OK, I have settled on a Marlin 880SS bolt .22 LR. I may pick up a 10/22 in the future, but I wanted to go with a bolt for some reason. Thanks for all the comments. How about ideas on a scope? $50-$150 at the high end. Probably like to be around $75-$100. A Leupold VX-I is a possibility, how about others?? I am thinking 2X-7X. Comments? I am wondering if a 3X-9X is too much mag on the low end. Do you really need the 9X? Thanks for your ideas, I had some great ones on the rifle kwes-chun.

I havent heard great things about Redfield, Bushnell or Tasco, but want your opinions.

I would go with a one inch scope and not the little rimfire scopes. If you do ,almost and 4, 6, 0r 2x7 scope that is clear and has crosshairs that are not to heavy will work fine. I found a real clear tasco scope about thirty years ago and put it on my remmington bolt action 22. Its still on there and I have shot countless hundreds of bricks of shells through that rifle.

look at the Simmons 3-9 with AO. It' s a little more than any of the bushnells and Tascos but well worth it.

The adjustable Objective would be a good Idea for a 22 You can focus them in at real close range. I have a Simmons or two also but they were not around yet when I bought my tasco.

I have a couple simmons 22 mags that I like. I was going to get the 83Ts but then I got the handirifle in .223 instead. It was $198 with tax for the synthetic superlight version. Anyway, I had already bought the 22mag scope so I will try it on the .223. I am not shoot very long range anyway. I already have a 10/22 so I didn' t really need a 22 mag, but I had no small cal centerfire..

One more vote for an AO model. The Leupolds are super scopes, but an adjustable objective model will be out of your price range. You might take a look at one of the midrange Bushnells with AO. Something in the Sportsman, Banner, or Trophy line.

I have a Simmons 22 mag 3X9X32 on a 22 mag, it was $99.99 Canadian it is fine for this rifle. The Simmons is no Leupold but you get what you pay for.

I have been shooting a Brno 22lr with a 3X9-40 Leupold Vari X II for the past year. It had been wearing a 4X Bushnell Sportview for the past 2 years. Putting the Leupold on it was the best thing. No longer was the cross hairs thick as fence posts. 3X has never been too much magnification even when shooting gophers at 25 yards. Put when you feel like punching paper or streching shots out to 100 yards the 9X is nice to have. Considering there is NO difference between the older Vari X II and the new VXI except they are $125CDN cheaper I say go for it!