To set the stage, I'm comfortable shooting firearms with a maximum zoom of 4-6 at 25-1000 yards. If anyone has any suggestions for a scope after reading my full description, please let me know if you have found something that works for you, big game hunting with an air rifle with dim lighting conditions.
After looking through hundreds of scopes online, it has occurred to me that there is nothing that is really good for a big bore air rifle, for hunting big game. What I need is:
-$350-$600 scope.
-Excellent glass for clarity and dusk/dawn visibility.
-A top end zoom of 6x power (and preferably fixed 4x or fixed 6x)
-Parallax adjustment down to 50 yards or less.
-A tube and turrets with enough vertical adjustment to get an air rifle shot up to aim point at 100 yards
-A reticle that has elevation graduations that are evenly spread, not too cluttered, not to thin to see at a zoom level suitable for deer that will actually be visible against dark fur at dawn/dusk, and is glass etched.
I love the Leupold FX3 6x42 as it is so clear with amazing glass, gathers light amazingly, holds zero, and is the perfect magnification for 25-500 yards. It has been dead nuts reliable on my .416 Remington. Unfortunately they don't offer it in a mildot, it doesn't have parallax adjustment, and it might run out of vertical adjustment at 100 yards. (I thought about their custom shop but the custom shop is closed until further notice.)
The problem I am finding is that almost all scopes, that have a suitable holdover marks are missing the following:
-Everything is right about the scope except the glass and it is too cheap.
-Everything is right about the scope, but there is no parallax adjustment.
-The reticle works, but the top end of the zoom is too high for big game hunting(14x) and lower power zoom shrinks the reticle to where it is no longer visible at dawn/dusk against a dark background. (such as my current scope)
-The reticle is lit, but it is too cluttered. Or, the reticle is lit, but the holdovers are not and the holdovers are too fine to see in dim light.
-The scope has all the options I want, but it is a $1000+ scope.
-The tube and turrets don't look like they will have enough adjustment to bring the 800fps bullet up to point of aim at 100 yards.
-The scope has everything I need. The reticle can be seen at full power with a zoom that isn't too high. But the reticle holdover is a ballistic holdover where the marks vary in spacing for projectiles much faster than my 800fps.
Most good big game hunting scopes are meant for a projectile that has a velocity of at least 2000fps. Most air rifle scopes have reticles and zooms that are meant for small game hunting where you don't need a big field of view at 25-100 yards
I did buy a good scope, just to get the gun running. It's a Vortex Diamondback 4-16x44 with the EBR-2C reticle. It has good (not great) glass, is reliable, has parallax adjustment down to 20 yards. It has a 30mm tube with enough adjustment for an airgun. It is perfect for this rifle for target shooting or small game hunting. The reticle is great at full zoom and I usually prefer 1st focal plane, but that zoom level is to much to be usable on big game at close range. This is where the problem comes in with this scope. If I turn the zoom down, the center crosshairs become too thin to see and use against a dark background, such as a deer at dusk. This scope would be great for target or small game hunting, but It may become unusable big game hunting.
If you are of similar mindset as me and think most scopes nowadays have way more zoom than they need and find the value in the simplicity of a fixed power scope, please let me know if you have found a good hunting scope for your big game air rifle, even if it is variable zoom. I was looking hard at the Viper PST 1-4x24 w/MOA reticle, as I think this would work pretty well for big game and range time, but it doesn't have parallax adjustment and the good glass could get pretty dim at dusk because it is a straight tube that won't gather much light.
I ran some ballistics charts for muzzle loaders, 22lr, and shotgun, just to see if a scope designed for those would work for the holdovers, but all have a much flatter trajectory than an 800fps flat nose projectile. I wish I could get with a few of the big scope makers to design a big game air rifle specific hunting scope, with good glass. Really all it would take is some reticle re-design on already existing scope platforms.
After looking through hundreds of scopes online, it has occurred to me that there is nothing that is really good for a big bore air rifle, for hunting big game. What I need is:
-$350-$600 scope.
-Excellent glass for clarity and dusk/dawn visibility.
-A top end zoom of 6x power (and preferably fixed 4x or fixed 6x)
-Parallax adjustment down to 50 yards or less.
