Re: Need help finding right airgun scope
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Boomstick308</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just because a standard, centerfire rifle scope is .50BMG rated does not necessarily mean that it is air rifle rated. I know it sounds funny, but many modern air rifles will DESTROY centerfire rifle scopes. Even though air rifles are nowhere near the "power" offered by rimfire or centrefire cartridges, spring driven air rifles have a very unique, two-stage recoil that CAN damage conventional rifle scopes.
When you fire an air rifle, there is a backward recoil effect that is immediately followed by a snapping forward recoil effect that combines with the vibrations produced by powerful springs and places an enormous, but unusual stress on both scope and mounts. A lack of perceived recoil (like with an air rifle) really has zero to do with the impulses that can be exerted on a scope and mount from this spring effect.
Scopes designed for air rifles have lenses and a reticle that are braced/reinforced forward and aft to so that recoil doesn’t shake them loose. Most scopes (not all) designed for rimfire and centrefire rifles are not reinforced at the lenses and reticle on both sides. Because of this...a standard scope can get damaged and fail under the recoil impulse from an air rifle.
I would try running a google (or similar) search on some of the air rifle clubs/competition websites and see what the serious air gunners are running these days and what they can recommend in the 3-9x or 10x class of optics with the target turrets you want/need. </div></div>
It's really difficult to read sarcasm, but it sounds like you are serious... I would have never guessed this. </div></div>
He's serious, and I was aware air guns had more of a "hard shake" than a recoil motion, but I did not know that about scope lenses/reticles needing reinforcement, good info.