New to PCP rifles,Have an AirForce Texan,.457 ordered,Can I use a standard high powered centerfire rifle scope? Or does it have to be an airgun specific scope? If so what is recommended? Thanks
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Scope help
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Use what you have, at least start. Airguners often prefer scopes that work down to 10yds and or are rated for use on a spring rifle. Not likely that either of these concerns will affect you with a .457 Texan.
If you find you might need a diff recital or holdoff marks on the reticle then the search begins.
If you find you might need a diff recital or holdoff marks on the reticle then the search begins.
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Just Use it on lower magnification crank it down if it's not clear at close range. You can adjust the focus in extreme situations to focus really clear at close range and lose far focusing distance but may void your scope warranty if you're not gentle enough and leave any indication it had been adjusted.
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Choosing an AIRGUN Scope vs. POWDER BURNER Scope — 
What's the Difference?!?
Actually, it's kind of hard to divide scopes in "airgun scopes" and "powder burner scopes."
I really depends on the features and the shooter if they are more usable for airguns (AG) or only powder burners (PB). Scopes for AG have to fulfill more requirements than for PB.
After comparing the specs of over 150 scopes last year I find that manufacturers mix and match all kinds of features with each other, so the lines are blurred....
Here are some features that might make a difference for you as an airgunner (vs. a PB shooter). This post might take some blurr out ouf your shopping decision, I hope:
(1) The Scope Must Have Parallax Adjustment, and a Close Range Minimum Parallax = Most Important Difference AG vs. PB
Airgun ranges are short, as short as 10y for ratting, 55y max. for field target competitions and typical longer range hunting. With powerful PCPs/ high qual pellets/ slugs, lately more people are stretching it out to 100y and some further.
At these short distances we need to have a clear scope image.
And with the small targets we try to hit (squirrel heads, not deer lungs!), we need to eliminate parallax errors as much as possible, as it will throw off our POI.
Therefore, for AG the scope should have (a) a parallax adjustment, and (b) that should be down to 10y (or whatever minimum range you shoot at).
(2) The Scope Must Be Springer Approved = the Most Important Difference of Springer—AG vs. PB
Spring-powered AG (both coiled spring and gas piston spring) have a double recoil, the gun/scope move both backward and forward — PB only backwards. (PCPs, pumpers, and CO2 could care less).
Scopes must be build to withstand both of these recoils. Not many do.
The Diana Bullseye ZR Zero Recoil Mount might allow you to use a scope on a springer that was not build for it. But I've never tried it. Other can chime in.
(3) To Change the POA: The Scope Must Have Dialing Turrets and/or a Holdoff Reticle
(a) AG Need to Make Frequent Adjustments to the POA
If you zero a PB and and AG at 50y and then shoot them at 100y the PB will hit very close to bullseye. But the AG will hit waaaaaay low.
The reasons for this is that AG have much less power than PB, and therefore their projectiles (pellets and slugs) have a much more loopy trajectory.
And so, to keep hitting bullseye (or squirrel head) at ranges other than what you zerod the rifle at, you will need to make frequent adjustments to your point of aim (POA) — adjusting for elevation.
Similarly, with AG you also need to make frequent adjustements to your POA for windage. Because AG pellets suffer a huge amount of winddrift in comparison to PB bullets.
(b) The First Way to Adjust POA: Dialing the Turrets
To adjust your POA you can dial the turrets a predetermined amount of clicks — which will move the cross hairs so that your aim will compensate for projectile drop and/or wind drift.
The amount of clicks for a certain range or a certain amount of wind you either find using a ballistic calculator (Strelok Pro, ChairGun, etc.), or by test shooting and making a dope chart.
If you choose to dial your turrets you need finger adjustable turrets (not requiring a coin or tool to turn the turret [however, needing a tool to reset the turret to zero is fine as this happens seldomly]).
You'll probably want exposed turrets (not capped), as capped turrets seem to be the manufacturer's way of saying: "Don't dial these turrets all the time — they're not made to withstand that."
You want turrets that will "track," i.e., they are good enough in quality that they will change the POA consistently by the same amount every time you dial the turret to a certain position.
(c) The Second Way to Adjust POA: Holding the Crosshairs Off the Target with the Help of the Reticle Hash Lines
Instead of dialing the turrets you could hold the crosshairs off the target by a predetermined amount. The right amount of holdoff is the same as the right amount of turret clicks, you'll get it from a ballistic calculator or a dope chart.
Now to move the crosshairs just the right amount above or the the side of the target is impossible unless the scope reticle has evenly spaced hashlines or dots. These help you to hold off that predetermined amount.
If you choose to aim with holdoffs you'll need a reticle with hash lines and/or dots that are evenly spaced (not an unevently spaced BDC reticle, those are calibrated to certain PB cartridges...!).
(d) Advantages/ Disadvantages to both Methods of POA Adjustment
Dialing turrets is usually a little more precise (unless you have a gridded reticle, "Christmas tree" style).
