Having Trouble Picking Scope for High End PCP

[TBonez]

Hello All,

I have been researching and looking for over a month. I have a Daystate Airwolf Tactical MCT pcp air rifle. A fantastic piece of work. I wanted to fit a great scope to it. I would be shooting targets in the back wooded yard 20 yards to 150 yards and doing some range shooting. I'm very interested in finding a scope that will be easy to use, very high end optics and the best reticle. I've narrowed down to Zeiss and Leupold. I had a Leupold VX2 3-9x33 that I just canceled the order on as I was thinking that Zeiss glass is higher quality. However, I was told by Leupold that parallax will not come into play at 10yds which is the closest I can get. The Zeiss scope guarantees 30 yd minimal. They also told me that a Diavari scope would be way overkill for my gun. I don't think they hear pcp and just blow it off like this isn't that great of a gun... so I'm reaching out to you all for some serious scope advice. I'm not a varmint hunter just want a very nice high end quality target shooting gun that I can use here in my gated community. Got it because I can just go out back and shoot anytime I want and not have to worry about noise and recoil etc... starting to paint a picture here for you all.... Let me know your thoughts as this is my first ever post on this forum....

Thx,

TBonez

 

[TBonez]

Thank you for your advice. I'm wondering if again my gun is being considered less because it's a pcp. It's computerized so there is no bullet drop up to x amount of shots. It's highly accurate and my budget is pretty much whatever I want. I think some of those brands and thier scopes are heavy, optics not that great (compared to German companys like Zeiss and Leica) and $300 is so cheap I know the glass is cheap in there... putting a $300 scope on a $3000 gun is not smart IMO

 

[Rem6br]

Zeiss conquest 6.5 x 20 x 50 if you want to spend the dough. They run
around 800 give take a few bucks

 

[TBonez]

Or would you agree with your suggestion over this one?

"The Conquest HD5 in 3-15x42 would be a good consideration with a #20 (plex) reticle. This would give you a simple reticle, ability to have a side focus and a very versatile magnification range"

Or would it matter from a parallax perspective?

Thanks really appreciate your advice.

 

[TBonez]

If you're unfamiliar with riflescopes, then I think it's smarter to spend less in the beginning. I have a Hensoldt 4-16 that cost $3.5k. It's awesome. (It's also heavy...)

I have a Sightron SII 4-16 that cost me $244 (when they were introduced in the late 1990s).

I cannot shoot better with the Hensoldt. I have won several matches with the Sightron atop my rifle. What does that say? It means the $242 scope is not the limiting factor, it means it's good enough.

But I'm not gonna argue with you. You asked for opinions, and I offered it. It's irrelevant to me what gear costs unless the cost yields worthwhile and measurable performance (or pride in ownership) benefits.

How you would even consider a Leupold VX2 as a worthy candidate is puzzling to say the least. And then a Zeiss Diavari as the other leading candidate?

Given you've disclosed your rifle cost $3k, then maybe you'll be happy spending $3k on a March scope. Go to Kelbly's website and have a look. Made in Japan, as good as anything there is and better than most.

As to your gun "being considered less because it's a pcp", perhaps you should visit a PCP forum and interact with like-minded enthusiasts. If it's your baby, then go to a pediatrician who tells you what you want to hear.

I whole-hardidly agree with you and appreciate your opinion. I just think most folks blow off the pcp gang. The technology today puts this gun up there at over 1000fps with next to no bullet drop which means if I shoot targets all the time, because its more practical, I can then move into any caliber rifle for shooting and start at a rather high skill level. I bought the pcp because I can shoot more, not because I'm a pcp nut. I don't shoot game or vermin or any of that stuff. I'm trying to learn as much as I can and yes I want a high end piece of glass on my 3K investment. I want to know WHY people would think a Diavari or Leica scope etc. on a high end pcp is such a waste? That's all.

 

[chevytruck_83]

I would look into something like the front focal plane vortex Scopes.they offer nice reticles for range estimation and hold overs. I shoot my air arms tx200 from 30yards to 102 and its nice to have a good reticle since wind becomes the most challenging thing to hold off for.I like my vortex viper 4-16x50 more then my vx-3 6.5-20x50. vortex has side parralax and illuminated reticle with an off setting between each intensity so you don't have to run completely through the range to get to the sensitivity u want. whatever you do your really gonna find a complex reticle very useful with the extreme drop and wind deflection.

 

[chevytruck_83]

I'm so glad to hear someone else on here is doing this. when you have good optics on a good pellet gun you can learn a lot. when you can eliminate your flinching and shoot with both eyes open you can watch the pellet through the air and see the winds effect on it and the rain as well. like when it hits a rain drop you can see the splatter. you will have a blast.

 

[TBonez]

That's awesome. Thanks guys...really appreciate it. I haven't even fired this baby yet because of my scope issue.... did sooo soooo much research as I want to get the right one... and I know I will need help sighting it but can't wait to shoot it.

 

[chevytruck_83]

just about anyone on here would be able to help you out getting it zeroed in. if you have any questions pm me anytime. I actually plugged in some pellets into my ballistic software to get reasonably close drop charts. depending on your pellet and fps your gun likes your probably gonna be like 3ft drop from 40 yards to 100 so you can imagine an extra 50 yards will be 6ft plus possibly.

 

[rayjay]

I have a Daystate CRX .177 that I use for busting vermin and occasionally I shoot BR with it. For BR I use a Weaver T36. For vermin right now I have a Tasco 3.5-10 with AO. You are using the adjustable parallax a lot on an airgun so I think side focus would be quite an advantage. The Tasco isn't a quality scope but I caught it on sale for $80 so it's hard to beat. The AO is a pitn when needing to adjust the paralax in a hunting situation.

