Target Scope "Long" Range (200 Yards)

I find the Sidewinder ED 10-50 to have excellent glass. 

I would recommend a Weaver T-36. Fixed 36 power. Will not break the bank. Very clear optics. You will be able to see the hits.

My personal favorite is the Sightron 10x50-60. Excellent glass and if you crank it up to 50, it IS a spotter scope They aren't cheap but you can find them used now and then. Even in the classifieds here.

Crusher

I have two Burris scope on two of my air rifles. They are very clear. Should find them in the $600-$700 range (no pun there). The only real problem with the ones that I have is they will not focus down to 25 yards, 50 is the closest....doesn't sound like you need that though.

. I've looked through a Helos on 34x, i thought the Helos was very clear for that magnification and price range. It is one step up from an Argos.

Anything with ED glass and reasonably high magnification should do the job for you. Unfortunately ED glass is expensive to manufacture so budget is going to be an issue.

I can only recommend the scopes I have used so the sidewinder ED 10-50, Ares etr 4.5-30 and the non ED Midas btr 4.5-27, the Midas was very good considering the price however the glass isn’t true ED.

As in astronomy, bird watching and photography manufacturers will try and confuse the issue with terms like HD, don’t be tempted to jump in until you can actually look through the scope, with ED optics the experience will be generally much better, all optics can have issues, generally after 1000 usd those issue become less apparent.

40x, incredibly large objective...I mean at a certain point you have to accept that things aren't practical...and IMO "perfectly clear @ 200y" is likely pushing the bounds of what is practical...I would want an objective with at least 2.5x the max magnification...so the 'ideal' scope IMO is 40x magnification with 100mm objective lens...



8-34x56 is good for 56/2.5 = 22x...22x at 200 yards is like 9 yards to the naked eye...and at 9 yards, personally, my eyes (which are young and 20/20 vision) are not perfectly noting every hit or miss clearly on targets, certainly not black holes on black targets.. more so need 5 yards...which is 200/5 = 40...



I' recommend doing a test for your eyes, and apply the above math, and prepare to spend coin and have a massive scope if you want to accomplish your goal. Walk back away from a target until clarity is lost, then step forward and note the distance. Take that distance and divide 200 by it, that would be minimum magnification. Then multiply that by 2.5-3 to obtain ideal minimum objective. Just my 2c. I don't think you can find a 'cheap' scope in that range that you won't find acceptable.

You can get the regular SWFA 10x42 for $300.00 used. I see one around right now for $225.00 

No, not ED or HD "High Definition" but fully coated optics, which means anywhere from 13-16 layers of filtering to rid your "eye" of distracting distortion. I say "eye" for two reasons.

1. All shooters are SUPPOSED to shoot with both eyes open. Unless you're J.W.R. or in competition with diopter sights, rubber cup, then use both eyes. The brain processes more info that way, and, it's simply safer. 

2. Look through any cheap binoculars and you'll be surprised at how clear all is. Good 10x?? 86? whatever size 10X binoculars on a tripod or held will reveal hits on paper at 200 yards quite easily. Using BOTH eyes in binoculars allows a much better picture to be formed in the brain when BOTH eyes are in action as opposed to one. The brain is wired to use both simultaneously even though I'm left eye dominant, I use both eyes, at all times. Even in archery. If I try to shoot with my right eye, I must re zero a scope and it's VERY hard to keep both eyes open. If I try to shoot a right handed bow of any type (excluding scoped crossbow) with right eye down arrow to target or Bothe eyes open, I ALWAYS hit 6" to the left at 20 yards, yet my brain tells me I was dead on. 

