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Squirrel hunting is one of my all-time favorite outdoor activities. To be honest, I hadn't really been squirrel hunting in several years until this past year. But, I had several friends who had expressed an interest in it and I was constantly being prodded by my loving Granny to eradicate her tree rats.
When I was 13, my grandaddy bought me a Marlin bolt action .22. On top we put a cheap Tasco score. It worked, but was pretty frustrating to use because the aperture on the scope was so small that locating the target was difficult. As a result, I never killed more than 2 squirrels a day.
Many people had been reading my Last Man on Earth posts and had remarked that the most useful item that I could purchase was a Ruger 10/22. So, I went out and bought one, then proceeded to outfit it. You can read about it here: My Ruger 10/22 Build
While I was outfitting it at Academy, I was convinced to spend more money and purchase a BSA Sweet 22 scope. At first, I was daunted by the price. If I bought that scope and the best mounting hardware, I would double the invested cost. But, I did it anyway. Here is a link to several options within the BSA Sweet 22 line.
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Here are some stats on the model that I bought:
"Upgrade your plinker with crystal - clear precision! BSA Sweet .22 3 - 9x40 mm Scope, SAVE BIG! A shot to remember! The BSA Sweet .22 grants serious optical power to any garden-variety .22, turning your plinker into a varmint killer. There's no guesswork, thanks to the .22-specific trajectory compensation and adjustable objective. With separate swappable turrets for all the common .22 loads! We saw a deal rear its head... and didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Gear up here for BIG BUCKS OFF the original retail! A better look, made affordable:
- Specifically calibrated for the .22 LR round, with quick-change turrets for 36-gr., 38-gr. and 40-gr. bullets!;
- 3-9X magnification fully-coated optics;
- 40 mm objective;
- 10.8-3.6 mm exit pupil;
- F.O.V. @ 100 yds. is 36.6' at 3X, 15.7' at 9X;
- 3" eye relief;
- 100% waterproof / fogproof / shockproof; Adjustable objective; Hand-adjustable windage and elevation.; 1" tube.;
- Includes lens covers.; 13"l. Weighs 20 ozs.; Buy rings separately.; Order yours today!
Dialing in this scope was easy because the elevation and windage adjustments are extremely linear, something that cheaper scopes can't boast. It took me a grand total of 30 minutes to turn my 10/22 to a tack driver at 50 yards.
I was immediately amazed by the aperture that I now had. Locating targets was quick and easy. I would leave it on the 3 power since most of my shots were fairly close. This allowed me to quickly locate and acquire a shot. For those longer shots, such as a stationary squirrel in a tree, I could easily dial up the magnification.
Instead of losing targets because I couldn't find them, I could hit that critical first shot before the squirrel ran. The 40mm aperture gathered light fantastically, eliminating the struggles of shade and diminished sunlight at dusk.
The first few trips out, I would double my normal kill count from 2 to 4. Then, I started having 6 kill days. Then 8. Because of the success that I was having, I made it a tradition to hunt each Friday afternoon of the season. As a result, I had days like this one: Squirrel Hunting
I was taking less shots and getting more squirrels. Though most kills came at close range (again, quickly acquiring targets that I couldn't have done with another scope), I was also able to hit shots at far greater distances, even up to trees 50 yards away with a squirrel 20 yards up the tree, with a good rest.
The revelation really came when I started bringing friends. I would put them on the squirrels and let them use their own guns. However, each and everyone struggled. It took me awhile to figure out why. They were using the same cheap scopes I had been using. So, I would swap guns with them. That made all the difference. It was awesome seeing my friends find success.
However, my greatest success was getting my 5 year old hooked on hunting. No, he doesn't shoot, but being able to convert those long walks into kills made it worth it to him. Every time we go out, he knows we will get one, which is why he likes to go.
Conclusion
Yes, the scope is probably 4 times as expensive as the scope on your current .22. And yes, but the time you add quality base and rings, you will have more invested than the gun itself.
However, a gun, no matter how expensive, is only as good as the optics you use. In this case, you will be able to acquire and resolve a target easier, quicker, and with much greater accuracy.
Sighting in this scope is painless, as the elevation and windage adjustments are very linear.
The aperture is amazing and gathers light magnificently.
The scope is hearty enough to resist being knocked off. I have dropped my rifle several times without knocking the accuracy.
The adjustable magnification makes it easy to go from a close range shot to a tree-topping shot.
The scope has excellent precision. As I stated, it is nothing for me to shoot 20 times in a hunt and come home with 8 squirrels.
The scope has excellent precision. As I stated, it is nothing for me to shoot 20 times in a hunt and come home with 8 squirrels.
I loved this scope so much that I bought a second one for my Marlin bolt action. However, it should be noted that you will need to buy a different set of rings, as the rail on the Marlin is much smaller. Here is a link to what you will need.
This will be the best investment you can make in your varmint plinker. Don't hesitate on the price. Also, buy from Amazon as the chain stores want DOUBLE.
I give this a 5 Stars out of 5
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