Scope & rings for Savage 93r17

Hans · July 5, 2018, 03:27 PM

Just bought one of these with a heavy barrel for my kids to use on prairie dogs at distances under 150 yards. Anyone have a scope recommendation (priced at $200 or less)?

Also, if you have a similar setup, what ring height did you get? I know it depends on scope selection.

Thanks in advance for the help.

taylorce1 · July 5, 2018, 03:39 PM

4-12X40 or fixed 12X is what I'd look for. I'm not brand loyal I have Bushnell, Redfield, and Leupold in 4-12X40. You can get away with a 3-9X40 but the top end of 12X is a little nicer when shooting PD.

Art Eatman · July 5, 2018, 07:28 PM

I once used my .243 on a prairie dog shoot. With the 2-7 scope, 7X was plenty good to 300 yards.

For daytime shooting, top quality isn't really necessary. I'm still doing okay with ancient Leupold Vari-X IIs of 3-9x40, including one which bought as "good used".

PlatinumCore16 · July 6, 2018, 02:40 PM

Depends on where you're shooting as well. Here in Southern CO, it gets too hot to be using anything over 10x during the summer. The mirage is pretty killer, though ymmv. That's just been my experience.

berettaprofessor · July 12, 2018, 09:01 PM

Unfortunately, I can’t id rings on sight and in my more naive days I never wrote them down. I know they’re low rings because I always try them first and the bell of the scope is about 2 mm off the barrel. They have two screws on each base and one screw up top if that helps

. I’m ashamed to admit it, but the scope is a Tasco 3x9x40, which is the only non-Leupold scope I have left mounted on a rifle and it’s clearer than my surplus old Bushnell rimfire or Cabelas Pine Ridge scopes. Someday I’ll replace it but I don’t shoot this one much.

Traveling_Fisher · July 12, 2018, 11:06 PM

I have a BSA Sweet 17 on and it is great out to 200 yds. My old eyes find it adequate and the price is in your budgrt

Sent from my YOGA Tablet 2-1050F using Tapatalk

berettaprofessor · July 15, 2018, 08:49 PM

Hans, you did inspire me to haul out the 93R17 and shoot today. That Tasco 3X9X40 shot pretty well. I can only shoot 50 yards without driving to a longer range, but a tripod in front and my hands in back (prone) I can consistently get 600 thousands groups at 50 yards...slightly over 1.2 moa. Hornady XTO 20 grains are the most accurate of the ones I've tried and any 20 grain bullets shoot better than the 17 grains in my rifle.

Dano4734 · July 16, 2018, 03:24 PM

Don’t use the stinking weaver aluminum rings like me. They break off use leoupold or warne

craddleshooter · July 16, 2018, 07:32 PM

What's high end to me is not so much to them. For me if it helps me see better than I can without it, it's of some use. I've only got 2 scopes that are actually good gear. I din't know you could see holes in a shoot and see at 100 yards with a 3-9 scope till I used another guys rifle that had a Zeiss on it. I was amazed as I had always gone with the most magnification I could get in the price range I had. Doing that I had never had anything GOOD, but did have stuff I could use.

One of the first things I learned from the residents here was that GOOD glass beats higher magnification every time.

Ilya has done a lot of homework and has things broken down pretty well by price range and does a lot of comparisons. I'll post a link to his thoughts on your price range here in a sec.

If all you've had previous experience with is wal-mart scopes and such, then that Leopold VXII likely did look really good. "not at all being judgmental, talking from experience myself"

My .02 is get the best glass in your price range and you'll be happier than getting the most magnification in your price range.
If God didn't want me to play with it, he'd of made my arms shorter.

July 5, 2018, 03:27 PM	#1
Hans Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Location: Montana Posts: 421	Scope & rings for Savage 93r17 Just bought one of these with a heavy barrel for my kids to use on prairie dogs at distances under 150 yards. Anyone have a scope recommendation (priced at $200 or less)? Also, if you have a similar setup, what ring height did you get? I know it depends on scope selection. Thanks in advance for the help. __________________ G26, Ruger LCP Ruger 10/22, Wyndham AR-15 5.56x45 Savage 111 LWH .270 Win. Without the 2nd Amendment, none of the others would exist.

