Air rifle scope

[Marc]

There has been some discussion of airguns here recently. I bought a Benjamin Regal NP .22 from Big 5. It came with a cheap Chinese 4x32 scope. I want to put a decent scope on the rifle so it will be useable in dim light for varmint control. I am looking at a Bushnell Trophy XLT 4-12x40 AO. It is air gun rated. Anybody have any experience with this scope?

What scopes are you using on your air rifles?

[rjohns94]

I have used the bushnell elite series on a PCP air rifle. Held up great. I currently use a Lepers, 3x9x40 on my gas spring rifle. It's an awesome scope, made for air rifles, has the variable parallax feature and has been very dependable for over 20,000 shots in my primary air riflle.

[rogn]

Any reasonable quality scope will be OK on a PCP since recoil is light to non extant. The springers are an entirely different matter, the rock and roll recoil tends to shake everything loose in inadequate scopes. The air gun rated Bushnells seem to do fine, Ive got a 15-18 year old Bushnel 4-12 on an air arms 20 foot pounder and it been going strong the whole time. I think Burris and Leupold don't specifically say they sell air gun scopes, but they explicitly warrantee the scope agnst breakage.

[madman4570]

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Hawke_Spo ... _Tube/3581


Excellent spring gun rated scope!

[AJMD429]

I've seen some "magnum-rifle" rated high-quality scopes that warn specifically against air-rifle use, so evidently those spring-piston guns must do some really different dancing than the 'African' rifles such scopes can tolerate.

[Alan Wood]

My understanding is that springers recoil away from the shooter at least initially! And this is what breaks scopes not rated for air rifles.

[Bill in Oregon]

Alan, yes, there is the push and pull recoil from springers that destroys scopes -- even those you could mount successfully on a .458.
I need to put a better scope on my Hatsan 95 .25-caliber springer.
Marc, I have that very Bushnell scope and it has given me good service for many years on .22s as well as airguns.

[Marc]

Bushnell says that their scopes from the Trophy and up are airgun rated. They also have rebates on those scopes. The Trophy is probably good enough for what I need. How do the optics on the Trophy compare to the Hawke 4-12? The price is the same before the rebate.

I have a spare Leupold and so I called Leupold to ask about using it. The rep said, "No", the only Leupolds that are suitable for airguns are the EFR models. I have a nearly new Vortex 2-7x32 that was on a rifle I don't use much. I called Vortex to see if it would work on an airgun. They said yes. I tried it. They should have said ,"No". It broke immediately so I called again and they said maybe it was bad to begin with and to send it in. It may have been bad because the rifle I had it on before didn't shoot well with it. I also have a Minox 3-9 that I could use so I called them. They said it would be OK but after breaking the Vortex I am a little gun shy. I think I would be better off to get something that is airgun rated.

[rjohns94]

Hawk made the glass for Leupold for a period while they recovered from a factory fire. Good scopes but not rated for air rifles. Lots of discussions on www.adventuresinairguns.com. Good luck with your choice

[madman4570]

Hawk made the glass for Leupold for a period while they recovered from a factory fire. Good scopes but not rated for air rifles. Lots of discussions on http://www.adventuresinairguns.com. Good luck with your choice

Mike,
Do you mean Hawke??? (the spring rated specific ones???)see spec rating like one I mentioned above.
The Tech Specialist I talked to at Crossman(Benjamin) (dealing with the Benjamin PCP Marauder's/ Magnum Trail XL NP's) and also Pyramid Air said the new Hawke scopes (like one metioned above)are specifically designed for high powered air guns.
The head tech at Pyramid Air mentioned that although the Centerpoint and Leaper's are good too (they have seen the best results(over last couple years)with the Hawke specific models.????

Just curious----cause they sell all of them(I said)I want "best rated" what they see as best---for around the $200 mark.


I typed on that site you had(put in Hawke scopes and am looking to see if if of that spec'd type are failing)???

I was however told by the Techs(the scope whatever brand needs to actually in their specs call out its actually (spring gun rated)to have "best reliablility"

http://www.americanairgunhunter.com/hawkescopes

I will be bummed and (send it back)if I find out they were not truthful
Thanks!

[stretch]

Marc, I've had a Bushnell Trophy on my RWS 48 springer for something like a decade.
It's held up fine. The RWS 48 has some pretty fierce recoil as spring-piston airguns
go. I'm of the opinion that if it will hold up on that gun it'll hold up on anything.

-Stretch

[madman4570]

Marc, I've had a Bushnell Trophy on my RWS 48 springer for something like a decade.
It's held up fine. The RWS 48 has some pretty fierce recoil as spring-piston airguns
go. I'm of the opinion that if it will hold up on that gun it'll hold up on anything.

