart illumination that lights up the floating center dot and inverted horseshoe. The red illumination is infinitely adjustable thanks to a rheostat control.

​The eyebox is stingy at higher magnifications, which forces shooters to have perfect alignment. But that's a minor miss. The scope garnered enough pluses to finish in the top third of the field of scopes that are much more squarely configured for hunting.— Andrew McKean

​GPO Centuri 4-16x44i Compact Specs

• Magnification: 4-16-power

• Objective Lens: 44mm

• Tube Diameter: 30mm

• Light Transmission: Not available

• Exit Pupil Diameter: 11mm to 2.75mm

• Twilight Factor: 13.3 to 26.5

• Field of View: 34-9 feet at 100 yards

• Reticle Plane: First

• Reticle Type: MIL inverted horseshoe/hash style

• Illumination: Yes

• Turret Click Values: .1 MIL

• Adjustment Per Revolution: 10 MIL

• Total Internal Adjustment – Elevation: 22 MIL

• Total Internal Adjustment – Windage: 36 MIL

• Parallax Correction: 10 yards to infinity

• Weight: 20 ounces

• Length: 9.9 inches

Bushnell R7 4-20×50 FFP MOA Hybrid Dot Tree Illuminated

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 Pros 

• Precise and fast first-plane reticle

• Liberal mounting dimensions

• 3-position throw lever

• Zero stop

• Useful mag range for hunting

• Crossover hunt/target scope

 Cons 

• Parallax and illumination knob protrudes

• Reticle utility begins at about 8x

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 Key Features 

•  30mm tube 

•  Available in MOA or MIL 

•  Available in first or second focal plane reticle 

•  Side parallax correction from 15 yards to infinity 

•  Exposed locking elevation turret, capped windage 

•  11-step red center-circle illumination 

•  Ships with sunshade, flip-up caps, and multi-tool 

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The Busnell R7 won the editor's choice award for being the best hunting scope of the year. While it's an excellent big-game optic, it's also right at home on a rimfire rifle. Here's McKean's take on this excellent piece of glass:

With this big, bright, and surprisingly sophisticated R7, Bushnell is restoring its relevance as a first-order hunting optic brand. The first focal-plane scope has an open tree-style reticle that's anchored by an illuminated segmented circle and floating center dot that enables precision work as well as fast holdover and wind-informed shots at game.

For hunters and target shooters who would rather dial, the pull-to-turn elevation turret is nicely indexed and moves with positivity. The windage dial is capped.

Bushnell has invested heavily in the R7 line, which is the best of the Good/Better/Best product-line hierarchy that started with the R3 a couple years ago and continued with the R5 last year. The company has four different configurations of the R7, released just this month: a 1-8×24 LPVO, a 2-10×42, and a 3-15×50 in addition to the 4-20×50. The lower magnification scopes are available in second-plane reticles, but the two higher-mag versions come in either first- or second-plane reticles and either MIL or MOA, giving buyers a crazy number of variations on the platform.

We tested the second-plane MOA version of the 4-20×50, but for its versatility, performance on a wide range of targets and distances, and its flawless handling, we named the FFP R7 not only best Bushnell in the test, but the best overall hunting scope in the field of 25 excellent competitors. They include Nightforce's new NX6, Leupold's VX-4HD, and Zeiss's new V3 families, along with some excellent submissions from Vortex, Trijicon, and Burris.

For its overall performance, the Bushnell R7 4-20×50 is this year's Editor's Choice winner as the top hunting scope of 2026.

The scope stacked points with a combination of good ED Prime glass, clear indexing on its controls, tight and positive turret and focus controls, and an illuminated Hybrid Dot Tree reticle that splits the difference between a precision competition and a hunting reticle. Its zero stop, which we're glad to see on this type scope, is a 6-screw affair that's a hassle to set, but works wonderfully as a solid backstop on elevation turret travel.

We worried about the durability of the R7, but it passed our inaugural drop test without skipping a beat. We dropped the scope three times from three feet on concrete covered by a 2-inch pad, and the Bushnell retained its zero.