July 5, 2018, 03:39 PM	#2
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	4-12X40 or fixed 12X is what I'd look for. I'm not brand loyal I have Bushnell, Redfield, and Leupold in 4-12X40. You can get away with a 3-9X40 but the top end of 12X is a little nicer when shooting PD. __________________ NRA Life Member Last edited by taylorce1; July 6, 2018 at 02:52 AM.

July 5, 2018, 07:28 PM	#3
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	I once used my .243 on a prairie dog shoot. With the 2-7 scope, 7X was plenty good to 300 yards. For daytime shooting, top quality isn't really necessary. I'm still doing okay with ancient Leupold Vari-X IIs of 3-9x40, including one which bought as "good used".

July 6, 2018, 02:40 PM	#4
PlatinumCore16 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2017 Location: Colorado Posts: 424	Depends on where you're shooting as well. Here in Southern CO, it gets too hot to be using anything over 10x during the summer. The mirage is pretty killer, though ymmv. That's just been my experience.

July 12, 2018, 09:01 PM	#5
berettaprofessor Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2008 Posts: 1,091	Unfortunately, I can’t id rings on sight and in my more naive days I never wrote them down. I know they’re low rings because I always try them first and the bell of the scope is about 2 mm off the barrel. They have two screws on each base and one screw up top if that helps . I’m ashamed to admit it, but the scope is a Tasco 3x9x40, which is the only non-Leupold scope I have left mounted on a rifle and it’s clearer than my surplus old Bushnell rimfire or Cabelas Pine Ridge scopes. Someday I’ll replace it but I don’t shoot this one much.

July 12, 2018, 11:06 PM	#6
Traveling_Fisher Junior Member Join Date: December 27, 2015 Posts: 2	I have a BSA Sweet 17 on and it is great out to 200 yds. My old eyes find it adequate and the price is in your budgrt Sent from my YOGA Tablet 2-1050F using Tapatalk

July 15, 2018, 08:49 PM	#7
berettaprofessor Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2008 Posts: 1,091	Hans, you did inspire me to haul out the 93R17 and shoot today. That Tasco 3X9X40 shot pretty well. I can only shoot 50 yards without driving to a longer range, but a tripod in front and my hands in back (prone) I can consistently get 600 thousands groups at 50 yards...slightly over 1.2 moa. Hornady XTO 20 grains are the most accurate of the ones I've tried and any 20 grain bullets shoot better than the 17 grains in my rifle.

July 16, 2018, 03:24 PM	#8
Dano4734 Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2014 Posts: 730	Don’t use the stinking weaver aluminum rings like me. They break off use leoupold or warne

July 16, 2018, 07:32 PM	#9
craddleshooter Junior member Join Date: March 9, 2018 Location: NY Posts: 90	What's high end to me is not so much to them. For me if it helps me see better than I can without it, it's of some use. I've only got 2 scopes that are actually good gear. I din't know you could see holes in a shoot and see at 100 yards with a 3-9 scope till I used another guys rifle that had a Zeiss on it. I was amazed as I had always gone with the most magnification I could get in the price range I had. Doing that I had never had anything GOOD, but did have stuff I could use. One of the first things I learned from the residents here was that GOOD glass beats higher magnification every time. Ilya has done a lot of homework and has things broken down pretty well by price range and does a lot of comparisons. I'll post a link to his thoughts on your price range here in a sec. If all you've had previous experience with is wal-mart scopes and such, then that Leopold VXII likely did look really good. "not at all being judgmental, talking from experience myself" My .02 is get the best glass in your price range and you'll be happier than getting the most magnification in your price range. If God didn't want me to play with it, he'd of made my arms shorter.