What style of optics are you using for your bullpup

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deadhorse

deadhorse

Member
Mar 15, 2021
125
3
UT, United States
I'm a new owner of my first bullpup rifle ever, a Hatsan flashpup in 25cal

The main uses of my rifle will be backyard paper punching and hunting of invasive species of birds and some mice. I will also be taking it camping and hiking.

I am looking for opinions and what optic options you guys are using for similar tasks, I want to keep it portable and lightweight and compact as possible. I was thinking a bugbuster since I already have one on a different rifle and it's small and compact and has a short eye relief as a downside but that I think would probably work well with a bullpup, but I am worried it might not be enough magnification for the hunting aspect as I know some of the shots off the roof of the barn might be 50-100yds. 

I am also looking for something that won't break the bank under $200 is possible. 

I would also like the option later to add one of those night vision kits to it as I have an unlimited supply of mice here but that is only at night I can hunt those. So it's important to me that the optic be compatible with a NV kit down the road.


 
A used SWFA fixed power scope would be in your budget. They have reliable enough turrets to click and be trusted. They're not too huge, not too long, not too heavy, etc for a bullpup. I had a 20x on my 24inch bullpup for about 3 years (until very recently) and it was great. 

For general use I think I'd stop at 12x though, or MAYBE 16 since you mention 50-100 yard shots.

The only place I could see a fixed power 12 or 16x hurting you would be skittish mice not holding still much. For pesting birds off perches though, used SWFA for $200-240 is a pretty good value (over other similarly priced options). 
 
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Red dots on all but one rifle (all bullpups).

Holosun, Steiner, Trijicon are the brands that I use on my good guns. Sorry, all over $200, but well worth the extra.

You can buy cheaper, but you normally get what you pay for. Especially if you wear glasses.

Loose a little cash, but gain in the guaranty, battery life, and dot shape and the strength of the body of the sight.



Mike
 
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I like the Hawke Vantage 2-7 on my Prod. Nice and light and compact. For hunting I think 7X is fine but for paper punching more would be useful. The West Hunter 4-16 FFP side parallax on my Avenger isn't too big or heavy and has more magnification. It also has a nicer recticle with more aiming points. On both these inexpensive (well under $200) I do not click to adjust for distance. I zero them as far out as I can and keep the POI within 1/4 inch so I don't have to worry about it to about 30 yards (a bit less for the Prod, a bit more for the Avenger). Further than that I hold over. I have found less expensive scope do not always move exactly like the clicks you dial in. So I get them zero'd then leave them alone. Both hold POI well used this way.

I used to use a Primary Arms 4-14 on the Avenger but the location of the adjustment bulge caused me to move the scope too far back for where I like to put my face. It is more expensive than the other two but doesn't have noticably better glass. It and the West Hunter are 30mm, FFP, side parallax. The West Hunter comes with a sun shade, flip caps, and scope rings.
 
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well you kinda describe a 'do-all' scenario .. those are hard to come by ... personally ive found you need a setup tailored to the sitiation .. you could say a bullpup is meant for fast close-in action but thats not written in stone .. but more or less i want between 4 and 9X for pesting small stuff and i prefer a simple smallvand light scope for jumpin into the weeds after um so to speak .. now if your plastered on top of the barn with a bipod playin johnny sniper, for one, its not serious pesting, which by nature is close in .. but if thats your thing yeah, put a 2 foot long 50X on it and take um out on the far hill ...

..so, all that said, i can say that the utg 3-12 compact with side adjust is one of the most versatile 'affordable' airgun scopes i have .. it works good on just about any gun and with the extended wheel looks frickin badas ...its sold under a couple of other brandnames i do beleive also .. so thats my suggestion ...
 
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bullpup rifles in general are shorter stock or shorter draw overall. Many people trying and mounting scopes on a bullpup same as they were mounting on a full size furniture rifle.

That will result you a pain in a neck :)

I will never lean my head into a scope, I raise up the scope and keep my head in natural position...handheld or on the bench. My scope is 83mm centerline to centerline to the barrel.

I would go from there. What glass that shall be secondary, as much you can pay for it
 
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The Vector 3-12x44 FFP is almost identical to the discovery except better$200 https://airgunarcheryfun.ca/vector-veyron-3-12x44-ffp-ultra-compact-rifle-scope-500g-mounts-included/

The Vector Veyron 4-16x44 FFP is even better with about the same size and weight for $26 more. All these come with rings and you pic the height and mount style. https://airgunarcheryfun.ca/vector-veyron-4-16x44-ffp-rifle-scope/ Should be back in stock soon.

I recommend the Purolator shipping option and coupon code GTA5 if you decide to purchase from AAF. He's a great guy to deal with and always treated me right.

I own all of these scopes and never had a problem with them. Vector has better quality control than Discovery.

https://youtu.be/gQoqEBjJh7o?t=7


 
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I have a Veteran .22 shorty with a Discovery VT-3. 3-12x44 with 30 mm tube. It is light and very clear for price about $190.00 from Airgun archery fun.com. It is about 10” long.It is a Chinese scope so I use the hold over reticle only no dialing. It has worked perfect for 3 years. MM
Click to expand...

This is what I have on my taipan. It's got surprisingly sharp glass for a $200 scope.
 
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What's the best place to order SWFA? I might grab one.
Click to expand...

