Hi Rats Down.Originally Posted by Rats Down .22
Is a diopter better than a 'scope?
Not really comparable as they do different jobs. An HW35 (mine at least) is stocked for open sights and as the diopter sits at pretty much the same height as an open sight it fits me well. A scope's sightline can be quite a bit higher which could make the cheekpiece seem to be a bit low. Not all guns are stocked for 'scopes and can be a bit uncomfortable.
Open and diopter sights don't magnify and with my eyesight, don't allow the same accuracy as a 'scope. The gun is a springer and it will move around a bit on firing, for this reason a high magnification 'scope will perhaps just frustrate you. High mags also tend to have larger objective lenses which require taller mounts, lower mags often have smaller objective lenses and sit lower. Open sights and diopters are more of a challenge than magnifiers, decide what you want from the gun. Use dictates what sight suits.
I have 60 something year old eyes and like knocking spinners at 20 yards. A diopter in good light is much better at this with my eyes than open sights and good enough to be fun. I think that the lively nature of the gun would make it frustrating for me if I used a 'scope.
When I bought the gun, I went straight to a diopter so never shot it with a 'scope. It seems to me that low mags would suit it with good technique.
I think that I paid about a hundred for the diopter, it is Anschutz with an alloy body. You can get them for perhaps half that. Not sure about some of the very cheap ones; I doubt that they would hold on well. I made a short brass peg that sits into the front 'scope mount peg hole. This holds the diopter in a good place for me. Without the peg the diopter moved back over a couple of dozen shots. I took the front sight element out and replaced it with a clear disc with a tapered 4mm hole. Works a treat for me and easy to make. Whatever you get, make sure that you get the right rail width for your gun's rails.
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