Scope recommendation

manxjason

Member
Hello, following on from the introductory post, here's my question for you guys:

I have a Cz 455 in .17 hmr and my main target is rabbits. I'm not after mass killing sprees, but more the one shot worth noting - the longer ranges.

I don't particularly like the mildot approach, I prefer the exact measurements, dial in method.

I currently have a Nikko gameking 4-16 which isn't really practical for constantly dialing in.

My budget is going to be limited. Lets start with £300 new or SH, and see where we go from there.

So can anyone recommend a scope with good/reliable turrets, adjustable mag and side focus? I quite like the look of the MTC viper, but the reticle is a little busy for what I want to use it for - then again, there's no harm having such a reticle for a wider application further down the line?

Over to you all, what can you recommend.
 
To be honest, I think you're hampering yourself by looking for more spec than you'll need or propably ever use. The HMR will kill rabbits at 200 yds but is so wind sensitive that for all practical purposes its a 150 yd gun. With the vast majority of shots taken within 150 yds a fixed parallax set at 100m (110 yds) is perfect. You can have parallax adjustment but you'll find you never touch the focus wheel. Similarly, used within its limits the HMR is sufficiently flat to make assisted aiming reticles redundant. With a 110 yd zero you'll only need 2" of holdover at 150 yds and around 4" at 180. Nor will you need huge mag. I've never found the need for anything higher than 12 and that only for zeroing so I can see the strikes. In the field I very rarely go higher than eight. Far more use is bright glass.
Knowing what I know now after putting 3000 odd rounds through my HMR at rabbits, I'd go for a 3-12X50 or 56mm scope, 110 yard fixed parallax, 25 or 30mm tube - it doesn't matter, a simple fine duplex or A4 type reticle and the best glass you can get for your budget. I'd also choose a scope that will suit a CF rifle as these are keepers. My shortlist would be:
A Zeiss Duralyt 3-12X50 S/H a bit over budget at £450ish
Meopta Meopro 4-12X50, excellent. About £390 new, half that S/H.
Leupold VXII 4-12X50. Should find a good one under £200 S/H.
S&B 8X56 S/H. Stalkers favourite. Plenty to be had cheap as chips.
 
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i have a sightron ii bigsky 3.5x10-50 some scratches but all ok, tube was scatch by a dealer when fitting rings !:doh:
£250 buys it thay are now £500 new, i paid £640 when it came out from the chap at AIM store
also have warne rings ext high QR's or med fixed for sale



Hello, following on from the introductory post, here's my question for you guys:

I have a Cz 455 in .17 hmr and my main target is rabbits. I'm not after mass killing sprees, but more the one shot worth noting - the longer ranges.

I don't particularly like the mildot approach, I prefer the exact measurements, dial in method.

I currently have a Nikko gameking 4-16 which isn't really practical for constantly dialing in.

My budget is going to be limited. Lets start with £300 new or SH, and see where we go from there.

So can anyone recommend a scope with good/reliable turrets, adjustable mag and side focus? I quite like the look of the MTC viper, but the reticle is a little busy for what I want to use it for - then again, there's no harm having such a reticle for a wider application further down the line?

Over to you all, what can you recommend.
 
To be honest, I think you're hampering yourself by looking for more spec than you'll need or propably ever use. The HMR will kill rabbits at 200 yds but is so wind sensitive that for all practical purposes its a 150 yd gun. With the vast majority of shots taken within 150 yds a fixed parallax set at 100m (110 yds) is perfect. You can have parallax adjustment but you'll find you never touch the focus wheel. Similarly, used within its limits the HMR is sufficiently flat to make assisted aiming reticles redundant. With a 110 yd zero you'll only need 2" of holdover at 150 yds and around 4" at 180. Nor will you need huge mag. I've never found the need for anything higher than 12 and that only for zeroing so I can see the strikes. In the field I very rarely go higher than eight. Far more use is bright glass.
Knowing what I know now after putting 3000 odd rounds through my HMR at rabbits, I'd go for a 3-12X50 or 56mm scope, 110 yard fixed parallax, 25 or 30mm tube - it doesn't matter, a simple fine duplex or A4 type reticle and the best glass you can get for your budget. I'd also choose a scope that will suit a CF rifle as these are keepers. My shortlist would be:
A Zeiss Duralyt 3-12X50 S/H a bit over budget at £450ish
Meopta Meopro 4-12X50, excellent. About £390 new, half that S/H.
Leupold VXII 4-12X50. Should find a good one under £200 S/H.
S&B 8X56 S/H. Stalkers favourite. Plenty to be had cheap as chips.

Thanks very much for the reply there Finch..

Would that short list of scopes all be reliable for dialing in? My 195 and 205 shots were both in a 5mph 90degree wind, and despite people saying you can holdover, would prefer to still dial in for my shooting style.

The reason I suggested a higher mag was to make it easier on my eye while aiming. My right eye is the weak one and so the bigger picture helps out there. Also the rabbits I shoot will be for human and pet consumption, so putting the bullet in the head is critical. I'm worried that on a low mag i'd be able to line it up accordingly? What's your thoughts?

when it comes to scopes I am a novice, so all this information is proving very useful.

I'll take a look at those scopes anyway

thanks
Jason
 
i have a sightron ii bigsky 3.5x10-50 some scratches but all ok, tube was scatch by a dealer when fitting rings !:doh:
£250 buys it thay are now £500 new, i paid £640 when it came out from the chap at AIM store
also have warne rings ext high QR's or med fixed for sale

Thanks Paul, i'll keep that in mind.
cheers
 
Simmons WTC 3.5-10x50 Philippines made not later Chinese version.

