Got off work earlier than I thought I would, so I headed to the indoor range with both of my 22 rifles to test out the new glass.
For the 10/22, I installed a Nikon Prostaff Rimfire 3-9x40 BDC. It previously had a Nikon Prostaff 4x32 scope. There was nothing wrong with it. In fact, its a pretty damn good scope. I just wanted bigger glass and more magnification. The new Nikon did not disappoint, having a clear and bright sight picture. Since I was only shooting at 25 yards, I wasn't able to test out the BDC feature. That will have to wait until I can stretch it out to at least 75 yards. Its a steal at $119.95, which is why I bought 2 of them. Made in the Philippines if that matters to anyone.
Also, I installed a new o.d. green Hogue Overmolded stock. The color is nice, and it has a slightly grippy rubber texture. And the fore end is wider than normal and partially flat, which helps when target shooting. Very comfortable to shoot standing up or sitting down. Overall, I like the Hogue stock a lot more than the Boyd's SS Evolution stock I had before. Its more practical, and more traditional looking.
On the Marlin 981T, I added a Leupold VX-1 Rimfire 2-7x28 with the glossy finish. Its smaller and lighter than the Nikon, which is one of the reasons I got it. I almost bought this scope around the same time I bought the rifle back in '08. The only reason I passed on it back then was because its way more expensive that most rimfire scopes. I couldn't justify spending over $200 on a 22 scope. Similar to the Nikon, the sight picture was clear and bright. On the downside, you could obviously see the disadvantage of a 28mm objective lens compared to a 40mm. It makes a huge difference. But I really like the Fine Duplex reticle. Its simple and not so "busy" compared to the BDC reticle on the Nikon. This was my first Leupold, and its made in the USA.
One thing I really like about both scopes is the finger adjustable turrets. It may not seem like a big deal, but its so much easier and faster to zero the rifle without having to use a coin or flathead screwdriver to make your adjustments. I'm not a hunter, but I would see this as a simple yet valuable feature for quick changes in the field.
The groupings on the top/left and middle/left are the Marlin. All the rest are the 10/22. Distance was 25 yards. I got a little carried away with some rapid firing on the top/right group. I couldn't help myself.
I need to buy a bipod, or maybe a small sandbag rest to help keep the rifle steady when target shooting. I'll see what Cabela's has when I head up there tomorrow.