The .17 WSM is a 4.4mm tall cartridge made by Winchester in 2012. Since then, it’s been used in different bolt-action and semi-automatic guns. WSM means Winchester Super Magnum. Just like many other magnum cartridges from Winchester, this one is picky about what scope you can pair with this.
That’s why, I feel like this post here will help you guys. To understand what is the best scope for 17 WSM and what makes that scope good. While it’s not as straightforward as giving one scope the best title, I will still try my best to help you choose the right one for you.
Let’s find out that scope together, shall we?
1. Vortex Viper PST 5-25x50mm Gen II FFP Riflescope
Vortex has a ton of scopes under many different names. Viper is one of the largest series from Vortex. Under this belt, they have tons of scopes an outdoor optics. Viper PST Gen II is a .17 WSM scope. It’s suitable for many other guns out there, of course.
The scope itself is made out of aluminum. The turrets on the body are covered and they are also made out of aluminum. The tube is purged internally. Purging makes the tube immune to fogging and moisture. The outside structure is durable and O-ring sealed. That makes this scope water and shockproof as well.
The lenses are the best part of most Vortex scopes. Like most other Vortex’s offerings, this one didn’t disappoint either. The lenses are fully multi-coated. Their coating makes them bright and extremely vibrant. Light transmission is good in low-light conditions as well. The Gen II improves a lot in the lens department over the Gen 1.
The magnification of this scope is really good. There is no distortion and it’s smooth. You won’t feel any jitter or forced blurriness while zooming in or out.
Does this scope come with mounting rings?
Just like most other Vortex scopes, this one doesn’t come with any mounting rings. You will need to buy them from Vortex or any other manufacturer separately. Buy the rings that will sit on your gun’s rail.
Does Vortex provide a warranty?
Yes, Vortex provides an unconditional lifetime warranty. During that warranty period, you can change ownership as well. You will receive a replacement or repaired scope with no questions asked.
Is the reticle in FFP?
Yes, the reticle is in the first focal plane. It will magnify alongside the scope. Making it a great option for plinking and hunting.
2. Leupold FX-I Rimfire 4x28mm Fine Duplex Scope
At this point, you guys might as well call me a Leupold fanboy. Jokes aside, Leupold has been making some killer scopes in the last couple of years or so. The FX-I Rimfire is suitable for cartridges like .17 WSM. It is also suitable for any rimfire rifle you could think of.
It’s a beginner-friendly scope with an easy-to-use reticle and a really good structure. The body is made out of aluminum. The same aircraft-grade aluminum you see in most other expensive products.
The inside of the tube is purged to make it fog and moisture-proof. The outside anodization is flawless. Some design touches look good.
The lenses are fully multi-coated. On top of that, they also feature a twilight light management system. It’s an advanced mechanism that makes the scope perform exceptionally well in low-light conditions. It also improves the light transmission capability of the scope and improves overall vision clarity. When you look through them for the first time, you will notice just how clear they are compared to some cheaper scopes.
Is this scope good for hunting?
If you want to do hunting with .17 WSM and Leupold FX-I, you definitely can do that. It’s also good for plinking and target shooting practices. The accuracy of the scope is really good.
Where is Leupold made in?
Leupold is an American brand. It designs its products in American and manufactures them there as well. On top of that, you will get their services from the USA as well. Makes it super convenient.
Does Leupold offer a warranty?
Yes, Leupold offers a lifetime warranty with all of their product. To show faith in their product, they offer this long warranty.
3. Athlon Optics Argos BTR 6-24 x 50 FFP Riflescope
Athlon is a relatively well-known optics manufacturer. Besides making riflescopes, they make other hunting gear as well. The one I have for you guys is Argos BTR. A long-range riflescope made for cartridges like .17 WSM.
The Argos BTR is made from high-quality aluminum. It’s durable and rugged. It will last in any weather you are planning to put it through. The single-piece tube is purged with argon. Not nitrogen, but rather argon. Argon purging makes the scope fogproof and improves the waterproofing. It also makes the scope immune to any kind of moisture. On top of that, waterproofing and shockproofing nature is present in this as well.
Argos BTR features high-quality lenses made from glass. The lenses are fully multi-coated as well. The light transmission of the lenses is really good. It gathers plenty of sunlight to make use of it during low-light conditions. The reticle of the scope is not too complicated either. Even a newbie can adapt to it with enough time.
It’s a good .17 riflescope. There is nothing else. It’s not the best at this price or it’s the best from this brand, nothing of this sort. It’s a good scope and one of the best scopes for .17 WSM and that’s it. That’s all you need to know.
