BSA Essencial on springers............

[Hinksy]

Afternoon lads,

I have on my S200 a cracking 3-9x40 BSA Essencial-what a brilliant budget scope, clear, good glass, well built and cheap but VERY effective.

My good friend Paul (Hellequin) sent me a text the other day sayig what did I think to my my Essencial as he was thinking og getting a basic 3-9 scope to go on his FAC HW springer; I think it's a HW80?

I told him it was the dogs danglies but I do seem to remember a couple of lads saying not to put these scopes on springers and only to fit them to PCP's as the springer's recoil shook the turrets apart

Now, I've had two of these scopes-the first was a 3-9x40 30/30 ret, I sold that and bought exactly the same scope but with mini mil-dots.

I remember the first scope had different turrets to my newer one-the first one had a slim raised piece on top of the turret which you could grip with your fingers like a 'pinch', my newer one has round turrets without the raised piece.

Does anyone know if these newer Essentials with the different turrets would stand the recoil or do they eventually fall apart too? Bear in mind that Paul's HW is tuned and smooth and not twangy and harsh.

I've told him if he struggles with it I'll buy it off him as I'd like a spare so it's no big risk.

ATVB


Ben

[simesgee]

Hello Hinksy,

My 'essential' evaluation is that a springer will, eventually, wreck the scope. Not sure which one I had (purchased 09/08) but the ball and spring which gived the click adjust fell out of the vertical (top) turret and the horizontal one just came off altogether
Was on a BSA L XL for info.Took about two tins to finally wreck it.
It's a damm crying shame - optically brilliant. On a pcp no probs. Springer - well, I wouldn't chance it again to be honest. I don't think mine was a bud 'un - just build design and quality.

As an aside, rather than take it back (and I'd lost the receipt anyway) I chopped it in half to see how it was made. Pretty simple, and better quality on the adjusting turrets would have made it a cracking scope.
HTH,
Simon

[Hawkstone]

Have a BSA Essencial 6-24 on my HW springer which has had plenty of use and so far so good, altogether I am very pleased with the scope.

[GMF]

My 99s destroyed 2 essential scopes both mini mill dot models both knackerd i would only use them on a pcp

Glynn

[Garry]

I've had a 3-9x40 on a TXHC for about 2000 shots with no problems so far.
It's nice and bright, but the only thing I don't like is it's blurred on higher mags at about 30 yards.

[frank pole]

I Have one bolted on to a hw 85 - No probs so far (5000 ish pellets) - Superb budget scope imo

[Airsporter1st]

Since they advertise the scopes in their air rifle brochure, I'd be very surprised if they were not intended for airgun use - including springers.

[black powder]

i had one on my prosport could not zero it at all put it on my s200 had no probs from then on

[Orangeherald]

I have one that has been on an old Lightning for some thousands of rounds and is now on an even older Airsporter. Its still complete and working fine. My only complaint is the mil dots are rather small and close together compared with my Hawke scopes.

[Hinksy]

I have one that has been on an old Lightning for some thousands of rounds and is now on an even older Airsporter. Its still complete and working fine. My only complaint is the mil dots are rather small and close together compared with my Hawke scopes.

They are a little small I know. BSA market them as 'mini mil-dots'!

I ordered my second Essencial from Uttings yesterday so I've now got 3-9x40 mil dot, non px adjustable Essencials on both of my rifles. I've been so impressed with how the Essencial on my S200 has performed I've decided to get one for the Scorpion.

I want a good but no frills 3-9x40 scope with no parallax adjustment. I've sold my 6-24x44 Nighteater as it permanently lives between 6x and 10x mag and the px sidewheel never gets touched. I was always finding myself crying out for 3x mag when doing close range indoor work around barns etc.

Ben

[Orangeherald]

They are a little small I know. BSA market them as 'mini mil-dots'!

Ah yes, that would explain it!

Sounds like you will be pleased with your new scope then. I just got a 3-9 x 50 Night Eye Hawke, because the evenings are getting darker and I will be doing more twilight shooting now with my Theoben. I have a small but powerful light to put on the Lightning for around buildings where the light grasp will not be so important, but the big scope works best out in the more open areas for me anyway. The bonus with it is that its crisp and focussed at all powers and does not need parallax adjustment at my usual ranges. I never had an illuminated reticle before, so I will find out if thats useful or not! I only use the higher powers for spotting and 5x is right for most of my shooting so the 3-9x is fine.