I have 2 old Bushnell Japanese glass scopes. A Banner, & a trophy. If I put either to max magnification and look out 200 yards, I can focus in on single blades of grass with front AO. This is at 12X Trophy, and 18X Banner. I did have 17/17 eyes and The Army wanted me shooting Stinger missiles as he said I'd see the planes before anyone else ever did. My eyes now can not still be that good but I know I need prescription glasses for extremely tiny detail, writing. My long range vision is perfect. I can make the hits on paper out with 10X from a good scope. In fact, I PREFER to shoot at 4x-6x as my brain tries to overcorrect my fine motor skills and I end up jumping all over on anything over 10X. If I'm BR, it doesn't matter. Truth be told though I've been looking at more & more 1.5x4x32 Trijicon and other very low powered wide FOV scopes for off hand shooting. One of the reasons I'll always buy a spring gun with open iron sights from factory over no sights. They should ALL at least come machined true to bore for open sights from Williams to Gehman. I'm not a diopter guy but I sure do want to practice my off hand shooting with open sights out to 50 yards when we're talking as small as a Chipmunk. any smaller, and a scope starts to be needed though I've tried very fine open sights and hit pebbles I could just see at 50 yards.

How does The Military rate you in shooting? 3 position open sights 500 yards. Standing, kneeling, prone. It's a lot harder than you think. 

I also want to rant on all of us as air gunners have become too use to 2nd plane focal scopes when ideally FFP is what air gunners should be using to range targets. especially once you pass your far zero, and a pellet starts dropping multiple inches w/ every yard. The farther, the worse it gets. 

Loren, I owned 2 Sidewinders. Older ones. I've "heard" Hawke quality has gone down. I do not know what is true or not. I can say I LOVE my Air max with AMX reticle and just saw my 4x12 $212.00 model available at the 3x9 price of $196.00.. I used these for my spring guns; but I'm loving them so much for my shooting I figure I may buy more and be unified as the 4x12's mils are true at its' 10x setting. So range finding is possible. The glass is very good. At least on my older models. I don't know when Hawke switched factories, sources, etc. My sidewinders were from 8 years ago and I was nothing but disgusted I payed so much for those scopes. I think I sold them in the metal suitcase and all for under $300.00 and they sold within an hour. 

I came here to ask about this:https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bushnell-Trophy-SF-Riflescope-4-12x40mm-Multi-X-Reticle-1-Main-Tube-Black/49839250

as if it is anywhere near the scope the old Trophy is, I'm buying 2-4 of them. I don't know if they'd last on tuned 12ftlb spring guns or tuned magnum (up to 25ftlb spring, not gas piston; but possibly the dreaded 54, I think I'd use a Hawke Air Max) spring guns. I really like every Bushnell I've ever owned or looked through from the Elite4200, to the 4200, the old Trophy/Banner, everything. The new ones? I don't know how they stack up against their Grand-Fathers.

I'm saving very slowly for a .257 & a .457 with aftermarket 34" Talon Tune shrouds. Yes, 34" shrouds available for $187.00 and better than the SS I've heard described as "backyard friendly." He may have been pulling my leg. Whenever I do get the .257, I plan on having a compressor, full 10fps spread step down 6K reg or better if possible; but single digit spreads are air output/consitency in slugs/friction/seating depth/hand lapped bore. It's a Unicorn but have no doubt I've seen 10-15fps spreads all the time on good tethered set ups.

My point is MY furthest shooting will be in the 300 yard range. I know a hot rodded .257 doing 205ftlbs will have a zero @ 100 yards, 38" @ 200, 128" @ 300, 20.6' @ 400, and we double & start to drop like a rock at 500 with 40+ feet of drop. So, any scope would allow you to have that FOV and reach out there. The guy who was shooting 5 shot .277" 100 yard groups (almost a 1/4moa rifle) was using, a Hawke Sidewinder 20X 1/2 mil-dot. I can hardly believe it. Those are solid mil-dots if I'm not mistaken so for 200 yard BR shooting on paper Loren, I'd personally want either a 1/8"moa or 0.1 mil/mil adjustment. I'd NEED hollow diamond mils, hash marks 0.1 mil thick in a FFP scope. Someone recommended the classic Weaver T36. I don't know about their new ones but if small groups are your goal here, I've seen Weavers at gun shows I had to look again and adjust the eyepiece as that reticle was SO fine I missed it. That's the type of reticle we group shooters need. Type that we can easily place halfway up & down, left & right in a .22 hole at 100 yards. Dead center of first shot. ONLY WAY you get bug hole groups, is to have a bug hole worthy scope & set up.

