What causes the damage?

[SheepDog]

Just how many g's does your air rifle develop that it could destroy a Kahles scope? It has been on a 300 WinMag, a 30-06 and a 257 Roberts. It has been on rifles that were shoulder shot, lead sled fired and from a fore end rest with a rear bag. I have never seen an air rifle scope with a 6 - 24 zoom and a 55mm objective lens. Not unusual considering the range of most air rifles.

 

[JRS]

Just how many g's does your air rifle develop that it could destroy a Kahles scope? It has been on a 300 WinMag, a 30-06 and a 257 Roberts. It has been on rifles that were shoulder shot, lead sled fired and from a fore end rest with a rear bag. I have never seen an air rifle scope with a 6 - 24 zoom and a 55mm objective lens. Not unusual considering the range of most air rifles.

You first need to understand the difference in the way a spring-air/spring-piston air-rifle generates recoil, (in both directions) as compared to a normal rifle. At that point, you'll understand why a scope not designed (unidirectional) for a spring-air gun will not withstand that type of recoil. G's play no part in it whatsoever.

 

[SheepDog]

OK, now I understand your view.
Thanks for the discussion.

 

[seymour fish]

The Lead Sled never made sense to me - does not mimic what happens when one shoots a rifle from the shoulder so any zero information is mute. In my neck of the woods (rural Oregon) many hunters use the lead sled, set their zero's and go long range hunting and then can't figure out why they missed their Elk at 500 yds. when they had a 'good' zero from the bench at that range.
A return-to-battery set up (Skor-Hy for example) is somewhat better but one still needs to zero from the shoulder if that is how one is going to take the shot.

Or why they missed a deer at 100

 

[Shawnba67]

So if the 25lb addition of weight from a led sled kills scopes. When me 115lb shooting buddy hands my fat a$$ his rifle nothing happens. If the sled is breaking things it's because they aren't pulling the stock back into it. If the riflexan get a run at it then maybe it could jar a scope bad enough. If it's solid against it then nothing bad is gonna happen I personally have never broken a scope in mine. My ML is a kicking Mule and the reason I bought a sled Mine has 50lb on it

 

[NorCalMikie]

Ruger 10/22, Leupold M 4 scope. TWICE the cross hairs came loose. Both times repaired under warranty. The scope wasn't designed for the type of recoil the 10/22 produces?? Sounded like BS to me and that scope and rifle combination hasn't been fired since the scope was repaired the last time. Not much faith on my part for Leupold scopes.

 

[dickn52]

What kinda pressure they runnin in "air guns" these days?

Don't know, but my spring model fires projectiles faster than my RF rifle ammo.

 

[K22]

The Lead Sled never made sense to me - does not mimic what happens when one shoots a rifle from the shoulder so any zero information is mute. In my neck of the woods (rural Oregon) many hunters use the lead sled, set their zero's and go long range hunting and then can't figure out why they missed their Elk at 500 yds. when they had a 'good' zero from the bench at that range.
A return-to-battery set up (Skor-Hy for example) is somewhat better but one still needs to zero from the shoulder if that is how one is going to take the shot.

I couldn't agree more - have seen this many times. These contraptions might have value for load testing but I would not use for final sight in for hunting. I personally would never buy one or use one.

I do all my final sight in's in the manner in which I intend to hunt. For me that is off shooting cross sticks.