They occasionally come up used on the classifieds here, seems like I remember them being in the $200-$240 range. They used to be available as used on Ebay for similar $$$ but I just looked and prices are high on ebay.

SWFA.com is where you can get them new. They usually sell for $299 new and they often do holiday sales with free rings, bubble levels, etc.

Dig around on the SWFA.com website for the "sample list" and you'll find used ones for sale there. They're usually discounted a bit, and graded as A, B, C to rate just how used. One of mine came off the sample list as an "A" and it was indistinguishable from the new ones that I bought. 

One of my favorite reticles is their "mil-quad", but I'm not a fan of clutter and the big crazy christmas tree stuff blocking the entire lower half of my scope view.
 
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Red dots on all but one rifle (all bullpups).

Holosun, Steiner, Trijicon are the brands that I use on my good guns. Sorry, all over $200, but well worth the extra.

You can buy cheaper, but you normally get what you pay for. Especially if you wear glasses.

Loose a little cash, but gain in the guaranty, battery life, and dot shape and the strength of the body of the sight.



Mike
Click to expand...

What kind of critters are you targeting? At what range?
 
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Just HATE when a great scope gets discontinued. IMO in recent years the HAWKE PANORAMA EV series scopes were the bomb !!

Having 2 of the 3-12x50 AO EV's there very wide FOV and brightness with the excellent 1/2 mil 10x reticle set some sort of standard.

Damn if there no longer available ... damn shame !!!



DSCF0543.1629782625.JPG

 
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When you buy a scope, there are a lot of features and options to choose from.... 🤔

Of course, you can just buy something, try it out, see what you don't like, and then go and buy the scope that does what you really want it to do.... (yeah, I did that). 

Or you try to figure out what you want before making your purchase.



▪ One big question is if you will dial the elevation turrets when shooting at different ranges — or use the reticle for holdover. This brings up the decision to either get an FFP or an SFP scope. And to insist on a scope that has exposed turrets — or not.



▪ Then there is the question what top end magnification you need (dependent on your the farthest range you want to shoot at) — vs. the bottom end magnification that will determine your field of view (important for quick close range shots).



▪ How important is weight and length really to you? Will you be carrying it all day through the woods? Or just for a brief time?





🔸 Anyhow, I have a Scope Specs Table that lists a good amount of scopes that are suitable to airgunning:

• 10 yard minimum parallax

• exposed turrets

• holdover reticle

• many scopes on that list are around your stated $200

• the magnification ranges are mainly 3-12x and 3-9x, but there are some higher magnifications, too, because they were particularly short or light



🔸 One note about the compact 3-12x44 scopes mentioned above from Discovery and from Vector (same for the 4-16x44 in the same line): If you choose the FFP version of this scope, you might want to consider getting the Discovery, because it has thick outside posts that will guide your eye toward the crosshair intersections — this is important for FFP scopes when at low magnification.



Matthias



❌ Scope Specs List

3-12x/ 3-9x and short/light scopes

download.png
View attachment SCOPE Specs Table. For Short Scopes and 3-12x 3-9x Scopes.1629790306.pdf








 
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The Hawke Vantage 2x7x32 is probly the best $100-150 scope you will find out there and has that wonderful reticle as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Hawke-Sport-Optics-Vantage-Riflescope/dp/B00WN2669C

The Vector Optics Veyron and Discovery VT-3 scopes are both compact and lighter weight scopes in 3x12x44 with 30mm tubes. They are both decent for the money around $200 and both Mil/Mil scopes so none of that funky Hawke Mil/MOA stuff going on. So there is some give and take between the two and I like them both for what they are.

If you are going for an FFP the Veyron has a pretty thin reticle and it can get lost in a dark background at lower magnification. But it does focus down to 7 yards at full 12 power so that is not often a problem. It weighs in at 17.6oz and has a nice Mil Hash reticle. It is available in a 2nd focal plane scope as well.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/vector-optics-veyron-3-12x44mm-rifle-scope.html

The Discovery will just barely focus to 10 yards if you turn the power down to 6 but it has a thicker reticle that is easier to pick up at lower magnification so it is not a problem either. It weighs in at 18.3oz and has a nice Mil Quad reticle. These are also available in 1st or 2nd focal plane.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000120149525.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.f9303d1dQzbaBT&algo_pvid=1af8c302-8873-4ad4-8c65-54cc14f64e57&algo_exp_id=1af8c302-8873-4ad4-8c65-54cc14f64e57-5

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001994490826.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.f9303d1dQzbaBT&algo_pvid=1af8c302-8873-4ad4-8c65-54cc14f64e57&algo_exp_id=1af8c302-8873-4ad4-8c65-54cc14f64e57-0

The Alph6 4.5x27x50 is in the same price range with very good glass and a very good scope for the money as well. Like the Veyron the reticle is a bit thin though.

https://www.budk.com/Aims-Alpha-6-4-5-27X50-30MM-Riflescope-With-MR1-MR-48240

If you can manage a bit more money the SWFA fixed power scopes are an excellent buy as is the Athlon Talos BTR 4x14x4.

https://www.swfa.com/optics/riflescopes.html#brand_model=SS%20Classic

https://www.amazon.com/Athlon-Optics-Riflescope-Illuminated-Reticle/dp/B01APT0G0E?ref_=ast_sto_dp

Hard to go wrong with any of these $100- $300 dollar scopes.
 
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