It’s fair to say that the Ruger 10/22 is the ultimate American rimfire rifle. It’s a favorite for plinking, small game hunting, and competition. Did you know there are even tactical Rugers now?
With a long-time history and high popularity status, there is a mountain of excellent red dot sights and the best scopes for Ruger 10/22 available.
I considered a variety of both types of optics comparing cost, reticle, battery life, and more.
The nice thing is you don’t have to spend a lot and you can narrow down your options by what you plan to do with your Ruger!
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After hundreds of hours of hand-testing scopes in the field and at the range, and thousands more hours researching and writing about them, we feel we earn the title of experts when it comes to optics!
We purchase as many of the optics for our tests as possible, and run them through their paces to make sure they will perform at the range and in the field.
Our combined decades of experience from training and skill development, to big game hunting and competitions has been integral in putting together this round-up of the best red dots & scopes for ruger 10/22.
Get the inside scoop on how we test optics here.
The Best Scopes & Red Dots for Ruger 10/22 in 2024
1. Vortex Strikefire II – Best Overall
The Vortex Strikefire II is one of my favorite red dot sights. Sure, I have a lot of favorites, but the Strikefire is easy to use, has great illumination, and it also offers a green dot too!
Pros:
- 4 MOA dot
- Dual illumination
- Excellent build quality
- Includes cantilever mount
- Easy to sight in
Cons:
- Some glare/reflections
I was at the range one day and as I was walking back to the bench, I saw some reflections off the objective lens. It was bright out, and it was unmistakably obvious. I wouldn’t recommend it for tactical stealth, but I highly recommend it for everything else! Home and property intrusions, hunting, plinking – you name it.
It’s Vortex tough, waterproof, clear, and bright. The cantilever mount may be too high for the Ruger, but you could put some rings on it. People do it all the time. The Strikefire II isn’t just a personal favorite, it’s also a favorite of the masses and in my opinion one of the best red dots for Ruger 10/22!
2. Simmons .22 MAG 3-9x32 – Best Budget Scope for Ruger 10/22
The low cost for the Simmons .22 MAG scope can’t be beat. As a scope made for the rimfire rifle, it’s an excellent option to consider for the Ruger 10/22 especially when the budget is tight.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Rings included
- QTA eyepiece
- Fog/waterproof
Cons:
- Included rings
The rings that come with the Simmons scope aren’t the best and they may need some lapping or the bases some shimming. But they are included and they can work.
With the Truplex reticle, it’s simple and fast to use. The 0.25 turrets are finger adjustable, and the QTA (Quick Target Acquisition) eyepiece will sharpen and clear up the reticle for your vision.
It has fixed parallax of 50 yards, so it’s ideal for shooting inside 100 yards with the Ruger. Though it’s cheap, I’m impressed that it’s fog and waterproof and even has a HydroShield lens coating!
3. CVLife Red Dot Sight – Best Cheap Red Dot for Ruger 10/22
The CVLIFE 1x22x33 red dot sight is about as cheap as it gets if you want a decent red dot sight for really any rimfire rifle! Though I tested it on an M&P 15-22, if you have a Pic rail on your 10/22, there’s no reason you can’t put it on there!
Pros:
- Low price
- Red dot sight
- Multiple reticles
- Easy to use
- Dual illumination
Cons:
- Reflections
Unfortunately, you can see the reflection of the LED housing in the glass. It’s annoying as you can see it in most light and conditions, but it’s really not that distracting when actually shooting with it.
I wouldn’t use this in low light, and it gets hard to see through in the rain, but I do love it for plinking and shooting small game like rabbits. It has both red and green illumination with five settings for each. The battery doesn’t last that long – about 3 months. But I like the multiple reticles, and I do tend to change between them. Why? Because I can!
It’s a great, little sight that is a budget-friendly optic for the Ruger 10/22!
4. Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 Rimfire – Best for Hunting Scope for Ruger 10/22
Simple reticle. Dependable glass. Decent magnification. That’s what you need out of a hunting scope and that’s what you get out of the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 rimfire riflescope.
Pros:
- Cost
- V-Plex reticle
- SFP reticle
- Resettable turrets
- Fog/waterproof
Cons:
- No illumination
There are no fancy frills about the Crossfire, and it doesn’t need them. It’s a solid, Vortex-tough scope that offers 2-7x power and a duplex-style reticle, the V-Plex. It’s thin with 0.57 MOA posts and even thinner center crosshairs, so it won’t cover vitals on small targets making it idea for hunting varmint such as squirrels and rabbits.
It doesn’t have illumination, and it’s a shame to be without an illuminated center dot for those golden hours on rodents. But, a duplex SFP (Second Focal Plane) reticle has long proven itself as an effective hunting setup.
