Best Scope for 22-250 Rifles – Top 10 Best Rated 22-250 Scopes Review

The 22-250 cartridge is one of the most popular varmint calibers on the market today. There is a good reason for that. The 22-250 is one of the fastest cartridges hunters and shooters can buy. When combined with the speed of this cartridge, the incredibly flat trajectory of the 22-250 makes it deadly for any varmint that dares to show itself even at long ranges. Check out the list below to learn more about what the best scope for 22-250 rifles is for your specific hunting and shooting needs.

Reaching speeds exceeding 4000 feet per second (FPS), the 22-250 has been helping varmint hunters quickly and accurately take down their targets since it was designed in 1937. Many a coyote, bobcat, prairie dog, groundhog, and more have met their demise thanks to a 22-250 bullet.

If you don’t have time for the details, check out the list below for the best rated scopes for 22-250 Rifles:

1. Leupold VX-Freedom 4-12x40mm Riflescope
2. Bushnell Engage 6-18x50mm Riflescope
3. Monstrum Tactical 6-24×50 Rifle Scope
4. Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 4-16×44 Riflescope
5. Nikon Prostaff P3 Predator Hunter Riflescope
6. Athlon Optics Argos BTR GEN2 6-24×50 Riflescope
7. UTG 4-16X50 1″ Hunter Scope
8. S2Delta Low Power Variable Optic (LVPO) Carbine Scope
9. Burris Optics Fullfield E1 Scope
10. ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Rifle Scope

Understanding 22-250 Cartridge

There are four things that combine to help make the 22-250 one of the best varmint cartridges available today.

Speed

As was already mentioned above, the 22-250 is incredibly fast. Although it is not the fastest round out there, there are not many rounds that out pace it. Several companies produce 22-250 ammunition that achieve velocities of over 4000 FPS. However, for the sake of this article, let’s take a closer look at the Remington HTP Copper 22-250 loads which is a good example of the performance of many common 22-250 loads.

Velocity (FPS)

MUZ​​​​​​ZLE	100 YARDS	200	300	400	500
3830	3267	2771	2326	1924	1570

As can be seen from the velocity chart, the 22-250 maintains its speed well even at the 500 yard range. Speed in a round is ideal for varmint hunting because of the quick movements and skittish nature of many varmints. When they do present you with a shot, it usually isn’t for very long.

Flat Trajectory

A rifle cartridge with a flat trajectory is another important factor for a varmint round. A flat trajectory means that the bullet does not drop significantly down range. This is ideal for varmint hunting due to the small size of many varmints.

Trajectory (Inches) (The table below assumes a 200 yard zero)

MUZ​​​​​​ZLE	100 YARDS	200	300	400	500
1.5	0.9	0.0	-5.5	-17.5	-39.0

A cartridge with a flat trajectory allows for consistent and precise accuracy on small targets such as groundhogs and prairie dogs. It also allows for ethical kills on varmints with small kill zones such as the coyote.

Energy

The amount of energy a bullet delivers at different ranges is very important for an ethical kill. If a bullet doesn’t have enough energy when it reaches its target, there is a larger chance of only wounding the varmint. Any hunter worth their salt wants to make a clean and ethical kill on any game animal they are targeting. The 22-250 maintains enough energy to quickly kill a coyote even at the 500 yard mark.

E​nergy (FT-LB)

MUZ​​​​​​ZLE	100 YARDS	200	300	400	500
1629	1185	853	601	411	274

The energy retained by the 22-250 at long range makes it an excellent choice for varmint hunting. Whether you are hunting a prairie dog colony 300 yards out or targeting elusive coyotes on the plains at 400+ yards, the 22-250 round will serve you well.

Low Recoil

The 22-250 also features very low recoil for its performance. While this may not be important to every hunter or shooter, it is a nice additional perk to using this round. High volume shooting trips at the range and during varmint hunts won’t lead to any regret or pain the following day with the 22-250. Low recoil also allows for much quicker follow up shots on target because you can stay in your aiming hold and keep your scope pointing down range without resetting your position.

This isn’t to say that the 22-250 isn’t without its flaws. There is no perfect rifle round. It really comes down to the specific needs of a hunter or shooter and what they want to be able to accomplish. That being said, the 22-250 is an excellent option for many and is a round that benefits greatly from a high quality scope. Keep reading for help with picking out the best scope for 22-250 rifles.

Best Scope for 22-250 Rifles on the Market Reviews

 1   Leupold VX-Freedom 4-12x40mm Riflescope

The Leupold VX-Freedom 4-12x40mm Riflescope is an excellent option for a 22-250 rifle. The magnification range is ideal for hunting varmints at a variety of different ranges which offers hunters plenty of versatility. Leupold’s Twilight Light Management system provides shooters with up to 80% less glare and 10 extra minutes of shooting light.

One area where the VX-Freedom really shines for varmint hunting is via its Tri-MOA reticle. This second focal plane reticle features 10 MOA of measurement in each direction. There are hash marks at every 1 MOA increment and the marks at the 5 MOA and 10 MOA intervals are wider/taller for easy reference. The top of the reticle is also free of hash marks for improved spotting ability.

 2   Bushnell Engage 6-18x50mm Riflescope

The Bushnell Engage 6-18x50mm Riflescope offers budget minded 22-250 rifle owners a ton of great features. With an impressive magnification range and a large, 50mm objective lens, this scope provides an up close and bright sight picture which is ideal for varmint hunting of all kinds. The fully multi-coated optics provides anti-reflective capability for increased clarity and high resolution imaging.

