Which optics to buy for an air rifle is a question that many people ask. First of all, this is of interest to hunters who prefer powerful Turkish rifles, and our so-called double recoil rifles - PPP.
Let us recall that in firearms, in automatic carbines, the same automation dampens excessive vibrations, reducing recoil, for example, carbines of the SVD type. As for spring-piston pneumatics, there is no such system, and therefore the entire reverse stroke, the impulse, can damage the sight with the bracket.
That is why the manufacturer is developing optical sights for pneumatics that will remain operational under any shooting conditions. We invite you to familiarize yourself and take a closer look at the most reliable and high-quality models, namely sights from Leapers and Nikko Stirling.
Why do we need optics?
As you know, animals' hearing is very, very well developed. That is why it will not be possible to sneak up on the victim unnoticed, but only an optical sight for pneumatics will allow you to make an effective shot at a distance of 100 meters. This is all good, of course. But first, you need to clearly define the goals for which you are planning to purchase an optical sight for pneumatics.
What bullets to choose
In order to zero in a rifle with an optical sight, it is best to use flat Quintor Alpha projectiles, the diameter of which is 4.5 millimeters and the weight is 0.5 grams. This type of cartridge is ideal for sighting shooting as it leaves even marks. Projectiles of other shapes tear or crumple paper, making it impossible to determine the accuracy of a hit down to the millimeter. Quintor Alpha bullets are recommended by many domestic manufacturers of air rifles: MP-512, Khatsan and the famous IZH.
Which products to choose?
Now there are several companies on the relevant weapons market that have already proven themselves well among fans of air guns and shooting from them. For example, Leapers. It is worth noting that the popularity of the products produced by this company has not fallen for several years. The brand's sales are really stable. And not only in the Moscow region, but also in other regions of our country.
Optical sights for Magnum pneumatic rifles are sold by a Spanish brand called GAMO. This company supplies the arms market with a huge amount of relevant equipment, not just optics. In general, the ideal would be to purchase a kit consisting of an air rifle from the brand and an optical sight from the same company. Perhaps it is inappropriate to explain why this is better than equipment purchased from different companies, since everything is already clear.
Since I constantly see questions about what to choose from sights, I’ll start a special topic. I invite everyone to take part. And as usual, don’t give too much away.
And so you bought your favorite one, now you need to give it a vision, the question is what, the choice is large, but just like in choosing pneuma, there is a lot of bad quality than good quality on today’s market. Yes, it all depends on the price, we have what we paid for, the more expensive the better it is in our moneyed times, but nevertheless you can choose a good sight for relatively little money.
This will not be for FT shooting; you need to spend at least $400 on vision, but more on that a little later.
What should you pay attention to when choosing? The first thing is that the magnification/magnification of the scope should not be less than 4x, (from 4x and higher), in general for mid-level pneumatics and for shooting at medium distances up to 30 meters, 4-12X magnification is quite suitable with a lens diameter of 40mm, which is what magnification usually costs 8-10 at such distances is enough for eye comfort. The 50mm lens is a little better, there will be a clearer picture, more light passes through the lens and a little better vision, this is especially noticeable early in the morning or when the sun goes down.
This means that we/you should be interested in sights of at least 4-12×40AO, 4-15×50AO (Adjustable Objective - adjusting the sight to a certain distance). 4-12X, 4-16X scopes usually handle 10X magnification well. If the store has demo versions, I advise you to take the scope, set it at 10 yd = 9 meters approximately, and point it at a target about ten meters from you, then set it to 20, if a large store put the lens at 50 or 100 meters and turn the magnification to the maximum of the scope 12X or 16X and point it at the farthest point and watch the sharpness of the lens, the better the scope the better it will cope with the magnification, if there is a cloudy picture at this magnification, it doesn’t matter, usually it will be a little cloudy already at 12x-16x on scopes up to $100-150 but don’t let that bother you; you have airborne PPP at a distance of 100 meters; you won’t shoot at anything at 20-50 and that’s enough. You should be interested in the clarity of the magnification 8x -10x at 20-30-50 meters, if it’s normal especially inside under lamp lighting, then it will be even better outside during the day. In principle, Leepers, BSAs and Bushnells (American) cope with this.
