The best All around Air rifle scope
- Thread starter Butch5454
- Start date
Athlon Optics scopes have been excellent for me. I have 3 Athlon Argos BTR Gen 2 5-24x50mm and 1 Athlon Argos BTR 10-40x56mm. My favorite though is a Optisan Mamba Pro 5-32x50 on my RAW TM1000.
Upvote 0
That's like asking what's the best airgun....or best pizza, or best movie.
You need to narrow it down a little
Upvote 0
Five years I purchased a Hawke Advantage 3 -12 X 50 scope via Pyramyd. Around the Holidays this past season, loe and behold, my wonderful scope broke beyond my ability to fix. I gave Pyramyd a call to see what I should do, they passed me off to Air Venturi who gave me the phone number for Hawke on this side of the pond. I was asking about getting it repaired. They gave me a repair order number and away it went. Now, just a month later, a brand new Hawke scope lands at my door-step, no charge. . . Now that's what I call great service! No run around, just service. Hawke is one company that honors it Lifetime Warranty. Thank you Hawke! Orv.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
I wonder how we were ever able to get by, and hit what we aimed at, with a 1", SFP, 2-7x32 scope? I've been cycling through several modern, powerful scopes recently, FFP, 50mm bell, illuminated, 34mm tube, etc., and realized that I actually do just fine with an old Simmons Pro-Air 3-12. At least for all non-competition shooting.
Upvote 0
I received my late last night Saturday this morning. I tried to mount my new scope in the base was wrong so I’m just sending it back and using an all Crossman 4 to 16.
Upvote 0
This is good to know. This kind of service makes it easier to buy from a manufacturer and to be loyal to them. Thanks
Upvote 0
Cant go wrong with Vortex. Their no questions asked warranty eliminates any buyer remorse you can throw it off a building then run it over and send it back and theyll just send a new one. The warranty is really that good. Mine have ALWAYS held zero, clear glass different reticle options. GTG on anything that shoots a projectile honestly. I linked a FFP scope in their line. I have one in a slightly higher magnification which was unnecessary but still as always dead ringer. Even their red dots and pistol red dots are FANTASTIC. Just my opinion.
Upvote 0
Vortex scopes are great, but you wont find many if any that focus down to the 10yds most of us end up needing.
Upvote 0
Fair enough. Alot of folks love those UTG bugbusters terrible eye relief but great close focus I hear.
Upvote 0
My favorite scope I've used over the years on many airguns is my Helos Gen2 4-20x50. Close second would be the 2-12x42. Really like Arken for what they are also. Prefer the 4-16x44s. Then if budget is wanted the Discovery 2-12x24 is a great scope for the money.
Upvote 0
The scopes are so short there is no adjustment for eye relief. And the eyebox is small.
On a picatinny rail you can get some adjustment. But with rings or a one piece mount your stuck with whatever position they land.
They aren't bad scopes and are tough. They take lots of abuse. Not great glass but they don't cost much.
I've never got one to mount in the right spot on any of my rifles. It's a constant battle getting behind the scope and then stretching your neck forward a bit to get in the eyebox. After trying a half dozen mounts that were all too high, too far forward or back I gave the scope to a buddy. I had more invested in mounts than the scope.
A scope with an inch or so of adjustment and a bit bigger eyebox sidesteps a bunch of mounting issues. The Bugbuster has neither and can be a real pain to get mounted in the right spot.
Upvote 0
I prefer the Athlon Helos G2's. All in MIL I have the 2-12, 4-20, and the 6-24. The 2-12 is a great scope for speed, as a pistol/pifle Hunter FT scope, and is my favorite all arounder. Heck last week I pulled it off my ProX, mounted it on my Hunter FT Pistol, won my division the next day, put it back on the ProX and was touching holes at 55Y. It's such a crazy versatile scope! If I had to pick one scope only for many purposes this would be it.
I replaced a SWFA 3-15 with the 4-20 on a certain pcp and am so much happer with this HG2 as compared.
I have a very expensive 22rf match rifle that deserves a likewise expensive scope appropriate to it but the HG2 6--24 has been so good I left it there and have won matches so it has worked great for years now. I like that the APRS6 mil reticle is .05 mil, the turrets lock, that it has illume which I use for night matches, and truthfully there's nothing I can fault it in.
I've had other brand scopes more expensive than these and I can point out disappointing faults with them. I could have had HG2 scopes at a 3 to 1 cost ratio and been happier than I am with those other scopes. That's what I get for not staying with what I already knew worked well. The - I need to save weight, the - I need better IQ, the - this and that I thought was better, didn't work out like I'd hoped, and were not worth the money.
Upvote 0
I wish we had had this discussion a few days ago. My bugbuster was delivered day before yesterday LOL. But I am gonna try it. I got it for a Umarex Notos, my first PCP rifle so I am a newbie. But I do appreciate understanding the limitations and what to look for in a scope, this is great info!
Upvote 0