The demand for the best scopes for 22-250 Remington cartridges has risen in recent years. 22-250 Remington is arguably the most popular hunting cartridge available today, and it has been for years now. This is especially true for hunting smaller animals.
While deer hunting is as popular as it gets and gets the most attention from hunters, more experienced hunters and hunters looking for a different challenge go for smaller animals. The best cartridges to use here are the .22-250 Remington.
Scopes have made using weapons, especially long-range weapons, more enjoyable and rewarding. The years of aimlessly shooting are gone. And while the production of so many different types of scopes by optics brands is a good thing in general, it also means you’ll have to drive through a lot to come up with the most fitting for your needs.
And that is why this article was born. To help hunters enjoying the already successful 22-250 cartridge to get more out of the cartridge.
Imagine what you can do with the right scope for a 22-250 Remington cartridge. Imagine the endless possibilities and the number of successful hunting expeditions you’ll begin to get.
The possibilities are endless, and all it takes is getting that scope for your 22-250 cartridge. Seeing that you’ll spend years testing different scopes and must have wasted a whole lot of money in the process before you may have been able to get a good scope for this cartridge. We’ve decided to save you the stress, money, and time by doing a deep dive and coming up with some of the best scopes for 22-250 Remington cartridges.
This guide will cover the features of the scopes, major pulls and drawbacks, and so much more.
So without further ado, let’s see these scopes.
Table of Contents
Best Scopes for 22-250 Remington Cartridge
Once you can get the best scope for your 22-250 cartridge, your hunt will become more successful and, in turn, more successful. What sets some of these scopes apart from the various other scopes in the market right now is their peculiarities with the 22-250 Remington cartridge. How well it enhances the cartridge’s abilities and makes you a better hunter in the process.
Here is the collection:
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II 6-24×50 BDC Reticle – Our Top Pick
- Athlon Optics BTR Rifle Scope 6-24×50 (FFP)
- Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR II 5-25×50mm
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II AO 6-18×44 SFP Rifle Scope
- Leupold VX-5HD 2-10×42 Rifle Scope
In case you want to know about the scopes, in brief, this comparison table below is tailor-made for you.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Vortex Optics Crossfire II 6-24×50 | • Magnification of 6-24x • Capped turrets • Good eye relief | View Price |
 | Athlon Optics | • Magnification of 6-24x • First focal plane • Parallax adjustments to infinity | View Price |
 | Burris Xtreme | • Magnification of 5-25x • Extremely precise • Lifetime warranty | View Price |
 | Vortex Optics Crossfire II AO 6-18×44 | • Magnification of 6-18x • Ultra-forgiving eye box for better aiming • Finger adjustable turrets | View Price |
 | Leupold VX | • Magnification of 2-10x • Duplex reticle • Lifetime warranty | View Price |
But if you want to get into the details about each of the scopes before making a purchase, this section below is just what you need.
#1. Vortex Optics Crossfire II 6-24×50 BDC Reticle
Vortex is a well-known brand in the optics space, popular for its durability and features. It is no surprise one of the vortex’s scopes tops our list of best scopes for 22-250 rifles.
If you’re using the 22-250 cartridges, you’ll find this vortex optics crossfire II 6-24×50 BDC reticle quite fitting. It can match the intensity of the 22-250 caliber bullet and ensure you get so much more from your rifle.
At its price, you’ll be shocked at what this scope can give you in terms of pure satisfaction. While many other scopes in its price range struggle to provide some of the basics like eye relief and quality glass needed for the high-velocity caliber bullet and the associating high recoil, this scope can boast of an eye relief of 4 inches and a quality glass that will enable you to see those small animals from a far distance.
With a magnification range of 6 to 12x, you can shoot from so far out and increase the size of tiny targets to make your aim better. This magnification range covers everything from medium to long-range shooting. It also comes with an outstanding objective lens diameter of 50mm, which will take in enough light for a crisp image.
It comes with a bullet drop compensator reticle (BDC) superb for long and medium-range shooting. It factors in the drop of the bullet during its travel to the target, giving you a more accurate target. There’s also a fast focus eye box that allows you to quickly pick out the target and take accurate shots without wasting so much time seeing that most of the job will be hunting fast-moving animals.
