Classy Glass

[Koz]

Your views would be welcome.

Higher quality scopes for HFT and Hunting with 12ftlb air rifles.

For me, I'd like mil-dots as well.

What do you guys think?

The most I've dared think about spending is on a Leupold VariX-II 3-9 mil-dot.

So far, with the exception of my FT Pro Target, I've been putting £75-£120 scopes on £300-£450 (s/h) guns.
I wonder whether this is false economy.

[BuddyBoy]

Just procured a Burris 3-9x32 PA for HFT use - looks the dogs so far <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->

[hareng]

Should be able to get a 7x50 Artemis Meopta around £250 with choice of rets. Cant rate em high enough, why pay more?
3-12x50 Red Point Artemis 3100 is the biz, but thats dear.
Bausch and Lomb!
Burris dear over here.
Any Leupold, import one.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BuddyBoy:
Just procured a Burris 3-9x32 PA for HFT use - looks the dogs so far <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->[/quote]


i got the 6.5 x 20 x 50 p/a balistic mildot and it is the dogs mate , i use it out to 700yrds and it bang on there a bit pricey in this country though £650 -£700 ish vicking arms have em up for £800 ( joke )

[Koz]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> 7x50 Artemis Meopta [/quote]

Funny that, I've just tried moving to x7 mag from x9 for HFT to get better clarity at near targets.

I'd considered fixed mag scopes but hadn't seen a x7 till now.

These fancy scopes made for long range cartridge rifle shooting.
What are they like on an air gun?
Is it just a case of setting the parallax, either by AO or the hard way, for shorter ranges?

[BuddyBoy]

Be carefull, a lot of the decent stuff is non-reparallaxable <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_frown.gif" alt="Frown" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::(-->

[Koz]

What, even by the locking ring method?

This what I was afraid of.

You see this stuff advertised with the firearms and wonder if it'll work at short range.

[richness]

I know I'd recommend Weaver Grand Slams. I have a GS 6-20x40 and it is a class act. HTH Richard

[baz]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jon:
Should be able to get a 7x50 Artemis Meopta around £250 with choice of rets. Cant rate em high enough, why pay more?
3-12x50 Red Point Artemis 3100 is the biz, but thats dear.
Bausch and Lomb!
Burris dear over here.
Any Leupold, import one.[/quote]

Totally agree with Jon, I use 3-12x50, 7x50 and 6x42 Meopta Artemis scopes, excellent glass (actually Zeiss glass I am told)

Dont know if springer rated but certainly fine on any firearms

baz

[gary_cooper]

I have to say why spend a mint on HFT ? By and large you are shooting in the middle of the day at low mag.
Ranges 8 to 45 yards. I have stuck a Deben Hawke on my HFT gun and I'm more than happy with it. My hunting guns are different :-)

Also be careful chasing the mil dot dream as you will probably not use more than 1 up / down.

[BuddyBoy]

Gary, agree on Milldots...

Main reason for the Buris - depth of field - PA at 35 yards, still clear at 10 (i use 7 mag).

Clarity for those dingy "under a bush" targets with a 10mm kill zone all covered in spattered lead can only help too <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->

PLus - it wasn't a "mint" <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::p-->

[martyn]

The perfect scope has to be a leupold vx111 6.5-20 x40 EFR with GEN 11 MILL DOT. ret is in first focal plane so its the same aim points on any mag.

[Pinky]

I been looking at this as my dream scope <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->

http://www.swfa.com/riflescopes/tasco/index.html

would proberly take the 6x42 , they seem really cheap but then i dunno anything about sniper scopes

[Koz]

Cheers guys.
Keep it coming.

I think x10 is a bit too much for HFT.
Unless of course the particular scope has a large enough depth of field to cover the ranges involved.

Similarly I currently find x6 a bit low with the state of my vision.
I'm still "weaning" myself onto x7 from x9. <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->


Spending on HFT
My HFT gun IS one of my hunting guns.

People keep tempting me with things like:-

"Hey Koz, have a look through this Leupold/Burris/B&L/S&B here."

Things DO look a lot clearer through those fancy scopes.

We blow plenty of bucks on Hunting/HFT 12ftlb air rifles.
It occurred to me only recently that it might be worth shelling out for similar quality in the optics department.

I'm doing this for recreational satisfaction with perhaps a moderate competitive edge.

Still, I'd like to do well.

It may well be that a lot of us would do just as well/badly with much cheaper kit but would we derive as much satisfaction from it?

Mil-dots

I've already incorporated the use of mil-dots into my shooting method.
Four of my scopes have mil-dots.
Three of them Varmint 2.5-10s.

With 177 I use up to 2 dots over but windage has gone up to 4 dots in competition. (6" of windage at the end of the Welsh Open)
Those who've been to Quarry will know what it can be like. <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->

22 can require more dots again at the longer ranges.