Using holdoffs is a bit quicker, esp. for constantly changing ranges in hunting situations, and in constantly changing winds.
If you choose to both dial turrets (e.g., for elevation) and use holdoffs (e.g., for windage), your scope will need to meet both requirements, and the turrets and the reticle should use the same unit of measurement — either both in MOA or both in MIL.
Hope this helps some!
Matthias
What's the Difference?!?Actually, it's kind of hard to divide scopes in "airgun scopes" and "powder burner scopes."
I really depends on the features and the shooter if they are more usable for airguns (AG) or only powder burners (PB). Scopes for AG have to fulfill more requirements than for PB.
After comparing the specs of over 150 scopes last year I find that manufacturers mix and match all kinds of features with each other, so the lines are blurred....
Here are some features that might make a difference for you as an airgunner (vs. a PB shooter). This post might take some blurr out ouf your shopping decision, I hope:
(1) The Scope Must Have Parallax Adjustment, and a Close Range Minimum Parallax = Most Important Difference AG vs. PB Airgun ranges are short, as short as 10y for ratting, 55y max. for field target competitions and typical longer range hunting. With powerful PCPs/ high qual pellets/ slugs, lately more people are stretching it out to 100y and some further.
At these short distances we need to have a clear scope image.
And with the small targets we try to hit (squirrel heads, not deer lungs!), we need to eliminate parallax errors as much as possible, as it will throw off our POI.
Therefore, for AG the scope should have (a) a parallax adjustment, and (b) that should be down to 10y (or whatever minimum range you shoot at).
(2) The Scope Must Be Springer Approved = the Most Important Difference of Springer—AG vs. PB Spring-powered AG (both coiled spring and gas piston spring) have a double recoil, the gun/scope move both backward and forward — PB only backwards. (PCPs, pumpers, and CO2 could care less).
Scopes must be build to withstand both of these recoils. Not many do.
The Diana Bullseye ZR Zero Recoil Mount might allow you to use a scope on a springer that was not build for it. But I've never tried it. Other can chime in.
(3) To Change the POA: The Scope Must Have Dialing Turrets and/or a Holdoff Reticle (a) AG Need to Make Frequent Adjustments to the POA
If you zero a PB and and AG at 50y and then shoot them at 100y the PB will hit very close to bullseye. But the AG will hit waaaaaay low.
The reasons for this is that AG have much less power than PB, and therefore their projectiles (pellets and slugs) have a much more loopy trajectory.
And so, to keep hitting bullseye (or squirrel head) at ranges other than what you zerod the rifle at, you will need to make frequent adjustments to your point of aim (POA) — adjusting for elevation.
Similarly, with AG you also need to make frequent adjustements to your POA for windage. Because AG pellets suffer a huge amount of winddrift in comparison to PB bullets.
(b) The First Way to Adjust POA: Dialing the Turrets
To adjust your POA you can dial the turrets a predetermined amount of clicks — which will move the cross hairs so that your aim will compensate for projectile drop and/or wind drift.
The amount of clicks for a certain range or a certain amount of wind you either find using a ballistic calculator (Strelok Pro, ChairGun, etc.), or by test shooting and making a dope chart.
If you choose to dial your turrets you need finger adjustable turrets (not requiring a coin or tool to turn the turret [however, needing a tool to reset the turret to zero is fine as this happens seldomly]).
You'll probably want exposed turrets (not capped), as capped turrets seem to be the manufacturer's way of saying: "Don't dial these turrets all the time — they're not made to withstand that."
You want turrets that will "track," i.e., they are good enough in quality that they will change the POA consistently by the same amount every time you dial the turret to a certain position.
(c) The Second Way to Adjust POA: Holding the Crosshairs Off the Target with the Help of the Reticle Hash Lines
Instead of dialing the turrets you could hold the crosshairs off the target by a predetermined amount. The right amount of holdoff is the same as the right amount of turret clicks, you'll get it from a ballistic calculator or a dope chart.
Now to move the crosshairs just the right amount above or the the side of the target is impossible unless the scope reticle has evenly spaced hashlines or dots. These help you to hold off that predetermined amount.
If you choose to aim with holdoffs you'll need a reticle with hash lines and/or dots that are evenly spaced (not an unevently spaced BDC reticle, those are calibrated to certain PB cartridges...!).
(d) Advantages/ Disadvantages to both Methods of POA Adjustment
Dialing turrets is usually a little more precise (unless you have a gridded reticle, "Christmas tree" style).
Using holdoffs is a bit quicker, esp. for constantly changing ranges in hunting situations, and in constantly changing winds.
If you choose to both dial turrets (e.g., for elevation) and use holdoffs (e.g., for windage), your scope will need to meet both requirements, and the turrets and the reticle should use the same unit of measurement — either both in MOA or both in MIL.
Hope this helps some!
Matthias
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