List of scopes suitable for air guns
- Thread starter zebra
- Start date
Thanks Michael. Good idea.
The important thing now will be for us to make sure people know it exists and where to find it. If people know to update it then it will become a very useful resource for airgunners.
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The assembled minds here could populate most of that in short order. Perhaps Michael can make it a 'sticky'? I saved it as a pic in my pic files. Just the list alone is very valuable.
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I'm working on almost 30 enhancements to the forum. One of which will be a new field at the top of each forum where I can associate a url. For the scope section this topic / doc will become the link.
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Michael I can tell from myself very sincerely . I TRULY appreciate the work you put in and the fact you are constantly trying to update the forum .
I spent a short time today on a hopelessly outdated forum today just to check in and it was so frustrating to navigate all the " gates " it reminded me why I visit there so seldom . Y'all are doing a great job Man !!!!
I spent a short time today on a hopelessly outdated forum today just to check in and it was so frustrating to navigate all the " gates " it reminded me why I visit there so seldom . Y'all are doing a great job Man !!!!
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I have been through Ooddles of scopes in two years looking for the best for field target competition. Of course the scopes in the $2,000.00 to $6,000.00 range, like March 80's, Khales, and Schmit and Bender are some of the best in clarity and ranging, However I wanted to be a little more conservative with the bucks... Uh, short for I can't afford them...
So I tried a bunch in the from $200.00 to $1,300.00 The few I would recommend are here. I will also tell you the good and bad...
My top pick is the most expensive of course.. I use a Sightron SIII 10-50×60 Field Target Rifle Scope. Illuminated MOA 2 reticle. Side Focus 9-55 yards. Sightron ExactTrack windage and elevation controls. Waterproof and Nitrogen filled. Priced around $1,300.00
I sent this scope back to Sightron and had it re-parallaxed to 10 - 300 yards. Originally this scope would absolutely not focus past 55 yards...It is very clear, ranges very well. and tracks perfect..1/2 .Mil dot reticle. Only the center dot is IR. Hector from, Connect Custom Airguns, sells a fully illuminated reticle that all the windage and elevation dots light up.
My next pick is the Nikko Sterling 10-50 X 60 Targetmaster. If you want better optics you can send to the UK and get the Diamond series. Cost for the Targetmaster is around $387.-- on Amazon.com The Diamond is not available in the US anymore for some reason, and costs around $900.00 +
The Targetmaster is illuminated with mil dot reticle. This scope starts to get hazy at 30 power where I range at, but the image is either in or it is out! best for ranging I have used, There is no movement after the image is clear. If you do move the slightest, the image goes out....I have two of these...
Pistol field target optics, I first used a Leapers 3-12X50 illuminated side focus, Price around $110.00...Very clear but the reticle was a wire one. A little too thick for FT.
I replaced the Leapers with a Sightron SI 4-12×40 Field Target Rifle Scope. Mi Dot reticle. Adjustable Objective 8-infinity yards. Multi Coated Lenses for superior clarity. Waterproof and Nitrogen filled. Price around $189.99 And it focused down to 7 yards..
The scope was crystal clear, ranged good, but I had an issue with turning the front objective on this AO scope. A side wheel is so much easier to work. So I replaced it
With another Leapers like the one above, except I spent the additional $20.00 to get the etched reticle. Very fine reticle and great little scope. This scope is the best bargain IMHO
Now I just received a Athlon 4-24X50 FFP scope for my new bullpup. This scope is being used for hunting but I wanted to mention it.It is a clear, scope and has a good reticle. It is a little thick for me, but it does range fairly well. Clear but it is supposed to focus to 10 yards but this one will only go to 12...barely. I know they have a good customer service and would make good on re-paralaxing... This scope is for hunting so it won'rt matter for me, just wanted to make folks aware.