Does this come with mounting rings?
Like all the other scopes we mentioned, this one doesn’t come with mounting rings either. You will need to buy them separately. Either buy them from Athlon or buy them from your favorite accessory makers, both work.
Is the reticle in FFP?
Yes, the reticle is in the first focal plane. With this much magnification, it was kind of needed. As the reticle magnifies alongside zoom, you will be able to hit long-range shots easily.
Does Athlon offer any warranty?
Yes, they offer a lifetime warranty with their products. You can avail of that directly from their website or any outlet of throughout the country.
4. Bushnell Engage 6-24x50mm Matte Black Riflescope
Looking for a long-range scope for .17 WSM? Bushnell Engage can be a good option for you. Bushnell has a good reputation for making budget scope and giving good features to them. Their scopes are durable and worth the money.
The Engage is made out of aluminum. A durable material used on almost 99% of scopes. The optic is extremely durable and rugged. The anodized finish on the outside looks premium. You can feel how well it’s made from the touch. It’s a single-piece tube design. The inside of the tube is purged with nitrogen. Purging is done to remove any fog from the inside and make it immune to moisture. Preventing future fogging as well. On top of that, it’s also water and shockproof.
The lenses are really good here. They are made out of glass, not plastic or tempered glass. They are fully multi-coated. Multi-coating makes the lens brighter and more vivid. Color accuracy and light transmission increase from the coating as well. With the 50mm objective lens, you are greeted with a wide field of view for hunting or any other gun activities.
It’s one of the better 17 WSM scope options to choose from. Synergy with a bolt action rifle and automatic rifle is there. If your gun has a big enough rail to support this scope, it’s a blind choice for long-range plinking.
Does this scope come with mounting rings?
No, it doesn’t come with any mounting rings. Instead, you will need to buy them separately from the manufacturer or some other brands.
Does Bushnell provide any warranty?
Yes, you will find warranty details on their website and in the included warranty papers as well. They do provide a good after-sales service.
Does this scope come with sunshade?
No, it doesn’t come with any sunshades. It does come with a pair of lens covers. If you want a sunshade for them, you need to buy them separately.
Read More Scope Blogs:- 17 HMR | 17 Hornet | 50 BMG | 22 Magnum | 44 Magnum
5. Hawke Vantage IR 4-16×50 AO, 1″ Riflescope
Hawke Optics is not a new name in the industry. They have been making outdoor sport-related accessories for a long time now. One of their main product lineups is riflescopes. Vantage IR is a riflescope made and sold by Hawke Optics.
It’s a mid to long-range riflescope suitable for any kind of outdoor activities. It can support bolt action and automatic rifles as well. If your gun fires .17 even better WSM.
The Vantage IR is made out of aluminum. It’s much more durable than plastic and is a preferred material when it comes to scopes. The inside of the single tube design is purged with nitrogen. Nitrogen purging makes the scope immune to fog and moisture.
The lenses are fully multi-coated and they are seated properly. As they are shockproof and waterproof, your lens won’t move around or let water get inside the housing. While scopes are not used for sightseeing, you can do that with this scope. The clarity and color accuracy are really good. It can easily go on par with a binocular that costs much more than this.
Is Hawke a good brand?
You can do your research about this and come up with your conclusion. But from what I gathered and most other reviews also indicates, that Hawke is a trusted brand. They make good products at a competitive price and offer them to newbies.
Is the reticle illuminated?
Yes, the reticle here is illuminated. You can use the reticle in green or red illumination. You can adjust the brightness of the reticle as well. There are 5 adjustable levels present on this scope.
Does this come with mounting rings?
No, it doesn’t. Besides coming with some lens cloths, battery, and covers, it doesn’t come with much. You will need to buy the mounting rings on your own.
6. Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP Rifle Scope
There is a trend of making all budget scopes second focal plane. And most budget scopes don’t offer higher magnification. Primary Arms is here to change both of those terms with their SLX. It’s a budget offering from PA that offers high magnification with FFP reticle.
It didn’t compromise on the build quality either. The scope is made out of durable aluminum. It’s a relatively light scope. The size of this is fairly big. It can look good on a big rifle as well. The objective lens diameter is 44mm. It’s huge! You can see clearly through this for days. As the lenses are super clear, you will have a blast hunting through this.
The scope is fog, water, and shockproof as well. Giving you the freedom of using it on a bolt-action rifle that is capable of shooting a .17 magnum. The overall performance of this scope is just amazing. Simply put, it’s astonishing how good budget scopes have become.
