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Helping you select a quality rimfire scope that is best suited for your needs and within your budget, is what this guide is all about.
While rimfire rifles may not have changed a great deal over the years, the optics choices for those rifles sure have. In fact, it’s not unusual to find rimfire scopes these days that cost several times what you probably paid for your firearm.
With that said, you don’t have to spend a huge amount to get a great scope. There are still some very good options in a budget-friendly range and I’ve included those as well.
Let’s get started!
Short on time? Our Picks for the Best Rimfire Scopes for .22 SR, LR & .17 HMR
- Athlon Optics Argos BTR, 6-24×50
- Leupold VX Freedom
- Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 6-24×50
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II Rimfire 2-7×32
- Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14×40 Side Focus Duplex
- Bushnell Optics Rimfire 3.5-10×36
- TRUGLO 4×32 Rimfire
- Athlon Optics Ares ETR 4.5-30×56
- TruGlo TRU-TEC Micro
- Maven RS.1 2.5-15×44
- NightForce ATACR 7-35×56
- Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sight
- HAWKE Sports Optics Rimfire
What We Will Cover
- What makes the rimfire different?
- What are you shooting and at what distances?
- Seven important things to consider when buying a rimfire scope.
- Best Rimfire Scopes
- 1 Athlon Optics Argos BTR, 6-24×50
- 2 Leupold VX Freedom Rimfire Scope
- 3 Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 6-24×50
- 4 Vortex Optics Crossfire II Rimfire 2-7×32
- 5 Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14×40 Side Focus Duplex
- 6 Bushnell Optics Rimfire 3.5-10×36
- 7 TRUGLO 4×32 Rimfire Rifle Scope
- 8 Athlon Optics Ares ETR 4.5-30×56
- 9 TruGlo TRU-TEC Micro
- 10 Maven RS.1 2.5-15×44
- 11 NightForce ATACR 7-35×56
- 12 Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sight
- 13 HAWKE Sports Optics Rimfire Scope
- Final Thoughts
What makes the rimfire different?
Rimfire firearms are almost the same as centerfire guns except for the firing method from the construction aspect.
The main difference lies in ammunition, more precisely in primer positioning. The centerfire ammunition has the primer directly placed in the center, whereas the rimfire cartridges have primer located around the rim at the base of the round.
Generally speaking, rimfire ammunition, due to their smaller size and lighter weight, generate less recoil than centerfire ammo. The most common rimfire cartridges are .22 Short, .22 Long Rifle, .22 WMR, .17 HM2, and .17 HMR.
Since most of these various rimfire cartridges are so low-powered and have fragile construction, their useful range is about 50-60 yards.
However, due to the ever-advancing science and modern technology, modern rimfire rifles will serve an avid shooter at much greater distances.
Since .22 cartridges do not pack much stopping power, each shooter (as an ethical hunter) must procure the most quality rifle scope he can afford.
For the longest time, rifles chambered for .22 LR and similar ammo, owing to weak recoil impulse and inexpensive mass production, were destined for cheap, low-quality rimfire scopes.
Though you will still find today some of these specimens with inferior glass and unreliable adjusting mechanisms, there are more scope models that cost two or three times the price of the rimfire rifle.
What are you shooting and at what distances?
Before you start looking for the scope, you have to decide what targets and what distances you will be shooting at.
Commonly, shooting distances for rimfire rifles and cartridges can be classified at a close range up to 50 yards, medium range for targets within the 50 to the 100-yard range, and long range for shooting at targets at 100 yards and over.
For each of these ranges, you will need a scope with different specs and features.
Of course, you can use the scopes made for centerfires, but optics purpose-built for rimfires are better suited for small-bore work than most centerfire rifle scopes.
Seven important things to consider when buying a rimfire scope.
Lightweight
When you’re looking for the best .22 scope that fits both your needs and your rifle, one of the key features is the optics’ size and weight. Rimfires are compact and light weapons, so the optic should be lightweight and have moderate dimensions.
Glass quality
A great rifle scope should have clear lenses with external surfaces protected with multiple layers of anti-reflective film. Understand the difference in lens coatings and get the best you can afford.
