i posted this in optics also. i found a nikon straight 4 power scope on clearance, but it is a rimfire scope. what is the difference between a rimfire scope and a scope you would put on a muzzleloader

rimfires scope are not going to take much recoil.

muzzleloader/shotguns scope have long eye relief and take more recoil.

best thing to do is go to nikons web site and see if they have any test one how much recoil the scope your looking at may take, if they don't send them an email.

Some rimfire scopes are made to take a lot of recoil because the better ones are made to beused onpowerful, highrecoiling spring airguns which can really destroypoorly constructedscopes.
However, rimfire scopes are usually made with a 50 yard parallax andthe Nikon 4X rimfire scope is too.
Most variable power hunting scopes have a 100 yard parallax setting. Some brands ofmuzzle loader and shotgun scopeshave a 75 yard parallax setting while others are set at 50 yards. For instance the Nikon slughunter scopeislisted as havinga 100 yard parallax setting.
If a scope doesn't have an adjustable objective, then thefactory parallax setting may have an effect, but I'm not sure byhow much or if that really matters much at all.
The bottom lineis that aquality maderimfire scope can work reliably on any rifle.

The Nikon 4X Rimfire:

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/product.php?group=16&subgroup=10&product=6 305

Arcticap has it right, it's a parallax thing. Shotgun, muzzleloader and .22 rimfire scopes are usually set at 50 yards, sometimes 75. I wouldn't hesitate to use the scope on a ML.

I'm no authority on parallax or the physics of optics, but it would seem to me that when you're shooting at a 50 yard target with a scope that has a 100 yard parallax set, you would have about the same potential erroras shooting a 100 yard target with a scope with a 50 yard parallax set. In both cases I would think the effect would be very minor.

When you get it mounted, put the rifle in a good solid rest. Put your target at 100 and 150 yards. Move your eye back and forth while looking through the scope without the rifle moving. See how much the cross hair moves on the target.