Rifle Scopes Quality lower end optic for Dad's air rifle - I have no clue

[TheGerman]

So my mom called me today and said dad was looking for something to put on his squirrel airgun (I think its one of the larger 22 calibers that can really get out there) and all I heard was, "he needs a scope" so I instantly reacted with....you need a Steiner 5-25 MSR.

Seeing as how he probably just needs a lower end optic, I didn't want to tell him to just go buy any cheap shit at Walmart and was thinking he should grab something like a Vortex Crossfire. The only thing I think he needs is something that is either parallax free under 100y or can adjust to within 10/15 yards. The reticle isn't too much of an issue but I am leaning towards something with a mil dot for holdoffs.

Anyone have any good suggestions? Figured I would keep this low budget, but not succumb to absolute garbage and wanted to see what would be a good fit for this as I'd rather him spend a few extra bucks than be unhappy.

 

[ScottyD]

If a fixed power scope is OK for his uses, then I highly suggest looking at the SWFA $300 fixed power models. Excellent japanese glass, they all focus down to 10yds, mil turrets, an excellent reticle, they're built like tanks... Choose from 6x,10x,12x, 16x.... You have to spend some serious $$$ to do better than the swfa's...

 

[steve123]

The Busnell 4200 series scopes hold up to spring air rifles very well.

Swift 3-9x40 or leupold 3-9x33 EFR. I've owned Swifts 6.5x20 before. Nice scope for the money.

I had the Burris compact 3-9 airgun/rimfire scope, didn't like it that much.

 

[dondlhmn]

One thing to consider is that an airgun often has a sharp rap kind of recoil in the wrong direction for what we normally think of as the way recoil works and a so-called "normal" scope will get torn right up by an airgun. Granted, a scope that is "built like a tank" may be strong enough to resist recoil in the "wrong" direction", but I'd look at scopes built for use on an airgun. The only problem you will run into is that a lot of "airgun scopes" are cheap junk, but there are some good ones out there!!

 

[jdr724]

Hawke Optics are very popular with the air gun crowd and their varmint side focus line is fairly inexpensive for side focus scope. That particular line has what they call half mil dot reticle which is true at 10x. You can also use their free chair gun pro tool for ballistics which is sort of cool if your dad like to tinker.

 

[Snake CharmerXX]

One thing to consider is that an airgun often has a sharp rap kind of recoil in the wrong direction for what we normally think of as the way recoil works and a so-called "normal" scope will get torn right up by an airgun. Granted, a scope that is "built like a tank" may be strong enough to resist recoil in the "wrong" direction", but I'd look at scopes built for use on an airgun. The only problem you will run into is that a lot of "airgun scopes" are cheap junk, but there are some good ones out there!!

+ 1

Mounting them so they stay is a bugger. Hard to believe, but a quality airgun's recoil (if that's what to call it) exceeds what most folks call "airgun" mounting. I never had an scope break on a airgun,, but I sure fought cheap mounts a lot. Can you get a Picatinny or Weaver rail on it?

Does he need magnification or accuracy? Would a red dot or reflex sight be more helpful? or are you thinking something like a 2-7 scope?

Also, the few cheap scopes I've used really were a hassle for focus, so something with side focus and short range parallax might be handy. If he doesn't mind size I'd be inclined to not worry to much about glass quality. Hard to think he'll even be shooting much past 100 yards. But will he be trying to take a shot in dim conditions? Does he need Illumination?

Not much help I suppose, but answering those questions as you see best and then jumping on midwayUSA and OpticsPlanet will get you a lot of options.

good luck