Magnification
The magnification of the scope should be appropriate for the ranges and purpose you intend to utilize your rifle. For hunting, most gun authors recommend 3x-9x or 4x-16x, and for competition 4x-16x and even more if budget allows.
Reticle
The more important feature is a reticle design. While an average shooter with a .22LR rifle can fire precisely to about 50 yards with less than 1″ bullet drop using iron sights, most people will need scopes with rimfire-specific reticles at larger distances that have hash marks tuned to .22 LR ammo trajectories.
Weatherproofing
Just like in the centerfire world, the weatherproofing ability of the riflescope is necessary.
Eye Relief
Unlike rifles chambered for powerful centerfire cartridges, rimfire doesn’t require long eye reliefs. Since rimfire ammunition is typically low recoil, these optics usually have 3 inches or less eye relief.
Besides these primary features, you can also consider if the scope comes with fixed or adjustable parallax.
First Focal Plane (FFP) or Second Focal Plane (SFP) and Parallax
The reticles are usually available in the First Focal Plane (FFP) or Second Focal Plane (SFP), making another dilemma you have to fight with.
If you plan to use your Rimfire for a precision small-bore match, then you should consider scopes with a side focus knob for parallax control and reticle set in the first focal plane. On the other hand, many hunters prefer SFP scopes with a 50-yard fixed parallax.
With all that considered, you should find one of the options below to fit your particular needs.
Best Rimfire Scopes
1 Athlon Optics Argos BTR, 6-24×50
Athlon Optics has a wide range of quality and reasonably priced riflescopes for any shooting activity.
The Athlon Argos BTR GEN2 6-24×50 is a great and light scope offered in one of the most popular competition configurations that can be successfully used on rimfire platforms.
For a scope model with a large 50mm objective lens, a 30mm maintube, and a 4x zoom ratio, Argos BTR weighs a modest 29.6 oz.
The Athlon Argos BTR GEN2 comes with a choice of illuminated reticles in either MOA or MIL versions set at the FFP. As a standard feature, the reticles are matched by MOA or MIL exposed turrets.
Besides an optical system offering impressive power of 24x magnification, the Argos BTR GEN2 features fully multicoated lenses with a protective XPL coating to keep your lenses from dirt and grease.
The scope body is built out of aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum and features an interior purged with argon to prevent any internal fogging.
2 Leupold VX Freedom Rimfire Scope
The Leupold VX Freedom rimfire scope has a 60-yard parallax which is perfect for rimfire rifles. When you need to zoom, just turn the quick-grip power selector knob on the tube, and you can zoom up to 3x.
It has a maximum magnification of 7x. The lens is military-standard scratch-resistant, and the tube of the scope is 100% waterproof, shockproof and fogproof.
The windage and elevation turrets are knurled and adjust ¼ MOA per click at 75 yards. There is no second-guessing the adjustments you need to make when using this scope on your rimfire rifle.
Adjustments are designed specifically for rimfire rifles (between 60 and 75 yards). It has the Leupold Rimfire MOA reticle for you to easily dial in your shot.
When shooting in lowlight conditions, the twilight management system gives you brightness and clarity when looking through the scope.
This system balances light transmission, glare reduction, and image contrast to give you a clear image in both bright and lowlight conditions. While it doesn’t have any illumination capabilities, you can hunt at dawn or dusk because of this system.
3 Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 6-24×50
Another suggestion in the 6-24×50 category comes from the reputed US company Vortex Optics. Their model 6-24×50 belongs to the mid-priced Vortex Diamondback family of scopes that packs a lot of features into affordable packages.
Like all Vortex scopes, this one comes with their unlimited, unconditional, no-questions-asked lifetime warranty. Though it has “Tactical” in its name, this 6-24×50 scope with a broad zoom range makes it ideal for hunters and paper shooters.
Optically the Diamondback Tactical 6-24×50 features extra-low dispersion XD glass and fully multicoated lens surfaces.
The scope employs a Christmas tree style reticle set in the first focal plane for ranging, holdovers, or windage corrections.
As one of the best base class scopes for the National Rifle League, NRL22, the Diamondback Tactical with 30mm main tube offers an affordable precision rimfire package that tips the scale 24.6 oz.
