BSA Essencial Scopes

[AirArmsDavid]

I started off with the BSA Essencial (note spelling!) 6-24x50AO http://www.bsaguns.co.uk/?ID=53&ProductID=638 and it has bright clear optics, accurate PX, and closer 'mil' dots which are ideal, both for accurate POI calculation and for bracketing targets for rangefinding in HFT.

Just divide the kill zone diameter by the number of dots across and multiply by two and you have the yardage. This only works on 11x mag but that's ideal for HFT. (or 12x exactly if you measure distance in metres).
For instance, if you're aiming at a 40mm kill zone and, say, three dots cover its diameter, divide 40 by 3 then multiply by 2, and it's 27 yards away or if a 25mm kill zone is 2 dots across, divide by 2, multiply by 2, and it's 25 yards away.

Rather than the 6-24x50, the 4-12x44AO would be ideal for HFT as it's lighter, has better depth of field so things far and near stay more in focus as you can't adjust that in HFT, and max mag is often 12x in HFT anyway.
I tend not to adjust my 6-24 over 11x mag anyway as all my POI's would shift!

At 11x mag you can easily see where you've put a pellet in a paper target up to 40yards.

My Hawke SR6 is good too but it's unusual reticle means you either love it or hate it - I love mine but it retails at £140.

The BSA 6-24 was £80+post from BAR as part of my Pro Sport kit and two weeks ago I bought the 4-12x44AO again from BAR and LLoyd did it for £60+£5 post. Used it for the first time last Saturday and did a 58/60 with the Pro Sport!

Don't underrate them and think "that's too cheap" - they're a really excellent bit of kit!

[hwtyger]

Does it white out at the high mags?

[the bish]

Very informative post David.
Just one question, what diameter is the tube?

[rapidpaulus]

they are 25mm tubes..
a friend of mine has one these on his rapid,and they are a fine optic,very clear and paralax well,good scope for the money..

[laity]

Tried one last night and could not believe how good it was for the money..I use a Hawke SR and love it ..BUT the BSA scope was amazing , clear bright optics and for the money..out of this world. I am so surprised that more people dont use these.

Outsanding

LAity

[Darren Petts]

I agree that for the money the optics are better than you should expect and the close dots very useful but the ret is easily lost in dark places as the dots are physically small. Dashes may have been better. Still a scope worth considering though.

[Hinksy]

I started off with the BSA Essencial (note spelling!) 6-24x50AO http://www.bsaguns.co.uk/?ID=53&ProductID=638 and it has bright clear optics, accurate PX, and closer 'mil' dots which are ideal, both for accurate POI calculation and for bracketing targets for rangefinding in HFT.

Just divide the kill zone diameter by the number of dots across and multiply by two and you have the yardage. This only works on 11x mag but that's ideal for HFT. (or 12x exactly if you measure distance in metres).
For instance, if you're aiming at a 40mm kill zone and, say, three dots cover its diameter, divide 40 by 3 then multiply by 2, and it's 27 yards away or if a 25mm kill zone is 2 dots across, divide by 2, multiply by 2, and it's 25 yards away.

Rather than the 6-24x50, the 4-12x44AO would be ideal for HFT as it's lighter, has better depth of field so things far and near stay more in focus as you can't adjust that in HFT, and max mag is often 12x in HFT anyway.
I tend not to adjust my 6-24 over 11x mag anyway as all my POI's would shift!

At 11x mag you can easily see where you've put a pellet in a paper target up to 40yards.

My Hawke SR6 is good too but it's unusual reticle means you either love it or hate it - I love mine but it retails at £140.

The BSA 6-24 was £80+post from BAR as part of my Pro Sport kit and two weeks ago I bought the 4-12x44AO again from BAR and LLoyd did it for £60+£5 post. Used it for the first time last Saturday and did a 58/60 with the Pro Sport!

Don't underrate them and think "that's too cheap" - they're a really excellent bit of kit!

As you can see in my sig I have an Essencial on my S200, it's the 3-9x40version, PA, 30/30 ret, bloody good scope for the £25 I paid for it second hand off my good mate Paul (Hellequin) on here!

Ben

[Hinksy]

I started off with the BSA Essencial (note spelling!) 6-24x50AO http://www.bsaguns.co.uk/?ID=53&ProductID=638 and it has bright clear optics, accurate PX, and closer 'mil' dots which are ideal, both for accurate POI calculation and for bracketing targets for rangefinding in HFT.

Just divide the kill zone diameter by the number of dots across and multiply by two and you have the yardage. This only works on 11x mag but that's ideal for HFT. (or 12x exactly if you measure distance in metres).
For instance, if you're aiming at a 40mm kill zone and, say, three dots cover its diameter, divide 40 by 3 then multiply by 2, and it's 27 yards away or if a 25mm kill zone is 2 dots across, divide by 2, multiply by 2, and it's 25 yards away.

Rather than the 6-24x50, the 4-12x44AO would be ideal for HFT as it's lighter, has better depth of field so things far and near stay more in focus as you can't adjust that in HFT, and max mag is often 12x in HFT anyway.
I tend not to adjust my 6-24 over 11x mag anyway as all my POI's would shift!

At 11x mag you can easily see where you've put a pellet in a paper target up to 40yards.

My Hawke SR6 is good too but it's unusual reticle means you either love it or hate it - I love mine but it retails at £140.

The BSA 6-24 was £80+post from BAR as part of my Pro Sport kit and two weeks ago I bought the 4-12x44AO again from BAR and LLoyd did it for £60+£5 post. Used it for the first time last Saturday and did a 58/60 with the Pro Sport!

Don't underrate them and think "that's too cheap" - they're a really excellent bit of kit!

Totally agree David,

Great little review David!

On my main rifle I've got a Nighteater but on my S200 I've got a 3-9x40 mini mil-dot BSA Essencial and what a great bit of kit it is all round

When I first bought the S200 it came with a BSA Essencial 3-9x40 but that had a standard 30/30 reticle, I liked it so much I decided that I'd like another Essencial but it would need to be a mil-dot to aid with targeting. I've still got the original one, it's in the gun cupboard (The mil-dot one is EXACTLY the same as the one my S200 came with-the only difference is the ret), and what value at a tad under £50 c/w medium mounts!!!

Great scopes and I highly recommend them.

ATVB

Ben

[bigglesworth]

I`ve got a BSA Essential 4x32,A.O. ,30/30 ret and it`s crystal clear .I got it second hand and although I`ve tried to get another,I`ve never seen one,I can`t find it in BSA`s brochures either.

It`s living on my Theoben,just now and I love it!!

[Milligan100]

Hi,

Has anyone had any experience of the BSA Platinums?

[magicniner]

Thanks Guys,
I picked up a second hand 9 - 24 X 50 Essencial based on the feedback here, I'm very pleased with it, it does seems good with clear optics even at 24X, a lot of scope for the money, more so second hand
Cheers,
Nick

[Kyoto]

My personal preference from the BSA range is the wee Jaguar 1.5-6x44mm AO price is now around £85 new.....great for HFT

For a basic 3-9x42 AO, the MTC Cobra..... unbelievable for around £50, optics better than many 'scopes at twice the price. Nothing basic about this wee beauty!

ATB

PS Both are mil-dot