Of course, our test teased out some deficiencies. The reticle references aren't especially visible until about 7x, and I'd like to see one or two more intensity steps to the center-dot and segmented circle illumination to make them pop in daylight.

But if you're looking for a rimfire or long-range competition scope that you can easily transition into a big-game hunt, this is a wonderful choice. The price, at about $950, is fair for the versatility and fine handling of this true crossover scope. — Andrew McKean

Bushnell R7 4-20×50 Specs

• Magnification: 4-20-power

• Objective Lens: 50mm

• Tube Diameter: 30mm

• Light Transmission: Not provided

• Exit Pupil Diameter: 12.5-5mm

• Twilight Factor: 14.1-22.4

• Field of View: 32-6.3 feet at 100 yards

• Reticle Plane: First (tested)

• Reticle Type: MOA Hybrid Dot Tree Illuminated

• Turret Click Values: ¼ MOA

• Adjustment Per Revolution: 15 MOA

• Total Internal Adjustment – Elevation: 80 MOA

• Total Internal Adjustment – Windage: 50 MOA

• Parallax Correction: 15 yards to infinity

• Weight: 25.2 ounces

• Length: 13.5 inches

Burris Veracity

 Get It From Midway USA   Get It From Amazon 

 Pros 

• Exposed low-profile elevation turret

• Clear turret and focus-knob indexing

• Excellent glass

• Zero stop Lifetime warranty

 Cons 

• Simple plex reticle

• No illumination

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 Key Features  

•  30mm tube 

•  Second-plane plex reticle 

•  Exposed elevation turret, capped windage turret 

•  25-yards-to-infinity side focus 

•  "Knob Synergy" elevation turret 

•  Ships with sunshade 

Set-it-and-forget-it hunters will appreciate this solid, honest scope for its lack of adornments. No illumination. A simple plex reticle in the second focal plane. It's like the Fullfield mentioned above but with better glass and controls.

But hunters who are practiced at ranging a target, then dialing an aiming solution based on ballistic solvers will go crazy for this new configuration of the venerable Burris Veracity. The elevation knob is exposed, nicely indexed, and ready to dial. A little too ready, as it doesn't lock. For some OL testers, that's a problem, as an exposed turret can easily get pushed off zero given the hard knocks of the field.

But Burris has that figured out, too, with a zero stop that ensures a return to zero. It's a tedious 6-screw affair to set, but once the zero stop is established, it is a rock-solid baseline for dialing.

​Given the wave of hunting scopes containing first-plane reticles with busy windage and elevation references and illumination modules, this iteration of the Veracity is refreshing. But it also forces users into either dialing for distance or sticking with the single aiming point at the crosshairs. We'd rather see the 3-15×44 Veracity with the illuminated RC-MOA (Rapid Cross) reticle that gives hunters the option of dialing or using reticle references to hold for elevation and wind.

We quibble a bit at the $1,000 price for such a stripped-down scope, but the turret tracking was among the best in the field, and Burris's "Knob Synergy" elevation dial is tight, positive, and the low-profile build won't hang up in the field. All in, the 3-15×44 version of the Veracity is a welcome addition to the 2.5-12×42 and 5-25×50 versions. — Andrew McKean

