Hawke Airmax 30??

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Nico5999

Nico5999

Member
Apr 5, 2015
441
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New York, United States
americanairgunner.com
I'm trying to decide on a new FT scope for Open Piston class, and thought I had made up my mind on the Hawke Sidewinder 8.5-25 Tactical...but then the Airmax came out! The Airmax has more magnification then the sidewinder (the 8-32x), is a little less expensive, and is supplied with a better sidewheel. The only problem is, I can't find many independent reviews or user experiences with the scope. Does anyone know anything about it? Do you think it would be safe to go with despite the lack of reviews since it is a hawke?

Thanks,
Nic
 
 I emailed Hawke a few months ago as i wanted the Airmax too to go on a springer and did not know if it was designed for a springer.....their answer was that they do not have any scopes for springers so their scopes will have problems after a while. My springer is an FAC which i also informed them.
On my pcp rifles i have used Hawke scopes for over 15 years and i am very happy with all the models i owned....a lot better than MTC and Nikkon
 
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Wow, that Hawke claim is amazing. Could it be that Hawke misinterpreted the email, in that their response about Spring rated scopes only related to Airmax and not ranges? It is strange, I can ask different stores about returns and get very different answers. One store can claim to hardly get any returns while another says he gets lots.

Straightshooters, a US company, rate a number of Hawke scopes as high recoil. If you are in the US, and they will honour their claims, I would consider giving it a whirl. I do not have any connection with them.

http://www.straightshooters.com/medium-recoil-scopes.html

 
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I can't tell you whether the Airmax is spring gun rated BUT I can tell you that it is an excellent scope. I have both a Sidewinder Tactical 8.5-25x42 and an Airmax 30 6-24x50, and the glass on the Airmax is substantially better than the glass on the Sidewinder, which I found quite surprising. The one thing I don't like about the Airmax is the turrets - It is time consuming to reset the zero and the "locking" knob isn't effective...The turrets can still be turned even when this knob is tightened. 

I heard that the Hawke Sidewinder was tested on a .50 BMG for recoil issues. Surely a spring rifle's recoil can't be worse than a .50 BMG?!

 
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It's not the amount of recoil on a spring gun that is damaging to some scopes it is the direction that spring guns recoil; forward. The spring piston driving the gun forward will damage a normal scope, even ones made for a 50 BMG. The good news is that I know the Airmax EV is listed as "spring gun rated" bu t the Airmax 30 is not. 


PS Matt I love your videos, make some more long range pigeon shooting videos. 
 
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I have a Hawke Sidewinder 8-32x56 and the Hawke Airmax 30 SF 8-32x50. IMO the Sidewinder is the superior scope.
On the Airmax SF 30;
I didn't like the fuzziness I saw at close ranges < 20yards
I didn't like the turrets...lockdown is not secure
I didn't like the picture at low level of lighting
Seemed to have a lot of play in the ranging
Thought the infinite rheostat is a waste and just adds weight to an already hefty scope 
I did like the ease of attaching the side wheel...much simpler than the Sidewinder
I did like the Aluminum flip-up lens covers
I did like the AMX reticle

Overall I would get the Sidewinder over the Airmax SF 30
 
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I am almost certain the Airmax 30 is spring gun rated. On the home page for the airmax scopes, Hawke states: "Airguns can have a devastating effect on optics if the right products aren't used. Hawke is an industry leader in developing specialized optics for serious airgun shooters and hunters..." That, to me, indicates that it is indeed airgun rated.

Besides, I just ordered one. The day it arrives it will be mounted on my Beeman R10, so I'll let everyone know how it holds up.
 
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