I have a .22 cal gas gun (Benjamin Titan GP) and am looking for a new scope. My Barska air gun scope believe it or not last a few years. This time I am going with a little more power and was wondering if the gas guns are bad on scopes? I know springers are bad with impact force both ways from the spring (which I don't believe the gas guns are). I am looking at a 4-12 x 40 Hawke scope. Any recommendations or advice?



Steve........

Steve E--I'm not familiar with Hawke scopes and they may be the greatest?? The double whammy you mentioned is not the only consideration. Most scopes, unless designed for air guns focus at 50 yards and beyond which is about useless on air rifles. I went through this and what I wanted was the Leupold 3x-9x with EFR( extended focus range)that would focus down to 30 feet. At the time they sold for $307 and I hated to spend that much. So I watched on EBAY and EVERYONE sold for ATLEAST $275. Many were several years old and were purchased for less than $275. So that made them a $32 scope if I could always sell it for $275 or more. Being Leupold, they are guaranteed and Leupold does stand behind their stuff. You could put the scope on a heavy kicking magnum. Pretty much you get what you pay for. I finally did cry and took the hit in my wallet and bought that scope and years later I'm still very happy with it. Haven't been watching them on EBAY, but I highly suspect I could get my money back now. Buy a cheap scope and it breaks--throw it in the trash and take your loss. I'm not sure what powers of EFR scopes Leupold makes, but 3x-9x should cover anything you need in an air rifle.

I'll have to look at Leupolds also. I think I mentioned to you some time back I lived in San Angelo for a while. I lived down below the Cemetery on the south east side of town. I still miss Julio's Burritos.

Steve........

Gas air rifles are not as bad on scopes as spring rifles.

The main consideration is as mentioned above that you need a scope that can focus at close range.

We have many of these rifles, and scopes from both Leupold and Bushnell we have installed on them work great, and have had no problems at all.

These include rifles up to .357 in caliber.

They are very powerful. I have used the 30 caliber to cull some of our animals here.

I shoot them in the ear, and that is the end of it.

Range is normally between 20-30 meters.

That would be neat shooting an air rifle in 357. I have a Simmons 22 Mag 3-9 x 40 with an AO, I'll give that one a try instead of buying one for now.
What kind of animals are you culling with the air rifles?


Steve.........

Gazelles and various oryx.

I normally do it with a 22 rim fire.
I tried the 9mm air rifle a few times and it worked every time.

That is cool as heck to be able to do that, exotic animals to us but probably everyday critters to you.

Steve........

I picked up a 3-9 Barska Air Gun scope with Mil Dot Reticle and it seems great. My first scope on this gas gun was a 2-7 Barska Air Gun scope and it lasted seven years and I have shot many tins of pellets through the rifle. I hope the new scope last as good as the first one.

Steve........

I have a weaver T10 on a Fwb 600. The AO will focus down to 10m no problem

This one has 10 listed as the closest but it will focus down to 3 yds/m?. It is incredibly clear. It has already accounted for about 15 Brown Headed Cow Birds and 8 Starlings.

Steve...........

Steve E-- I too shoot starlings, grackles and English sparrows. They attempt to nest in my Martin houses.

We had Martin houses when I was young at home in Miss.
When I lived in San Angelo (down below the Cemetary on the southeast side of Town)one of my neighbors had two Martin house and I always loved watching them.

Steve..........

Steve E--If you are going to be at your present location for a while, you should get a martin house. Very beneficial bird and fun to watch.

My neighbor has one of the two story Martin Houses just across the fence and I do like watching them. I can help him keep the Sparrows thinned out also.

Steve.......

I generally buy scopes that are springer compatible, that way I can swap around between springers, gas and powder guns. I'm cheap so I use Bushnell Banners on a lot of my guns, even on my heavy hitters, one went from my RWS 48 to 338 Lapua, to 50 Makatak and back to an Octane...don't know how many rounds it has survived but probably in the neighborhood of 2000-2500 all total and it's still going, and going, and going. That RWS 48 ate two Leopold variables and three other low end supposedly springer compatible "good" scopes before I put the Banner on.

Most scopes are built to handle rearward recoil NOT the "double-shuffle" of a springer. Go online to that ol' boy that tests airgun scopes...he seems to have a good lock on it. I haven't had a Hawk scope but from what I've read, they seem to be OK...not counting the odd one out.

Scopes, guns, cars, airplanes, etc, are built by humans and NOTHING is perfect nor is the scope you might buy...we all get turds now and then.

Good Hunting

I finally got the Hawke 3-9 power and it has been a very good scope, so far it has held zero with several hundred shots in my PCP rifle.

Steve.........

I use a Bullseye ZR1 scope mount on all spring and piston air rifles. It is like a shock absorber and you can use any brand of scope in 30mm or 1". Mounts to 11mm rail. Follow the directions on screw sequence and it will work great.

The Titan is a Gas Piston gun and apparently has the same shock issues as any "springer" does.

Poke around at some of the dealers on line and look at spring gun rated scopes.
Don't leave the Crosman/Benjamin site off of your search.
I had one of Benjamins scopes on a real kicker of a spring gun for many hundreds (likely thousands of shots) and now have it on a PCP(gas) gun.

I recently bought an Urban 22 cal PCP gun from Gamo and absolutely love it. I moved my Hawke scope over to it and it has been doing great. I really like the Hawke brand scopes for the airguns and really like the PCP airguns now, what do they call it, 'The Dark Side', lol, the accuracy of mine has really let me extend my range.

Steve.......

You KNOW what PCP stands for don't you..."POOR CONFOUNDED POWDERGUNNERS" or "POOR CONFUSED POOFERS"

You Know the song..."I was all right, for a while, I could smile for awhile, until I saw you last night...."

Good Hunting

LOL, I am cornfused.

Steve......

Essentially any scope will work on a PCP. I use a Zeiss’on my .303 Daystate with no problem because recoil is a non issue.