Choosing a bench rest scope

[easyridemm]

I would like to get some member feedback on choosing a scope dedicated to 100 yard bench rest to be used on an Airgun only. Of course I want to spend the minimum amount to achieve my goal, but scope function is the primary concern. I would like the clearest glass along with crisp focus and turret adjustments. It would need to have the power to see a small caliber pellet hole at the 100 yd. range. I currently use a Hawke Sidewinder 6x24x56 but I feel it may be time to upgrade. Thank you in advance for your advise.

 

[rsfrid]

Of course, it's hard to beat the Nightforce Benchrest scope. But it costs more than many air rifles.

 

[doni]

I like the Hawke Sidewinder, I had one for several years. Now I have a Vector Sentinel X 10-40x50. It's Chinese, cheap, but it works great at 110 yards. I can see the holes of a .22 pellet with 35x magnification.

 

[nomojo65]

A really good buy for the money right now for a “variable mag.” Benchrest scope is the Hawke 30ED 8-40 TMX on optics planet for $669, heavy & big but tracks well and is clear and bright to about 36x, I had one 2yrs ago on my RAW .30 that I shot at the PAcup in 2019 and liked it a lot. Should have no problems seeing.22 holes at 100yds. I also had a NF 12x42 Br scope on a CF RIFLE and it was a very good scope but about $1400 now you don’t see many they are overlooked, but are perfect for LR Airgunners 

 

[AirShot]

Are you looking for a seperate spotting type scope or a mounted on your rifle type scope? Quality glass makes a big difference in seeing those tiny holes!! My Leupold 6-20x40 scope allows me to see 100 yd .177 cal pellet holes without any problem. But to make that job much easier, I use my Burris 20-60x120 spotting scope. I have a bench top tripod and a ground tripod that it can be mounted on. With that scope, I can see pellet holes at 200 yds and beyond!! I will say that high magnification makes for a darker image, so, the lowervthe mag, the brighter the image will be. I typically use the 25-40 mag on my spotting scope to get the brightest image on low light days...hope this helps

 

[bigHUN]

I am tethering at BR and already dragging many bags with me to my club and adding an extra high power spotting scope in my trunk is no-no anymore. I decided for a decent Japanese glass.

Falcon X50 SFP, crisp clear all the way to a max power, backing to about 40-45 power to see all four target rings in a view @100. Some reviews saying this scope is 1000 meters rated.

The reticle is simple FT not clustered, just perfect for a job what I am using it.

 

[jps2486]

Sightron SIII 10-50X60 with MOA-2 reticle. I've bought them for between $699-900. Shop around. Fantastic Japanese made scope for far less than Nightforce, and works as well IMO.

 

[bigHUN]

I read some reviews in the past that Sightron and Falcon using same glass and internal mathematics, but only Falcon is assembled in Japan and Sightron somewhere else in Asia maybe in PRC.

The Sightron exterior cosmetics is more fancy, the Falcon is more a simple design.

Within a same price range (Sightron has several variations in same power but higher priced models) the Falcon clarity is all the way to the end vs the Sightron which you can have it cristal clear only somewhere up to 40.

Definitely the x50 power is a game changer for 100 and beyond.

 

[Uglyjohn]

Do any US vendors have the Falcon X50s in stock at present? Uj

 

[DARKHORSE1967]

PA has both the FT and Long Range models.

 

[AirShot]

The good folks at Burris many years back, recomended using a business card with small print set at the distance you want to shoot will reveal the clearest glass !!! Our eyes recognize print over shape or pattern much better! I tried this when I bought my spotting scope. It was far easier to judge clarity on the business card than a bark pattern on a tree or a logo on a back ground. Wirks the same for rifle scopes, I use this method when I try to convince folks to spend the extra for a Leupold over another brand. try setting a small business card with printing on it at 100 yds, then look thru your glass of choice and compare it to others....last time in Cabelas and Bass Pro I noticed buisness cards attatched up nesr the ceiling around the store and inquired if they were for inspecting glass on sighting toys.....yep that is what they were for!!