4 Vortex Optics Crossfire II Rimfire 2-7×32
One of the low-priced Vortex offers comes from the Crossfire family in configuration well-suited for the rimfires, a 2-7x32mm.
Along with the perfect all-around magnification range, this upgraded Crossfire II version boasts the reticle and the parallax settings adapted for use on rimfire weapons.
Measuring at 11.5″ in length and weighing just 14.3 oz, the Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire is perfectly set for lightweight hunting or plinking rimfire rifles.
The scope comes with fully multicoated lenses for a clear and sharp image and ArmorTek coatings for protection against drops and scratches.
Like all Vortex riflescopes, the Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire has a nitrogen purged and O-ring sealed scope body for waterproof and fogproof performance.
This Vortex model comes with a caliber specific reticle called the V-Plex Rimfire and capped turrets.
5 Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14×40 Side Focus Duplex
Surprisingly, a scope with that magnification power is only 12.6″ long and weighs a mere 13 ounces.
Featuring a slender profile and lightweight but durable 30mm housing, the Leupold VX-3i rifle scope is a perfect match for your hunting rimfire rifle.
Leupold’s Twilight Max Light Management System will provide you with an extra 20 minutes of shooting light.
With fully multi-coated optics and the use of DiamondCoat 2 protective lens coatings, this Leupold will boost light transmission and provide unsurpassed abrasion resistance that exceeds high military standards.
The new VX-3i features a side focus knob, capped, finger-operated turrets, and their standard duplex reticle with thick posts with a thin crosshair in the second focal plane.
The scope is built of 1-piece aircraft-grade aluminum with a 30mm main tube diameter. The scope is shockproof and waterproof, while the body is filled with a mixture of krypton and argon gases for fogproof reliability in the field.
6 Bushnell Optics Rimfire 3.5-10×36
The Bushnell 3.5-10×36 is quite a decent rimfire riflescope at a reasonable price.
With a length of 12.5″ and weighing 15 ounces, this mid-power scope is the smallest in its class. It comes with the caliber specific DropZone 22 BDC reticle, which is specially designed for 38-40 grain high velocity .22 Long Rifle ammunition. You can also choose another model calibrated for the hot new 17 WSM cartridge.
This is basically a Duplex-style reticle with aiming points corresponding to 75, 100, and 125 yards.
As an ideal rimfire scope for long-distance varmints, the 3.5-10X 36mm features anti-reflection multiple layer coatings for the brightest images at dusk or dawn.
The scope is constructed from a 1″ single-piece aluminum main tube, O-ring sealed, and nitrogen purged for total waterproof and fogproof protection.
7 TRUGLO 4×32 Rimfire Rifle Scope
The TRUGLO 4×32 rimfire riflescope is one of the most affordable and effective rimfire scopes on the market today. Some models are affordable because they lack features, but that’s not the case with this TRUGLO rimfire scope.
We’ll start with the quality of the scope first. The tube of the scope is made of durable, scratch-resistant material, while the lenses are fully coated, giving you a clear and bright image when looking through the scope.
On the outside of the scope, there are windage and elevation turrets that can easily be gripped to adjust ½ MOA per click. The turrets are fingertip knobs that are easy to grip and turn with one click.
The scope also comes with ⅜” mounting rings for you to easily mount the scope to your rimfire rifle.
Internally, the scope is designed with a duplex reticle which is the ideal option for rimfire rifles. There is no set parallax, and it has a maximum magnification of 4x.
8 Athlon Optics Ares ETR 4.5-30×56
Another rimfire scope with a massive range of 4.5-30x comes from the popular Athlon Optics Ares line. This first focal plane scope has 4.5- to 30-power, providing ridiculous versatility for any activity from long-range target work or cleaning up prairie dogs.
Ares ETR 4.5-30×56 comes with a parallax adjustment with a side focus from 25 yards to infinity, enabling you to pick up targets clearly from 20 yards to 100 with your precision rimfire rifle.
The Ares ETR 4.5-30×56 is constructed with a 34mm 6061 T6 aluminum tube that is more than 15 inches long. The additional cause for the weight of 36.5 ounces is undoubtedly the big exposed locking turrets and a 56mm bell.