The Engage 6-18x50mm scope has a reticle that works very well with the 22-250 round. With 1 MOA hash marks for both windage and elevation, correcting for shots of different ranges is a simple task. Varmints tend to pop up in unexpected places sometimes so the easy to use reticle will come in handy for many hunters. This scope also features turrets with toolless zero reset capability.

 3   Monstrum Tactical 6-24×50 Rifle Scope

With an illuminated first focal plane (FFP) reticle, a flat dark earth color, and an impressive top level of magnification, even targets at 500+ yards will be dispatched quickly with the Monstrum Tactical 6-24×50 rifle scope. This scope comes with everything needed to turn a 22-250 rifle into a coyote killing machine. Picatinny mounting rails, a honeycomb sunshade, flip up lens covers, and a battery are all included in the box.

The illuminated rangefinder reticle is ideally optimized for the performance of the 22-250 round and for varmint hunting as a whole. The vertical hash marks come in 1 MOA increments which makes for precise elevation corrections while the horizontal hash marks are in 2 MOA increments. This allows you to easily lead quickly moving targets such as a running coyote or bobcat.

 4   Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 4-16×44 Riflescope

The Diamondback Tactical 4-16×44 Riflescope from Vortex Optics is a great match for a variety of 22-250 rifles including AR-15 platforms and the Remington 700 bolt action. If you plan to do some coyote hunting in tough conditions, you can’t go wrong with the Diamondback Tactical. Nitrogen purged and O-ring sealed, this scope is 100% waterproof and fogproof. It will even perform at a high level in the cold and snow that coyote hunting is often done in.

Vortex Optics uses low dispersion glass and fully multi-coated lenses for a sharp and bright sight picture. With a side parallax knob and a fast focus eyepiece, your reticle will never be blurry at any zoom level. The FFP glass etched reticle will keep you precisely on target throughout the magnification range of the Diamondback Tactical.

 5   Nikon Prostaff P3 Predator Hunter Riflescope

When a scope’s name includes the word predator, you know it was designed to make coyote hunting and bobcat hunting easier. The Nikon Prostaff P3’s reticle, called the Predator BDC, was designed to provide a clear view of incoming targets and allow for easy leading of moving targets.

Aluminum caps on the Nikon Prostaff P3 Predator Hunter protect the spring-loaded instant zero reset turrets when you are in the field while still allowing for easy access to make precise ¼ MOA adjustments. Constructed with a one inch aircraft aluminum main tube, this scope is both waterproof and fogproof for reliability in even the toughest conditions.

 6   Athlon Optics Argos BTR GEN2 6-24×50 Riflescope

If you are a long range hunter, look no further than the Argos BTR GEN2 from Athlon Optics. The 6-24x magnification range is more than enough to pull every bit of effective range out of the 22-250 round while the 50mm objective lens diameter lets in plenty of light for day time hunts. The Argos BTR GEN2 is also a top performer in low light conditions with an illuminated reticle.

The tactical turrets on the Argos feature extremely precise 0.1 MIL click adjustments to make sure you are right on target. The turrets also feature an impressive precision zero stop system that can be operated with confidence even in complete darkness.

 7   UTG 4-16X50 1″ Hunter Scope

Once all the features are taken into consideration, it is hard to beat UTG 4-16×50 1” Hunter Scope for the money. Built with extreme durability in mind, this scope is completely sealed and filled with nitrogen making it completely waterproof, rainproof, and fogproof. Varmints don’t wait for good weather to go on the prowl and any hunter equipped with the Hunter from UTG won’t have to either.

This scope’s illuminated reticle can be completely customized to each hunter’s preferences with up to 36 different reticle color options. This scope includes a sunshade as well as Picatinny mounting rings and features parallax adjustment for a clear sight image at any range.

 8   S2Delta Low Power Variable Optic (LVPO) Carbine Scope

Not all varmint hunting is done at long range and a ton of magnification is not always needed. The S2Delta LVPO Carbine Scope is a great option for hunters that prefer to call their quarry in close. With 1-4x magnification, this scope provides just enough zoom to easily take shots in the 200-300 yard range and closer.

Completely waterproof and fogproof, the LVPO Carbine scope features an illuminated reticle, long eye relief for rapid target acquisition, and capped ½ MOA turrets.

 9   Burris Optics Fullfield E1 Scope

The Fullfield E1 scope from Burris Optics is another excellent budget option for 22-250 rifles. The classic design, slim profile, and matte black finish help this scope to look great on top of any rifle. Looks aside, the Fullfield E1 still offers high end performance for the money.

The cascading reticle allows for easy holdover and windage corrections when taking shots in the field and the posi-lock system locks your adjusted zero into place. This scope provides the confidence to take tough shots in the field no matter what the conditions are.

 10   ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Rifle Scope

The ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Riflescope is the perfect option for the hunter enthusiastic about technology. With an array of features a normal scope can only dream about, the ATN X-Sight brings your hunt firmly into the 21st century. With a built-in ballistics calculator, on-board video recording capability, and night vision mode, this scope really packs in the features.

The 3-14x magnification range aligns ideally with the 22-250 round and the night vision mode allows you to be in the field when predators are most active. The X-Sight can be used for 18+ consecutive hours and operates in temperatures as low as negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Final Thoughts

The 22-250 round is fast, shoots flat, and provides plenty of energy down range to dispatch even the wiliest of coyotes and other varmints. For hunters who use the 22-250, a high quality scope is vitally important. Even the most accurate rifle round is only as useful as the scope being used to shoot it. Use the list above to find the best scope for 22-250 rifles that matches up with your specific needs.