Cart before the horse......

[D. Manley]

Finally getting ready for a nice .22 setup. No rifle yet but I've looked at every optic on the planet until about sick of it. Finally settled on the VX-II 3-9x33mm Rimfire EFR (http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/scopes/rimfire-riflescopes/vx-ii-3-9x33mm-rimfire-efr/) and have it on the way. I'd have prefered a little more magnification on the top end but everything's a trade-off. This little puppy has a couple of features I really like, the fine duplex crosshairs and focuses down to 10 meters...both, nice touches in a rimfire optic. It's fairly compact, weighs 11 ounces and should be a near perfect match for the rifle I'm looking at.

After looking at rifles for quite a while (seemingly forever), I've narrowed it down to a couple. The CZ and the Magnumlite. The CZ's are really nicely finished and are nail-drivers but the cheesy grooved receiver on such a nice rifle just sort of turns me off. I like the Magnumlite a lot but although it's offered in every imaginable stock and receiver color combo, they're near impossible to find in anything but the Hogue 'overmolded' or collapsible versions. Found a couple on-line with the "Barracuda" stock but I can't make myself order this type of gun sight-unseen. I'll probably wind up forgoing the stock choice and biting on the Hogue version. It does have a super nice feel but I'd prefer the higher cheekpiece if it could be had within driving distance.

Whichever way it goes, at least I'll have the glass. Surprisingly, I've been waiting on one to show up at a reliable vendor for about 6 weeks. Midway got some in and they were gone in a day...sorta like primers.

[MakeMineaP99]

Question: Are you planning on leaving the rifle stock or building it up? If so, have you considered building from the ground up?

[D. Manley]

Question: Are you planning on leaving the rifle stock or building it up? If so, have you considered building from the ground up?

On the rifles I've narrowed it down to, they are pretty much good-to-go "as is" and there just isn't anything much to build up. I've considered both approaches but to tell the truth, I don't see anything to gain in savings or performance by building one up. Take a basic 10/22, barrel it, stock & bed it, trigger-job, etc, one could easily have actualy more dollars invested in a build with nothing gained other than, uniqueness of the end product.

[Brass Nazi]

9X is more than enough magnification for any use that I can think of. The most important feature of a scope is to give you a single plane to align on the target.

I have a fondness for VXIII and Nikon Monarch glass for affordable rifle scopes but a VXII is nothing to scoff at. Plus you are helping put a roof over an American family's head and getting class of the industry customer service to boot.

[D. Manley]

9X is more than enough magnification for any use that I can think of. The most important feature of a scope is to give you a single plane to align on the target.

I have a fondness for VXIII and Nikon Monarch glass for affordable rifle scopes but a VXII is nothing to scoff at. Plus you are helping put a roof over an American family's head and getting class of the industry customer service to boot.

True. I'd love one that went up around 16X or so for "paper killin" but I'm happy with the choice I made. I opted for the ability for closeup clarity and the precise reticle since most .22 work is from 50 yards in. The 9X will be more than plenty to extend my normal nutria eradication range. The going price on both is $399.00 but a few places that stock them have a Leupold promotion going on with free shipping and choice of a couple of included options. I went for the aluminum screw-in lens caps and the Leupold mounting tool.

For anyone that hasn't seen one of these, it's a fantastic little optic for rimfire. Leupold actually makes it two ways. One is finished in gloss black with a standard duplex in the VXII Ultralight EFR series and this one, matte finished with the fine duplex in their rimfire line. Other than the finish and reticle, they are identical in every respect including, parallax adjust down to 10 meters. Chuck Hawks has a nice little review on one, HERE (http://www.chuckhawks.com/leupold_VX-II_rimfire_scope_syn.htm). His bottom line:


"This Leupold VX-II 3-9x33mm EFR Rimfire scope is simply the best rimfire riflescope that I have ever used."

[CZ93X62]

I have the centerfire version of that scope atop my Ruger 77RC in 223. It is among my best scopes, period.