Now I have tried an Aeon 6-24 AO Classic Scope. Trajectory reticle, 1/4 Moa ... I was able to get used to using the front objective for ranging with this scope. The clarity was not the best at 24 power but still clear. The reticle was not illuminated, but it was ectched and thin. This is a fairly good scope for FT if you don't shoot in dark places..?? of course we shoot in dark places...That's why I sold it.
I have tried the Falcon 10-50x60 and did not like the way it ranged or the clarity at high power, so I let it go too...
Now I have owned a 10-50x60 Sidewinder, It is a nice clear scope but I bought it used. I had and issue with focus, that when I did range with it, the image was not the sharpest when it was at range. At least for me. Otherwise it is a really nice scope for Ft, I will say, that maybe the used one I got was off a little.. at least to my eye..
I had a MTC 4-12x50 scope on my Daystate when I first ordered it. The scope was crystal clear, ranged great, but I was shooting hunter class at the time and the mil dots gave me a fit. The center of the cross hairs had a dot, then going down there was a space? Then, going down, I expected a 1/2 mil as this was a 1/2 scope. But the line coming up to the open space came from a half mil hash mark, not the first mil dot?? What the....?.
I had to use the top of the line coming up from the half mil hash as the center cross hair to get the rest of the reticle to jive... Loved the scope except that space killed it. Could not wrap my head around that. Besides I went to open class after that and needed a high power scope.
Well I guess that is it for me. Sorry to be long Also a disclaimer: These are my experiences and views.. No scopes were harmed in the making of this post...lol
You may of had some of these scopes and liked or hated them. Either way just saying......
So I tried a bunch in the from $200.00 to $1,300.00 The few I would recommend are here. I will also tell you the good and bad...
My top pick is the most expensive of course.. I use a Sightron SIII 10-50×60 Field Target Rifle Scope. Illuminated MOA 2 reticle. Side Focus 9-55 yards. Sightron ExactTrack windage and elevation controls. Waterproof and Nitrogen filled. Priced around $1,300.00
I sent this scope back to Sightron and had it re-parallaxed to 10 - 300 yards. Originally this scope would absolutely not focus past 55 yards...It is very clear, ranges very well. and tracks perfect..1/2 .Mil dot reticle. Only the center dot is IR. Hector from, Connect Custom Airguns, sells a fully illuminated reticle that all the windage and elevation dots light up.
My next pick is the Nikko Sterling 10-50 X 60 Targetmaster. If you want better optics you can send to the UK and get the Diamond series. Cost for the Targetmaster is around $387.-- on Amazon.com The Diamond is not available in the US anymore for some reason, and costs around $900.00 +
The Targetmaster is illuminated with mil dot reticle. This scope starts to get hazy at 30 power where I range at, but the image is either in or it is out! best for ranging I have used, There is no movement after the image is clear. If you do move the slightest, the image goes out....I have two of these...
Pistol field target optics, I first used a Leapers 3-12X50 illuminated side focus, Price around $110.00...Very clear but the reticle was a wire one. A little too thick for FT.
I replaced the Leapers with a Sightron SI 4-12×40 Field Target Rifle Scope. Mi Dot reticle. Adjustable Objective 8-infinity yards. Multi Coated Lenses for superior clarity. Waterproof and Nitrogen filled. Price around $189.99 And it focused down to 7 yards..
The scope was crystal clear, ranged good, but I had an issue with turning the front objective on this AO scope. A side wheel is so much easier to work. So I replaced it
With another Leapers like the one above, except I spent the additional $20.00 to get the etched reticle. Very fine reticle and great little scope. This scope is the best bargain IMHO
Now I just received a Athlon 4-24X50 FFP scope for my new bullpup. This scope is being used for hunting but I wanted to mention it.It is a clear, scope and has a good reticle. It is a little thick for me, but it does range fairly well. Clear but it is supposed to focus to 10 yards but this one will only go to 12...barely. I know they have a good customer service and would make good on re-paralaxing... This scope is for hunting so it won'rt matter for me, just wanted to make folks aware.
