Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Spring Air rifle scopes?

As long as the reticle is "etched", it's good to go???

I meant "Magnum Spring Air Rifle" rated.

No. The scope has to be designed for the funky recoil and vibration. Look for ones made specifically for airguns, “Airgun Rated”, or buy a SWFA SS. Trying to make do with something else will only lead to heartache, sooner or later.

An etched reticle means you won't break the reticle but the scope might come apart internally or knock a lens loose anyway.

Pappy's right, get one that's Magnum Springer Airgun rated for the recoil forward and backward and hope they'll be around to warranty it later.

It took years but I killed an older Bushnell Trophy and a Burris but the Hawke Airmax scopes are all still fine.

Let us know what you get and what you're putting it on!

As others have said, get a scope specifically rated for air guns because the recoil on a springer goes both directions. I've had good luck with Hawke Air Max scopes but my springers are medium power and not magnums. I mostly shoot Beeman R9's and an R7.

On one of my cheap air rifles, Crossman TR 77, I have a UTG Leapers 4-16x44 that's working good! No problems at all. My other, a Crossman Fire, not so well. The CenterPoint scope that came with the rifle was junk! I mounted a CVLife 6-24x50 that lasted about 500 rounds and it fell apart. I have a Hawke Frontier 30SF 2.5x15 that I was planning on trying. I contacted Hawke and they said this scope should be good to go, the reticle is etched. You guys agree?

It's "all caliber rated"and Hawke says it's good to go, I'd shoot it.

One funny thing about Hawke - they require that you have the original retail receipt for the scope if you have a warranty issue, or they won't back it.

Possibly you could register one over the phone but I don't know if they do that.
Since a Magnum springer will eventually wreck most any scope, I would want.to be sure that I was able to utilize their warranty before I needed it. And even their AirMax line will fail - I have a friend who broke one on a medium springer. Bench use only too.

That said I like my AirMax 4-12.

I kind of like the Hawke Airmax scopes with two exceptions… reticles and the fact that they are made in China.

I bought a Hawke 3-9x40 from Airgun Depot. It was not an Airmax model. Hatsan 125 killed it in under 10 shots. Wire mildot reticle came apart.

Airgun Depot refunded the money and I rolled it into a more expensive Hawke Airmax 3-9x40. It held up to hundreds of rounds on the Hatsan, but is currently on one of the PCP rifles. Anyways, it seems to be durable enough to survive on a magnum springer.

Not necessarily. I put a spare Burris E1 2-7X, with an etched reticle, on my Diana springer and it simply will not hold zero.

I have a Hawke Airmax 4-12 with AO and it holds zero on my Diana. Later I mounted it in a Diana Zero Recoil mount that really absorbs the recoil jolt from a springer. I lost a tad bit of accuracy, but it still shoots minute of starling at 180 feet.

https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/scope-mounts/diana-bullseye-zero-recoil-mount-1-rings-dovetail/

That mount works well on a longer scopes. Shorter scopes may not fit without some adjustment to the mount. The ring that's out there on the recoil rods have screws in the botton so you can loosen them and slide them in a bit. But only a bit since one doesn't want to affect that range of travel too much.

Good expensive scope: Hawke Airmax. These are nice, good glass, multiple etched reticle choices, good solid clicks on turrets - pretty decent package overall. ~$225-300 depending on power range.

Good cheap scope: Tasco Air Rifle Scopes. Surprisingly good glass, etched reticles (duplex only) good solid clicks on turrets. Pretty dang nice considering the price. $50-75 depending on power range.

Both AO that goes down to under 10 yards.

I asked Leupold that once, specifically about their rimfire models, and was told in no uncertain terms that their scopes can take spring air gun recoil just fine, as their lenses are fully supported both fore and aft.

I once fried a Redfield scope on a Beeman in one shot. The retailer said it would work and refunded it the next day.
Put a Weaver V16 on the Beeman with no problems except the company went under.

Leupold told me the same thing.

If you are looking for repeatable minute-of-starling accuracy out to 200+ feet, and not 5-shot-1-hole accuracy at 200 feet, I recommend the Diana Zero Recoil mount. It will eat up springer recoil very well.

I have a Hawke Airmax 4-12 AO that I would sell if someone is looking for a rock solid higher end air rifle scope.

Leupold and Bushnell Elites are good to go. I've used both for years on magnum spring guns with zero problems. I broke two Burris scopes on an RWS 350 after they assured me that they were spring gun rated, so I'd avoid those.

Leupold told me that as well.

I have several break barrels - from a Benjamin Prowler .177 and a Hatsan Edge .25 to a Hatsan Carnivore 135 in .30 using UTG mounts with Weaver and Bushnell scopes that seem to be holding up well.

Mike Holmes