I recently bought one of my "bucket list" guns. It's a very nice, used Beeman R9. It's the "clean" one with no sights and no extra holes. Also has the longer stock that covers the breach block. It came with a Redfield 2-7X scope. While this is a great little scope it would be better suited to a center-fire rifle. Since it has no parallax adjustment, close targets are blurry, even at 2 power. So I'm searching for an appropriate scope for this rifle. I'd like to know your thoughts.
I have some wish-list items but none are really deal breakers except it must be parallax adjustable down to air rifle distances, like say 7 to 10 yards.
For a frame of reference, the rifle will be used for a little bit of everything except serious competition. No field target or 10-meter matches. It will be used for small game hunting, pesting, informal plinking like cans and spinners. Typical "off-the-porch" stuff. I will probably use it in the basement range when the weather is really bad. My basement is only about 30 feet corner-to-corner. Outdoors it will be asked to work at up to 50 yards sometimes. Might even poke at clay bird fragments on the 100-yard berm.
It should be of a quality similar to the rifle. I ponied up for the rifle. I'm not suddenly going to cheap-out on the scope. Used is A-OK too to help stretch the budget.
American made would be awesome but not a deal breaker. It needs to be durable and clear. To give you an idea of what I'm used to (expectations), I currently own a Burris XTR II, a Leupold VX2, and a Leupold Mark IV. I've also had a couple decent Bushnells and a Weaver T-36. I've been disappointed (optically and mechanically) by Simmons, UTG, Nikon, BSA, Firefield, etc.
Small and light is better than not. Not bothered by adjustment graduations 1/8, 1/4 MOA, MIL. 1-inch tube is fine. Eye relief is not critical. An R9 is not likely to give me scope-eye and even in the forward-most scope-stop hole I can't get the scope too far away from my eye.
As far as magnification range is concerned, I'd rather leave that up to discussion. It will be interesting to hear how much others have vs.what they may actually use. On previous air rifles I've had 2.5X, 4X, 2-7X and 3-9X. All of the previous rifles had less power than the R9 though.
I have a couple in mind but don't want to influence the data so to speak. Let me know what you have on yours or would put on yours.
Thanks,
1970s 3-9x32 Japan Tasco
If the issues is ONLY focus distance then... many scopes are focused at 100 yards, it doesn't take much to get them right for 20 yards.
Take the front ring off, turn the mag to max, view a target at your MEDIAN shooting distance, then tighten (screw in) the objective until the image clears up.
I'd do it SLOWLY, and I only adjust IN, never back out, loosening seems like a perfect way to compromise a very SET seal. Good enough? Hands off!
Here is an article (love the springs these guys sell!) in case my writing isn't clear.
https://www.mcarbo.com/store/pg/33-adjusting-parallax-on-non-ao-scope.aspx
Again, I never take the focus back out to the factory setting, and basically consider this a permanent conversion to close range. Leaky scopes are junk, and loosening the lens carrier seems like a perfect way to generate a leak. I have zero qualifications and a IQ of 72 YMMV 😉
If you just want to buy a scope... I'd get something small. Vortex 1-6x24? Lifetime (twang) warranty!
I have a 2nd generation Nikon 3-9x40 EFR on my R9 and am very happy with it. Most of my shooting is in the basement at about 9½yds and it will focus clearly at that distance. But it's also very capable at longer distances, too. It has good glass with little, if any, distortion from edge to edge and it's clear and bright to my eye. The reticle is nice & thin with a tiny dot at the center and the W&E adjustments are nice & solid. To give you an idea of the size of the center dot, on 3x at 23yds the dot is only slightly bigger than the head of a standard black decking screw (head size is roughly 5/16"). Also have a 1st gen Nikon EFR on my HW50S and am happy with that one, too. The downside to the Nikon EFR is that they've been discontinued (Nikon has quit selling scopes) so the used market may be the only option as finding a new one may be tricky if not impossible.
Here's the 2nd gen Nikon EFR on my R9.