With a warranty that has set the industry standard, a Vortex buy is a quality buy and one of the best scopes for Ruger 10/22 available.
Find out the difference between Vortex Crossfire VS Sig Sauer Romeo 5. Go through this article!
5. Holosun HS510C – Best Red Dot Sight for Ruger 10/22
The HS510C is an awesome red dot sight. I love it so much that I personally purchased the Holosun HM3X magnifier to go with it. It has red illumination, button operation, solar panel, and Shake Awake.
Pros:
- Shake Awake
- Solar FailSafe
- Multiple reticles
- Button operation
- Long battery life
Cons:
- Not good for astigmatism
If you have astigmatism or a refractive error condition, it’s highly likely you’ll see dot anomalies. This isn’t unique to the Holosun as it happens with a lot of reflex sights. It happens for me with the HS510C and I'm far sighted.
Other than that, the HS510C has a few reticles to choose from with my favorite being the 2 MOA dot and 65 MOA ring. It has Shake Awake that is adjustable. I don’t really use the solar panel for illumination as it’s not as good as battery-powered illumination. But if the battery fails, the red dot won’t be rendered useless.
A highlight feature that I’ve found especially convenient is the quick detach mount! Though it can be considered pricey for the Ruger 10/22, it’s a quality red dot sight. One I recommend for the Ruger for plinking, hunting, and home defense. If you have the budget, this is the best red dot for Ruger 10/22.
6. Primary Arms SLx MD-25 – Best Red Dot Reticle for Ruger 10/22
The SLx MD-25 red dot sight fits all my requirements as a high-performance red dot. It’s ruggedly built, has a good illumination knob, and the best feature is the ACSS CQB reticle that’s also calibrated for the .22LR round!
Pros:
- ACSS-CQB reticle
- Oversized illumination knob
- Waterproof
- Low-profile mount included
- Night vision compatible
Cons:
- Battery life
Honestly, the battery life isn’t that bad. It’s rated for about 12,000 hours but when compared to today’s 50,000-hour standard, it falls short.
The ACSS-CQB reticle works with the .22LR 40 grain round. With that, you can have a 50-yard zero with 100, 125, 150, and 175-yard holdovers. If you’d like to stretch the distance with your 10/22, the MD-25 Gen II red dot sight can get you there.
With the low-profile mount, it’s at a great height for the Ruger. The knob is located on the left side and rotates forwards and backwards past the 0 (off) setting. It has night vision compatible illumination settings which could be helpful if you’re night gunning!
7. Burris FastFire III – Best Pistol Sight for Ruger 10/22
The Burris FastFire III is a micro red dot sight that’s usually put on pistols. However, it comes with a Picatinny rail mount in the box and can definitely be used with .22LR rifles including the Ruger 10/22.
Pros:
- 8 MOA dot
- Dynamic illumination
- Sunshade cover
- Pic rail in box
- Compact
Cons:
- Battery compartment lid
You might think you’ve threaded in the battery compartment lid correctly, but if you haven’t, it will pop out when shooting a round. This happened to me. Double check. Enough said.
The Fastfire 3 is compact, lightweight, and ready for mounting on a pistol or rifle. With an included Pic rail mount in the box, you could mount it to a Ruger 10/22 for a large dot for close-quarter shooting, home defense, hunting, and competition.
Yes, a pistol sight is a more expensive option, but it’s really tough. I’ve slammed this optic repeatedly against a bench and water-tested it. You wouldn’t even know I’ve done that by how it looks and its continued performance.
A sunshade is a nice addition in the box. I like the manual illumination even though it has only 3 settings, but the dynamic illumination is pretty good. No visibility issues; even at night it’s not too bright.
8. Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40 Rimfire MOA – Best for Long-Range
The VX-Freedom series is one of the most affordable series of scopes from Leupold. Something you may not know, the VX-Freedom line is made in the USA. Now that’s worth paying for, and it’s perfect for sitting on top an American made Ruger 10/22.
Pros:
- Rimfire MOA reticle
- Finger click adjustments
- 0.25 MOA adjustments
- 60-yard parallax
- Fog/waterproof
Cons:
- No illumination
Like most affordable scopes, the VX-Freedom lacks illumination. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it sure would be nice to have for those lowlight hours.
The Rimfire MOA reticle has holdovers all the way out to 25 MOA. The posts are thicker at 1 MOA, so you’ll see them right away, and it’ll draw your eyes to the 0.25 MOA holdover hashmarks.
If you run your ballistics for your .22LR load, you’ll know your holdovers and can stretch the distance. Really, with the Ruger 10/22, you could take it all the way out to 300-400 yards!
