Spring Operated Air Rifles and Telescopes

[Corné]

What is your experience with a telescope on a Air Rifle especially with the more powerfull models. What do you need to look at and what works and what not?

[HGS]

You have to use a spring rated scope, something like the niko stirling air king range, 4x32, 3-9x42, 4-12x42 and a one piece mount, if it does break, which is not uncomon on spring guns, it will be replaced no charge.

[Corné]

The Niko Sterling Air King Scopes seem to stand up to the challenge, but I am not to fond of their one piece mount. Although more expensive, I prefer the Hawke mounts. I would suggest to rather replace the fitted mount on the Niko Sterling with the Hawke. The Nikko Sterling Mounts are a bit softer and only have 3 locking bolts compared to the Hawke that has 4 locking bolts and is not as 'soft'. Also the Hawke is available in three different heights where the Nikko Sterling models only have two heights.

[shaan]

I enjoyed using a Leapers 3-9 x 40 scope for Hunter Field target last season on my 97K with 2 peice acushot mounts. The optics are great for the price you pay, it has a mill dot reticule, which also can be illuminated in red and green, and is springer rated. I diding have one POI shift the whole season, and when I zeroed, I locked the turret to prevent it from moving.

Currently I'm using a big (10-40 x60) zos for improved rangefinding (For Field Target)... I havent used it often enough to comment, one thing I can tell you is get PROPPER mounts for it... the ones they supply are horrible!

[Corné]

Shaan,

You should have a look at the Hawke mounts. They seem to be quite good. I also remember some time ago there was someone manufacturing mounting systems (something like a one piece mount) for air rifles. It was local and you then used a specific make of Rifle Scope Rings onto it. It was expensive and if I can remember it seemed a bit big. It was in the Man Magnum.

[HGS]

hawk is good, sports match the best

[Corné]

hawk is good, sports match the best

I do not know Sports Match. If you know both and make that comment, I am not going to argue. As I know Hawk then Sport Match sound pretty nice...... ;D

See, this is what I like about this type of interaction, we share our knowledge and we can learn from this.... hpy180

[HGS]

100%

Sportsmatch even make a mount which they call a dampa mount basically a one piece mount with rubber around the rings (not on the inside) to save the scope from recoil a bit

[SWATG]

I don't know where things have changed so much, but I have a BSA Super Meteor(R239), bought it new 22 years ago, put on a Tasco 4X20 scope which cost me R29, 22 years later still going strong, best recorded shot was 40m on a Dove, yes I must admit when I was younger I did venture in "hunting" much bigger game than that(yeah I was stupid and young) and had plenty one shot kills even on Guinnie Fowl, never shot it over a chrony, but I guess it was and still is a rather powerfull little gun, never had any of these paralux etc. problems, and to be honest never knew anything about it as well

[shaan]

Shaan,

You should have a look at the Hawke mounts. They seem to be quite good. I also remember some time ago there was someone manufacturing mounting systems (something like a one piece mount) for air rifles. It was local and you then used a specific make of Rifle Scope Rings onto it. It was expensive and if I can remember it seemed a bit big. It was in the Man Magnum.

Hawk and sportsmatch mounts are very good, I used a Hawke 1 peice on the 97k when I shot HFT with a smaller scope.

When looking for replacement mounts for the big Zos I had a problem finding one that could take a 30mm tube, arrestor (recoil) pin and take the 60mm objective lense... I bought leapers/accushot 2 piece high mounts for a 30mm tube and they work very well.

I shot a big field target comp yesterday with this set up and came (convincingly) first in my class and in the 2nd round my score was very close (and in some cases better) than the guy shooting PCP.