Like most vortex optics products, this scope is as durable as it gets. Made from aircraft-grade aluminum, which makes it shockproof, especially against the heavy recoil on the rifles. It is also O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged to keep moisture out and prevent fog from forming inside the lens.
Vortex optics crossfire II 6-24×50 has an adjustable objective (AO) and offers parallax-free views.
A drawback for this scope is its weight as it is not the lightest in the market, but it is no surprise seeing its features and its objective lens of 50mm.
Pros
- Wide magnification range of 6-24x
- Adjustable objective
- Good eye relief
- A wide objective lens of 50mm
- BDC reticle
- O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged to keep it water and fog-proof
- Shockproof
- Capped turrets
Cons
- Might struggle with targets at close-range
- Bulky
#2. Athlon Optics BTR Rifle Scope 6-24×50 (FFP)
This is another scope that fits the 22-250 caliber bullet perfectly. Like the above-listed scope, it has a magnification range of 6-24x, covering medium to large distances without issues. Its 50mm objective lens will also help produce clear and crisp images as it lets in enough light into the scope. Its lens is also multi-coated, which further enhances the image quality.
That’s not even all with this scope. The feature I like the most is its first focal plane illuminated reticle. Here you’re able to see clearly when aiming in low light conditions or during night hunting. The size of the target also changes as you increase the magnification giving you a more accurate representation and making it easier for you to hit your target.
The high intensity of the 22-250 caliber bullets will not wear this scope out anytime soon as it is made from aircraft-grade single sheet aluminum. This makes it shockproof and able to withstand the recoil and shock from the rifle. It is also O-ring sealed and argon-purged to prevent water from entering inside the scope and stop fog from forming on the lens even when used during wet conditions. You no longer have to worry about using your 22-250 rifle in wet conditions.
The parallax on this scope is not fixed, giving you the liberty to adjust the parallax to infinity. This is goodbye to parallax issues. If you add its beautiful aesthetics, you’ll see why people love this scope.
Pros
- First focal plane
- Wide magnification range of 6-24x
- Wide objective lens diameter of 50mm
- Clear and crisp image quality
- Parallax adjustments to infinity
- O-ring seal and argon-purged tubes to keep water and moisture out
- Can be used in low light conditions
Cons
- Poor eye relief of just 3.3 inches
#3. Burris Xtreme Tactical XTR II 5-25×50mm
This is a high-end scope from Burris, and it’s not hard to see so. Not only does it look amazing with its sleek body design to bring class to your weaponry, but its equally amazing features will more than justify its price. If you’re using a 22-250 rifle, you might want to check out this beast of a scope.
I particularly like its illuminated SCR reticle. It gives you a sought of accuracy not seen in many other scopes. It also helps to compensate for the errors caused by elevation, windage, and bullet drop by providing points where these errors will be minimal.
One of its strongest pulls is its precision, even at higher magnification. Its magnification range stretches from 5 to 25x with users able to choose between any of the 5 different magnification ranges, namely 5×, 10×, 15×, 20×, and 25×.
It comes with 3 zero-click turrets that adjust the elevation (located at the top), windage (located at the right), and parallax (located at the left), further enhancing the accuracy you can get with this scope.
The scope has a 50mm objective lens and a high-grade optical glass that is durable and provides clear images. The objective lens is wide enough to allow enough light into the scope. Hence, image clarity is no more an issue, even at higher magnifications.
While precision may be its strongest pull, this scope is also as durable as it gets. Able to withstand shock from recoil and any other external force of impact on it is made with aircraft-grade aluminum. It is nitrogen-purged to keep water and fog out of it and allow you to see clear images even when using it in wet conditions.
You’ll enjoy its lockable turrets with an easy return to zero whenever you want.