I think you can forget shots over 75 yards except for plinking.

 

[chevytruck_83]

t-36 to a tasco... I could cry. t36 is a great buy for benchrest. i love mine. conditions have to be perfect or mirage is impossible to shoot through. also there is no good reticle offered for shooting at various ranges. you would have to adjust the turrets everytime. or just plain guess. the tasco .... why would you even do that to a gun that retails for 1800.. my air arms TX 200 can hit a 6" plate at 102 80-90% of the time if you read the wind right. no wind and its easy. so I would imagine a high end pcp could do the same. 50-75 is half that.

 

[bigwoodsman]

I to am a owner of a pellet gun,i love my Air Arms TX-200,can shoot starlings off my neighbor's barn roof at 60 yards all day long on a calm day


Jeff

 

[jonbearman]

Are the PCP's softer recoil(they must be) than spring guns.I know a guy who is into air guns and mounted up a bushnell trophy and fired one round and the scope was broke.I thought most air rifles had to have a scope rated for the abuse that they can produce.I am just wondering not disagreeing with you guys.

 

[Outrider27]

The problem with low or high end spring guns is that the recoil the scope feels is bi-directional (both forward and backward) and, by scope internals standards, very severe, so they will wreak havac on non-airgun rated scopes, as your friend found out. Those 1-3 shot kills of even high end scopes that aren't airgun rated are all too common with spring guns. Precharged pneumatic (PCP) airguns, since they only operate a valve to release a regulated amount of air from the air tank, don't have the (relatively) high shock loads that result from a piston driven by a powerful spring, so they're fairly civilized by comparison and not noted as scope wreckers.

Tbonez, we on here don't know how much experience you have with different style reticles and such, and the statement made on here already that this won't be your last scope is all too true. While your desire to put a high end scope on your high end PCP rifle is laudable, there are a lot of really good optics out there in the $300-$600 range. My 1000 yard gun cost somewhat more than your PCP and I got one of these scopes as a first sope for that one, as I didn't want to make an $1800 to $3000 mistake after already putting well over $3000 into the rifle. Until you know what type of reticle you prefer and whether you need a first focal plane reticle to make range estimation easier (just two of several things you will encounter that will effect your final decision), you might consider gaining experience with one of these lower priced scopes that will answer questions that only hands-on experience can answer before you buy a March, Schmidt and Bender, Zeiss etc. Right now, it looks like I won't be upgrading the Sightron SIII on the Bat Machine actioned rifle for awhile; it does everything I need in any reasonable (and some unreasonable) lighting conditions, as does the Vortex on my Grendel, so untill such time as my ability and experience grow or a special need arises, I won't be spending a large sum on more scope than I have at present. And when I do (it's bound to happen someday), I'll know exactly what I need to do more than I can do now.

You might want to take a closer look at what some of the national and international level field target airgun copmpetitors are using, especially as it pertains to range determination with your scope in the 30-120+ yard range. And, as with long range centerfire rifle shooting, learning to dope wind will probably be your biggest challange, and how you come to prefer to allow for wind effects will be another influence on the reticle style that you will eventually favor. My Daystate PCP field target rifle has a scope that has all sorts of reticle modifications from an unknown scopesmith (it came to me used), including a built in internal level that you see as part of the reticle when you sight through it; it apparently started out life as a medium high grade Bushnell as near as I can tell, but, for what I use it for, I wouldn't trade it for any Zeiss. On the other hand, I learned enough from it to know what I want in a Zeiss if I ever decide to buy one, and I would buy a Zeiss while keeping the unidentified weirdo scope.

 

[Sled2live]

To get the maximum potential out of that PCP rifle, I would search the Field Target forums to see what are the best scopes for their competition that are available nowdays. I know they use large magnification scopes usually with a large sidewheel so precision ranging finding can be done. Most use the target style turrets once they have found the range.

The important thing to ensure is the scope's close focus ability.
For most, the turrets see a lot of use and have to be repeatable.

I don't compete in the field target game any more, so my PCPs are outfitted with 4 X 20 type scopes and for hunting i usually zero at 75 yards and use mildots for the longer or shorter shots.

As has been mentioned above, shooting a good PCP will improve all of your shooting skills.

Scott

 

[CatShooter]

Thank you for your advice. I'm wondering if again my gun is being considered less because it's a pcp. It's computerized so there is no bullet drop up to x amount of shots. It's highly accurate and my budget is pretty much whatever I want. I think some of those brands and thier scopes are heavy, optics not that great (compared to German companys like Zeiss and Leica) and $300 is so cheap I know the glass is cheap in there... putting a $300 scope on a $3000 gun is not smart IMO

I think you have misunderstood the advertising of the Daystate Airwolf Tactical MCT.

There is ALWAYS bullet (or pellet) drop on all guns - computers cannot change that. The pellets from the gun you are talking about will drop faster than a 22 rimfire bullet, and you will notice it very soon. The computer on the Daystate just keeps the velocity equal for most of the shots so the "drop" stays the same (but is not eliminated).

Also, with any rifle that is used at ranges as close as 10 yards, parallax is a BIG problem... the same with elevation adjustments.

You need a scope that has an adjustable objective that will focus as close as 10 yards. And you need an elevation turret that is finger adjustable.

Forget scopes like the March... you cannot get to 1,000 yards with any air powered rifle.

A scope like this, will give you more than you need...

http://swfa.com/Leupold-3-9x33-VX-2-Rimfire-EFR-Riflescope-P51833.aspx

 

[rayjay]

Are the PCP's softer recoil(they must be) than spring guns.

PCP's have basically no recoil and only a tiny bit of vibration so scope abuse is zero.

 

[Powder monkey]

check what scopes are being used for field target shooting.