The Ruger 10/22 is one of the best-selling rimfire rifles in the world. These low recoil, lightweight, inexpensive rifles are regularly used in high-stakes competition, for hunting pests and small game, and for good, old-fashioned recreational plinking.
Because the 10/22 is so insanely popular, there are tons of aftermarket accessories that are easily available. A quality optic is the most common accessory shooters add to these rifles. However, with so many options to choose from, finding the best scope for Ruger 10/22 is no easy feat.
If you’re new to shooting, or you’re just feeling overwhelmed by all the options, we’re here to help. We’re going to show you what to look for in an optic for your new rimfire 10/22. We’re even going to share some of our favorite models to help you on your search.
If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time for the details, here are our best picks for scope for Ruger 10/22:
- Simmons Truplex Rimfire 3-9×32 Scope
- Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire Scope
- Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot
- UTG 3-9X32 BugBuster Scope
- Sig Sauer Romeo5
- Leupold VX-Freedom Rimfire Riflescope
- Nikon 3-9×40 BDC Reticle Black Riflescope
- TRINITY 4×32 Mil Dot Reticle Compact Scope
- ATN X-Sight 4K Night Vision Scope
- Monstrum 3-9×32 Riflescope with Illuminated Rangefinder Reticle
Table of Contents
- Choosing a Scope for the Ruger 10/22
- Red Dots and the Ruger 10/22
- Best Scope for Ruger 10/22 on the Market Reviews
- 1 Simmons Truplex Rimfire 3-9×32 Scope
- 2 Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire Scope
- 3 Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot
- 4 UTG 3-9X32 BugBuster Scope
- 5 Sig Sauer Romeo5
- 6 Leupold VX-Freedom Rimfire Riflescope
- 7 Nikon 3-9×40 BDC Reticle Black Riflescope
- 8 TRINITY 4×32 Mil Dot Reticle Compact Scope
- 9 ATN X-Sight 4K Night Vision Scope
- 10 Monstrum 3-9×32 Riflescope with Illuminated Rangefinder Reticle
- Final Thoughts
Choosing a Scope for the Ruger 10/22
The Ruger 10/22 is wildly popular and incredibly versatile. Currently, Ruger makes approximately twenty different 10/22 models across eight variations (and that’s not counting the exclusive models Ruger designs for specific distributors).
With such variety, the Ruger 10/22 successfully fills a number of shooting roles. The 10/22 is often the primary choice for home defense, hunting, competition shooting, and survival weapons. It is also a particular favorite of recoil sensitive shooters.
Because the 10/22 is used for so many different shooting applications, there is no one-size-fits-all best optic. However, there are a few things to keep in mind, no matter how you intend to use your 10/22.
Understanding Your Limitations
Although the Ruger 10/22 is insanely accurate for a rimfire rifle (especially if you add a few aftermarket upgrades), it is not by any means a long-range superhero. Before you start looking for a scope, you should understand the limits of the 10/22’s .22 LR chambering.
At most, .22 LR cartridges are only accurate to about 200 yards. If you plan to use your 10/22 for hunting, you’ll want to keep your shots well within 150 yards to ensure effective shots and ethical kills.
Compensating for Bullet Drop
The .22 LR begins to drop dramatically after 75-80 yards. You can expect your shots to drop approximately 32 inches at 200 yards!
If you need to engage targets beyond that range, you should consider a scope with BDC marks to help you accurately and easily adjust for bullet drop over distance.
Magnification
While the Ruger 10/22 has a limited effective range, shooters will benefit from a scope with magnification. Magnification up to 9x will help make precision shots on small targets, especially if your target is the tiny vital area of a distant squirrel or groundhog.
Target Shooting
The Ruger 10/22 Competition rifle is a popular option for precision shooters. For match competition, you’ll want to look for a scope with a BDC reticle and target-style turrets. Exposed target turrets allow you to make precise adjustments for range and windage. A zero-reset feature can also be a major asset for competition shooting.
Red Dots and the Ruger 10/22
The easy-shooting Ruger 10/22 often reigns supreme at steel challenge events. Pair your 10/22 with a quality red dot and speed shooting becomes a breeze.