Remember you are putting it on a 17HMR; you do not need the robustness of a top European scope. A decent Simmons or similar will do all you want.
If you were putting it on full bore rifle then I would go for one of the usual suspects, S&B etc.

And forget the dialing in, just learn who to judge range and compensate accordingly. Your biggest problem with a 17HMR, as I understand it, is wind.
 
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Here's my opinion:
I have an HMR and have used it for about 4-5 years, in that time I have learnt the limitations of the caliber, I have a Zeiss Conquest 6.5 -20 x 50 on top of it which I find a great scope for the money (£500 - £550 S/H). You can dial with these turrets, I don't. The reasons why: At sensible ranges out to 150 yards maybe a bit more I prefer to hold over based on my Zero range. Even at these ranges the slightest bit of breeze will move that little 17 gr round all over the place, add to that the quality of ammo and you will spend a ton of time twiddling knobs and wondering why you are not getting many bunnies. I would concentrate on getting within 150 yards using a bit of field craft and taking the shots you are confident in making.
I can see the fun in dialing on targets at different ranges not sure about practicing on bunnies though. As for a scope in that budget range I guess you are looking at some of the MTC, Falcon type scopes which they use for Airgun HFT stuff.
 
I appreciate everyones comments and opinion, thanks, but I want to dial in as I enjoy measuring the wind and range, and apply such scope adjustments. Even if it does mean I spend more time turning nobs - I like the technical aspect involved in this.

I've already had some really good success in winds from 5mph to 12mph. People keep saying that wind affects the the hmr so much, but it is still an accurate calibre providing it is measured correctly. Perhaps that is where people are going wrong?

Anyway, like I said, I do appreciate everyones comments and advice, but I am here for help with dialing in equipment.

I don't take the shot unless i'm confident. I'd much rather measure the wind and apply the adjustments, than estimate with mildots.

The mildot approach will never be as definitive as measuring and dialing in. There's plenty of evidence online of dial-in shooters having damn good success at long ranges with this calibre.

Sorry chaps, i know i'm new to the forum n all, and I'm trying not to sound rude, but i've already decided on the type of shooting I want to do. Check out freedomofabird on YouTube - that's the path I want to walk down, and I really want to stretch out this calibres potential before moving to C.fires
 
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Simmons WTC 3.5-10x50 Philippines made not later Chinese version.

Remember you are putting it on a 17HMR; you do not need the robustness of a top European scope. A decent Simmons or similar will do all you want.
If you were putting it on full bore rifle then I would go for one of the usual suspects, S&B etc.

And forget the dialing in, just learn who to judge range and compensate accordingly. Your biggest problem with a 17HMR, as I understand it, is wind.

+1 on the Simmons. Got one on my .22 and it does a great job.
 
I appreciate everyones comments and opinion, thanks, but I want to dial in as I enjoy measuring the wind and range, and apply such scope adjustments. Even if it does mean I spend more time turning nobs - I like the technical aspect involved in this.

If you really want to dial in I'd be looking for fairly fine turret increments which will probably mean an MOA calibrated scope with 1/4 MOA/click, or better still 1/8. The seemingly universal 10mm@100m mil rad turrets will be 15mm/click at 150m. That's a bit of a blunt instrument for what you want.
 
Got a ziess 6.5-20x50 that's coming up for sale- bit more than you wanted to pay but would take £500 for itHas target turrets so can dial easily and the optics are very bright and clear
 
4-14x50 leupold VXR on mine, really nice scope, I know that some manufacturers, Leupold included I think, will make target style reticles to retro fit on existing scopes, Leupold also do a custom dial service where you tell them about you own loads and they will make a yardage dial tailored to your needs.

Having said that I don't really need that on mine, just hold over. Once I get my vartarg, (any day now) I will be getting dialling in with that though...
 
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Meopta 3-9x42 Artemis 2000.

I have one on my CZ452 17HMR and could not ask for more.

​About £200 - 300 S/H.
 
if your thinking of moving up to cf then I would save up and buy the best you can! you can buy & sell guns but you could keep a decent scope for years....
there is a point where you get up into silly money but there are some good scopes if you get around the £500 mark.
I recently put a vortex on my 17 hornet 4-16x50 perfect for me. I know its not a zeiss but its a fraction of the cost.
 
I appreciate everyones comments and opinion, thanks, but I want to dial in as I enjoy measuring the wind and range, and apply such scope adjustments. Even if it does mean I spend more time turning nobs - I like the technical aspect involved in this. I've already had some really good success in winds from 5mph to 12mph. People keep saying that wind affects the the hmr so much, but it is still an accurate calibre providing it is measured correctly. Perhaps that is where people are going wrong? Anyway, like I said, I do appreciate everyones comments and advice, but I am here for help with dialing in equipment. I don't take the shot unless i'm confident. I'd much rather measure the wind and apply the adjustments, than estimate with mildots. The mildot approach will never be as definitive as measuring and dialing in. There's plenty of evidence online of dial-in shooters having damn good success at long ranges with this calibre. Sorry chaps, i know i'm new to the forum n all, and I'm trying not to sound rude, but i've already decided on the type of shooting I want to do. Check out freedomofabird on YouTube - that's the path I want to walk down, and I really want to stretch out this calibres potential before moving to C.fires

that chap is using a nikon monarch to very good effect.. I fitted a mamba lite, and quickly removed it in favour of a cheap 6x40 untill i see something better.

For me better is, not more than 500gms in weight, and not too sensitive to head position, with maybe an illuminated dot
 
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