With 0.25 MOA finger-click adjustments, 60-yard parallax, and a rugged build, the Leupold is a quality, American-made scope for a quality, American-made rifle!
9. Sig Sauer Romeo 5 – Best with Motion Sensor
The Sig Sauer Romeo 5 is a well-known red dot sight. It’s highly rated for its cheap cost and MOTAC feature. This is the feature that governs its motion sensor benefits. It works by putting the illumination into standby after two minutes. The Romeo 5 is a great red dot to put on a Ruger 10/22
Pros:
- Price
- MOTAC
- 2 MOA dot
- Multi-height mounting system
- Long battery life
Cons:
- Non-adjustable MOTAC
Unlike the Shake Awake in the Holosun HS510C, the MOTAC in the Romeo 5 is not adjustable. So, you can’t adjust the sleep timer time. It’s two minutes, but it’s very sensitive.
Don’t over torque the crossbolt screw when mounting it to your Ruger 10/22 rail – it will get stuck. I don’t know that it happens all the time to people, but it happened to me on my AR-15 5.56, and it’s been an extraordinary pain to remove it.
But even with my complaints aside, I do like that it comes with a low-profile mount that will be ideal to use on the 10/22. It has a long battery life of 40,000+ hours. It’ll be great for close ranges, hunting, and home defense.
10. Bushnell TRS-25 – Best Rated Red Dot for Ruger 10/22
The Trophy TRS-25 is one of the best rated red dot sights of all time. It’s been around for ages, it’s priced low, and it’s simple. With no bells and whistles, the TRS-25 remains a solid option for no-fuss shooters to this day.
Pros:
- Price
- Build quality
- Integrated low-profile mount
- 3 MOA dot
- Illumination
Cons:
- Not good for astigmatism
Like most reflex red dot sights, you’ll need to wear your glasses or contacts or with the Bushnell sight. You will see dot anomalies if you don’t.
The TRS-25 has a 3 MOA dot that is popular for close-range shooting. I do like that its tough and compact, but it didn’t survive my repeated waterproof tests. Eventually water entered the housing through the exposed turrets. So, I truly doubt that it’s fogproof even though it’s advertised as such. Tip: keep the turret caps on the sight! It'll protect the internals from water penetration.
The 11 illuminations settings are very good. You can see the color tint as a result of the dichroic coating, but the image quality is clear. As a budget red dot sight for plinking and small game hunting, the Bushnell red dot will get the job done.
A Guide to Choosing the Best Scopes for Ruger 10/22 (Including Red Dots)
Cost
Riflescopes and red dots intended for use on the Ruger 10/22 are not necessarily expensive. Technically, you can spend as much as you want, but in general, 10/22 scopes are affordable with low magnification and fixed parallax. They’re no-nonsense optics ideal for the Ruger.
| Product | Key Feature | Configuration | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vortex Strikefire II | Best Overall | 1x | Under $200 |
| CVLife 1x22x33 | Best Cheap Red Dot | 1x | Under $40 |
| Holosun HS510C | Best Red Dot Sight | 1x | Under $310 |
| Primary Arms SLx MD-25 Gen II | Best Red Dot Reticle | 1x | Under $200 |
| Burris FastFire III | Best Pistol Sight | 1x | Under $200 |
| Simmons .22MAG | Best Budget Riflescope | 3-9x 32 mm | Under $60 |
| Vortex Crossfire II | Best for Hunting | 2-7x32 | Under $130 |
| Leupold VX-Freedom | Best for Long-Range | 3-9x 40mm | Under $300 |
| Sig Sauer Romeo 5 | Best with Motion Sensor | 1x | Under $150 |
| Bushnell TRS-25 | Best Rated | 1x | Under $80 |
Red Dot Sight VS Riflescope
On average, either the red dot sight or the riflescope will work for the Ruger 10/22 rifle. Depending on what mounting system the Ruger has may determine what type of optic you put on it. However, red dot sights are generally cheap, easy, and fast to mount and use.
Riflescopes can offer more long-range accuracy, reticle options, and ring mounting.
| Product | Type | Illumination | Battery Life | Mounting Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vortex Strikefire II | Red dot sight | 10 settings | 300-5000 hours | Cantilever single ring mount |
| CVLife 1x22x33 | Red dot sight | 5 settings each color | 2000 hours | Integrated rail mount |
| Holosun HS510C | Red dot sight | 11 settings | 50,000 hours | Integrated quick detach mount |
| Primary Arms SLx MD-25 Gen II | Red dot sight | 11 settings | 12,000 hours | Multi-height rail mounting system |
| Burris FastFire III | Red dot sight | 3 settings | 5,000 hours | Docter/Noblex footprint, rail mount included |
| Simmons .22MAG | Riflescope | Non-illuminated | N/A | Rings included |
| Vortex Crossfire II | Riflescope | Non-illuminated | N/A | Rings (purchased separately) |
| Leupold VX-Freedom | Riflescope | Non-illuminated | N/A | Rings (purchased separately) |
| Sig Sauer Romeo 5 | Red dot sight | 10 settings | 40,000 hours | Multi-height rail mounting system |
| Bushnell TRS-25 | Red dot sight | 11 settings | 5,000 hours | Integrated low-profile rail mount |
Reticle
Red dot sights typically have a dot as a reticle. The size of the dot varies by model. Riflescopes can offer simple duplex reticles or can add some features to provide a BDC reticle. For the 10/22, they’re generally easy to use and see, and remain uncomplicated.