I have same R9;Bushnell Legend scope,HawkeAirmax 4x16x50,a Sightron Si 3x9 scope are some of the scopes I liked on it....have a target Nikon EFR I like that scope to...I get deals on my scopes,all these scope cost me about the same about of money...The Legend is the biggest and goes up to 15x It has been mounted on a RWS 52 so it is up to the task,the Airmax is also great,,,I got a steal on it...I had heard some negative things about Hawke scopes,now that I have some I have a better idea ,,,the nicer the higher the price,the Airmax is also great....I do not like a scope that overpowers the rifle it is on...under 25yds 7x is good,50yds 12-15x...see no need for a long axx scope that has more power than needed...and weighs more than a bear turd..LOL.BTW they all have adjustable AO
Beeman Blue Ribbon 2x -7x 32mm. Model 66R but same scope was made by Swift model 683M. I saw a Swift sell on eBay for $61 not too long ago.
My first choice would be a Leupold 3x9 efr ,the old model with locking focus,they are really light and tough perfect on a nice springer,kelly
The Leupold is what I was thinking too, Kelly. I was also considering the Burris Timberline 4.5-14X EFR. It's just as small but not quite as light, It has more power on the top end but gives up a LOT of field of view on low end. It also has half the adjustment range. Prices are just close enough that it won't be the deciding factor. Still leaning Leupold.
The other thing I considered was to re-parallax the little Redfield as Gratewhitehuntr suggested. No problem with that concept other than the fact that in its current form it would be perfect on a light center-fire bolt gun and I'd probably keep it for that.
The other thing I could do is leave everything as is. I've only ever shot the rifle in my basement at 20 feet. It seemed blurry. Outside in the squirrel woods at slightly longer ranges I might like it just fine. Still leaning Leupold.
I did notice the difference between the "old" and "new" Leupold's. Are the new ones fine as I can get an instructors discount on one?
A number people Iknew went to the nikon efr,but
We still have a supply of the Phillipines built Bushnell legend here too.
The options on optics are limitless in price and srlection ,but for your application that is my first choice ,you could go with a rimfire version leupold too.
Nikon is getting out ,so I would rather go leapers 3x9 32 ao for 100.00,I have had good luck with them in a low price range,kelly
I am not sure if the Burris Timberline 4.5-14 x 32mm is springer rated but it is a very nice scope about the size of the 3x9 Leopold. I personally use old Japanese Bushnell 4x12 Trophy scopes on most of my springers. They have held up on the RWS Diana 54 and Webley Kodiak which are two of the hardest airguns on scopes. I don't know if the Trophy will be of enough quality for you. It sounds like you are used to higher grade glass than I am. That is why I mention the Timberline. It is a notch above the Trophy.
David Enoch
David, funny you should mention Bushnell. I was just reading your thread about shooting springers and saw your BSA. I used to have a Supersport myself. That's where my springer experience started. Mine destroyed a Bushnell Sportsman 4X. The cross-hair rotated from + to X and it developed a rattle. Then things started to go downhill. Can't blame Bushnell for that. The Sportsman's were their $39.99 blister pack model back then if I remember and not designed for much abuse. More at home on a rimfire. I also had a Bushnell from their 3200 Elite series. Now that was a nice little scope. It was a 10X fixed with 1/10 mil turrets and a mil-dot reticle. I reluctantly sold that one to upgrade. I actually got what I paid for it despite owning it for several years.
You are right about the Burris Timberline. I could have sworn it was "springer rated" but I just checked their web-page and sure enough, no mention of airguns at all. I should probably scratch that one off the list.
I don't know that it is allowed here, but I found a website that investigated airgun rated scopes and the out come was Leupold, Bushnell and Burris were all rated for spring gun use. I'm sure that these are for the newer scopes.
Another poster recommended a reparallaxed non AO scope. I have several non AO Leupold 3-9 compacts and a 2-7 on a couple guns that I reset the parallax on. The small light scopes preserve the fine handling characteristics of the gun.
On one gun I have a Clearidge 3-9X32RM Ultra that I really like. I may like it more than my Leupold 3-9 EFRs. One I have that is fantastic, but out of production is a Sightron 3-9X36AO.
As you can tell, I am pretty happy with 9X, although I have more power on a couple guns.
As long as we're here, what about mounts? It has been a long time since I scoped a springer. The last was a BSA Supersport in the late 1990's. Wow, has it really been that long? I had brown hair then. I seem to remember the Sportsmatch were well thought of. The one-piece version being the most secure. Is this still the case? I know there are probably a lot of systems that will work so think of this as a buy-once, cry-once, heirloom quality, let the heirs fight over it because I'm keeping it forever type case. If you didn't need to economize and wanted the mount that held to the gun best and damaged the scope the least, what would you buy to mount a Leupold EFR to a HW-95(R9)?