I wish you luck. I get the feeling you may have tired older eyes than I, as you seem to want/need very high magnification. Not knocking you. I just stopped myself from saying, "I wish you luck young man." LOL Let us know what scope you go with. 

Oh, one more thing. If you can make it to a Cabelas, Bass Pro shop, etc. Make the click earn his money & unbox every scope you wish to look through. Bring a rifle rest bag to lay it on and see just how fine it actually is. You should be able to see dust on the top beams at the end of the store. I'm lucky enough to be about 75 miles away from a major Cabela store and Bass Pro is right in Harrisburg so I could go with Dad and be back in 4 hours with plenty of shopping time. If you can't look first, pick wisely and utilize Pyramid Air's return policy if need be. Please don't abuse it though. I wouldn't mount it unless I liked the optics. As I said, a scope rested on a sand bag is easy to adjust and see how good she really is at distances, light transmission, etc. You may try several. If I did this I may pay my own shipping back. Midway & Optics Planet have a lot of good scope info. I want a site that SHOWS the reticle up close with an image I can zoom in on. I also want to see a schematic of the reticle showing actual mil thickness of different posts, marks in scope.

Don't forget some atmospheric distortions due to refraction, air turbulence and quite a few other variables will reduce image quality in any scope at that kind of range.

The biggest problem becomes that you want high magnification and really good glass, and that doesn’t come cheap. That is a great thing about the Argos, it is cheap, but you have Trade offs because of it. 

You are almost stuck with a SFP scope if you truely want a good view of the target zoomed all the way in and still have a bright clear picture. The Sightron SIII 10-50 that Crusher mentioned is a great and very popular option, because of the price point compared to its competitors. It is $750-1000 new depending on the reticle and whether you get illumination. You can find the used as low as $600 if you are patient.

My favorite option is the Vortex Golden Eagle in 15-60. The glass is amazing all the way to 60x, but it sells for $1200-1400 depending on where you buy. They sell for as low as $1050 used. The glass is as good as scopes $1700-$2000. If the reticle was better, I would probably put one on all my non-tactical rigs.

That may be more than you want to spend, but I thought I would give you a couple higher end options to consider. 

Nightforce or any of the similarly price scopes. Frankly not worth it for me. I’d use those paper targets that when hit turn from black to yellow so that you CAN see the hits with a less costly optic.

Ive had nightforce scopes and have sold them. The quality of the medium priced scopes has improved so much I just can’t justify putting that much money out. 

I paid $450 for a Athlon Helios and I am happy with that I also have been using Nikon black scopes on my varmint rifles similar priced 

I have not used that Hawke 10-50, but the people I have talked to that have used it and the other high quality 10-50 scopes, say they don’t compare at all. Considering the price, I wouldn’t get one. Others like them. 

The Vortex GE might only be 52, but it is brighter than the SIghtron SII with a 60mm Bell. 52 has been common in that style scope. 

Sightrons are very good and great for the price, and that is why they sell a lot. I don’t know if any problems though. 

I do love my Athlons and am super happy at 29x with my Cronus and was perfectly happy at 27 and 30 with the Ares. At 200 and wanting to see the hits better, I would want one of the higher mag SFP scopes. The Cronus I my favorite scope of all I’ve tried, and I am still considering going back to a SFP for the extra mag.

Hey excellend choice is Tac Vector Taurus 5x30x56 maybe is the best for that price.

Thay have a German technology glass Schoot with incredible clear image better than more optics to 1500$.

Regards