I recognise that the reliance on mil-dots may actually diminish the skill of judgement of distance across the target but if you take the mil-dot route you might as well stick with it.
To that end "This year, I will be mostly using mil-dots" <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->

[ans-ltd]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by martyn:
The perfect scope has to be a leupold vx111 6.5-20 x40 EFR with GEN 11 MILL DOT. ret is in first focal plane so its the same aim points on any mag.[/quote]

I didn't think that Leuopold offered a mil-dot on this scope - or is it a custom-fit reticle?

[baz]

Personally I find eye relief too fussy on that Leupold, better on some centrefire guns as long eye relief is beneficial <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::D-->

Baz

[KEN58]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Also be careful chasing the mil dot dream as you will probably not use more than 1 up / down.[/quote]
Mil dots go left and right as well!!!! You have not shot HFT at "The Quarry" then Gary <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="Roll Eyes" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::rolleyes:--> <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::D--> <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::D--> <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::D--> <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::D-->

[Bulsaye]

Weaver T-15's are quite nice too. They have a good PA and are usually a bit cheaper than a V-16, although power is fixed at 15X. Bushnell Legends are also an excellent value. RB

[Koz]

I had a Bushnell Sportsman last year.
That DID have very nice optics for a budget scope.

Are the better Bushnells
even clearer?
I had overlooked Bushnell as their mil-dot models hadn't reached us but I suppose that must be changing given the popularity of this reticle type.

Who's next to broaden their mil-dot range?

Simmons perhaps?

I had a beautiful AETEC that I'd never have sold if it had those dots.

I must check out those Weavers.

[Chrys]

By far the best multi-purpose scope I've got is my Bausch & Lomb Elite 4000. It's a 6-24x40 with mil-dots and low profile diallable turrets.

It ain't cheap at nearly £700 but it's as good as a Leupold when it comes to image quality and it'll focus really close on 6x. Eye relief is about the same as any normal scope and unlike the Leupold VariX-III, it doesn't change according to what magnification you're on.

Chrys

[TEXASPROUD]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ans-ltd:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by martyn:
The perfect scope has to be a leupold vx111 6.5-20 x40 EFR with GEN 11 MILL DOT. ret is in first focal plane so its the same aim points on any mag.[/quote]

I didn't think that Leuopold offered a mil-dot on this scope - or is it a custom-fit reticle?[/quote]
You can send your Leupold to the Leupold Custom Shop. They charge $130.00 plus shipping to change the reticle to a mil-dot.
http://www.technicalservice@leupold.com for e-mail

[MikB]

Well, for me a glassy glass is a Negretti & Zambra "Macleod" deerstalking telescope from about 1920, a Ross Tel Sig. Mk.III of 1915, or a Broadhurst Clarkson Scout Regiment Mk.IIs.

But if you'll insist on riflescopes, I had a Hakko Electrodot 4x40 that I wish I hadn't sold; don't think I've seen better optics, though a Pecar 4x32 I saw was about as good. the Simmons 1.5-5x20 I use now is nice and compact, but no better than it should be optically.

Regards,
MikB

[verminator]

Hi Koz,

Whilst i've spent a small fortune on the few airguns i own and having looked through scopes costing several hundred pounds, i can't seem to bring myself to spend that much on one.

I've looked through the 10*42's Nikko and DMP and thought they were both good scopes but it puts the price of your combo up by 50% or more. Perhaps one day i'll "see the light" so to speak. <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)-->

[andythecheet]

After using numerous scopes of widely ranging value back to back at the range i came to the conclusion that there IS a big difference in scope quality.One day all my scopes will be swarovski,s.I now have two fixed mag 6x42 and 8x56 and unfortunately nothing else will now do.It was very painfull parting with the cash for my first swarovski but after one trip in the field all of the expense was justified.
Being able to see what i am shooting at as clearly as possible is essential and using a poor scope is like driving in the rain with your wipers switched off.
You cannot class the ability to see your target as being a false economy when comparing it to the cost of your rifle.My 6x42 cost twice as much as my .22 rimfire but i feel like i can almost see in the dark now compared to the lesser scopes i have used.
I have to agree that Meopta artemis scopes are Very good vfm.
Regards
Cheeto

[hareng]

If money is no object, the best i have tested was the £1500-£1800 + special mounts Swarovski 3-12x50 with built in laser rangefinder.
Rain, sleet or shine, any mag and in any light it gave the same reading! Cant say half that for the run of the mill lasers.

[BuddyBoy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jon:
If money is no object, the best i have tested was the ý1500-ý1800 + special mounts Swarovski 3-12x50 with built in laser rangefinder.
[/quote]

Hmmm... sounds great... so, er, what do they go for secondhand then ? <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_wink.gif" alt="Wink" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin:;)--> Give you a ton ? <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::p-->

[hareng]

The chap paid £1000 secondhand two years ago to go on his .223 + special mounts to suit. Got me aaaacres of land to shoot on now. <img src="http://jsramsbottom.co.uk/bbs/e/icon_cool.gif" alt="Cool" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::cool:-->

[Russ6357]

My best scope is a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 Side Wheel Adjuster.

Low end if a bit below 30 yards though...

Great optics - nice thick x hairs - they now do a mil-dot version.