Best Airgun Scopes 100$-500$ A one eyed boys opinion

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"JoeWayneRhea"Good point Zebra ! Honestly I haven't had any first hand experience with primary arms or clearidge scopes so i dont have anything of value to add .
I liked the point you made about illuminated recticle an cheap glass . I personally never look for lighted recticle so it's not a selling point for me . It's kinda a cool concept but from ones I have tried it's like 4 cupholders in a car I drive by myself ...A useless feature .
My advice to anyone looking for a new scope would be this ...If it's absolutely LOADED with features of a price you fel like.you can't pass up ....take a breath and let it slide on by .
From best to worst here are the brands I've personally owned and tried AND would recommend. And how I would rank them
Swarovski
Zeiss
Kahles
Leupold
SWFA
Nikon
Weaver
Burris
Bushnell
If they aren't on that list it's not a scope I'd consider..Bear in mind many lines have cheap -great optics under the same brand . And there are a lot of identical scopes wearing g different clothes so to speak .
If it's a scope in the 100$ or under range ( or there abouts ) my advice would be buy it from Walmart and keep the receipt and all packaging so you can get your money back if needed . An do your BEST to look at scopes side by side !!!!
That new 30mm tubed lighted recticle 4-88 power wonder scope gonna look good on 6 power in a super bright setting ...Look thru another brand right behind it to get a better feel for it . I purposely left S&B off the list along with Nightforce and March. Those are scopes for guys who have already been there and have huge budgets ... But if you notice your favorite brand missing . I didn't leave it out ... I probably left it off my list of scopes i would buy again .
A scope brand that customer service and such comes up a lot about possibly could tell you something . How good is Swarovski customer service ? Not a clue because I've never had one that I owned fail , or had any friends that owned them return one .
When you reach the 500$ mark on scopes you probably are gonna get some good optics and a solid purchase . Below that the odds of owning a very poor quality scope gets more likely the cheaper they are . It SUCKS that good scopes are so expensive but it's just the way it is
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I think the other point when choosing is that (luckily) we live in the age of Internet reviews. I have been finding that is pays to ignore the star rating and actually read some of the customers reviews.

I have a fairly developed BS radar so I discount all the ones that say things like "you would think it was a $1,000 scope". I then exclude all the ones that say things like "much better than the one that came free with my springer from Walmart". On products with hundreds of reviews, you generally find some reviews in what's left from people who have a bunch of scopes and some more expensive ones. Those guys often give useful, honest and objective comparisons so you have a good idea of what to expect. 

I get nervous of the ones with only 2-3 reviews - even if they are 5 star. 
 
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The best source by far I've found is Optics talk forum . It's sponsored by SWFA and since they carry virtually every line of scopes they don't have to push a particular one on anyone . ....I rebuild quite a few vintage springers, and I pass on" for sure "sales a lot because the guns I build aren't meant to be used as squirrel rifles , or durable throw behind the truck seat type guns.
But I rebuild them as much for fun and to meet other airgunner s as anything . I don't care if it doesn't sale fast , I'm not in a big hurry , or make much money off them ....But if I was in business selling scopes i probably wouldn't recommend a brand I don't carry :)
 
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"Jonnes"Before I start jabbering about the subject at hand, there's one tiny remark I'd like to make with regard to the 'one eyed' part in the title. One of the ground rules of shooting accurately, is shooting with both eyes open. Every muscle that's got tension on it, is one too many. So in that respect, you have a definite advantage mate! ;)

Now back to the subject! To be honest, the amount of money I've spent on scopes, would have allowed me to buy a really good Night Force or excellent Schmidt and Bender scope by now. I'm saving up right now and I'm done with spending money on something that isn't just quite that. Rifles come and go, but a good piece of glass is there to stay, and never a bad investment.

Just my two cents. 

Only problem being that Joe can't read the wind flags with the "off eye". Big disadvantage.

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Sniper I'll take them on at a time .
The Bushnell AR is warranted against anything but abuse and all you have to do Is contact them for a replacement...I know I broke one and received a brand new one .
The Nikon EFR is made and marketed to Airguns so it is for sure warrantied.
The entire FIXED power SWFA line is guaranteed for spring or any other rifle ( I know I asked )but it the fixed power ones only .
And the entire Leupold scopes line is warranted against anything , if you've ever had a problem with a Leupold or dealt with the custom shop you know what a class operation they truly are . The 3-9efr is regarded by many as the overall best AirGun scope made .
So to sum up ..All the scopes i originally posted about are AirGun good to go .
 
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I agree the swfa are the best My next scope is going to be the 10x ss . True there are a lot of scope company's that will replace again and again and again but that gets old and resetting time after time remarking your big side parallax wheel distances and changing all your turret setting on your chart from 10 to 100 yards is a pain in the butt . So If you have a magnum springer like the Hatsan 125 sniper you better have the rws bullseys built in shock absorbent mount or one like what is listed above if your going to use a scope like the Bushnell AR . I say if your going to mount a scope straight on a springer don't use any scope thats not air gun rated except for the swfa fixed powers . All the others scopes your going to find out will become a money pit , you have to pay around 15 dollars every time you return the scope for shipping it back and it will just keep breaking time and time again and at some point you sell the new one you get back . Its just not worth it . I called Nikon just yesterday and talked to the tech and I ask which scopes were spring airgun rated and he said none of them are listed as spring airgun rated but that the PROSTAFF Target EFR was the only one that might and he said might stand up to a magnum springer . I ask why they didn't list it as spring air gun rated and he said it was made for rim fire not spring powered air guns . So I wouldn't take a chance on that one either . Once you talk to the techs of the scopes and give you the I would not put that scope on a springer talk , they know the scopes they are having made in china are just not going to last on a magnum springer . the nikon won't parallel closer than 50 yards so what good is that on a springer that your going to be shooting 10 to 50 yards most of the time anyways .
 
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The efr goes down to 10 yards . But yeah I agree sending scopes back sucks !! That's why when guys ask me about really inexpensive scopes i recommend a Walmart scope that way they can just take I back in person . When it comes to the really " Magnum" springers , I wouldn't take a chance with a really nice scope . I had a Nitro Piston gun wreck three scopes in less than two months . One was an old still weaver K4 I thought was indestructible till then . Some Airguns just react so violently they just shake apart poop
 
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Thanks, I just sent them a request.
It's one of my favorites too. Have a 3-9x33 EFR with M1 turret and mildot on my Edgun, would love to have it in mil/mil though.
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ok guys for what its worth i think there are so many good choices out there. i will not put a 300 dollar scope on a 200 dollar springer like the gamo silent cat. i go to gander moutain alot. they let me look thru any scope i wont.from my shooting experiance past 30 yards ur groups are going to open up so does haveing a 250 scope and mounts give u more accuracey? now with all the new pcp yes i think a250-400 dollar scope will with a doubt make the gun more accurate. scopes are like cars some like ford some chevy what do u like. i have a voetex crossfire 2 6x18ao on my gamo urban. my range is 100 yards. i shoot most 50 and 25 its sourrounded by heavy timber. the light is always moving so for this scope has given me its all yes there is better but i like it it works it is reliable and cost under 200. if u wont to shoot mag springers and i do so far the only scope i have that works is an rws i got from pyramyd air for my diana 34. u all know rick uslur and tom gaylord i respect these men and i get my7 ideals from the when i really wont something. go to bass pro or gander moutain or where ever they will let u look at what u think u wont. so many good quilty choices.and yes vortex will replace any scope they make.
 
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