-A tube and turrets with enough vertical adjustment to get an air rifle shot up to aim point at 100 yards
-A reticle that has elevation graduations that are evenly spread, not too cluttered, not to thin to see at a zoom level suitable for deer that will actually be visible against dark fur at dawn/dusk, and is glass etched.
I love the Leupold FX3 6x42 as it is so clear with amazing glass, gathers light amazingly, holds zero, and is the perfect magnification for 25-500 yards. It has been dead nuts reliable on my .416 Remington. Unfortunately they don't offer it in a mildot, it doesn't have parallax adjustment, and it might run out of vertical adjustment at 100 yards. (I thought about their custom shop but the custom shop is closed until further notice.)
The problem I am finding is that almost all scopes, that have a suitable holdover marks are missing the following:
-Everything is right about the scope except the glass and it is too cheap.
-Everything is right about the scope, but there is no parallax adjustment.
-The reticle works, but the top end of the zoom is too high for big game hunting(14x) and lower power zoom shrinks the reticle to where it is no longer visible at dawn/dusk against a dark background. (such as my current scope)
-The reticle is lit, but it is too cluttered. Or, the reticle is lit, but the holdovers are not and the holdovers are too fine to see in dim light.
-The scope has all the options I want, but it is a $1000+ scope.
-The tube and turrets don't look like they will have enough adjustment to bring the 800fps bullet up to point of aim at 100 yards.
-The scope has everything I need. The reticle can be seen at full power with a zoom that isn't too high. But the reticle holdover is a ballistic holdover where the marks vary in spacing for projectiles much faster than my 800fps.
Most good big game hunting scopes are meant for a projectile that has a velocity of at least 2000fps. Most air rifle scopes have reticles and zooms that are meant for small game hunting where you don't need a big field of view at 25-100 yards
I did buy a good scope, just to get the gun running. It's a Vortex Diamondback 4-16x44 with the EBR-2C reticle. It has good (not great) glass, is reliable, has parallax adjustment down to 20 yards. It has a 30mm tube with enough adjustment for an airgun. It is perfect for this rifle for target shooting or small game hunting. The reticle is great at full zoom and I usually prefer 1st focal plane, but that zoom level is to much to be usable on big game at close range. This is where the problem comes in with this scope. If I turn the zoom down, the center crosshairs become too thin to see and use against a dark background, such as a deer at dusk. This scope would be great for target or small game hunting, but It may become unusable big game hunting.
If you are of similar mindset as me and think most scopes nowadays have way more zoom than they need and find the value in the simplicity of a fixed power scope, please let me know if you have found a good hunting scope for your big game air rifle, even if it is variable zoom. I was looking hard at the Viper PST 1-4x24 w/MOA reticle, as I think this would work pretty well for big game and range time, but it doesn't have parallax adjustment and the good glass could get pretty dim at dusk because it is a straight tube that won't gather much light.
I ran some ballistics charts for muzzle loaders, 22lr, and shotgun, just to see if a scope designed for those would work for the holdovers, but all have a much flatter trajectory than an 800fps flat nose projectile. I wish I could get with a few of the big scope makers to design a big game air rifle specific hunting scope, with good glass. Really all it would take is some reticle re-design on already existing scope platforms.
gohip2000
changed the title from No good scopes for big bore air hunting to No good scopes for big bore big game air rifle hunting — 1 year ago
gohip2000 ,
You might want to check out Joe "Cyclops" Rhea. He's on Airgun101 and YouTube. Very knowledgeable and very approachable. I think he can point you in the right direction. Watch some of his videos and, if you don't see something that fits your bill, reach out to him.
Also, there are a couple of people that have used air rifles to take big game and you might want to check out what they're using. Kieth Warren comes to mind. He, also, has a channel here.
~ Mondo
You might want to check out Joe "Cyclops" Rhea. He's on Airgun101 and YouTube. Very knowledgeable and very approachable. I think he can point you in the right direction. Watch some of his videos and, if you don't see something that fits your bill, reach out to him.
Also, there are a couple of people that have used air rifles to take big game and you might want to check out what they're using. Kieth Warren comes to mind. He, also, has a channel here.
~ Mondo
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