Best Scopes for Long-Range Rimfire on a CZ 457 MTR

Start with the specs that matter most for rimfire long range. Magnification range is important: a 5-25× scope gives you plenty of power to spot .22 caliber holes at 100 yards while still offering a wide enough field of view at 5× for close barricade stages. The objective lens — typically 50mm — determines light-gathering ability and exit pupil size at max power (a 50mm objective at 25× gives a 2mm exit pupil, adequate in daylight). Tube diameter matters for elevation travel: a 34mm tube typically offers 25–30 MRAD (roughly 85–100 MOA) of internal adjustment, while a 30mm tube offers less. For .22 LR at 300 yards you may need 15–20 MRAD of elevation from a 100-yard zero, so total travel and mounting height are critical considerations.

In this budget, you are shopping in what most shooters call the mid-tier — and it is remarkably competitive in 2026. Entry-level scopes under $500 (like the Athlon Argos BTR Gen II) can work for casual rimfire shooting, but they often have tracking inconsistencies over multiple revolutions and softer glass. The $1,000–$1,500 mid-tier — including models from Vortex (Viper PST Gen II), Bushnell (Match Pro), and Leupold (Mark 4HD) — delivers turrets that track reliably within 0.1 MRAD per click, glass quality that competes with optics costing twice as much, and build quality backed by excellent US warranties. Premium scopes above $2,000 from March, Kahles, or Zeiss offer incremental improvements in optical clarity and mechanical precision, but the mid-tier gets you 90% of the way there.

The most common mistakes buyers make when choosing a rimfire long-range scope are: first, buying a scope with insufficient elevation travel and then running out of adjustment at extended distances — always check total elevation travel in MRAD or MOA and calculate your needed drop before purchasing. Second, ignoring the minimum parallax setting — many scopes designed for centerfire rifles only adjust down to 50 yards, which causes parallax error at the 25- and 50-yard stages common in NRL22. Look for a side-focus parallax knob that goes to 25 yards or even 10 yards. Third, choosing SFP when they plan to use reticle holdovers at varying magnifications — for competition rimfire, FFP is almost always the better choice.

For US shooters, this scope decision intersects with several popular disciplines beyond NRL22. If you also hunt varmints or want a scope that pulls double duty on a 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Win bolt gun for longer-range centerfire work, a 5-25×50 FFP MRAD scope in this price range is extremely versatile. Many competitors use the same optic on their rimfire trainer and their PRS centerfire rifle, simply swapping it between platforms. The CZ 457's standard 11mm dovetail or Picatinny rail (depending on the variant) means you will also need quality rings — a set of Vortex Precision Matched Rings or Seekins Precision rings in the correct height will keep everything solid. Purchase these alongside your scope from Amazon.com or OpticsPlanet to ensure compatibility.

When matching a scope to your specific use case, consider how you will actually shoot. If 90% of your shooting is NRL22-style positional stages at 25–200 yards, a 5-25× with a detailed Christmas-tree reticle is ideal — you will use the holdover marks constantly for wind and drop. If you are primarily a bench shooter testing ammunition groups at 50–100 yards, a simpler reticle and a 4-16× magnification range may suffice — and you might save money for premium ammunition, which matters enormously for rimfire accuracy. If you want to push .22 LR to 300 yards and beyond, prioritize maximum elevation travel and consider a 20 MOA canted base to extend your usable range without maxing out your turret.

The brand landscape in this segment is strong. Vortex dominates the US mid-tier market with the Viper PST Gen II line, backed by their unconditional VIP warranty — no receipt required, no questions asked, which is hard to beat. Bushnell's Match Pro has gained a devoted following in NRL22 for its excellent tracking and sharp glass at a competitive price point. Leupold, an Oregon-based manufacturer, offers the Mark 4HD and Mark 5HD lines with outstanding glass quality and a lifetime guarantee. For shooters willing to stretch slightly above budget, Kahles and March make scopes with world-class optical performance, and Zeiss's V4 and LRP S3 lines are worth considering. Swarovski and Hikmicro occupy different niches — Swarovski in premium hunting glass and Hikmicro in thermal optics — but neither is the optimal choice for dedicated rimfire long-range competition.