Riflescope reticles for the Ruger 10/22 are, most of the time, in the SFP (Second Focal Plane). So, they remain the same size throughout the entire magnification range. This ensures that it is always highly visible.
| Product | Reticle | Reticle Type | Focal Plane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vortex Strikefire II | Dot | 2 MOA | N/A |
| CVLife 1x22x33 | Multiple Reticles | Multiple sizes | N/A |
| Holosun HS510C | Multiple Reticles | 2 MOA dot, 65 MOA ring | N/A |
| Primary Arms SLx MD-25 Gen II | ACSS-CQB | Chevron & dots | N/A |
| Burris FastFire III | Dot | 8 MOA | N/A |
| Simmons .22MAG | Truplex | Duplex | SFP |
| Vortex Crossfire II | V-Plex Rimfire | Duplex | SFP |
| Leupold VX-Freedom | Rimfire MOA | BDC | SFP |
| Sig Sauer Romeo 5 | Dot | 2 MOA | N/A |
| Bushnell TRS-25 | Dot | 3 MOA | N/A |
Warranty
Some warranties are better than others. The idea is to protect your investment regardless of how much you spend. The best warranties are offered by Vortex and Leupold. They offer lifetime, unconditional, fully transferable coverage.
| Product | Warranty | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Vortex Strikefire II | VIP Warranty | Lifetime, Unconditional, Unlimited |
| CVLife 1x22x33 | 30-day Refund Policy | Limited, Proof of purchase & shipping costs required |
| Holosun HS510C | Limited Lifetime Warranty | Lifetime, 10 years on the LED system, Non-transferable |
| Primary Arms SLx MD-25 Gen II | Lifetime Warranty | Lifetime |
| Burris FastFire III | Forever No Questions Asked Warranty | Lifetime, Unconditional, Unlimited |
| Simmons .22MAG | Limited Lifetime Warranty | Non-transferable, Proof of purchase & shipping costs required |
| Vortex Crossfire II | VIP Warranty | Lifetime, Unconditional, Unlimited |
| Leupold VX-Freedom | Lifetime Guarantee | Lifetime, Unconditional, Unlimited |
| Sig Sauer Romeo 5 | Electro-Optics Infinite Guarantee | Lifetime, Unlimited, Unconditional, 5 years on LED system |
| Bushnell TRS-25 | One Year Limited Warranty | 12-months, Limited, Proof of purchase required |
FAQ's
In general, most shooters are using their 10/22 inside 100 yards. Depending on the optic, mount, and perhaps the type of rail, a 22LR can be used for 100-400 yards for long-range shooting.
The application may determine the need for either a red dot sight or a riflescope. A red dot is fast to use and excellent for CQB inside 100 yards. A riflescope offers magnification and precision shots that can be effective for 100 plus yards.
Red dot sight on Ruger 10/22 - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers
The Ruger 10/22 comes drilled for a scope base that can be used to mount either a Picatinny or Weaver rail mount. A rail mount will work for scope rings and the various types of red dot sight mounts.
I installed a Monstrum Picatinny rail mount and use that for mounting optics of both types.
Scope on Ruger 10/22 - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers
On average, only some Ruger 10/22 rifles come with a rail. They vary from standard Picatinny rails to those with built-in MOA for an integrated cant to use more elevation range from a riflescope for long-range shooting.
Ruger 10/22 Competition Rifle with rail - Image Credit: Ruger
Top Scopes & Red Dots for Ruger 10/22: Which is Best?
Given the plethora of optics options in the market, you can technically put anything on your 10/22.
The best red dot or scope for a Ruger 10/22 is the one that fits the application. For under 100-yard shooting for plinking, small game hunting, and home defense, a red dot is the way to go. For long-range, more accuracy, and competition, a riflescope is the better optic.
I am constantly switching out optics on my Ruger because the rifle is so fun to shoot and I’m always experimenting with what works best. That raises the questions, what do you have on yours? What do you think is the best scope for Ruger 10/22?
Further Reading
