Best predator hunting scope for 223?

Vortex Viper PST/FFP
Hands Down love mine
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I have the Nikon coyote in 4.5x 14 on my 243 win and love it. Word of advice do ur load development with a different scope first. It is hard to produce groups with a circle that = 3" at 100 yards.
 
I also have the Nikon Coyote Special 4.5-14 on my .223 and like it. It groups just fine (nickel) at 100 yds (you have to look at the center of the circle d:~})

I've been thinking about the Leupold VX-6 2-12x42 with 30 mm tube. Seems like a great range for predators. It's pretty pricey at $775-$1,000, but .....
 
Nikon 4.5-14 Coyote special 100 yards. Stevens 200 223. 3 shots. Not all day every day but often enough to keep me happy.
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If you want to shoot target with it the trick is to use circle targets.

I like the quick target acquisition on 4.5 with the circle.
 
The best predator hunting scope hands down is the one that you can see through clear enough to make the kill. Other than that, it's just a name brand on the side.
 
bushnell imo is a pretty good scope in the affordable price ranger. have one on my 243 4-12-50 and a doa 600 on my ar 3-9-40. nikon coyote special seems to have better glass but i HATE those circles. the doa has actual dropped lines for the different distances rather than aiming through the circle or bottom edge of circle like nikon. i think the doa was 160. have yet to sight it in yet. the other, a dusk and dawn with lit reticle has gave me no problems whatsoever a can shoot 1/2" groups at 100. i dont get real caught up in name brands. you get some people that will spend all that money and then will yell at the top of there lungs how awesome it is to anyone that will listen. get something in your price range that has good reviews and you will be more than happy
 
Favorite? Tough question. I can't really say I have a favorite. That's why I have different scopes on different rifles. They all serve different purposes.

I recently placed a 2.5-16x40 Bushnell 6500 on my calling 5.56. I use it for hunting and plinking. I really like the low-end power and the high end for paper punching and small targets way out there. The glass is pretty awesome too. I also have a red dot and magnifier I can slap on at any time if I plan on doing some heavy cover, thick woods hunting.

My AP4 .308 wears a Leupy VX3 Illuminated 1.5-5. I use this for deer drives and heavy cover hunting. Hopefully, I will be using it for wolves here in Wisconsin soon!!! I also have a Zeiss 3-9x40 for it that again, I can swap out if I'm sitting in a stand and shots are longer.

My Bushy Varminter wears a 6-20x50 Burris. This gun doesn't see much hunting use due to the length and weight, so as a dedicated pdog and bench gun, this scope is almost a perfect fit. The scope on this gun is in Bobro mounts so that I can swap it to other guns for load development. My heavy barreled Rem 700 .22-250 wears a 6-20x50 Leupy VX3. This is also a dedicated bench and pdog gun (weighs about 13lbs).

My .243 WSSM wears a Weaver Super Slam 3-15x50 w/EBX reticle. With the wide zoom range, this scope gives me the low power for close stuff, and the high zoom for the longer stuff that the .243 can handle.

In order to find out the perfect scope, you really have to sit down and look at the task at hand for your rifle. None of the scopes above are perfect. If I had a few grand too spend on glass for each, then I'm sure I could find the perfect scope for each. What I did was pick the scopes that fit my task for each rifle and that fell in my budget at the time. So far, it's working for me.

Another side note. If you have a rifle that is used for many different purposes, then it might be helpful to have your scopes in high quality QD mounts (LaRue, Bobro, & ADM). I started doing this as it is cheaper to invest money into mounts rather than a new rifle (although new rifles are cool too!).
 
On my Savage 10 predator 22-250 wears a coyote special 4.5-14x40
Remington R15 has Leupold AR 3x9x40 which is a nice scope for the money.
For me I do not need any more power than these,good luck in a tough decision lots of great glass out there and no easy task finding the perfect scope.
 
I have been a fan of the Bushnell scopes (3200 and up) for years. However, I am really getting into the Nikon scopes. I currently have a Nikon Prostaff 3-12 x 40 mildot on my Axis 223 and it has been very good for me. I do like a 2-7 or 3-9 a little more for predator calling, but They didnt have a nikon in this power range with a mildot.
 
I have had good results with the Nikon Buckmasters. 3x9x40,4.5x14x40 or the 6x18x40. Bushnell 3200 3x9x40 very good and just got a 4x12x40 Redfield Accurange recticle that I am pleased with.

I like the 12 to 14 power range best. If you keep your shots in the 250 to 300 yard range and sight your rifle in right you can use a standard recticle with a little hold over practice. I found if I keep the power of the scope closer to my binocular power I do better judging those longer shots. Heavier cross hairs help when it is getting dark to stay on target.

I also like a scope with a good eye relief for out of position shots and a wider field of view to pickup the coyote quicker.

The main thing is getting a scope that you see the best through and the point of impact doesn't change if you hold your head a little different, i.e. parallax.

Just my 2 cents worth.
 
I have elite 4200 4-16x50 on my prairie panther that is great glass for the money. Always considered it the favorite of all my scopes. And I think still will be when I go to the range.
But, just purchased a leupold VXR 2-7x33 to go on my RRA coyote carbine. The illuminated dot in low light is sweet. I really think it will become my go to calling rifle.
 
I have grown to really like the Nikon Coyote scopes as well. They do what they are meant to do which is allow you to make quick accurate shots on coyotes/predators. I prefer the 3-9 for the low end wider field but I have had great success with mine.
I just picked up a second one and mounted it on my 6X45mm last week and when I sighted in I shot a 1/2 inch 4 shot group then took one shot at 200yds and would have hit a quarter so I called it good and went hunting and shot 8 animals without a miss the next day.
I would not recommend it for shooting paper but they can be quite accurate as noted above.
 
I just bought the new Simmons Predator Quest. 6-24x50 with a 30mm tube, for $219. Put it on the Venture .223. Can't say enough about it. For $219 you not going to find a better value scope out there. Not a Nightforce, but will easily get the job done. Crystal clear up to about 12x before you start to notice a difference in your clarity. I get 2-3 inch groups from 300 yards, zoomed in at 24x.

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From 300 yards:

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For me it is the Leupold VX-R 3-9x50 firedot on my calling AR. On the target AR I have a 6.5-20x44 Vortex Viper. I love both scopes for their purposes. However the VX-R reticle is too thick for target work and the eye relief range on the Viper is kind of narrow.
 
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