Whether you’re hunting or target shooting, if you need to get on target fast or engage multiple moving targets, you may be better served by a red dot sight than a traditional riflescope.
Best Scope for Ruger 10/22 on the Market Reviews
Here are just a few of what we consider the best scopes for the popular Ruger 10/22.
1 Simmons Truplex Rimfire 3-9×32 Scope
Perfect for budget-minded shooters, this Simmons scope is one of the most popular scopes on the market. Designed specifically for .22 rifles, the Simmons Truplex Rimfire is priced well under $100. However, Simmons didn’t cut any corners when it comes to quality. This scope is built for performance and is a major asset to your 10/22, whether you’re using it for squirrel hunting or target tactical applications.
The scope comes with Simmons’ exclusive TrueZero adjustment system, a QTA Quick Target Acquisition eyepiece, high-quality optics with a unique HydroShield coating, and a user-friendly Truplex reticle.
If you often shoot with gloves, you’ll love the scope’s SureGrip rubber surfaces. Featured on the eyepiece diopter, windage and elevation caps, parallax adjustment knob, and the power change rings, this awesome no-slip coating ensures you won’t have to fumble to make adjustments in the field.
2 Vortex Optics Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire Scope
Vortex Optics makes some of the most durable and dependable scopes on the face of the planet. The Crossfire II Rimfire scope is a fine example of the company’s quality.
The Crossfire II is crafted from a single piece of aircraft-grade aluminum with a hard anodized finish for maximum durability. It is also o-ring sealed and nitrogen purged, so it is completely fogproof, shockproof, and waterproof.
The ample field of view and all-purpose SFP V-Plex reticle make the Crossfire II perfect for close to mid-range shooting. Other high-end features include capped reset turrets, a fast focus eyepiece, and anti-reflective, fully multi-coated lenses.
3 Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot
While red dot sights aren’t technically scopes, they are a nice option when your shooting application doesn’t require magnification. The Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 made our list of the best budget red dot, and it works particularly well with the Ruger 10/22, especially the Takedown and Carbine models.
The Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 is solidly built to withstand bumps, drops, and all sorts of hard use. It is o-ring sealed and nitrogen purged for guaranteed fogproof performance. It even holds its zero after being completely submerged in water.
The highly visible 3 MOA Dot reticle has eleven brightness settings, so you can easily adjust reticle visibility for any lighting condition.
4 UTG 3-9X32 BugBuster Scope
As one of the highest rated rifle scopes on Amazon, the UTG BugBuster has developed a dedicated fan base. Although this optic comes with an economical price tag, it has some pretty surprising features. This affordable optic definitely outclasses most other optics in this price range.
The BugBuster has premium turrets that are zero-lockable and easily reset. Shooters will also enjoy a generous field of view.
The scope’s lenses are multi-coated with special emerald layers designed to relax the eye for easier shooting in both bright and low light conditions.
The BugBuster features a Mil-Dot reticle, which allows you to make quick and easy range estimations and windage corrections. You can also switch between red and green illumination to optimize reticle visibility in any light.
The UTG BugBuster is built for durability. The main housing is nitrogen filled and o-ring sealed, making it completely shockproof, fogproof, and waterproof.
5 Sig Sauer Romeo5
Perfect for shooting applications that don’t require magnification, this awesome red dot from Sig Sauer works well with the Ruger 10/22. Although the Romeo5 is a relatively inexpensive red dot, it offers plenty of bang for your buck. This model easily performs like a much more expensive optic.
The Romeo5 is built like a tank. It has an IPX-7 rating, which means it can withstand being completely immersed in up to one meter of water. It is also dependably fogproof.
Shooters will appreciate the bright, clear 2 MOA dot. You can choose from 10 illumination settings, eight are optimized for daytime conditions and two are compatible with night vision.
Our favorite feature is the optic’s Motion Activated Illumination, or MOTAC. MOTAC automatically powers up when it senses motion. It also turns off the device during extended periods of inactivity. This extends battery life, providing up to 40,000 hours before you need a battery change. However, the optic is always on and ready to go when you need it.
