Best .22 Rifle Scopes 2026: Rimfire Picks for Hunting & NRL22

We ranked close-focus and parallax behavior first. A .22 LR spends much of its life on small targets at short distance, where a scope set for a distant centerfire target can leave the image soft and make precise head position more important. A fixed 50- or 60-yard setting is useful for common hunting and zero distances. An adjustable objective or side-focus control is better when the same rifle must shoot much closer and farther.

Magnification came next, but more power did not always score higher. We looked at the usable low end and field of view for moving through woods, the top end for seeing small aim points, and the weight that range adds to a light rifle. Reticle utility, repeatable controls, tube diameter, and ring requirements then separated scopes aimed at similar jobs.

The final list contains seven exact configurations. That distinction matters most with the Burris Droptine: the 200019 rimfire version is set at 50 yards. The similar 200017 scope is set at 100 yards. Check the model number before mounting.

For small-game hunting and informal plinking, 2-7x and 3-9x are the practical ranges. The Vortex Diamondback opens at 2x and shows 64.3 feet at 100 yards on that setting, which helps when the target appears close or moves through cover. The Leupold VX-Freedom, Burris Droptine, and Simmons Pro Rimfire start at 3x and add a 9x top end without turning a light .22 into a bench rifle.

The TRACT 22 FIRE's 4-12x range is the middle ground. Twelve power gives a finer view of small paper targets, while 4x remains usable from field positions. Its adjustable objective is the reason it wins overall. It focuses from about 10 yards to infinity.

The Bushnell Match Pro ED is a different tool. Its 5-30x range, 56mm objective, and 32-ounce body belong on a precision-oriented rifle. The key number is not 30x; it is the 15-yard side-focus minimum. That control lets a match shooter sharpen the target and reduce parallax error on close stages, then refocus as distance changes.

Parallax error shows up when the reticle seems to move across the target as your eye shifts behind the scope. A fixed-parallax model reduces that effect near its set distance, but it cannot be tuned elsewhere. If your shooting stays around 50 or 60 yards, fixed focus is simple and light. If the course or range changes distance often, adjustable focus is worth more than another few points of top-end magnification.

For a walking small-game rifle, choose the Vortex Diamondback. Its 2x low end, wide field of view, 13.7-ounce weight, and fixed 50-yard parallax all serve close field shooting. The Leupold VX-Freedom is the lighter premium alternative at 12.2 ounces. It adds a Rimfire MOA reticle with one-MOA hash marks across 25 MOA, but its fixed 60-yard focus gives up the TRACT's distance tuning.

For a conventional 3-9x, the Burris Droptine is the value pick. Its Ballistic Plex provides trajectory references without a dense grid, and the exact rimfire model is set at 50 yards. The Simmons Pro Rimfire is the stripped-down budget pick and includes Weaver-style 1-inch rings and lens covers. It uses fully coated lenses and a 32mm objective; the Burris adds Hi-Lume multicoating and a 40mm objective while staying at 13 ounces.

The Primary Arms Classic 6x32 is for a shooter who wants one magnification and a dedicated hold system. Its ACSS-22LR reticle combines range estimation, bullet-drop references, and wind holds. Fixed 6x also removes the magnification-setting question that comes with a second-focal-plane reticle. The trade is direct: you lose a low setting for close woods, and Primary Arms does not publish a parallax distance for this model.

For NRL22 and precision training, choose the Bushnell. The first-focal-plane DM2 MOA grid keeps its angular references useful across the zoom range, while locking turrets, a zero stop, and 100 MOA of total elevation support dialing. It is the least sensible hunting scope here because its 5x low end and 32-ounce weight solve a match problem, not a carry problem. For a broader look at the rifle side of that setup, see the semi-auto .22 upgrade guide.

A plain aiming point is enough when you zero once and keep shots close. That is the appeal of the Vortex V-Plex: the view stays clean, though it offers no ranging or holdover grid. The TRACT T-Plex Dot is also simple but much finer at center, with a 0.25-inch dot at 50 yards on 12x for a precise aim point on small targets.

The Leupold Rimfire MOA and Burris Ballistic Plex add references without becoming match grids. The Primary Arms ACSS-22LR goes farther by combining range, drop, and wind information in one reticle. Those three are second focal plane, so the marks represent their intended values only at the magnification specified for the design; the fixed 6x Primary Arms avoids that variable by never changing power.

The Bushnell DM2 MOA is the match answer. It sits in the first focal plane, so the grid grows and shrinks with the target image and its angular holds remain consistent through the zoom range. It is also the only illuminated reticle in this ranking. That detail is useful when the grid needs contrast, but it does not make the scope smaller, lighter, or better for a simple hunting zero.

Scope-ring fit has two separate measurements. The upper ring must match the tube, and the lower clamp must match the base. Six scopes here use a 1-inch tube. The Bushnell Match Pro ED uses a 34mm tube, so a spare set of 1-inch rings will not work even if the lower clamp fits the rifle.

The receiver side is less uniform than the scope side. Rimfire rifles may have a 3/8-inch or 11mm dovetail cut into the receiver, a Weaver base, or a Picatinny rail. These interfaces can look close in a product photo but are not one universal standard. Identify the actual base on your rifle, then buy the ring clamp that names that interface. Our scope-ring guide covers ring diameter, height, and mounting choices in more detail.

Ring height should leave the objective clear of the barrel and base while keeping the scope low enough for a repeatable cheek weld. The 56mm Bushnell objective will usually need more clearance than the 32mm and 35mm field scopes. Measure the rifle and selected base instead of choosing height from the objective number alone.

Start with the rifle base, ring clamp, and tube diameter. Set the scope far enough forward or rearward to get a full image in your normal shooting position, then confirm the objective clears the barrel and the bolt handle clears the eyepiece. Level the reticle, torque the base and ring screws to the hardware maker's values, and leave an even gap across split ring caps where the design calls for one.

Zero near the distance you shoot most, then confirm impact at the closer and farther distances that matter to you. A reticle with drop marks is only useful after you verify those marks with your rifle, ammunition, sight height, and conditions. The optic mounting guide walks through that setup, and our rimfire LPVO alternative explains when a 1-6x layout makes more sense than a traditional rimfire scope.