click the pic to make it bigger https://www.flickr.com/photos/18w/15475881585
That's the one lads.. I'll see it on Friday with a view to buying.
Thanks for the rapid identification!
Donald
Custom BSA S10 .22 PAX Phoenix Mk 2 .22 Custom Titan Manitou .22 (JB BP) HW77 .22 FWB Sport Mk1 .22 Sharp Ace .22 Crossman 600 .22 Berretta 92 .20 Desert Eagle .177
Founder & ex secretary of Rivington Riflemen.
www.rivington-riflemen.uk
Is this the Optima Gamekeeper?
A few years back there were some done for Beeman, though manufacture had moved from Japan???? I think.
For some quirky reason the Optima Gamekeeper got a reputation over itself. Optically it was an excellent Hakko. When Hakko does it right they can be fantastic, like B&L can be compared to a Bushnell.
Anyhow, I can't see the picture. Not enough information to give more.
A mint Gamekeeper might demand £200 to a collector wanting one...badly.
Thats the thing they were horribly expensive at the time. Quite why Optim put it their range I have no idea. I believe Hakko put in some great glass and people who looked through them were impressed especially as they were in such a small package.
The Beeman Blue Ribbon range, well I think that is what they were called and were the same initially. Later I think they were manufactured elsewhere and somewhere lost some of the optical gloss along the way. Happy to be proved wrong but thats what I think happened.
I've had a few older Hakko badged scopes that were outstanding, and far superior to other stuff banged for other people. When Hakko wanted to they could do a very bright crisp scope. However, most of their scopes were badged for others and had to match the target market's pocket, which generally meant less good. Not bad but not great.
I do like an Optima for 80's rifles as they were one range highly marketed and hyped in the air rifle magazines of the day. If you have an 80's rifle they are at least authentic.
The odd scope from those times did just jump out at being exceptional. Most weren't, just average good. Some more hype than form. The bigger the scope the more disappointing many were. Even when finding good on the next year they might not have been the same, as something was done to keep to the target price. Just how it was in the swift and ever changing market.
Last edited by Muskett; 11-07-2018 at 02:17 PM.
Swaro always make great scopes. £240 was no small sum in 1985. A 4x Is quite forgiving at the shorter distances but would be even better if parallaxed to say 35m. To get the best for both air rifle and rimfire then it is best even for fixed to have hem parallaxed down closer to their practical expected use range.
Some fixed scopes sometimes just were done right and gave a fantastic "jump" picture at every range. Those are the scopes I look out for and keep. Same with variable, some are just "better".
Leupold made excellent scopes in the 80's and 90's.
We are again seeing some "better" scopes now too. Even the odd Chinese made ones. There are stand out scopes in every pocket ramge now. I shy away from the ones rying too hard with too much magnification, and often go for the model one down in the range as they aren't being overly taxed in their design package. The 4-24 rather than 6-30. I don't think a 1" tube can handle x24 mag unless two foot long! Much happier at x14 or 16 in normal length scopes. Big magnification is asking a lot from the glass and best if given the real estate that 30 or 34 tubes allow.
anyhow still can't see the scope in question.
The nicest scope I own is my Meopta Artemis 4x32.. I paid about £200 for that. the clarity & depth of field is phenomenal. It's good from 10yrds to 80 because of the glass & simplicity in design. It's reticle is fine enough to get those really exact shots and the really heavy posts make it stunning good in dying light. It's broken at the moment but when it's better again I reckon it'll be going on a gun... Not sure what though I'd have to buy something for it!!
"corners should be round" Theo Evo .22/.177 - Meopta 6x42, DS huntsman classic .20 vortex razor LH 3-15x42 under supervised boingrati tuning by Tony L & Tinbum, HW77 forest green - Nikon prostaff 2-7x32 plex.
Custom BSA S10 .22 PAX Phoenix Mk 2 .22 Custom Titan Manitou .22 (JB BP) HW77 .22 FWB Sport Mk1 .22 Sharp Ace .22 Crossman 600 .22 Berretta 92 .20 Desert Eagle .177
I sent a 30 year old Swaro back because it had something growing in it! Same scope came back sparkling again; no charge at all. They really look after their customers.
I had a look through all my scopes yesterday. Each chosen to match a particular rifle. Zeiss, Leupld, B&L, Optima, Tasco, Hawke and Bushnell. Everyone a little different, everyone most well suited to the rifle and its use.
I've had a lot of scopes over the years, and those I kept it was quite obvious why.
My 25 year old Leupold is still a fabulous scope. The Hawke Sidewinder competed well will all of them especially as it has so many toys built in. The Bushnel Ultra for its package size was very bright and does the job, though neither the two Chinese scopes can compete with he pure build and finish quality of my Zeiss. But then my Zeiss can't do Air Rifle ranges. Two Tascos I have are excellent though not every Tasco I have is so good. The Opimas do show their age and though fine were to the bottom of the leaders board.
One scope that still surprises me I'll tell you about but there is on for sale and I might just have to get another, so not saying until I have secured it.
We really are spoilt for glass today. The real test is how they cope with different light conditions. The top brands show their pedigree here. As important is to match the scope to the rifle. If its requires a digi NV add on then that adds to the task.
I've had a lot of fun finding the scopes that work for me, and good enough to keep. I'll always have an Optima Moonlighter not because they are so great but because they were of a time.
I'm saving up for a new rifle, 6.5 Creedmoor, and that will have a completely new manufacture to me and configuration of scope to anything I have at present. All for the fun of it.
Last edited by Muskett; 12-07-2018 at 06:25 PM.