Burris Veracity 3-15×44 Specs

• Magnification: 3-15-power

• Objective Lens: 44mm

• Tube Diameter: 30mm

• Light Transmission: Not provided

• Exit Pupil Diameter: 14mm to 2.9mm

• Twilight Factor: 11.5-25.7

• Field of View: 34.5-7 feet at 100 yards

• Reticle Plane: Second

• Reticle Type: Plex

• Illumination: No

• Turret Click Values: ¼ MOA

• Adjustment Per Revolution: 25 MOA

• Total Internal Adjustment – Elevation: 77 MOA

• Total Internal Adjustment – Windage: 77 MOA

• Parallax Correction: 25 yards to infinity

• Weight: 24.2 oz. with mount

• Length: 13 inches

Leupold VX-Freedom 2-7×33

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 Pros 

• Excellent glass and coatings

• MOA-based references are simple and clear

• Low-profile mounting dimension

• Wide versatility

• Catchy turret graphics

 Cons 

• Reticle lacks windage references

• Parallax fixed at 100 yards

• Turret clicks are mushy

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 Key Features 

•  Weight:  11.1 ounces 

•  Magnification Range:  2-7-power 

•  Objective Lens Diameter:  33mm 

•  Tube Diameter:  1-inch 

•  Turret Click Values:  .25 MOA 

•  Total Elevation Adjustment:  75 MOA 

•  Reticle Focal Plane:  Second 

•  Illuminated Reticle:  No 

Combining simple controls and a modest but versatile magnification range, this durable scope is perfect for just about any .22 or .17, whether for small-game hunting, plinking, or most precision target work. It has good glass, repeatable controls, and enough holdover references on the vertical stadia that, with some practice, you can extend your range out to 100 yards and longer. At close to $300, it's priced in the meaty middle of the market and can easily transition from a first-gun optic to just about any other rifle, whether a rimfire or not.

Here's a rimfire scope for just about any purpose. This outwardly pedestrian optic has a lot going on between a surprisingly precise second-plane reticle, bright glass, and fun indexing on the nicely tactile turrets. The best thing you can say about any scope is that it is consistent, and the VX-Freedom delivers bullets with pleasing reliability. It's a good rabbit and squirrel scope. Still, the MOA-based references on the vertical crosshair make it a decent option for engaging distant targets, which means you don't have to invest in a ponderously big first-plane target scope to take titles at NRL22 competitions. Lastly, the Leupold rimfire scope brings the company's good glass and an excellent warranty.— Andrew McKean

Read Next: The Best Rifle Scopes

Tract 22 FIRE 4-12×40

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 Pros 

• Excellent focus control, 10 meters to infinity

• Extremely tactile turret controls

• Long eye relief

• Liberal mounting dimensions

 Cons 

• Focus on objective is clunky

• Extremely tight power ring

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 Key Features 

•  Weight:  16 ounces 

•  Magnification Range:  4-12-power 

•  Objective Lens Diameter:  40mm 

•  Tube Diameter:  1 inch 

•  Turret Click Values:  .25 MOA 

•  Total Elevation Adjustment:  60 MOA 

•  Reticle Focal Plane:  Second 

•  Illuminated Reticle:  No 

Tract's 22 FIRE series has a full series of scopes for .22 and .17 shooters, but this AO model (it stands for Adjustable Objective) is the most versatile scope in the line from the direct-to-consumer brand. The duplex reticle features a fine crosshair with a .25 MOA center dot, which allows for full view of the target and precise bullet placement, which competitive bullseye target shooters will appreciate.

The adjustable objective enables precise focus for targets inside 10 yards all the way out to infinity, a feature you don't often see on rimfire-specific scopes. The objective focus is a little clunky compared with the side parallax of most modern scopes, but it works well and further enables precise shooting. At about $275 it's not a cheap scope, but the glass is good, the controls are some of the best in the business, and the precision it allows also makes it a killer squirrel scope. — Andrew McKean

Best Smart Scope: Burris Eliminator 6 4-20×52

 See It 

• Integrated Rangefinder

• Second Focal Plane Reticle

• MOA Controls

• 34 mm Tube Diameter

• 30 ounces

The Burris Eliminator 6 is the easy button for long-range shooting. It ranges, calculates ballistics, and tells you where to aim. Here's what shooting editor, John B. Snow, said about the Eliminator 6 in his precision scope buying guide :

This is the most innovative scope in this roundup. Burris has long been a category leader in scopes with integrated rangefinders, and Eliminator 6 is the newest iteration of that tech. Once the scope has been fed a ballistic profile and zeroed — neither process is overly complicated — it delivers impressive point-click-and-shoot capability.

The second focal plane reticle contains a multitude of LED illumination points. When you range your target — which is done via a large button on the left side of the scope or through a remote Bluetooth switch — one of those dots lights up indicating your hold. It is remarkably idiot-proof.

I know we live in an age of technological marvels, but the fact that you can roll through the scope's magnification range and the aiming dot will slide up and down the crosshair continuously displaying the correct hold is remarkable.

