I was looking at some 2 to 10x scopes under $500 and want to get the best glass for the dollar?
Best PCP Airgun Scope Under $500?
- Thread starter joeg26er
- Start date
What is the use case?
Very different answers for 100 yard benchrest only or a backyard lightweight compact squirrel gun.
Very different answers for 100 yard benchrest only or a backyard lightweight compact squirrel gun.
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Hawke Frontier SFP on sale would be my choice if weight matters.
Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 FFP on sale if weight doesn’t matter.
You will always seem to give up something wether it’s weight or glass clarity in my experience. But the above have become my favorites
Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 FFP on sale if weight doesn’t matter.
You will always seem to give up something wether it’s weight or glass clarity in my experience. But the above have become my favorites
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Athlon has been the best budget scope I've seen. Nothing has had turrets that feel even close to as tactile and precise. Glass is pretty great as well. Plus their warranty was very impressive when I got a broken scope used from Amazon. The Helos BTR Gen 2 mentioned by ClarkT is a beast of a scope.
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@Lewis good point there. I was interested in same question @joeg26er had. My use will be same question for light weight hunting scope. So maybe give both sides. Good quality scope for bench and light weight hunting. Kill 2 birds one stone maybe. As much as we’d like to try every optic. With so many options. I appreciate the help to narrow it down.
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Also Athlon is coming out with the new Heras 2-12 SFP which is lighter weight than the HG2 2-12.
It has a .2 mil reticle with a .07 mil center dot!!!!
12x is marked red on the mag ring and Mil values are correct at 12x.
10 mil turrets.
Zero stop.
Locking windage knob.
23.5 oz
11.8" long
Focuses at 10Y on 12x and closer on lower mag.
It has a .2 mil reticle with a .07 mil center dot!!!!
12x is marked red on the mag ring and Mil values are correct at 12x.
10 mil turrets.
Zero stop.
Locking windage knob.
23.5 oz
11.8" long
Focuses at 10Y on 12x and closer on lower mag.
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I believe that this model would be excellent for your application.
https://us.hawkeoptics.com/airmax-30-sf-compact-3-12x40-amx-ir.html
https://us.hawkeoptics.com/airmax-30-sf-compact-3-12x40-amx-ir.html
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On the bigger side I like the Arken SH4 6-24, it's 339.00 on Amazon (You will do much better buying from our member Douger!)
On the smaller lighter side I like the Vector Veyron 6-24, it's 295.00 on Amazon
Both are well within your budget.
On the smaller lighter side I like the Vector Veyron 6-24, it's 295.00 on Amazon
Both are well within your budget.
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Do some searching, for $500 you can get some pretty good glass. Chinese glass has made leaps forward. Just buy reputable brands. Vortex, Athlon, Arken.
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id never spend that much on a scope just for the 'glass' unless i was into planting my rear in a chair and counting clicks, but imo a 2-10 is pretty useless for that role unless its 20yd bench ... now a decent 3-12 for a buck fifty, a pard007v and some money left over for extra batts an illuminator and a gun tripod .. now i got something to play with and do some regulatin' out in the yard lol .. but yeah, just my personal perspective
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Personally I think when picking mrad or moa it's a matter of choice. What style u know or want to learn. I haven't seen any pros/cons either way.
It dose get confusing when u try to use both. I forget how mrad works as I use moa. 1 inch at 100 yards is 1 moa.
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Mil spec is Mil radians - metric degree of angle. MOA is standard measurement of "minute of angle". You will need to become familiar with both to decide which to use.
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Mils (milliradians) (not "Mil spec"*) give you finer resolution if you use your reticle for ranging. MOA are much easier to think about and calculate mentally. I prefer mil, but you have to be a bit better at math and/or have some "known points" that you can SWAG from. That's the trade-off. After that, as mentioned, it's personal preference.
GsT
*"Mil spec" is short for "military specification" and is fairly meaningless in a lot of cases. Mostly (these days) it's just an advertising buzz phrase that's supposed to mean 'better'.
GsT
*"Mil spec" is short for "military specification" and is fairly meaningless in a lot of cases. Mostly (these days) it's just an advertising buzz phrase that's supposed to mean 'better'.
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I've purchased several lower power scopes but have pretty much decided I want to use 6-24 SFP when possible. I can find a squirrel quickly at 6X and I can shoot targets at 30 yards fine as long as the glass is decent. My athlon talos and Arken 6-24s work well for target work but the Arken reticle is nearly invisible below 8X so I don't care for it for squirrels. I just ordered a Vector Veyron 6-24 SFP from Krale (only source I know of) and I hope the glass is about as good as the Athlon. Squirrels are fine with a 2-7 usually and definitely with a 4-16 but targets are more of a struggle.
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