Best .22LR Long-Range Scopes for UK Shooters in 2026

Long-range rimfire shooting has exploded in popularity across the UK, driven by affordable ammunition, accessible club disciplines like NRL22 and NSRA long-range events, and the sheer satisfaction of consistently connecting with steel at 200 yards and beyond with a humble .22LR cartridge. Unlike centrefire long-range shooting, rimfire demands absolute precision from your optic because the margin for error is razor-thin: a standard-velocity .22LR round drops roughly 20–25 MOA between 100 and 200 yards, and wind drift at those distances can easily exceed six inches in a modest crosswind. Choosing the right scope is not a luxury — it is the single biggest factor in whether you hit or miss.

This guide is written specifically for UK shooters looking for the best scope for a .22LR rifle in the UK market. We understand the realities of shooting here: FAC-rated rimfire rifles held on Section 1 certificates, ranges that increasingly offer 200-yard and even 300-yard rimfire lanes, and a retail landscape served by specialist dealers who stock the brands that actually matter. We also know that many UK rimfire shooters use the same rifle for both target competition and the occasional pest-control outing on farmland, so versatility matters as much as outright precision.

Before we get to our curated product picks, it is worth understanding what separates a competent rimfire scope from a long-range-capable one. The key factors are sufficient internal elevation adjustment (ideally 60 MOA or more of total travel), a reticle with usable holdover references calibrated in either MOA or MRAD, reliable and repeatable turret tracking, a side-parallax adjustment that focuses cleanly down to 25 or 50 yards, and enough magnification to resolve small targets at distance without introducing excessive mirage. Glass quality, coating consistency, and mechanical robustness all play supporting roles.

In the sections below we first present our top scope recommendations across several budget tiers, then follow with an in-depth buying-advice section covering every technical consideration you need to make an informed purchase. We also address the most common questions UK shooters ask about long-range .22LR optics — from FFP versus SFP and MOA versus MRAD to matching your scope to your specific shooting discipline. Whether you are stretching a CZ 457 to 200 yards on a budget or building a dedicated ELR rimfire rig around a Vudoo, this is the definitive UK resource for choosing your glass.

Buying Advice

The most important specification for any 22lr long range scope is total internal elevation adjustment, often listed as total elevation travel in MOA or milliradians (MRAD). A .22LR standard-velocity round fired from a 100-yard zero drops approximately 10–12 MOA at 150 yards, 20–25 MOA at 200 yards, and upwards of 55–70 MOA at 300 yards depending on lot, barrel length, and altitude. If you plan to dial rather than hold over, you need a scope with at least 60 MOA (roughly 17.5 MRAD) of usable elevation below your zero — or you must use a canted rail or adjustable base to reclaim travel. Always check the specification sheet for total travel and then calculate usable come-up from a 100-yard zero. A 20 MOA rail is a near-essential accessory for any serious long-range rimfire build in the UK.

Budget tiers in the UK market break down fairly neatly. Under £300 you can find surprisingly capable scopes from brands like Athlon, Element Optics, and some MTC Optics models — these typically offer exposed turrets, side parallax, and adequate glass for club-level shooting out to 150–200 yards. The mid-range bracket of roughly £400–£800 is where the best value for a dedicated long-range rimfire scope lives: expect superior glass coatings, tighter turret tolerances, zero-stop mechanisms, and illuminated reticles from manufacturers such as Hawke, Vortex, Bushnell, and Athlon's higher lines. Above £800 you enter premium territory — Nightforce, Vortex Razor, PARD digital optics, and similar — where turret repeatability, edge-to-edge clarity, and build quality justify the price for competitive or professional use.

Common mistakes UK buyers make when choosing a scope for long-range .22LR include underestimating the required elevation travel, selecting a reticle that has no holdover utility, and buying a scope with a minimum parallax setting of 100 yards when rimfire zeroing is typically done at 50–100 yards. Another frequent error is opting for an extremely high maximum magnification — say 30x or 40x — without realising that mirage becomes virtually unmanageable above 20x–25x on a warm UK summer day, especially on prone stages. Additionally, some shooters buy an SFP scope intending to use reticle holdovers at variable power settings, forgetting that subtension values in an SFP scope are only accurate at one specific magnification, usually the maximum.

From a UK-specific perspective, all .22LR rifles capable of firing beyond 100 yards effectively are Section 1 firearms requiring a Firearms Certificate from your local constabulary. It is worth noting that sub-12 ft/lb air rifles — which do not require an FAC — are an entirely different category: they are realistically effective only to around 50–75 yards, and no scope will change the physics of a lightweight pellet at low velocity. For .22LR, UK retailers such as Sporting Saint, Uttings, John Rothery, and various RFD dealers stock the major scope brands. Online specialists often offer the widest range of rimfire-specific models. Ensure any scope you import from outside the UK is covered by a local warranty or an international transferable warranty, as turret repairs and reticle defects are best handled domestically.

Matching the scope to your use case is critical. If you shoot primarily NRL22 or similar positional competitions at varying distances from 25 to 300 yards, prioritise an FFP scope with an MRAD or MOA Christmas-tree reticle and a reliable zero-stop — you will be dialling and holding constantly, and speed matters. If your focus is benchrest or prone target shooting at fixed longer distances, an SFP scope with a fine crosshair or dot reticle at high magnification may serve you better, and turret tracking precision becomes paramount. For the UK shooter who wants a single scope that handles both target work and hunting — say, rabbiting at 80 yards during the week and competing at 200 yards on weekends — a versatile 4–16x or 6–24x with a sensible holdover reticle and side parallax represents the ideal compromise.

The brand landscape for rimfire scopes in the UK is healthy and competitive. Hawke continues to dominate the entry and mid-range tiers with models specifically designed for rimfire use, offering BRC and rimfire-specific reticles. Vortex has strong UK distribution and an exceptional warranty programme. Athlon and Element Optics offer remarkable value at the mid-range level. At the premium end, Nightforce and the Vortex Razor line are popular among competitive rimfire shooters. PARD is carving out a niche for UK shooters interested in digital smart scopes with integrated ballistic solvers, which can be particularly interesting for long-range rimfire work where environmental conditions change rapidly. MTC Optics, a British brand, is worth considering for its UK-focused customer service and competitive pricing. Ultimately, the best rimfire scope UK shooters can buy is the one that matches their specific discipline, budget, and rifle setup — and this guide should have given you every tool to make that decision with confidence.