Winchester 22 Magnum was first released in 1960. Since then, it’s still in production and many modern shooters have one of these in their arsenal. If you are someone who recently came into possession of a 22-magnum rifle, then you will find this article quite helpful! While I could teach you about the history of Magnum 22, I would rather help you become a better aimer.
How do you do that? Well, by grabbing a better scope, duh! Jokes aside, welcome. I know you are here to find the best scope for 22 Magnum and you will find just that. Without further ado, let’s start.
Best 22 Magnum Rifle Scopes – [Editor’s Pick]
1. Leupold VX-Freedom 2-7x32mm Rimfire Riflescope
Leupold VX-Freedom series of scope is made for hunters on a budget. Under the VX banner, Leupold released a lot of scopes and they probably plan to release more as time goes on. The one I recommend to you guys is one of the cheaper ones in the lineup.
The VX-Freedom is made out of high-quality aluminum. It’s extremely durable and rugged. The exterior is shockproof and waterproof. The internal part is purged with nitrogen as well. That makes the scope fogproof and immune to moisture. Whether it’s a sunny day outside or a cloud day, you can use this scope to the fullest in any given weather.
The VX-Freedom features fully multi-coated lenses. The lenses are simply amazing. They are crystal clear and extremely vivid. For the money, they are probably one of the best pairs of lenses you will see. The optic comes in two variants. One with 2-7x magnification and the other with 3-9x. Depending on the model you choose; the price will increase or decrease.
Key Features
- Twilight! This optic features something called the twilight light management system. It’s an advanced light-gathering technology that works in low-light areas and helps you aim better.
- USA! From designing to manufacturing, everything about this optic is done in the USA.
- Excellent exterior! The build quality of this scope is quite mesmerizing! I was genuinely impressed by the quality for the price!
2. Vortex Diamondback 2-7×35 Rimfire SFP Riflescope
Vortex Optics are everywhere. From dirt cheap to expensive, you will find an offering from Vortex. Much like Leupold, Vortex also releases its products under different banners. This one is under Diamondback. Under Diamondback’s belt, you will also find spotters and all sorts of other equipment.
Vortex Diamondback 2-7×35 is a short to medium-range 22-mag scope. It’s suitable for all kinds of Rimfire rifles. The build quality is durable. The housing is made out of aluminum. It’s lightweight and crazy sturdy. The exterior of the scope is water and shockproof. Internally, it’s purged with nitrogen to be moisture and fogproof.
The lenses are some of the best you will see in this price bracket. They are fully multi-coated. They perform as well as you expect them to do. They are bright, vivid, color-accurate, and also have a wide field of view. Light transmission is also top-notch on this pair.
Key Feature
- Hunting master! This optic was targeted towards hunters! The V-Plex reticle is quite popular among hunters. They love it for the simplicity!
- Lifetime warranty! Vortex has a trend of providing unconditional lifetime warranty, which remains true here.
- Crystal clear! The view from this optic is excellent. The clarity and color accuracy both are commendable.
3. UTG 4-16X44 AO 36-color Mil-dot 30mm Scope
It’s not the first time I’m featuring this UTG scope here on TargetChaser. This is a very popular mid-range riflescope among hunters and casual plinking enjoyers. It’s a really popular airsoft scope as well. It goes well with rimfire rifles. That’s why, I consider this to be one of the best scopes for 22 mag rifles.
The scope is made out of aluminum. It’s extremely durable. I don’t expect a scope priced this low to be on par with 1000$ scopes. You shouldn’t either. The housing is water, fog, and shockproof. You can easily pair this with a bolt-action rifle. There is no anodization error visible on the scope either.
The lenses are coated. They are good. They are nothing exceptional, but they are really good. For the money, there isn’t much to complain about them. The color accuracy and contrast are excellent. It gathers plenty of sunlight to work around. While the low-light performance isn’t spectacular, it’s not the worst.
Key Features
- Rejoice, budget shoppers! I know a lot of budget shoppers would love to receive a pair of mounting rings or any related accessories included with the optic, thankfully UTG does exactly that!
- Let there be light! The reticle of this optic is illuminated!
- Hunting maestro! The reticle and the tough exterior make it an ideal pick for hunters. Thanks to fast focus and quite a lot of range in its pocket, you can take it to any hunting trips you are planning this year!
4. Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire SFP Riflescope
This is not the first time Vortex has disrupted the market with its products. Vortex Crossfire the OG one got quite a bit of attention for the price-to-performance value. The Crossfire II takes on that and improves things a bit further and makes it an even better deal for newbies and veterans alike.
The scope is made out of high-quality durable aluminum. It’s not extremely heavy but not the lightest feather either. It’s a single-piece tube design that features capped turrets for adjustments. The inside of the tube is purged with nitrogen. Making it immune to fogging and moisture. Outside of the scope is shockproof and waterproof. You can use this scope with your .22 mag rifle anytime anywhere.
The lenses are probably the selling point of this scope. They are extremely appealing. They are multi-coated. Light transmission and color accuracy are off the roof. The field of view on the 32mm objective lens is really good. You can get a good view of what you are hunting.
Speaking of hunting, this scope is fabulous for that. It’s made for beginners so the reticle is also easy to use and understand. The price is not too shabby to put a dent in your wallet either. Overall, it’s one of the best .22 Mag scopes.
Key Features
- Good for hunting! Hunters would have a field day with this one!
- Various ranges! Starting from close-range, you can take it up to medium-range target practicing.
- Excellent exterior! After seeing the price, you might think this scope is built like a toy. But that’s far from the truth!