6 Leupold VX-Freedom Rimfire Riflescope
No list of the best scopes would be complete without a model from legendary Leupold & Stevens. Leupold’s VX-Freedom line is top-notch, and their rimfire model definitely earns its place among the top scope options for the Ruger 10/22.
The VX-Freedom Rimfire features a relatively low power (3-9x) magnification range which is perfect for popping small 100 yard targets. It also features an ample 40mm objective lens that has been pre-adjusted for parallax up to 60 yards. It also features a Rimfire-MOA reticle. Both are ideal for rimfire .22LR cartridges.
Leupold built their VX-Freedom Rimfire scope for durability. It is built from aircraft quality aluminum and designed to perform reliably, even in inclement weather.
7 Nikon 3-9×40 BDC Reticle Black Riflescope
This Nikon scope performs like a pro on the competition field. However, it feels just as much at home plinking soda cans off backyard fence posts.
Constructed from tough, aircraft-grade aluminum and finished with a Type-III hard anodized surface, this is one rugged optic. The housing is o-ring sealed to prevent internal fogging. Although designed for maximum durability, this is still a relatively lightweight scope, so you don’t have to worry about it weighing down your lightweight 10/22.
Not only is this scope tough, it also provides some of the brightest, crystal clear images you’ll ever view through a riflescope. Made with multiple layers of anti-reflective coating, this scope is designed to maximize light transmission, providing jaw-dropping brightness and color contrast, even in low light settings.
8 TRINITY 4×32 Mil Dot Reticle Compact Scope
This fixed scope from Trinity is designed for easy mounting on your Ruger 10/22. It mounts using pre-drilled holes on top of the receiver. It comes with all the mounting hardware you need.
The Trinity 4×32 scope features blue-fused, multi-coated lenses. This unique design helps reduce internal reflection and maximize light transmission. The coating also helps protect surfaces from scratches, so you can enjoy crystal clear images for the life of the scope.
The main housing is milled from one solid piece of aircraft-grade aluminum for maximum durability. It is also completely sealed for reliable fogproof performance.
9 ATN X-Sight 4K Night Vision Scope
If you need to use your Ruger 10/22 for accurate after-dark shooting, you need a quality night vision scope like this one from ATN. The X-Sight is perfect for popping nighttime pests and varmints.
The X-Sight offers variable zoom from 4-14x, plus a built-in rangefinder, ballistic calculator, and recoil activated video (RAV) recording.
Far more than a basic riflescope, this ATN night vision scope features an Obsidian 4 Dual Core Processor, which brings state-of-the-art technology to your traditional 10/22. This is a virtual computer you mount directly to your rimfire rifle. It provides high resolution images, faster optics, and images more vivid than anything you’ll ever see with just the naked eye.
10 Monstrum 3-9×32 Riflescope with Illuminated Rangefinder Reticle
Monstrum is always surprising us with their affordable, high-performance riflescopes. This one pairs perfectly with a Ruger 10/22.
It features an illuminated rangefinder reticle with adjustable brightness settings to maximize visibility in bright daylight, fading light, or even after dark shooting. The scope also comes with an adjustable objective lens (AO), which allows for sharper target focus and parallax elimination for more accurate shooting.
Made from aircraft grade, 6061 aluminum, the scope body is o-ring sealed and filled with nitrogen for distortion-free images and reliable fog and water resistance.
Great for close to mid-range shooting, this Monstrum rifle scope has capped turrets that provide crisp, precise 1/4 MOA windage and elevation adjustments.
Final Thoughts
The Ruger 10/22 has an almost legendary reputation in the firearms world. Thanks to the weapon’s consistent performance, impressive accuracy, and easy shooting, the Ruger 10/22 has been a best-seller for more than half a century. However, this legendary rifle becomes even more legendary when you add a quality optic. Whether you’re a competition shooter, small game hunter, or a kid plinking cans, the best scope for Ruger 10/22 will definitely help improve your shooting skills.
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