best all round hunting scope advise please

[sir-slots-alot]

If you've got the cash then treat yourself

But while it may be essential to own a £1000 scope if you are shooting deer at extended ranges in low light, how clear do you need a bunny to be when it's 30 yards away from you?

Alot of rabbit shooting is done in low light levels ( dusk / dawn ) and rabbits are small and tend to blend in low light.
since you only have 12fpe, you must be more clinical than someone using a rimfire, ( with 100fpe ).
All im saying is pay for better glass - you rarely regreat buying quality-

Lastly, you dont have to spend a £1000 on a scope , but a £100 scope wont have the same light garthering abilities .... Sirslots

[simona]

I had a Leupold vx3- 2.5-8 x 36 which was very nice, you could always go the lazer route for rangefinding.

Lots of choice out there.

[Davey K]

Alot of rabbit shooting is done in low light levels ( dusk / dawn ) and rabbits are small and tend to blend in low light.
since you only have 12fpe, you must be more clinical than someone using a rimfire, ( with 100fpe ).
All im saying is pay for better glass - you rarely regreat buying quality-

Lastly, you dont have to spend a £1000 on a scope , but a £100 scope wont have the same light garthering abilities .... Sirslots

I take your point Slots and you are right, the more you pay for optics the better the light gathering qualities are. BUT the whole process is subject to the reality of diminishing returns. Yes a £400 scope will be a lot brighter than a £100 scope but a £800 scope will not be 100% brighter than a £400 scope. So you have ask yourself what is the best trade off between quality and price, bearing in mind you are engaging targets at a much shorter range than most high priced scopes were designed for.

If money is no object then the old rule of spending as much on the scope as the gun can apply. But with quality PCP's costing anywhere from £500 - £800 you are looking at a fair wedge.

Thing is, people have been shooting rabbits with air guns for decades. Back in the day, something like the Simmons Whitetail Classic

http://www.jsramsbottom.com/cgi-bin/...SM_simmons.HTM

would have been state of the art and the 50mm variant retailed for £450 new. JSR are now selling the 40mm for £72.95 and the 50mm for 129.95.

Second hand you can pick up a deal like this

http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/show...hlight=simmons

a 50mm, 20 mag version for £105!

I've hunted with these scopes in near dark and their light gathering capabilities are brilliant. The modern obsession with mildots means they are now a ridiculous bargain.

You won't ever regret buying quality but you'll feel a warm glow if you buy quality and you don't pay much for it!!

[Sam Vimes]

Thing is, people have been shooting rabbits with air guns for decades. Back in the day, something like the Simmons Whitetail Classic would have been state of the art and the 50mm variant retailed for £450 new. JSR are now selling the 40mm for £72.95 and the 50mm for 129.95.

Glad I don't shop where you do! The most expensive I ever saw the 3.5-10x50WTC was £225 but if you shopped around you could get them at around £190.

[sir-slots-alot]

Good point, and may be my knowledge of £100 scopes is out of date, so I will gracefully bow to your experience on the subject.

But I still think on a rifle as expensive as the one on this thread deserves a treat.

Thank god we dont all like the same things --- .... Sirslots

[jagxkrs]

Pretty much what Sparky and Gary have said, if I had to go for one in that range for hunting it would be Bushnell Legend 5-15-40

Bit More go fo a Leup VXIII

[adibabi]

Got myself a falcon menace 4-14x44ffp for around £220. all i can say is WOW. By far the best scope I have ever used. clear picture even in low light and the fixed focal plane is great.

[Two200's]

Hi

appologies if this was already mentioned, but a scope like the Big Nikko, will stop the mag from flipping out.

atb

[sir-slots-alot]

[QUOTE=Davey K;3255150]I take your point Slots and you are right, the more you pay for optics the better the light gathering qualities are. BUT the whole process is subject to the reality of diminishing returns. Yes a £400 scope will be a lot brighter than a £100 scope but a £800 scope will not be 100% brighter than a £400 scope. So you have ask yourself what is the best trade off between quality and price, bearing in mind you are engaging targets at a much shorter range than most high priced scopes were designed for.

You are quite right about diminishing returns, and that also goes for air rifles.
A thousand pound air rifle will not be twice as accurate as a £500 gun , and yet people, including Craig will pay for that few extra percent it gives and the pleasure of owning top gear.