HFT optic advice needed

[RobF]

Hi all, I’m new to HFT and I’m looking for a scope, any recommendations please? The club tell me I’m limited to 12x power for comp days. They also mentioned a scope that has a broad focus (sorry can’t remember the terminology)
Cheers

Which club?

[zooma]

I have an HW97K that I would like to have a go at some outdoor shooting with (as a change from a lifetime of indoor paper-punching) and I am guessing that HFT would be a good place to start if I wanted to shoot with a springer?

I know nothing about telescopic sights, and some good advice could well save me some pain by helping me to avoid buying something that would not be the best choice for use on a springer for HFT use.

When I bought the .177 HW97K (probably three years ago!) I was told that this type of rifle (HW97K) had done particularly well in some of the springer events and that it would be good choice for HFT use (in the springer class). If this is the case then a good sight could make it an ideal rifle to compete with.

At the moment I have a relatively inexpensive Nikko Stirling Mountmaster 3-9 x 40 AO sight fitted to it (it came with the rifle) and I expect it would work OK but some advice on a better quality sight choice would be welcomed - especially with regards to the suitability of the build construction for regular use on a springer.

The recoil of the HW97 is my main concern as I have heard tales about some of the less expensive (or weaker build strength designs) not being able to take the pounding over a long period of time - and I appreciate that a good sight could be just as important important as the rifle.

[PhatMan]

cmars2018,

I liked fixed magnification optics.

I have used the below scopes for HFT with complete satisfaction :

1) Tasco/SWFA 10x42M

2) Hawke 10x42 Sidewinder 30

They both have side parallax correction.

I have had the 10x42M since 1996, and it is still going strong - it has had over 10,000 rounds of .308 Winchester under it's belt, and it has never missed a beat

For me, I have found the Hawke to be an excellent performer - I believe this scope has now been discontinued

Have fun & a good Sunday

Best regards

Russ

[zooma]

Thanks Russ.

I have noticed how the Hawke brand keeps coming up with good reviews from satisfied owners.

Dan has done well with the Hawke Vantage Max 4-12 x 40 on his springer over a decent enough time period to know that it is a good choice, and the £120 new price would be tempting too, but this sight is currently "unavailable" everywhere that I have looked - so far!

There is a very good offer on the same sight but in the bigger 4-12 x 50 size, but I am guessing it would not be as well suited for HFT as the smaller 4-12 x 40 but probably shares the same excellent "value for money" build quality.

Shame about the 50mm size - it is a good looking scope and a very good price.

[cooper_dan]

I've just had a look and can't find any either. Wonder why there's none around
Like you said I've used the Hawke scopes for a while. They've been perfect on any springer I've tried them on, don't seem affected by the recoil at all. I think the most adjustment I've made to my zero this year was 2 clicks.

I would avoid 50mm objective for HFT, too many parallax issues at the very close and very far targets.

If I needed another scope right now, I would probably look at the Airmax 4-12x40 AO AMX

https://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/pr...mx-riflescope/

[zooma]

I've just had a look and can't find any either. Wonder why there's none around
Like you said I've used the Hawke scopes for a while. They've been perfect on any springer I've tried them on, don't seem affected by the recoil at all. I think the most adjustment I've made to my zero this year was 2 clicks.

I would avoid 50mm objective for HFT, too many parallax issues at the very close and very far targets.

If I needed another scope right now, I would probably look at the Airmax 4-12x40 AO AMX

https://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/pr...mx-riflescope/

That looks good but is the build quality as good as your favourite Hawke, and what would be the advantage of the more expensive Hawke Sidewinder I see on your rifle (Facebook) ?

At the other end of the scale, this one looked good for £75 but it only goes up to x9 magnification:-

Hawke Vantage MAX Air Rifle Scope 3-9x40 AO 1/2 MilDot Reticle Riflescope 14181

or this one at £79:-

Hawke Vantage Air Rifle Scope 4-12x40 AO MILDOT RETICLE Riflescope 14141

[cooper_dan]

That looks good but is the build quality as good as your favourite Hawke, and what would be the advantage of the more expensive Hawke Sidewinder I see on your rifle (Facebook) ?

At the other end of the scale, this one looked good for £75 but it only goes up to x9 magnification:-

Hawke Vantage MAX Air Rifle Scope 3-9x40 AO 1/2 MilDot Reticle Riflescope 14181

or this one at £79:-

Hawke Vantage Air Rifle Scope 4-12x40 AO MILDOT RETICLE Riflescope 14141

I think the Airmax is almost identical to the Vantage Max, except it has a different reticle.
The 3-9x40 for £75 seems very good value. You would be limited to 9x mag, but most of us only use 10x mag anyway, so it wouldn't actually be much different.
The Vantage Mildot (NOT the Vantage Max) has a much thicker reticle, and doesn't have the half mil dots. I personally prefer the thinner reticle on the 'Max' version. It would be worth getting to your local club and having a look through a couple to see what type of reticle you prefer

A more expensive version (such as the Sidewinder) benefits from better glass and more coatings on the lenses. This should give a clearer image in a wider range of conditions. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to use my Sidewinder much and I don't want to change scopes at the moment. Maybe in a few months I will put the Sidewinder on and see how it compares to my current scope

[zooma]

[QUOTE=cooper_dan;7461580]I've just had a look and can't find any either. Wonder why there's none around

Just found one in a gunsmiths stock - should be here next week !

[zooma]

[QUOTE=zooma;7471580]

I've just had a look and can't find any either. Wonder why there's none around

Just found one in a gunsmiths stock - should be here next week !

Actually, I see the one that I have found is marked AO and IR, so although it is the 40mm size it also has IR, will this degrade the optical clarity for normal daylight use?

“Jack of all trades, master of none”?

[Lol Moore]

Which club?

You dont shoot HFT.

[RobF]

You dont shoot HFT.

But I do chair the regional association which does, hence it's useful to know which club is giving out that advice.

[cooper_dan]

But I do chair the regional association which does, hence it's useful to know which club is giving out that advice.

Maybe a simple mix up with SFT rules

[Lol Moore]

But I do chair the regional association which does, hence it's useful to know which club is giving out that advice.

You chair an association.....https://youtu.be/gXN1yxax448

[ptdunk]

On my HW97 I use the MTC Optisan EVX 10x44 Side Focus half mildot scope, which is the new version of the MTC Viper 10x44, a very popular scope for HFT.

It has good glass and the half midot reticule has some very useful windage markings. £79 off:
http://www.uttings.co.uk/p122412-mtc.../#.Wr63otTwbIU

A few people I shoot with use the Hawke Vantage 3-12x44 Side Focus half mildot and do very well with it, but as people have said it depends what suits your eye.
http://www.uttings.co.uk/p121302-haw.../#.Wr6489TwbIU

for the extra £30 the MTC Optisan has better quality glass.

Scopes with side focus cost more but are supposed to suffer less with parallax error.

You've got a good rifle so try to get the best scope you can.


Enjoy!


Matt.

[Dodolo]

Scopes with side focus cost more but are supposed to suffer less with parallax error.

Matt.

Hey Matt,

Would you be able to explain this statement?
I never heard of this, and I wonder why it would be so..
personally, I use an old Hawke Frontier 3-9x40 non AO, reparallaxed to 27 y.
I found the AO 40 mm objective Hawkes dont fit in low Sportsmatch mounts, and I prefer mounting the scope as low as possible.

Oscar