-Stretch

+1

[rjohns94]

Yep meant Hawke. Thanks for correcting my error in info.

[pneuby]

Rifle optics brace the lenses against jarring forward inertia. When the gun recoils back, inertia wants to force the tube innards forward. Springers release and have little rearward recoil, for the most part, but....that spring comes to screeching halt. That 'thwomp' jars scopes toward the REAR, and that's why it can trash a 'non-rated' rifle optic in short-order.

[Pete44ru]

I bought a .177 Chinese Ruger AirHawk last year that came with a "Ruger" 4x scope that was presumeably airgun-rated - but I sold the scope to a local MD for his Squill rifle, because I REALLY like the issue fiber-optic open/iron (?) sights.

I figured (correctly) that the open FO sights would be plenty "good-nuf", at any distances/targets I was likely to use the AirHawk.


.

[Ysabel Kid]

I picked up one of these on sale last year.

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Stoeger_A ... Rifle/2406

Love the pellet gun, but the scope was worthless. I switched it out, like rjohns, for a Leapers 40mm variable. Love it.

Still amazes me that most scopes won't stand up to an air rifle...

[madman4570]

I have used the bushnell elite series on a PCP air rifle. Held up great. I currently use a Lepers, 3x9x40 on my gas spring rifle. It's an awesome scope, made for air rifles, has the variable parallax feature and has been very dependable for over 20,000 shots in my primary air riflle.

Think Mike might have it right.
Leapers having (a long history)of holding up----------Might be one of best choices indeed.
Also if you don't mind a tad heavier scope(maybe even a 30mm)
Honestly-----next scope---something on the line of
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Leapers_3 ... Rings/3493

Look at those specs------how they can make that scope for that cost-----------------blows my mind

Or the one Mike lists----------------incredible value (ya,probably Leapers could be it)

[Marc]

Given the good reviews of the Bushnell Trophy by stretch, Bill and rogn I still lean towards the Bushnell. Probably just name recognition. I would like to look through the Leapers, Hawke and Bushnell before I buy. I have a hard time believing the glass in the lower priced scopes is on par with the Bushnell. I like good glass! Good glass may not be as important at airgun ranges but I think it would help even at short range in dim light. The Hawke and Leapers are also heavy scopes. I think I would be happier with a lighter scope. Decisions! Decisions!

Thanks for the responses.

[Cliff]

Good comments on Airgun scopes. I have read (Somewhere) that is how Burris got into the game, their first efforts were on Air Gun scopes and they are supposed to be good for all kinds, just saying. I cannot recall the source, but was some years back. ATB

[JB]

The Bushnell Trophy would be a good scope. I normally stick with the Bushnell Elites or Leupolds on my spring guns. I had an RWS 350 break two Burris scopes, so I'm not sold on Burris for magnum spring guns. I've never delt with the cheaper Chinese airgun scopes.

[Ysabel Kid]

Just saw this ad today via e-mail from Midway USA.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/768906 ... m=28273042

Free shipping too! I'm not familiar with this brand, but it says it will hold up to air rifle use. At that price, it may be worth a try!

[JB]

Just saw this ad today via e-mail from Midway USA.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/768906 ... m=28273042

Free shipping too! I'm not familiar with this brand, but it says it will hold up to air rifle use. At that price, it may be worth a try!

I know Crosman markets Centerpoint as an airgun scope, but I've read of several being broken on magnum spring guns.

[Marc]

A Centerpoint scope came on the rifle when I bought it. It is a poor facsimile of a rifle scope. I showed it to a friend at the range Saturday and he looked through it and said, "It looks like you're hallucinating!"

I called Crossman and asked who I would contact in case the scope was broken. The lady at Crossman said, "We are Centerpoint." I held my tongue and did not tell her that I would never admit that in public!

[Rudedawg]

I realize this is an old thread but the suspense got the best of me--what scope did you get??? I need a new scope for my RWS34 and Bushnell has a rebate on their Trophy XLT series going on now.
Thanks in advance.

[Marc]

Just got back from deer hunting. Yes I did get a little forkhorn.

I bought the Trophy XLT 4-12x40 because it has AO. It will focus down to 10 yards. I wouldn't mind if it focused closer but 10 yards isn't bad. So far it has held up fine on the Benjamin Nitro Piston .22. Optically, it isn't a Zeiss but it is plenty good enough for the airgun. I wouldn't have any qualms about putting it on a varmint rifle.

The one thing I wish it had is a thicker reticle or even an illuminated reticle. One of my main uses for the rifle is night hunting for varmints that are attacking my fruit trees and garden. The reticle is very hard to see in dim light. It works great in daylight though. All in all I think it is a good scope for the dollar.

[Rudedawg]

Great--thank you for your response and congrats on the forkhorn.