Having never owned a .243 before, moving up a little from the .204, what would be a good scope for a .243 with a 22 inch barrel used mainly for coyotes and possibly groundhogs? Would one of the 3x9-40mm be the best all around choice? Or should I consider going up some in power to say 12 or possibly 50mm? Many of you own and shoot the .243 so I could use some helpful suggestions--also, what weight bullet would give good performance, there are a lot of choices out there. Most of my shots range from 50 to 200 yards give or take, I'll be sighting it in at 100-------thanks for your input---John

John,

Certainly groundhogs start to appear small at two hundred yards.

I have a Burris Signature Select 4X-16X 44MM Ballistic Plex reticle on my Remington 700 SPS DM in .243 (it's my predator rig), and I use Hornady 75gr. V-max.

My .204 wears a Burris Signature Select 6X-24X 44MM Mil-Dot reticle - Savage 16 FCSS Weather Warrior - Hornady 40gr. V-max

I have always put 4x12x40 scopes on standard weight .243 rifles. I think it is the best balance for most rifles chambered in this cartridge. The heavy barreled rifles that are intended primarially for long range varmits can make use of more power (20x range), but the standard weight models make good use of the lower power.

I have a Tasco Mildot 2.5X10 mounted on my Stevens 200 in .243. Has worked great for me for the last four years. Prairie dogs, coyotes, and deer up to and over 400yds. Great rig for my type of shooting.

Ron

I have never hunted ground hogs. Or coyotes for that matter, though I have killed a few. I would think that if you need really clear, precise picture of these little critters, then a scope towards the top end would be the way to go. If low light is not when one hunts ground hogs, then no need for a 50 mm. If you can go for it, look at a Zeiss Conquest. If you have the $$$$, look at a 30 mm tube, Swarovski in something like a 4-12x40 mm. If you need to stay in the $200 -$300 range, I have been impressed with a Bushnell Elite 4200 that came on a muzzle loading rifle that I bought.

magnification on an AO scope is a tool to be used to aid you in shooting.

it does more than just make your target appear larger. think of it like the aperture of a camera. you're influencing the amount and intensity of light entering your eye.

in low light, which is where i get a considerable amount of my shot opportunities, you can adjust your scope to give you a better advantage in the low light, but always at a compromise.

the higher magnification you go to, usually, the less light gathering you have in the scope. so, if you're scope goes to a million power, it'll do you no good 20 minutes after sunset, for example.

3-9x40 has been a go-to model for a long time. recently, with the increase in quality and performance of scopes, lots of people are getting 3-12x50's or 4.5-14x44's which offer somewhat of an edge over older models.

i have a 4.5-14 nikon on my winchester 243. i use it for coyotes often, i use it for deer, i use it for anything that i can use it for legally. (even an american bison)

try several, consider the scopes weight on the rifle and how it will affect its balance, which will make a difference in how you shoot it in the field when you're not on a bench at the range.

if you have a good gun shop, take it in there and see if they'll indulge you and mount a couple for you to try and see how it looks and feels.

a couple years ago, i read an article about how to set up a new rifle for maximum performance. i wish i would have saved it for you, that guy knew his stuff. he detailed the importance of knowing the load you're shooting and sighting in your scope for your rifle's maximum point blank range. read up on it. it will help.