Did you check SWFA www.riflescopes.com (http://www.riflescopes.com) to see what they had laying around?

The little CZ rifles REALLY shoot. Yeah, grooved receivers are kinda whatzis, but they work well and secure the scope firmly.

[D. Manley]

I have the centerfire version of that scope atop my Ruger 77RC in 223. It is among my best scopes, period.

Did you check SWFA www.riflescopes.com (http://www.riflescopes.com) to see what they had laying around?

The little CZ rifles REALLY shoot. Yeah, grooved receivers are kinda whatzis, but they work well and secure the scope firmly.

No, I don't *think* I did. To be honest, I've looked at so many brands & models both locally and on-line over the last few weeks I've lost count. Once I found this one, I saw nothing else close to besting it for my needs. My local dealer had the sibling model you have in stock (standard duplex & gloss finish) so I could actually have a look at it and that closed the deal.

Those CZ's are great rifles and for the quality, priced right. The grooved receivers work fine and have for a lot of years, just seems to me to be out of place on a sweet rifle like that. FWIW, they had a long range rimfire competition not too far from me recently and word is, the CZ's pretty well dominated particularly, at the longer ranges.

[djw]

I was visiting rimfire central and those folks suggested the Mueller APV 4.5X14 for use on the CZ 452. For $100 it works beautifully. Makes a nice package. 50yd. groups about dime size. Just FYI.
Best, Dave

[D. Manley]

I was visiting rimfire central and those folks suggested the Mueller APV 4.5X14 for use on the CZ 452. For $100 it works beautifully. Makes a nice package. 50yd. groups about dime size. Just FYI.
Best, Dave

You're right, it is a great scope for the bucks. I looked at it early on and from what I can tell, it can't be beat at it's price point. I'm thinking about setting my grandson up with a 10/22 rig and if I do, that's the way I'm going for him.

Just to follow up, I did pull the trigger on a Magnum Research Magnumlite MLR 1722 (http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.asp?ProductCode=MLR22H). I preferred the Barracuda stock, grandson liked the collapsible AR style so we compromised and went with the Hogue overmold version.

Mounted the scope myself using Leupold PRW low rings off to the indoor range. No choice there, been pouring rain for days on end. I had some CCI standard velocity stuff and one box each of Fiochhi Match and Eley HP's to try out. Although not boresighted, was only off about 5 inches at 25 yards so dialing in was pretty simple.

Bottom line, pretty slick little rifle. All shot well, no malfunctions...the Fiochhi Match and Eley were about equal with both cutting 5 shot groups from 1/4 to 3/8 inch or so. I got in a little variety test pack today of different match grade stuff to see what it's capable of at 50 yards. The only things I'm considering "upgrading" are, switching the bolt-lock to the quick-release type and maybe, an extended mag release. I'm still undecided on the trigger which seems to be the same as in the Ruger "Target" 10/22 version...very clean and crisp but a little heavier than I'd like...I'm guessing, 4.5/5 LBS. If it don't slick up after a few hundred rounds I'll probably drop a Clark in it.

No "where's the pictures" flames...the wife's out-of-town with the digital camera.

[mbradst]

Where's the pictures?

[jawjaboy]

No "where's the pictures" flames...the wife's out-of-town with the digital camera.

We was jes trying ta be nice DM. :)


:ttiwwop:

[D. Manley]

Where's the pictures?

Finally got the change to snap a few pix although, not the best. I've got the trigger tuned to a crisp 2.25 LBS and altered the bolt lock to auto-release. Shoots great as is but I'm gonna' try a Boyd's EVO stock and see how it fits me...should be here next week.

[jawjaboy]

Nice D. Real nice. Fine looking rifle.
.

[AlPackin]

real nice DM :thumbsup:

[BigSlick]

Nice rig DM :thumbsup:

Magnumlites are da bomb. Expensive, compared to a base model, but after addin all da stuff, they make sense.