Despite the fact that gun stores offer a wide range of optical sights, it can be difficult to find a suitable device for an air rifle. This is especially true for powerful magnum weapons, such as the Khatsan-125, which need a really high-quality sighting device, otherwise over time the mounts will simply begin to loosen and break.
Is it possible to use homemade
For a person who understands weapons and understands at least a little physics, it costs nothing to make a rifle with his own hands, and it can turn out to be a very good weapon.
To use such a homemade product, permission from the government authorities of the Russian Federation is required, especially if you want to sell the product.
Domestic military pneumatic weapons occupy not the last place in the world, in comparison with the pneumatic weapons of other countries.
It is important to know: to carry military weapons, you must have permission and serve in the armed forces of the Russian Federation.
Laser sights
LTC (laser designator) is a good alternative for those who want to increase their accuracy when shooting at short distances. The laser sight is also great for shooting at dusk or during night hunting, and also fits perfectly with any other sighting device, since it is not on the top of the barrel, but under it. If your rifle does not have an under-barrel mounting strip, do not be upset. As a rule, most models have small holes into which it can be installed. And the laser center is installed on the aiming bar itself.
Also, a laser sight will be simply an indispensable device for cold zeroing an air rifle. It is enough just to adjust the position of the open or optical sight to the red dot of the configured laser sight. This will save a lot of time and ammunition, and will also make the process of shooting practice easier.
The laser pointer can be turned off at any time by pressing the corresponding button. The laser center is powered using AA or button cell batteries.
German
Walther 1250 Dominator
German guns are just as popular in Russia as domestic ones, since they are not inferior to them either in range or in the quality of the shot.
The most famous of them, the Walther 1250 Dominator, are considered an achievement of the German company Umarex.
The view from it is much wider than that of Russian rifles, which can be considered both a positive and, to some extent, a negative quality.
Expert advice: reviewing the prices and quality of German-made rifles when choosing for yourself is better to produce in a store, even in Russia, and not search on the Internet.
Classification of optical sights for pneumatics
Before we begin reviewing specific optics models, you first need to understand by what principles it is customary to classify these products. There are three main parameters that you should pay attention to at the time of purchase:
- Optical magnification - determines how many times the scope can magnify the image directly in front of it. There are devices with both fixed magnification (3x, 6x, 9x, and so on) and customizable ones (from 3x to 9x, for example). Of course, the second option remains preferable for the hunter, since it allows you to adjust the magnification level depending on the distance from which you plan to make the shot. However, such devices are much more expensive because they have multiple lenses.
- The type of reticle is a very important aspect that hunters should pay attention to. There is a huge variety of crosshairs and their varieties: ballistic, driven, chorus, mildot, tactical, classic and so on. Of course, you can choose a scope based on individual preferences, but professionals advise installing the optics that have the simplest crosshairs on your hunting rifle. In addition, it is worth knowing that the illuminated grids are powered by batteries.
- Lens diameter - many people mistakenly believe that this nuance affects the magnification of the optics. Yes, there is a pattern between magnification range and lens size. However, in reality, the diameter only tells us what radius of vision the shooter has at the time of aiming. However, it would not be very logical to insert wide lenses into a low magnification body kit, since this affects its price. Therefore, manufacturers mainly use large lenses (from 36 mm or more) only on expensive optics.
And these are just the basic parameters that you should know before buying an optical sight. Of course, you should not forget about the country of origin, the quality of the material from which the device is made, as well as the cost of the device.
With a breaking barrel
Turkish rifle Hatsan 125
One very popular model is the Crosman break barrel.
It operates on a spring, but has a gas piston. The benefits are quieter operation, more accurate shots, increased shot range and longer service life.
The Turkish ]Hatsan[/anchor] air rifle is another example of a rifle with a break-barrel cocking type. The initial bullet velocity of these rifles is 305 m/s. They are considered the standard of reliability and power.
Collimator sights
The collimator is the second most popular type of sighting device used on magnum class air rifles.
The main difference from optics is that such a device works on the peculiarities of human bipolar vision - the aiming point or circle is not always in the center. Such a body kit is usually installed if you plan to shoot at a distance of 50 to 100 meters.
Here are the main features by which collimators can be classified:
- Housing type - open or closed. This point only affects how well the sighting device is protected from mechanical damage. Closed collimators are a small tube with two lenses and an electronic grid. In open ones there is only one lens, on which the image of a dot, crosshair or circle appears. Of course, a closed device remains more preferable, however, it costs a little more.
- Type of aiming point. Typically, red dot sights on shotguns are very different from those mounted on rifles or pistols. In the first case, a small circle is used as a sight, which seems to show how far the shot will be scattered after the shot. In the second, a regular point is used, which is much more suitable for targeted shooting from long distances. In addition, if there are those collimators that have the ability to customize the type of reticle.
