Optima Moonlighter?

[Geezer]

“Half my scopes match my Scope snob side, and half my retro collectors side.”

I am exactly the same!

[junglie]

Optimas are very period, but often do need reparallaxing. They did change a bit over the years. I have a few and at best think they are pretty average performance wise.
Kasnar scopes are over rated IMHO. Had the big 56 in the day and what a disappointment. The reticules break too easily too.
I still think Tasco made some of the best early scopes. If without PA then they can be reparallaxed. Nikko a mixed bag and so many out there to wade through finding a good one.
A true branded Hakko should be terrific.
Some B&L are very good. Some Weaver and Bushnell not bad. Leupold did some of the best, though always expensive.

Interestingly I never found the big objectives from the less expensive brands actually worked at getting any better a picture or grabbing light. Build quality let the whole side down and the glass. The Tasco 50s were horrid. 56's a brick and I have nothing good to say about any of them from all the branded cheaper scopes. Better to get a smaller objective with better glass, design, and coatings.
Most BDCs weren't repeatable enough to rely on. Turret build quality wasn't ever very good; so zero and leave alone was best.

I've had some fun over the years finding out not many scopes meet their hype.

I agree a mate had the super moonlighter when they first came out on his HW80 & first night out on the bunnies couldn't see them well enough to take a shot on 3x mag even, i handed him my innova with a cheap 2.5x32 bushmaster on & he took the shot easily, he was dissapointed my £22 scope performed better in low light, i bought my mpt from sales section on here & it came with a big moonlighter & big tasco, couldn't sell them quick enough & stuck my fave little whitetail on it straight away. Was chuffed as the MPT ended up only costing me £90 after selling the two big ones it came with.The super moonlighter had the box & instructions too & bdc turrets. Looked silly on the little MPT.

[colin g]

As most of you know i used to work with Optima at the Gilnow mill site in Bolton then later on moved to Target Sports of Bolton and i still have quite a few Optimas Scopes myself, We didnt have a lot of scopes to choose from in the early days for air rifles yet today we are inundated with all sorts of scope choices,
No different today though than it was in the early days,
exactly same scopes re-branded for different companies, Hakko, Optima, ASI, Hunter, Lesley Hewitt, Beeman, Etc.
Everyone wanted Japanese optics and they where as dear as the rifle you bought. Double page spreads in AirgunWorld then airgunner would have you making a list of the favorite kits you wanted and drip them up with Lombard Tricity finance for 3 yrs, How things have changed over 50 years and so much the better with so much choice for all of us but the old scopes are still needed to compliment the classic rifles. Col.

[Muskett]

Things have sure changed. Interestingly the lowest end scopes of today are similarly priced to those of yesteryear. They are very similar in quality and build, which isn't that great. The glass can be clearer just. Have too many features on cheap scopes and things start to go wrong whatever the time period.
Invest similar % scope to rifle cost today and scope budget is over £200. Well, £200 just about got a Leupold in the early 80s. Though you do get a better scope in most ways with that kind of budget today.

I've seen some big air rifle collections, and to me far too many have no scopes for examples that really should. I consider many rifles from 1980 onwards undressed without a scope. Having the right mounts without a string of ring marks is quite a challenge let alone a scope that complements the rifle. The Optima Moonlighter look great on many a rifle.

Finding and buying rifles is easy. Finding a scope and mounts to compliment them isn't, especially period examples. Time hasn't been kind to scopes unlike rifles.
I've said for a while now that period scopes in fantastic condition demand a premium that far outweighs their performance. Grab good examples when you can, as there just aren't many in fantastic condition.