Now the second thing you need to pay attention to is if you have an SPP and even a magnum. The packaging should say “airgun rated”, which means for air guns, this means pneumatic air guns and means that the optics will withstand double recoil of the air gun both backward and forward, exactly the recoil that breaks the optics, or it will be written “100% shock proof” usually It will stay on air. You also need to pay attention that the box says 100% water proof, and fog proof (not afraid of water and works in fog)
All the same, my preference in choosing an inexpensive sight will be given to the Bushnell (if it is a real Bushnell) they are slightly better than any Leepers, the first thing is that they have fewer options. For this money, Leepers costs almost everything that is on expensive scopes that cost from $400 and above, which is of course a temptation, but as usual, it’s these fancy options on cheap scopes that let them down; it fails in something that cannot be done well for this price and even in China.
Don’t think badly of Leapers/Centerpoint/UTJ are not bad sights for the money; they are more suitable for PCP, since the recoil of PPP often breaks them. The problem with the Leepers is that the 0.0 point moves after zeroing, or even completely resets the zeros during shooting; your rifle will suddenly start shooting like a new Hatsan. In this regard, Bushnell is more reliable and holds 0.0 well. But nevertheless, both Leepers and Bushnells Athletes/Beners and also BSAs are of approximately the same quality. It’s just that Bushnell follows the Chinese better, and secondly, since Bushnell produces optics and over $600 of its Ilit series, as I heard, many parts of cheap models coincide with their expensive counterparts, and since now you won’t understand what they’re doing where, the lenses can be Japanese, assembled in China and packaging in Thailand
===================================================================== Additional information, operating principle and detailed description of optical sights
https://tools-of-death.ru/hot/ho01/ho01/ho02/ho0011.html
====================================================================== Additional information section on the topic:
Rating of optics for IPP magnum class https://forum.guns.ru/forummessage/3/125323.html
Sight for FT https://forum.guns.ru/forummessage/104/335469.html
Here on the straight shooters website there is a rating of optics by strength, they test everything, I know this guy, even though he is a stingy trader, he will honestly tell you what is crap and what is good, https://www.straightshooters.com/navagationpages/scopeselections.html#lightscope
video review of CenterPoint/Leapers 3-9×40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEvU_ClXLOw
===================================================================== How to properly set up your sight:
There are 2 methods actually. The first one is absolutely for the lazy or already pros. In general, a drill siter is used, a laser flashlight is inserted into the barrel to aim at the target and we adjust the sight settings to 0.0 to align with the beam point, very convenient and fast.
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/site/videos/104685/104685%20-%20Boresighter.mov
the second method is folk. We hang a blank sheet of paper, cardboard, whatever at a distance of 5-10 meters, tighten the screw, aim in the center through the sight, don’t turn anything before that except the AO, put it at our distance and shoot once, look anywhere on our sheet. Then we aim the sight at the point of impact and again shoot once, then again, look through the sight to see how much the bullet impact is deflected on the paper, to the right, to the left, to the bottom, to the top. And we introduce amendments. The top sight key adjusts the sight from top to bottom, side right/left. It is recommended to shoot from a rest, I do it sitting or standing as I shoot, then along the way I make small adjustments, in short, 5 minutes or less and everything is ready.
===================================================== ==================== ps I ask PT veterans to also share information about expensive sights and their features, and their recommendations.
Please don't bother too much, it will rub ========================================================== ===========================
Optics price
Optical sights for pneumatics, the price of which ranges from several thousand to several tens of thousands of rubles, are produced by many companies. But it is worth considering some basic provisions. We are talking about a type of air rifle. Some models are based on the principle of air pumping. That is, the charge is not carried out by breaking the rifle barrel. Accordingly, such weapons will place the least demands on optical sights. But a weapon whose operating principle is based on breaking the barrel requires the selection of optics as careful as possible. It should be taken into account that such sights will need to have high strength and reliability characteristics.
Preparatory stage
Before proceeding with the actual sighting of the sight, it is necessary to perform a number of preparatory procedures. For example, it is worth re-preserving the weapon in order to remove the preservation lubricant. If you skip this step, the zeroing will be less accurate.
The algorithm for performing actions should look something like this:
- disassemble weapons;
- we get rid of the working piston;
- remove preservative grease;
- Dry the compressor thoroughly with a dry cloth;
- clean the piston;
- We assemble the mechanism.