9 TruGlo TRU-TEC Micro
TruGlo family of optics is well known for their field-proven, pistol-compatible red dots.
The Truglo TRU-TEC Micro is a reflex sight designed for optic-ready pistols, but you can also mount this miniature red dot on your rimfire rifle and even on a shotgun.
Tru-Tec Micro red dot is available with standard 3-MOA Red Dot or with Green Dot. You can also opt for different mounting systems compatible with Trijicon RMR-style mounts or use it as a backup optic mounted on a 45-degree mount.
This ultra-lightweight red dot with a versatile profile features the 23mm x 17mm display with a multicoated objective lens.
The Truglo TRU-TEC Micro is powered by a single 3V-CR2032 lithium battery and has the auto-off feature to preserve battery life.
The Tru-Tec Micro is built with durable CNC-machined aluminum and it weighs just over 1 ounce.
10 Maven RS.1 2.5-15×44
Maven RS.1 2.5-15×44 is a high-quality scope from Japan that comes with a 30mm body tube, etched glass non-illuminated reticle and side parallax adjustment.
The RS.1 is equipped with capped windage and elevation dials, making it the ideal scope for hunting.
With a 6x power ratio, magnification range of 2.5x to 15x, and mid-sized 44m objective, this hunting scope will allow you close shots at squirrels as well as 80-plus-yard headshots.
The Maven SHR (Simplified Holdover Reticle) reticle is a duplex-style reticle with basic windage markings and three additional distance yardages for holdovers.
Weighing in at just over 24 ounces, this 30mm maintube optics is lighter than similar first-focal plane riflescopes in the same general price range.
11 NightForce ATACR 7-35×56
The Nightforce ATACR7-35 x 56 is the most powerful and most expensive scope on our list. Many rimfire competitors use this scope to equip their high precision rimfire rifles.
Along with an extensive 5x magnification range, the Advanced Tactical Riflescope (ATACR) comes with a selection of sophisticated FFP reticles designed for precision rifle competition and long-range hunting.
Besides illuminated MOA or Mil-based ranging reticles, the ATACR 7-35×56 offers a fully multicoated ED glass package, Hi-Speed ZeroStop, capped windage adjustments integrated Power Throw Lever (PTL).
With an overall length of 16 inches and a huge 34mm scope body, the Nightforce ATACR 7-35×56 tips the scale at 39.3 ounces.
12 Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sight
The Vortex has upgraded its popular Strikefire Red Dot with 10 different dot intensity levels increasing battery life to 80 000 hours at setting 6. The red dot boasts12-hour auto-shutdown feature to maximize CR2 battery life.
The StrikeFire II is tubular style reflex sight available with 4MOA Red or Green Dot with variable intensity levels.
While the 4 MOA dot is crisp and bright for daylight use, Strikefire II also features two night-vision compatible settings.
Like other red dots, this StrikeFire 2 features 1x magnification and an unlimited field of view.
The StrikeFire II comes with the lower 1/3 co-witness cantilever mount, which is ideal for AR-15 rifle platforms.
13 HAWKE Sports Optics Rimfire Scope
One of the top-quality and high-end rimfire scopes available today is the HAWKE Sports Optics rimfire scope. What makes it so unique and top-of-the-line is its infrared crosshair technology and illumination settings. In addition, it has an etched black reticle that you can choose to illuminate red or green.
The magnification maximum is 9x, which is more than you would need for your rimfire rifle. Because of its durability and recoil testing, it can be mounted to centerfire rifles as well, making it a versatile scope for you to keep in your gun safe for both applications.
It has side-focus parallax that can be adjusted at 10 yards to infinity. This is especially great for rimfire rifles that may only need parallax to be adjusted up to 60 yards or so.
The tube of the scope is nitrogen-purged, making it shockproof, waterproof, and fogproof. When it comes to a rimfire scope that is full of options and that you can use on centerfire rifles as well, this HAWKE Sports Optic rimfire scope is hard to beat.
Final Thoughts
With the low cost and availability of the .22 LR guns and ammunition, many new owners want to try their skills in all shooting disciplines without taking a second mortgage.
I hope I’ve given you some good rimfire scope options to fit your particular needs and also fit your budget.