Read More Scope Blogs:- | 44 Magnum | 224 Valkyrie | 338 Lapua | 350 Legend | 50 BMG
5. Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn 6-18x50mm Riflescope
Want a scope that will work from dawn to dusk? And you don’t want to spend a ton of money on that? You stumbled upon a goldmine my friend. Bushnell is a well-respected scope manufacturer. They are mostly well-known for their budget offerings, but they often make flagship-tier stuff as well.
This one here is a budget offering for all the newbies and folks who want to upgrade from their stock scope or iron sight. Banner Dusk and Dawn is a single-piece tube design scope made for hunters. The scope is made out of high-quality aluminum. The body is anodized with a matte finish. There is a hint of glossiness but it’s not overwhelming.
Inside of the tube is purged with nitrogen. It makes the scope fogproof and immune to moisture leaking. To prevent from water going inside, Bushnell made sure it was also waterproof. Your 22-magnum firing rifle won’t be able to put a dent in this scope. Thanks to its shockproof quality.
The lenses here are really good. Like surprisingly good for the money. They are multi-coated. They gather plenty of light. You can see the difference in the quality of lenses if you compare this with another similarly priced scope. As this scope was made to work the entire day, it has really good and reliable low-light performance. This is something a lot of budget scopes struggle with.
Key Features
- All day hunting! I know you would love to have a scope for nighttime hunting as well, but it’s not it. Instead, it will help you to hunt till late during the day with low sunlight.
- Good warranty! There is a limited lifetime warranty included with the optic. Bushnell is also quite prompt during their warranty service.
- Great for hunting! The reticle of this scope is quite good and straightforward for hunting. Even beginners will like this optic quite a lot.
6. BSA 3-9X40 Sweet 22 Rifle Scope w/Side Parallax
BSA is another budget-oriented manufacturer like UTG. The Sweet 22 is a part of their rimfire riflescope squad. They also have Sweet 17 as well. The BSA 22 is bigger and more powerful.
The scope is made out of aluminum. It is durable and rugged. There is no visible anodization error present on the scope either. As it’s a single-piece tube design, making it fogproof and waterproof is necessary. BSA did manage to make it fog, water, and shockproof.
The lenses are coated. They are quite good for the money. At this price point, a lot of Chinese brand uses tempered glass or straight-up plastic as lenses. Good to see not all brands are resolving to that drastic measure. Lenses here gather plenty of sunlight to work with. It’s okay and useable in low-light conditions. But it’s not the most refined in that area.
Key Features
- Suitable for .22 LR! It’s suitable for any .22 rifles.
- 30/30 fun! The reticle of this optic is 30/30 and it’s quite good for hunting!
- Beginner friendly! The price-to-performance ratio of this optic makes it a good choice for beginner shooters.
7. Vantage 30/30 Duplex 2-7×32 1″ Riflescope
Hawke optics have been around in the scene for quite a while. Their scope under the Vantage banner has gained quite a bit of attraction and love from the community. Mostly because of their price. Vantage series scopes are some of the cheapest you will ever come across. Keeping that true, this is the cheapest scope on the list today.
Don’t sleep on this just because it’s cheap. It’s an excellent scope that offers a lot for the money you are paying. The scope is made out of aluminum. Yes, the same high-quality aluminum you see in scopes is priced 2-3x more than this. Inside of the tube is purged with nitrogen. Making it immune to moisture and fogproof. The outside is sturdy and waterproof as well.
The lenses are the best part of this scope. They are 11-layer fully multi-coated. They are extremely bright and gather plenty of sunlight to work around. The clarity of them is just something else. Combined with the shockproof body, it’s one of the best scopes for a .22 Magnum.
Key Features
- Beginner friendly! I love me some starting scopes! A lot of companies focus on the competitive hunting scene and target shooters, while I understand the bigger fishes are there, how about the newly migrating ones? They do deserve some tender loving, don’t they? This scope is one of those beginner-friendly scopes that I can recommend without hesitation!
- Excellent build quality! Honestly, surprised by how robust and rugged the structure was!
- Good after-sales! A lot of companies don’t provide any after-sales service once they are done selling the product. Thankfully, that’s not the case for Hawke!
How to Choose The Best 22 Mag Rifle Scope?
Choosing the right scope can be hard if you make it hard. But it can also be easy if you keep some small things in mind. Here are a couple of pointers that you should keep in mind while purchasing a scope.
Build Quality
A durable scope will last you for a long time. Often a well-built scope will outlast the warranty period. And scopes tend to come with a long warranty. Save yourself some hassle and get a scope with durable housing.
Warranty
This is something we often pay no heed to. Outdoor sport is a harsh place. A scope can die due to a manufacturing fault. It can die automatically out of the blue as well. A steady warranty comes in handy in such places.
Lens Quality
Perhaps the most important part. If you are a glasses user, you know how important the lenses are to you. If the lenses are not clean and bright, you will have a hard time using the scope for literally anything.
Magnification
.22 Magnum is not the most powerful caliber. It’s a mid-range caliber at best. But if you want to pair high magnification with this, be my guest. It’s your preference.
Summary
I’m sure some of you might be wondering, is there not a single Simmons 22 mag scope on the list? How strange! Like always, I only include the scopes that I think are good and worthy of being used by you guys. I could go for days and keep suggesting scopes that you never even heard of.
What’s the point of that? Nothing. That’s why, I hope you find this small list of scopes helpful. If you know what you expect from the scope, it should be quite easy to find the best scope for 22 Magnum. After all, a lot of things depend on you. That’s all for now, I will be back with more soon. Till then, take care.
Scopes:- 17 HMR | 17 WSM | 204 Ruger | 224 Valkyrie | 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!