The selling point of this scope for me is the illuminated reticle. While it’s not the brightest illuminated reticle you will ever see, Primary Arms still bothered to put one in its scope. That’s promising to say the least.
Does this scope come with any warranty?
Primary Arms doesn’t provide a lifetime warranty like many other brands. But they offer 3 years of craftsmanship warranty. If the scope fails within these 3 years, they will replace it or repair it for free.
Do they include a mounting ring?
They don’t actually. You will need to buy mounting rings separately. The tube diameter of this scope is 30mm. It’s generic and you will find rings for that almost everywhere.
Is this scope good for hunting?
It’s fabulous for mid-range hunting and plinking. You will have tons of fun doing either of those activities. While it’s decent at tactical shooting, it’s not the best and not the most wanted in that area either.
7. BSA 17 WSM-624X44AOCP 6-24x44mm Rifle Scope
Super 17 is one of the cheapest scopes on the market. Whether it’s for .17 HMR or .17 WSM, it’s a good scope for either of those. BSA is a relatively lesser-known brand. They are not big like Vortex or Leupold and their scopes are not that great like those companies either.
It’s a budget scope aimed towards newbies who are not okay with spending a ton of money from the get-go. The price is the most appealing thing about this scope.
Besides that, it’s made out of aluminum and the outer structure is shockproof. You can pair this with a bolt-action rifle without any issues. The internals of the scope are also purged to make it fogproof.
The lenses are fully coated and they are extremely bright. Their light transmission capability is good and so are the color reproduced by them. The BSA Super 17 is available in two different magnification sizes. The price difference between the two isn’t significant, but if you want a lower-powered scope, that’s possible as well.
Do they provide a warranty?
Yes, they provide a limited 1-year warranty. That seems quite short, doesn’t it? It is very short for a scope. But it’s still better than saying 7 days seller warranty and then ghosting you forever.
Does this come with any mounting rings?
No, it doesn’t come with any mounting rings. I’m gonna be honest, it would have been the best deal for .17 WSM if they were to come with some mounting rings as well. But hey, mounting rings are cheap and the scope is cheap as well.
What is the tube diameter of this scope?
It’s 1” and not 30mm. You will need to buy 1” mounting rings to pair this scope with your gun. Make sure you are buying the right one.
How to Choose The Best Scope For .17 WSM?
Just like you choose a regular scope for your rifle, you can easily choose for your .17 WSM rifle as well. Keep a couple of things in mind and you are good to go.
Build Quality
The structure of the scope needs to be solid. If the base of the house is not good, the house won’t hold against any natural disasters. The same goes for a scope. If the build quality is not good, it can’t keep the lenses safe.
Warranty
Nobody likes a product that dies within months of usage. Or dead on arrival. Both of those can be fixed with a warranty. Make sure to take a scope that offers a good warranty.
Lens Quality
It’s the most important part. They are your secondary eyes. Just like glasses, the lens of scope needs to be clear and vivid. If they aren’t you are in deep trouble.
Magnification
This is subjective. Whether you want higher magnification or not is on you. Higher isn’t always better. If your gun and the cartridge can’t keep up with the magnification of your scope, that’s a waste of money.
Summary
And that will conclude our search to find the best scope for 17 WSM. It wasn’t as big of a deal as you guys make it out to be. Sure, there isn’t “one” best scope here. Cause all of them are the best at their task and worthy of your usage.
Take whichever fits your budget and completes your needs. That’s the most important part. Your satisfaction is everything. That’s all for now. Till next time, take care.
Scopes:- 17 HMR | 204 Ruger | 224 Valkyrie | 22 Magnum | 243 Winchester | 257 Weatherby | 270 Winchester | 3 Gun | 300 PRC | 338 Lapua | 350 Legend | 375 HH | 44 Magnum | 450 Bushmaster | 50 BMG | 6.5 Creedmoor | 6.5 Grendel | 6.8 SPC | 7.62.39 | Benjamin Marauder | Henry H001 | M1a | Marlin 336 | Marlin 795 | Marlin Model 60 | MK12 | Ruger Gunsite Scout | Ruger Mini 14 | Ruger Mini 30 | Savage 220 | Scar 20S | Sig 716
Scopes & Sights:- 11.5 SBR | 300 Blackout | M4 | MK18 | Ruger Charger | S&W M&P 15&22 | S&W M&P 15 Sport 2
Hi, I’m Brent Hansford. A writer turned hunter & now sharing my love for the sport through writing. As I practically breathe weapons, I firmly believe I’m capable of providing you with new knowledge about firearms and hunting. My mission is to help more people get better at hunting & master the weapons. Let me help with unleashing the beast within you!