Now I have tried an Aeon 6-24 AO Classic Scope. Trajectory reticle, 1/4 Moa ... I was able to get used to using the front objective for ranging with this scope. The clarity was not the best at 24 power but still clear. The reticle was not illuminated, but it was ectched and thin. This is a fairly good scope for FT if you don't shoot in dark places..?? of course we shoot in dark places...That's why I sold it.
I have tried the Falcon 10-50x60 and did not like the way it ranged or the clarity at high power, so I let it go too...
Now I have owned a 10-50x60 Sidewinder, It is a nice clear scope but I bought it used. I had and issue with focus, that when I did range with it, the image was not the sharpest when it was at range. At least for me. Otherwise it is a really nice scope for Ft, I will say, that maybe the used one I got was off a little.. at least to my eye..
I had a MTC 4-12x50 scope on my Daystate when I first ordered it. The scope was crystal clear, ranged great, but I was shooting hunter class at the time and the mil dots gave me a fit. The center of the cross hairs had a dot, then going down there was a space? Then, going down, I expected a 1/2 mil as this was a 1/2 scope. But the line coming up to the open space came from a half mil hash mark, not the first mil dot?? What the....?.
I had to use the top of the line coming up from the half mil hash as the center cross hair to get the rest of the reticle to jive... Loved the scope except that space killed it. Could not wrap my head around that. Besides I went to open class after that and needed a high power scope.
Well I guess that is it for me. Sorry to be long Also a disclaimer: These are my experiences and views.. No scopes were harmed in the making of this post...lol
You may of had some of these scopes and liked or hated them. Either way just saying......
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Zebra:
I'll say completely and unequivocally, the best scope in the world for airguns is, well, it depends.
I guess the first thing is what airgun is it going on? Springer or PCP? If Springer, that really limits the field. If PCP, anything will do.
So, what's the use? Hunting or target? Hunting probably want something that can zoom when needed. Target, your choice but some are moving towards fix magnification scopes. I'll stick to a variable for now.
Once you've decided what to use it for, now what magnification, or maybe FFP?
All I can say is that shopping for shoes is easy compared to a scope. You can have many pairs of shoes and wear them all. You only want one scope because once you sight it in, it's too much of a hassle to put on another scope.
SHOES ARE EASY. SCOPES ARE HARD!
I'll say completely and unequivocally, the best scope in the world for airguns is, well, it depends.
I guess the first thing is what airgun is it going on? Springer or PCP? If Springer, that really limits the field. If PCP, anything will do.
So, what's the use? Hunting or target? Hunting probably want something that can zoom when needed. Target, your choice but some are moving towards fix magnification scopes. I'll stick to a variable for now.
Once you've decided what to use it for, now what magnification, or maybe FFP?
All I can say is that shopping for shoes is easy compared to a scope. You can have many pairs of shoes and wear them all. You only want one scope because once you sight it in, it's too much of a hassle to put on another scope.
SHOES ARE EASY. SCOPES ARE HARD!
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Update to my previous post...
I just heard back from Optics Planet concerning the fact that my Athlon scope, that is supposed to focus down to 10 yards, and only just get to 12 yards.
They say I need to contact the manufacturer. They only provide what the manufacturer states their scope will focus down to. What the hell !! I did not buy the scope from the manufacturer, I bought it from THEM! Optics Planet did not offer to look into it or take the scope back and replace it, or nothing!
Just contact the manufacturer. Did not even give me the email or address. .
First and last time I deal with Optics Planet if they won't stand behind the product they sell.....
I just heard back from Optics Planet concerning the fact that my Athlon scope, that is supposed to focus down to 10 yards, and only just get to 12 yards.
They say I need to contact the manufacturer. They only provide what the manufacturer states their scope will focus down to. What the hell !! I did not buy the scope from the manufacturer, I bought it from THEM! Optics Planet did not offer to look into it or take the scope back and replace it, or nothing!
Just contact the manufacturer. Did not even give me the email or address. .
First and last time I deal with Optics Planet if they won't stand behind the product they sell.....
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