Do not forget that the barrel of the weapon must be regularly lubricated with oil. As a cleaner, it is best to use a solvent or a special composition, which can be purchased at a specialized store.
How to choose optics for pneumatics?
So, how to choose a scope for an air rifle? In this case, you should pay attention to some parameters, which will be discussed in more detail a little later. Now let’s figure out whether it is really necessary to mount an optical sight on an air rifle.
Optics will allow you to experience absolutely all the delights of a weapon. The shooter will be able to fully feel how powerful the weapon is and understand how accurately the rifle shoots. Well, of course, you can reveal all the functionality. The main purpose of an optical sight is to visually zoom in on the object being fired at. Thus, the shooter has an excellent opportunity to fire a shot at a fairly distant target. Sometimes what can be seen through an optical sight is simply hidden from our naked eyes. An important step before using an upgraded rifle is setting up your air rifle scope.
Modern sights are quite technologically advanced. For the most part, they are distinguished by very good workmanship. Lately, optics for pneumatics have been winning more and more fans among outdoor enthusiasts, as well as among animal hunting enthusiasts. This popularity can be explained from the point of view of popularizing not only sights, but also pneumatics themselves. Today you can find a huge number of pistols and rifles in stores. Often, even experienced people make mistakes and purchase the wrong models of weapons.
Sights for air rifles have their own special specifications. They have some special features. For example, you should pay attention to the size of the lens. Find out which scope magnification is best for you. It would seem, what does this matter? But the material from which the scope lenses are made also has an impact.
Another parameter that is worth paying attention to is the presence of brackets. It is worth finding out what material they are made of and what height they are. Some riflescopes are simply not compatible with air rifles. Therefore, you need to spend some time studying this issue. One of the deciding factors is the price of the optics. Many people rely on it, but if possible, it is better to buy a higher quality model.
Nikko Stirling for pneumatics
This brand produces shock-resistant models in any series, but also offers a special range of sights for pneumatics – Airking, which can be translated as “King of the Air”.
Nikko Stirling sights are designed differently, unlike the previous brand. Yes, the design is strong, the tube material is ultra-strong, but the recoil damping is carried out by a monoblock bracket with spring screws built into it. They are located at the very bottom of the “crown” and absorb the entire impulse of the weapon.
This brand is not so popular in the Russian Federation, perhaps due to not being on our territory for a long time yet. The popularity is growing every year, and more and more shooters are convinced of the quality.
Otherwise, Nikko Stirling is not inferior in quality to other, more famous names. Waterproof, coated lenses, corrections, reticles with and without backlight. In general, everything that is necessary for accurate shooting. In terms of price, these pneumatic sights should be more attractive, since the price tag does not exceed 7 thousand rubles.
Zeroing in from 25 meters
It is best to start zeroing a rifle with an optical sight from as close a distance as possible. This will make it possible to more accurately determine the flight path of a ballistic projectile and adjust it if necessary. You need to make three accurate shots and find the middle point of impact. The bullets should land together. If the distance between the marks is more than 1 centimeter, it means that the zeroing was carried out incorrectly. Of course, there is a possibility that the weapon may malfunction, but most likely the shooter simply jerked the rifle while firing. It is best to choose the bottom of the circle as an aiming point, as athletes do in biathlon.
Exploitation
Diopter sights are used on hunting, air and combat rifles and their analogues. Some users believe that the diopter interferes with normal vision and is inferior to optical and open versions. In fact, you need to know the intricacies of using this mechanism. You just need to put your cheek against the front of the butt so that the eye is in close proximity to the rear sight. This allows you to correctly direct the front sight at the target and see its clear outline.
A typical mistake when using a diopter sight is to align the front sight relative to the rear sight, the hole of which should be visually smaller. The available size is quite enough to operate the weapon. This is confirmed by practical shooting, as a result of which targets were hit confidently and accurately.
Options
Using the Ural diopter sight as an example, let’s look at the main characteristics of the device:
- The bar is shifted one position by clicking.
- To calculate the movement of the device, the switching moment, which directly depends on the length of the sight line, should be taken into account.
- The average pitch of micrometric screws is 0.7 mm.
- The number of clicks in a full rotation of the element is 16.
- Displacement of the plate in one click is 0.043 mm.