Targets beyond 1,000 yards can become difficult to laze, and you'll likely need to fine-tune your ballistic profile to keep the scope's solutions spot-on. But within 800 yards this system couldn't be quicker or easier to employ. — John B. Snow

Choosing a Rimfire Rifle Scope

Your first consideration if you're in the market for a rimfire rifle scope is how well it will perform with the short-range capabilities of the caliber. You probably don't need a ton of magnification or reticle references if all you want is to shoot tin cans or 50-meter bullseye targets. But the world of rimfire shooting is evolving to look a lot like long-distance center-fire precision shooting, with all sorts of precision rimfire competitions and games that put a premium on both short-range and long-range precision. For backyard plinkers, you probably just want a simple scope with a duplex reticle, but for the latter, you're going to want a first-plane reticle with lots of turret adjustment. Then there are the pure small-game scopes. These are lower-magnification optics with just enough reticle references to get you on game and maybe make longer shots, head-shooting squirrels, for instance.

FAQs

Q: What scope is best for rabbit and squirrel hunting?

For small-game hunting, I want a scope that gets on target fast, has a reticle that "pops" from the background, but has enough references for me to place bullets precisely out to about 75 or 100 yards. In this collection, the standout hunting scope is Bushnell's Trophy Quick Acquisition (QA), a 1-6×24 marvel that points quickly, has an illuminated center dot for low-light work, and enough holdover references for longer shots. Others worth a look: Vortex's Crossfire II, and Tract's 22 FIRE. At the other end of the spectrum is EOTECH's expensive 1-10×24 Vudu, which doubles as a marvelous AR optic. Or consider Leupold's VX-Freedom. Its simple duplex reticle is fast and reliable.

Q: What's the best scope magnification for .22 rifles?

I like lower-power scopes for most rimfire work, whether that's hunting or target shooting. A 2-7-power or even 1-8-power will give you all the magnification you need for most purposes. But if you're interested in the precision rimfire competitions, then you're going to want more magnification to really see the nuances of distant targets. For those times, I'd go with a 5-20-power or 4-16-power range, and make sure that precision target scopes also have manual focus—often called parallax—to bring targets of whatever distance into crisp focus.

Q: How much money should I spend on a rimfire rifle scope?

The price of rimfire scopes ranges all the way from about $100 up to nearly $2,000. There are problems with both ends of that spectrum, just as there are great deals as long as you know what attributes you want and how you'll use the scope. Starting at the lower end of the price spectrum, I'd be a little leery of super-cheap scopes, simply because they are probably made with substandard components and may not be as durable as higher-priced models. If you spend under $100 on a scope, make sure it has a good warranty that will cover any breakage or malfunctions.

But you can buy a lot of scope for under $200. Scopes in this roundup include Bushnell's Trophy QA and Vortex's Crossfire II, and both the Leupold VX-Freedom and Tract's 22 FIRE AO are both priced around $300 and offer excellent durability, utility, and warranties. Precision rimfire scopes can be especially expensive, largely because their precision controls and components are built to a higher standard. Still, the Sightmark Presidio, priced under $400, and the Vortex Strike Eagle are both worth looking at for budget precision options. On the other end of the spectrum, both the EOTECH Vudu and Blackhound Emerge offer tons of precision for rimfire shooters, but have all the attributes to transition once you move up to center-fire precision target shooting.

Final Thoughts on the Best Rimfire Scopes

Somehow, the optics industry has squeezed all the fun out of rimfire shooting. Instead of cheap, reliable, and utilitarian rifles, we now have fancy chassis rifles with all the attributes of their big-bore brethren. And prices to match. We've complicated what was once the most fun and simple type of shooting into rigorous competition. That's all great if you want to make .22 shooting into a serious thing, but don't forget that rimfires are the gateway for most shooters and hunters into our community, and the scopes and rifles that are the best for new shooters are often the most simple and cheap. So read this review with a little bit of skepticism. There are optics for every stage in a shooter's evolution, but maybe pay special attention to those fun, simple, gateway scopes.