Scopes: What’s the Deal on the Deal?

Again, I put this in the general section so as to give more people, especially those new to airguns and the TAG, a better opportunity to view it and ask questions.

So, what have I learned in the last few weeks of investigating scopes? To start with, there are two major classificatios of scopes: A) Airgun scopes, and B) powder burner scopes. They do cross over. The airgun scopes focus down to as close as 3 yards (9 feet). That’s great for some of the lower powered airguns and for people who shoot in their houses, basements, apartments, etc. It’s also good for me in that I eradicate my rat infestation at 8 yards (24 feet). The powder burner scopes only focus as close as 10 yards with most of them starting at 15 yards. The advantage is that if you shoot further than 10 or 15 yards, these scopes will really help you out. Of course, they get really pricey.

It seems like ther are many scopes that will do the job nicely from 15 to 100 yards. They range from $70 for the Center Point, (Leapers), 4-16x40mmAO to the Hawke scopes for $200 to $400+. The Hawke gets the nod with their 1/2 mil dot reticle with the fine graduations that allow a guy to really get on a small target that is far away. The Center Point made by leapers for Crosman will do the job although they may not be as bright as the more expensive scopes. The more expensive scopes have Japanese glass which is brighter.

I bought a Bushnell Banner 6-24X40mm AO on the recommandation of one of my friends. While it doesn’t focus down close enough for the 8 yard rat mission, it does allow me to hit a soup can at 100 yards with ease. The minimum short distance is 10 yards. That would require me to re-engineer my “rat trap”. I’m not sure that I am willing to mess with success…we’ll see about that one.

Shimming a scope.
I mention this as I had heard of it, but had never actually tried it. Be careful not to over tighten the screws.
These scopes have 1″ tubes that limit the amount of reticle travel. This has forced me to learn about shimming a scope. I have found that a single layer of milk jug plastic, poly ethelyene, will give me the travel necessary to be able to adjust the elevation knob to move the cross hairs up and down sufficiently to be on target from close distances to further distances, (others recommend aluminum can material for shimming). I placed the strip of shim material between the rear scope ring saddle and the scope tube. The 30mm tubes supposedly give you enough travel without shimming. I think thatI saw where Weaver is making a 35mm tube. They are pricey.

Scope Rings
Many a problem attributed to the gun, or scope, has really been the fault of bad rings. Not all rings are created equally. I had a set of Accushot rings that were not true to each other. When mounted side by side and properly tightened down, they were offset from left to right by a noticable amount. You can feel this by inserting your finger into the mounted and tightened rings and feeling where the two meet. There was a “stepoff” that was unmistakable…if you know to look for it. Mamcrackin put me wise to this piece of quaity control. The symptoms were a dead accurate AA S410 at 20 yards, however the gun was shooting 4″ to the left at 65 yards. I thought it was the scope. Then I thought that it was the gun. Then I was convinced that it was me, (perish the thought!) If you are having this problem, check your rings. I bought a pair of BKL rings that came in this great box. They are designed to be self centering. I bought the single wide as I am only putting them on PCP guns. If you are shooting a springer, I would get the double wide mounts as they offer more bearing surface and clamping ability. Whichever rings you buy, you should mount them together, side by side, and check that they are true to each other before mounting a scope in them. You can save yourself hours of frustration by performing this simple test first.

$400 is not expensive? What’s your definition of expensive?

I’m just wondering if it is too much scope? It is a nice scope from whatI have read. The 1/2 mil dot graduations make that reticle look busy. I would like to try one. I know, anti up! Hmmm.

Thanks for the advice.

biphasic? Is that a word? If it is, it’s a ten gallon word for sure. It’s actually the best word for the recoil pulses that a springer generates. Very good Dollar! ( just can’t call you DH, that’s Dirty Harry’s monicker).

However, your assessment of airguns and scopes is is a valid one at that. I have priced all of the scopes that you have mentioned and a few more. Even at wholesale prices, they are still pricey. I don’t mind paying for good equipment, but a deal is always welcome…especially after buying my beloved Hamworthy compressor. I actually did buy the scope that you mentioned just to try, and it does work ok at the shorter distances…out to 50 yards. But it is the 100 yards that my .25 Marauder is capable of that has me seeking a better scope.

A guy has to get past that idea of how much he is willing to spend an a “BB gun”. These are not toys. They are serious tools that allow practice that translates directly to poweer burners. I am considering the Hawke 6.5-20X42mm w/30mm tube. I am thinking that it may work well on my stainless barreled M-1A. That weapon lives in a safe so the scope would go back on the Marauder when not on the M-1A.

Sincerely, thanks for the advice.

You guys are funny! 😀 The L.A. Observatory has a 12″ Zeiss refractor telescope. It’s a beauty. I once viewed Neptune through it. But it is also a monster. That thing is 40 or 50 feet long!

There are many options as I have been learning. Cheap, Expensive, more expensive, alot more expensive! There also seem to be two schools of thought on airgun scopes, not too much magnification, and lots of magnification. It almost boils down to buy a few scopes by spending lots of money on the credit card, and then returning or selling the ones that dont make it for you. Not my first choice. Or like WOK says, just buy a good one and be done with it. But which good one? Hawke, Leupold, Bushnell (not real happy with what I have heard and experienced with their customer service.) Like RC says, buy a Leupold and enjoy it for life.

Thanks for all of the input from those of you who have expressed your opinions.