When the 17 HMR came out nobody knew what to make out of it. This small and powerful cartridge took the shooting world by storm. Marlin and Ruger set out to create a bullet that shoots flat and hit hard. The quick 17HMR round quickly became a popular varmint and target shooting caliber. With the precise hard hitting characteristics of the 17 HMR you are going to want a high quality optic.
What’s The Best Scope For 17HMR Rifles?
1. Leupold VX-2 3-9X40mm Duplex Rifle Scope
Leupold’s VX2 Riflescope is an excellent choice for your 17HMR Rifle. Leupold makes some of the best rifle scopes in the industry and the VX2 is no exception. Combining crystal clear clarity with a durable design makes the Leupold VX-2 one hell of a rifle scope.
Leupold’s VX2 rifle scope is right on the upper edge of what I would spend on a 17HMR Rifle Scope. What you get for your money is one of the clearest scopes on the market. You’re not going to beat the clarity of a Leupold scope without spending a small fortune. Pairing that with the durability of the VX-2 platform makes for one heck of a rifle scope. Leupold built the VX2 scope using a one piece aluminum construction housing. Minimizing weak points made this one of the strongest scopes in its class. The tube is argon/krypton purged and O-Ring sealed ensuring this scope is 100% waterproof and fogproof. The protective coating on the lead free lens ensures you won’t accidentally scratch or damage the glass during cleaning.
What you’re really paying for with a Leupold scope is the sight picture. The industry leading crystal clear sight picture guarantees a sharp high contrast image. It doesn’t matter if the suns behind you or going behind a cloud the VX-2 will give you a clear and bright sight picture. Leupold’s proprietary multicoated lens gives you ultimate light transmission from dawn til dusk. With a magnification of 3-9x40mm you’ll be able to reach out to the edge of the 17HMRs ballistic capability. Quickly adjust the magnification with the VX-2’s fast focus eyepiece designed for rapid focusing. Feauturing an LR Duplex Reticle you’ll be able to get on target quickly. You’re eyes will naturally be drawn to the center of the reticle increasing your target acquisition speed.
2. Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-9x40mm Dead Hold Riflescope
Vortex Optics Crossfire II is another great 17HMR scope. Vortex Optics are known for creating high quality optics at an affordable price. Vortex packed the crossfire scope with a ton of features for the price. Specifically designed for discriminating hunters and shooters you can’t go wrong with the Vortex Crossfire Riflescope.
Vortex designed the Crossfire II 3-9x40mm rifle scope to be affordable without a reduction in quality. Designed to withstand everything life throws at it, you won’t have to worry about damaging this scope. The Crossfire II scope uses a hard anodized single-piece aircraft grade aluminum design. It’s not only shockproof, the nitrogen filled tube and O-Ring seal makes the Crossfire scope 100% waterproof and fogproof. Backed by Vortex lifetime warranty you’ll never have to worry about damaging this optic.
The scope isn’t just durable it has a clear sight picture as well. While not as crisp as the above Leupold, the Crossfire optic comes with a clean and crisp sight picture. With a clear sight picture and high contrast lens you’ll be able to use the Crossfire scope in all brightness settings. Featuring durable multicoated lens that blocks glare and lets in more light than the competition. My favorite thing about the Vortex Crossfire scope is the reticle. Featuring Vortex’ patented Dead-Hold BDC reticle you’ll be able to quickly get on target. It’s not only a simple reticle the Dead-Hold BDC reticle includes a hashmark design to eliminate the guesswork on holdover and windage corrections. It was designed to be the perfect hunting and target shooting reticle. Check out the affordably priced Vortex Crossfire 3-9x40mm scope today. I’d be willing to bet that you won’t be disappointed.
3. Nikon Buckmasters II 3-9×40 BDC RifleScope
Nikon’s Buckmaster II 3-9×40 BDC Riflescope is another affordably priced option. Nikon designed the Buckmaster to be the perfect budget hunting scope. The low price point and high quality standards means this is a great scope for 17HMR rifles.
You don’t have to be a firearm expert to see why the Nikon Buckmaster is one of the most sold scopes sold in the world. Built on a affordable true strength platform the Nikon Buckmaster is well worth the price. The extremely durable and versatile design was the brainchild of Nikon and Buckmaster. They set out to make the perfect hunting scope for the average shooter. What you get for your money is a clear optic that was built to last. With heavy duty construction and a nitrogen purged tube the Buckmaster scope is 100 percent waterproof and fogproof. Throw in the O-Ring seals and you have a scope that moisture should never penetrate.
Nikon didn’t just build the Buckmaster to look pretty. Built to perform, the versatile design is sure to impress even the most experienced hunters. Combining a clear sight picture and high contrast lens makes this scope perfect for your 17 HMR rifle. With the 3-9x magnification you’ll be able to stretch to the farthest reach of the 17HMR cartridge. The brighter anti-reflective system of multicoated lenses provide over 92 percent anti-reflection capability. Your sight picture isn’t going to be as bright as the more expensive optics, but it’s impressive for the price. Nikon’s BDC reticle was designed with hunting in mind. It allows hunters to hold dead-on at ranges previously thought impossible. With the 5 easy to use range estimation hashmarks you’ll be able to quickly get on sight no matter the distance.
4. Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn 3-9x40mm Riflescope
When you need a cheap and durable scope that outperforms the competition look no further than the Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Riflescope. Bushnell designed the Dawn and Dusk scope to be affordable without sacrificing where it matters most. With a bright sight picture and durable design you can’t go wrong with the Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Riflescope.
What really sets the Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn apart from the competition is its price. It’s by far the cheapest scope on this list. Designed to be a no frills hunting scope, you won’t get all the newest features. What you will get is a clear and bright scope that doesn’t break the bank. Bushnell’s Banner lineup of scopes were designed to give hunters the advantage on early morning and late evening hunts. It has a surprisingly clear and bright sight picture for the price. Bushnell designed the scope for very low light settings, so it has a high contrast lens. Bushnell’s multicoated high contrast lenses offer exceptional optical clarity and brightness. I was actually surprised when I read that this scope is 100% waterproof and fogproof. At this price range I probably wouldn’t test the waterproofing, but it should withstand moderate downpours. The fast focus eyepiece adjusts smoothly and is easy to use. Bushnell chose a basic multi-x reticle which is exactly what you would expect from a hunting scope. It’s easy to see and crystal clear. What more can you expect from a budget hunting scope. Why don’t you save some money and buy the Bushnell Banner Dusk and Dawn 3-9x Riflescope today.
What’s The Best 17HMR Scope?
Most people will find that the best scope for 17 HMR rifles is the Leupold VX-2 Riflescope. You can’t go wrong with the durability and crystal clear sight picture found on a Leupold Scope. If you’re in the market for a moderately priced option buy the Vortex Crossfire II or the Nikon Buckmaster. If you’re on a tight budget the Bushnell Banner Riflescope is a great choice. Any of the above choices would be a great scope for 17HMR rifles.