Pros
- Extremely precise
- Lifetime warranty
- Shockproof
- Nitrogen-purged to keep it water and fog-proof
- Lockable turrets and easy return to zero
Cons
- Not so affordable
- A bit bulky
#4. Vortex Optics Crossfire II AO 6-18×44 SFP Rifle Scope
This scope also fits the 22-250 caliber bullet magnificently. This is the second crossfire II rifle on this list. It is a testament to their amazing quality that we have two of them on the list.
It has an objective lens of 44mm, which allows enough light to enter the scope and provide clear images even at its highest magnification of 18x. The magnification range of this scope stretches from 6-18x. It also has an adjustable objective.
With its dead hold bullet drop compensator reticle, you’ll get reliable hold over points. This scope’s lens is also multi-coated for clearer images and prevents dust and scratches on the lens.
Made from aircraft-grade aluminum for durability and O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged to keep moisture out and prevent fog from forming on the lens. Now you can use your scope even in wet conditions.
It comes with two-finger adjustable turrets for elevation and windage adjustments. These turrets are capped to prevent them from resetting when in use.
Want to focus on your target quickly? The ultra-forgiving eye box will quickly take your eyes to the target and bring about faster aiming and shot. It also has good eye relief that will prevent recoil injuries and stop the scope from kissing your eyebrow.
Pros
- Adjustable objective
- Finger adjustable capped turrets
- Good eye relief
- Ultra-forgiving eye box for better aiming
- Magnification range of 6-18x
- Can also target short distances
- Shockproof, water-resistant and fog-proof
Cons
- Its adjustments are not the best
- Lacking parallax adjustments
#5. Leupold VX-5HD 2-10×42 Rifle Scope
You get to choose between two reticles, the popular duplex reticle and an illum firedot duplex reticle with this scope. They all offer great optics.
It has a magnification range of 2-10x, which is slightly different from what is obtainable in this list. But it is essential to include a quality scope with this range that fits the 22-250 cartridge bill. Ideal for shooting short to medium distances with great accuracy. Considering its highest magnification of 10x, its objective lens of 42mm is quite wide, and you’re sure to get very good images even at the highest magnification.
With its duplex reticle, your aim will be faster and more accurate as the outer and inner posts work hand-in-hand to help you take better shots. If you want even more accuracy, you can turn on the red dot available on this reticle.
It has a durable matte finish that is anti-glare to avoid giving up your location, especially during tactical shooting. It is made with single sheet durable materials to make it shockproof. You’ll also find its moisture-proof feature quite helpful when you need to use this scope in wet conditions. Whatever the case may be, you’ll be enjoying this durable scope for a long time as it is also wear and abrasion-resistant.
Pros
- Wide objective lens
- Good image quality even at the highest magnification
- Durable scope
- Lifetime warranty
- Water, fog, and shockproof scope
- Duplex reticle
- Anti-glare
Cons
- Not ideal for long-range shooting because of its magnification
How to Choose a Scope for 22-250 in 2022?
What should you consider when choosing a scope for your 22-250 rifle? You’ll see everything you need to become an expert in choosing the best scope that will work well for your varmint, squirrel, and rabbit hunting with a 22-250 Remington cartridge.
- Magnification
Magnification is just as important as anything when choosing any scope, even more so when choosing a scope for hunting small animals with your 22-250 caliber bullets.
Seeing that these are long-range bullets, it is ideal for your scope to reach long distances. But this should not trump what you intend to use the scope for. If your shooting is within short to medium range, you may not need a scope with that high magnification.
- Price
What’s the point of choosing the best scope that is above your budget? It makes no sense. Except, of course, you have an unlimited budget where the price is not a problem. But this is not always the case.
So, you should consider your budget for the scope and match that with the best 22-250 scopes in that category.
What amount are you willing to spend? Crosscheck that with the price of the scope, and you’re good to go.
- Durability
Seeing that 22-250 is a high-caliber bullet with high recoil, you want to get a scope that can withstand this shock and impact without much wear. You don’t want to change your scope in a short while, which is why getting durable scopes is important.
Verdict
Check what it is made from. Aircraft-grade aluminum is ideal. Also, you want to check if it is water and fog-proof so you can comfortably use it in wet conditions.