The other thing I considered was to re-parallax the little Redfield as Gratewhitehuntr suggested. No problem with that concept other than the fact that in its current form it would be perfect on a light center-fire bolt gun and I'd probably keep it for that.
The other thing I could do is leave everything as is. I've only ever shot the rifle in my basement at 20 feet. It seemed blurry. Outside in the squirrel woods at slightly longer ranges I might like it just fine. Still leaning Leupold.
Adjusting the parallax sounds good until you find out everything at long ranges is now out of focus.
The Redfield is probably fine for hunting. Parallax error only occurs when you don't have your eye centered in the ocular lens. Hello! A good rifleman Always has his eye centered. Our eye seeks the center automatically anyway. Intuitively, you don't even know it. Like aperture sights. You don't "aim" the aperture.
As a young man the only RF scopes you could buy were 3/4 or 7/8 inch. Many mounted a 4x32 such a Weaver K4. AO? Most hunters didn't even know what that is. Shots are typically 20-60 yards in the hardwood forest. Guys I hunted with considered anything less than a headshot a MISS. In the real woods when you see a squirrel you better get the gun on it and pull the trigger on the first chance you get . First time you can get the crosshairs lined up. We're not shooting at "tame" squirrels out on the lawn. There's no time to twiddle your scope. Sit down, set it, forget it. Shoot some squirrels. Play with your scope on the bench in your yard.
12x is a hindrance in the woods. 3x9 EFR Leupold is better. And so light. I'd honestly even consider the 2x7 28 RF compact. Have it on my Winchester 52 with steel Warne mounts and bases. Squirrel black magic! Classy rig too.++. I mostly leave it on about 5x.
My other rig is a 69a with an old minty Weaver 3-9x32 Marksman with steel Burris rings. Pure squirrel gun. Sleek and nice. All Walnut and blued steel. Mostly set on 5x - 6x. She's a plain Jane but sure feels good in your hands. Deadly. I can buy any scope I want IF I want to.
NOT trying to bring up the RF's other than to demonstrate how great these particular non AO scope setups can be on hunting rigs. PA only recently adopted airguns for hunting so I'm still not as WELL versed at using an airgun for hunting yet. Even though I've had many adult airguns since around 1983. I believe scope makers make you THINK you need AO. Like it's a necessity. It's not.
Be blessed
I'm also a big fan of the old Japan Bushnell Trophy 4-12x40 scopes... I have four of them on four different springer air rifles... R9TK, R1TK, HW77K, and FWB124.
I have other model scopes on other springers too, but if I acquired another springer, I would probably look for another similar Trophy... there seems to be so many out there that it gets hard to choose... so I stick with what works.
My first springer rated scope that I bought many years ago is the Leupold 3-9x EFR that has been moved from one air rifle to another over the years as I acquired various ones... it's a great scope; had to have it repaired once, which went very well... it now sits on my HyScore 810M match rifle... what a pleasure to shoot !
I'm not sure if the new Bushnell Trophy scopes, like the XLT version are as suitable as the older Japan Trophy scopes... I have wondered if they are ?
I recently, maybe a year ago or so, bought a Bushnell AR/223 Drop Zone 3-9x40 scope for my FWB300 Universal... seems to work fine for my indoor shooting, but have yet to try it outdoors... it was one of the scopes recommended by Joe Rhea on one of his YouTube "Cyclops" videos for the FWB300... he has a lot of reviews of current scopes out there for air rifles.
As far as mounts go, I try to stick with one piece mounts, and whether you need a droop mount or not... always liked the BKL 260 mounts... not sure what our choices are these days.
There's no time to twiddle your scope. Sit down, set it, forget it.
Thanks to KWK for helping crystallize my thoughts.
This is exactly why I adjust focus, no time to be tacticool.
We keep saying parallax, but I'm really talking about focus. I don't have parallax, because my cheek weld is consistent.
Like I said, I consider it a one time conversion, and never try to focus back out to long range.
10yds-60yds is totally doable
But, no point beating a dead horse, OP want's a new scope; I can totally understand that.
Send me the old one! (we'll see how junky it is now 😉 )
Edit, dang, I was hoping it was a MIJ scope. Usa? pfft... who wants anything made there? 😉