- Possibility of adjusting the movement of the rear sight with orientation according to the firing distance.
- At an operating distance of 150 meters or more, the length of the aiming line will be 650 mm, the displacement of the bar will be 1 mm.
The picture that emerges is that with a salvo at 15 meters, one click will correspond to a displacement of no more than 1.1 mm.
Depreservation
Before shooting the optics on a pneumatic rifle, it is necessary to properly de-preserve the weapon. However, this is true not only for pneumatics, but also for firearms.
A schematic algorithm for this process looks something like this:
- complete disassembly of the rifle;
- removing the spring-impact mechanism;
- complete removal of factory preservative grease;
- cleaning compressor system elements.
Norin sights
The company's product range includes a range of optical sights and only two collimators. Optical varieties differ in the presence of a variable magnification mechanism and the size of the front lens. The delivery set usually includes a scope, protective caps for lenses and adjustment screws, as well as a cloth for wiping the optics.
Advantages of Norin optics:
- low weight;
- low cost;
- short mounting position (suitable for most sighting rails).
Disadvantages of the manufacturer's models:
- low structural strength (cannot withstand strong recoil of PPP);
- inconvenience of making adjustments (requires a screwdriver);
- lack of a clear relationship between the magnitude of the corrections and the displacement of the midpoint of impact;
- Most models do not provide parallax settings;
- the absence of an aiming reticle does not allow adjustments to be made during shooting without tightening the adjustment screws.
Peculiarities
When someone looks through a scope for the first time, they are always surprised by the amount of free space around the front sight. Maximum brightness is concentrated at the center of the hole, so the eye naturally aligns itself and the front sight there. To force the eye to look somewhere other than the center of the hole, a certain amount of force must be applied.
The device in question allows you to increase the depth of field. To check this effect, a repeated experiment is carried out with visually pointing the object at the fingertip, after which they look into a small hole in a piece of cardboard. This element must be brought as close to the organs of vision as possible. As a result, the image will be less blurry due to the fact that a small gap cuts off scattering rays. The main thing is to choose the required aiming diameter, otherwise the image clarity will decrease.
Diopter sight configuration for air rifle
When shooting from a rifle for sporting purposes, the mechanism is almost always used. It is a disk with a hole that moves horizontally and vertically. To adjust the sight, special drums are used, which are responsible for shifting the rear sight in four positions. High accuracy and accuracy are guaranteed by high quality materials and significant resolution when making corrections.
When making an adjustment, usually one adjustment click is enough. The final result depends on the configuration of the diopter sight for “MR” or similar modifications. In case of excessive wear or damage to the mechanism, it can return to normal with a few clicks in idle mode. They negatively affect sports shooting, as the participant may lose points that are valuable for winning. To prevent premature wear, users purchase modifications with several sights that allow you to switch the firing mode to different positions. Additionally, this solution allows you to increase the service life of the unit and reliability when introducing correction settings.
Review results
A sight with a diopter is similar in schematic design to its ring counterpart. The main difference is the presence of a wide base with a small hole in the middle. This small feature allows you to change the properties of the sight, taking into account its low suitability for hunting purposes. The structure in front of the shooter's eye blocks part of the view, which limits observation of the object. In the case of static targets, this factor does not particularly affect the accuracy of the shot. But it becomes almost impossible to conduct aimed fire at moving targets. It follows from this that this mechanism is more often used in sports shooting at standard targets. This applies to pneumatic entertainment, as well as sports biathlon.
Adjustment methods
The diopter sight for the MP-61 rifle is adjustable, like most analogues of the type in question. The mechanism itself is equipped with a pair of drums that serve to correct the position of the user’s eyes in the upper and lower protection. One element is designed to make adjustments up and down. Markings - “B” and “N”. When turning the device at the top mark, the sight moves upward, according to the calculations indicated in the previous sections.
On expensive modifications, the sighting bar is shifted in 12 clicks. In particular, this applies to the Anschutz rifle. The marks are made in Latin letters, turns are made in both directions until the markings “L” or “R”. When using a Gamo diopter sight, the owner must carefully monitor the shift in the midpoint of aiming, making timely corrections. It includes moving the sight in the desired direction. For example, if the target is placed to the right and above, you need to move to the “left” and “down” (“L”/“N”).
