I am 14 and Have recently gotten into predator hunting. I recently got a new 222./20 gauge over under for that reason. I would like a decent scope for shooting distances. I previously thought about the Bushnell dusk to dawn illuminated scopes for the crosshair feature. I have a hard time seeing the crosshair and thought that would help. Pardon my terminology, I don't know much about scope terms. I was told that Under 50 would not gather enough light to see the animals. Thoughts? I probably didn't ask this very well.

50 is good, 44 is small, 56 is even better

I love my Nikon ProStaff for hunting in general, works great though in low light hunts, deer, coyote, etc. You can pick them up pretty cheap too. My dad loves Nikon's as well, but he has a Tasco scope with a illuminated scope for deer hunting, it helps with the red/green illuminated reticle. Since I'm the same age ( still learning), what do you guys mean by 40 or 50?

That's the glass size in the bell

If you do some research you'll find that the quality of the glass matters more than the diameter of lens. All things being equal a bigger objective lens transmits(it doesn't gather it) more light but if it's low quality then it's not going to help much. Not enough to make much difference to the human eye anyway. The problem I have with objectives over 40mm is then I have to mount the scope too high for my liking on most rifles. I like a cheek weld a lot better than a chin weld on the stock. You can modify your stock of course to fit if you need to. By the way, higher magnification equals less light transmission too.

I put a 2x7x40 on my 222/20ga.......when a yote pops up at 20 yds the 2x is decent field of view (since it is really 1.7x)
yet a dog is dead at 250 yds cranked up to 7x for longer shots.

MAKE SURE to keep it at lowest power when sitting and turn up when needed to shoot far....just like you should do when deer hunting with another gun scope.

If you think you want a lighted reticle, consider Thompson Center scopes.

I'm with traprjohn with the 2-7 power 40MM scope for your particular gun (I have a 22Mag over 20 Gauge). A larger scope would need to be mounted too high, preventing a solid cheek plant on the comb of the stock.
Now do yourself a favor which you will never look back on if you do it. Buy a Leupold. Their 2-7 scope gathers so much light at dusk, it should be considered cheating.

if you get good glass, you won't see much difference between a 44 and a 50 MM, I'd rather have the smaller objective, unless I have a high comb stock.
RR

You will need long eye relief if you shoot the shotgun much and a scope made for that recoil.

if its too dark to see with a cheap Walmart in the plastic wrapper scope its too dark to shoot. Don't start calling till you can see. Quit if its too dark. All that JUNK the ads and gun writers and stuff talk about is get you TO SPEND MORE MONEY.

girls will pay 200 bucks for a pair of jeans and 600 for a handbag to impress other girls.

Men do that with pickups and gun stuff. don't try to impress people you don't know. the difference in a 200 dollar scope and a 1000 dollar scope wont put a single extra coyote on your stretchers.

I have only had tall rings for 30 years now, I needed no stock change, just bullet impact difference

I have bushnell 3x9x40 on my 22-250 works great from about 15 yds out to 400yds anything in that range is dead that is my go too calling gun been looking for 222/20 or 223/12

well guess these guys know way more than I do!
RR

No. No they don't...

I’ve got a 2x7-32 on mine and it works just fine. If you get to big of an objective your cheek will high on the stock. I’ve had my 12 year old shoot mine a bunch and it’s about perfect for him also. That’s with low rings. These guns seem to have a lower drop on the butt. You don’t need to over do the scope on these. I’ve got a very similar scope on my 22 hornet over 20ga. as well.

unless I am putting a gun together specifically to go father than 250 yards as it's primary purpose 2-7x32 is the way to go

Nikon or Vortex I have some of both there is better glass but but you pay double to take the next step up on a 222/20ga savage 24 you don't need huge glass chances are you will be very unlikely to shoot past 250 yards.

light transmission is very good and low magnification lets more light pass than higher magnification and provides a wide field of view

My tall rings don't give me any trouble, my t.20 has a couple three shot groups with less than a quarter inch outside to outside hole
If a coyote jumps up I have it in my scope immedeatly so I don't think it causes me any trouble

Anyone use Vortex. I would like to get one. got a .243 with a cheap Bushnell. Not a good scope. It is blurry and its focus is just horrible. So are the crosshairs. Big and thick, cover a coyotes whole shoulder and neck at 250 yards. Its also got 4-9 power but it stays on 9 because of the low magnification.

Does your Nikon have regular cross hairs or does it have BDC/mil dots and whatever else they can fit in?
I'd like to get one, but all the ones i see at stores have something besides crosshairs.

I like the duplex type, it's easy to find cross hairs on running shots, compared to only a thin cross hair