For you shooters out there, I would like your suggestions for a scope for my spiffy new Mini 14.
What I am looking for:
[ul]
[li]Fixed magnification, 4 to 6 X[/li][li]Decent accuracy, but not meant for tack driving[/li][li]Willing to sacrifice a little bit of accuracy for ruggedness[/li][li]Mid - upper $$ price range[/li][/ul]
The level of performance I’m after is to consistently hit a large varmint (groundhog, prairie dog) at about 100 yards. This is a Mini 14, after all, although it is the newer accurized model, not the one with the wobbly barrel.
FWIW, I’ve been perusing Redfield and Leupold products, because those are names I know.
Mid-to-upper price range scopes can run you nearly the price if your Mini - or more. I have a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 BDC (~$250) on my Mini 14 RR (582 series), and I can consistently hit within the 2-inch ring of my paper targets at 100 yards all day long - I could probably do better if I dialed it in a bit tighter. It’s a nice scope for the money.
For normal-looking optics I’ve always had my best results from Leupold. I LOVE their tactical sight but the price is multi-times the cost of the 14. But their normal 4x is terrific and really takes a beating.
I have a couple friends who have liked the the Ade Advanced Optics
and a lot of people seem to like the Bushnell.
I always avoid Weaver. I have had too many issues with them and I know too many others to have had issues as well.
Are you going to use this primarily from a bench or rest or walking around in the field? Do you want fixed or variable magnification? Do you want an illuminated reticle? Do you need a lot of light gathering: i.e., are you going to shooting a lot at sunrise/sunset? Are you going to be fiddling with the sights a lot, or setting it for a given distance and leaving it? How much field of view is important for you?
How much $$ is mid-upper for you? I mean the first thing I thought of was something like a TA31, but that’s pretty pricey and probably gigantic overkill. Not to mention it isn’t 6x. Something like the Nikon Monarch, in 2-8x or 3-12x? The ProStaff mentioned by ntsallfour above gets great reviews too. My own experience is paltry by comparison; I use a very old Redfield 4x on my bolt rifle, and I’ve used and liked Minolta and Bausch and Lomb binos and spotting scopes.
Field gun, fixed magnification of 4-5-6X, not intending to adjust, mid-upper $$ is $50-99 for scope without mounting hardware, and the overall purpose of the scope is to compensate for old eyes, nothing fancy like lasers or illumination.
Not sure what you mean by mid to upper price. For some people that’s $200, for others $2000.
Prostaffs are decent, Usually 2-7x, 3-9x, or 4-12x, 40 or 50mm. They come in a traditional (Nikoplex) or Bullet Drop Compensation reticle. Try the latter in the store, it may or may not be useful for you. With .223 it’s probably not necessary, but usually the BDC is the same price or +$10 or so. The Nikon Monarch is more what I’d call mid to upper in price. Vortex and Leupold (or their budget brand, Redfield) are good too.