Scope talk

[Blacknsilver]

For many years I used relatively cheap scopes. I took a break from shooting. When I came back after many years a lot had changed. I decided to start off where I left off with a scope at about £100
Very happy with it but I fancied side parallax adjustment. So I spent a little more. £300. I went for the Hawke Airmax 6-24-50 sf 30. Great scope and I could defiantly tell the £200 spent. I recently bought a FAC Air Rifle and spent a little more on another scope. £500. I went for the new
Hawke Frontier 2.5-15-50. After using that for a few hours zeroing in the new rifle and general plinking I was massively impressed. The glass was crystal clear. The retical was very nice. I then swapped rifles in the same shooting session. I picked up the rifle with the Airmax on it. I'm not saying I was dissapointed but again I could tell the difference in quality.
Surely this can't keep going like this? I haven't looked through any other more expensive scopes than my Hawke but curious to know how good these £1000+ scopes are.

What scopes do you guys use?

I will be buying two new rifles soon and I need to look at scopes for them. I haven't got the money for two expensive scopes so I may have to do a little swapping around. The two Rifles I am buying will be the .22lr this will be mainly used for informal target shooting ( range is 100 yards) plinking on my perm and a little hunting.
Then the .17hmr.
What scopes would you put in these?

I'm thinking of putting the 6-24-50 on the .17hmr as this has the turrets to dial in.

The New Hawke sits pride of place on my Matador and works well with that.

[Airbrush]

Once you've had a S&B there's no going back.

[channel12]

£500/£600 will get you a high quality second hand scope from one of the top makes. You need to shop around.

[jmc67]

It is a "law of diminishing returns" with these type of scopes. Something which costs 10x the amount wont necessarily be 10x better. However with the higher cost scopes, generally you get better build quality, a better feeling of solidity, less chance of the optics moving during use, more clarity, less flare in difficult light, less critical eye relief, etc etc, and it all adds up. Some makes of scope offer more of one advantage than the other.

I recently bought a Swarovski Z6i 1-8x for my bolt action 45ACP. Scope cost as much (if not slightly more than the rifle). It is by far the clearest and sharpest scope I have. In fact it's sort of like not using a scope at all - it's more just seeing a perfectly clear image which you can magnify. When I first started shooting I couldn't believe that it was not unusual for people spent more money on their scope that their rifles. Now I can believe it.

The Sightron scopes (especially if you can find them second hand) represent excellent value for money for the type of image they give, so if you don't quite fancy spending £1000+ give them a look.

[Sim G]

I fee that with "gun glass", you really do get what you pay for. Leupold is my choice.

[Blacknsilver]

My budget would be about £500 for the scope. I am still up in the air on what scope to put on what with the rifles I have and the ones I am going to buy.
Like I said the new frontier is fantastic. I think a trip to the shop to compare the two is needed.
The Swarovski z6i is a very nice scope by the look of the review.
Is my budget over kill for a rimfire scope is what I keep asking myself.
I bought a 6.5-20-44 scope but found the magnification to much for my FAC air rifle. So I sold that and bought the Frontier. Really happy with the choice.

What would you recommend for a .22lr target/plinking rifle
Same question for the .17hmr?

[Odd Job]

I like the Bushnell scopes. I have one of these on a .22 target rifle:

http://www.opticsplanet.com/bushnell-6- ... scope.html

It is overkill for that rifle but it has clear glass, a first focal plane reticle and parallax adjustment from 25 yards to infinity.

I regard it as an investment...

[Chuck]

Sorry not sharper, all it would let me post!

You pays your money............

I liked Leupold personally.

LRT Mildot.

[jmc67]

Whoops just realised I put 1-8x not 1-6x for my Swarovski. Times like this I could really do with an editing button....

[ovenpaa]

I have shot with a wide range of 'scopes recently and have been impressed and equally underwhelmed by some of the offerings. For the 25m rimfire class I quite like some of the Hawke offerings, yesterday I was shooting a T Bolt with a wide angle Bushnell which worked well. At the other end of the scale the likes of Kales, KAPS and S&B work however I discovered a long while ago that my 4-16x50 PMII is certainly not as good as some 'scopes I have used, the German S&B 12x56 being a perfect example and at half the price if you can find one.

Lets not forget IOR either.