- Availability of additional functions. Since a red dot sight is considered a relatively new type of “body kit,” it is often equipped with various additional functions that will come in handy for hunting enthusiasts. For example, how do you like the ability to adjust the brightness of the sight - a very convenient thing if you have to hunt both day and night. Or you can change the color of the dot or lens tint depending on the surrounding area and the hunter's personal preferences.
Also, do not forget that any red dot sight runs on rechargeable batteries, so it has a certain charge capacity and operating hours. Some devices discharge after 3-4 hours of active use, others can withstand almost a day. You should choose a device based on the approximate duration of the hunting event. There is no point in overpaying for a device with a high-capacity battery if you have to spend a maximum of a couple of hours hunting.
Pneumatic zeroing
Zeroing an air rifle is an important step that directly affects how effective a particular sighting device will be. However, this procedure is not always carried out correctly, which is why the effectiveness of the optics decreases when shooting at long distances and it is not possible to shoot game. To prevent this from happening to you and your weapon, we recommend following certain shooting instructions:
- We clean and lubricate weapons. It is important to understand that even slight interference during a shot can deflect a ballistic projectile from its intended course. And when it comes to zeroing optics, the importance of cleaning and applying new lubricant increases significantly. Therefore, be sure to thoroughly clean the barrel to remove all carbon and lead residue, and use quality gun oil in moderation to reduce drag.
- We choose the right place and position. In general, sighting optics is best done at a shooting range - an enclosed space. However, if a trip to such an establishment is not possible, be sure to wait for a calm and clear day so that as few negative factors as possible affect the bullet. In addition, it is important to choose a position where nothing will interfere with the view (the landscape should be smooth and clean).
- We ensure reliable fixation of the rifle. Of course, ideally it is better to use a special fixing machine. However, if you do not have the opportunity to get such a device, then you can use a bipod, a sandbag, or any convenient horizontal surface. The less the sight moves at the time of shooting, the better the result will be when zeroing the weapon.
- We start shooting from a short distance (10-20 meters). This will avoid wasting ammo when trying to make adjustments at long distances. It is best to choose the bottom circle of the target as the point for the center of the sight, since it is most visible in the lens. We fire three shots, and if the accuracy remains normal (no more than 1 centimeter), we adjust the optics using special drums.
- Gradually increase the distance to the target. There is no need to immediately jump from 20 meters to 50. It is better to increase the distance by 10-15 meters - this will make the process of setting up the sighting device better. Once you reach 200 meters, you can assume that your optics are perfectly tuned, since further shooting is considered sniping and is carried out taking into account many factors.
Do not forget that it is not recommended to correct two lens positions (vertical and horizontal) at once, since the likelihood of getting confused in your own calculations increases. Each click of the turret moves the lens position by 0.1 millimeter, so the adjustment options are much more extensive than on a standard open sight. However, there is no need to rush, because the waste of ammunition in case of an error greatly increases.
Night sights
Only professionals who are not afraid to invest more in modifying a weapon than it costs itself usually think about installing NVGs on an air rifle. NVD is a conventional optic with a fixed range, but has special lenses that allow you to see in the dark. Such a device is also powered by a battery, the power of which usually lasts for 10-12 hours. Also, such devices have various sighting reticles configured for night shooting.
It is worth understanding that a night vision device is a very expensive device, so it is not worth installing it on a rifle in every case. Most often, NVGs are used for night hunting for wild boar, driving elk, and also for shooting predators that go hunting at night. In all other cases, it is worth considering alternative options for sighting devices and body kit to help cope with pitch darkness. For example, you can install an under-barrel flashlight, and also get a collimator sight with adjustable illumination.
Selecting an optical sight for a magnum
Now that we’ve sorted out the theory, let’s try to choose an optical sight for the Hatsan-125 magnum class air rifle. Remember that it is important to take into account not only the mentioned classification points, but also personal preferences. In addition, buying optics whose price is more than 50% of the cost of the rifle is not a good idea. Also, do not neglect the opportunity to seek help from a sales consultant, who will probably be well versed in the design and features of such a popular weapon, and will also be able to advise several optics models to choose from.
Optical magnification
Considering that most people purchase magnum class pneumatics for hunting purposes, it is best to purchase an optical sight that has the ability to adjust the magnification. However, the maximum should not exceed 9x, since further shooting is considered sniper (distance more than 200 meters) and can only be carried out with firearms. As for the minimum indicator, it is worth stopping at 2x or 3x. It is not recommended to take 1.5x simply because it will not be of any use when hunting - the optics are suitable for shooting from a distance of no further than 50 meters, and from this distance most animals and birds already notice the hunter and begin to run away. If you decide to save money and choose optics with a fixed magnification, then it would be logical to opt for 6x, designed for shooting from a distance of about 100 meters.
Reticle view
As mentioned earlier, the simpler the reticle on a riflescope looks, the easier it will be for a hunter to take aim with it. However, on various thematic forums, hunting experts give several recommendations on which scope to choose for a particular game:
- Corral. Ideal for hunting fast game, as well as hunting in the company of dogs. This reticle performs well when shooting both at short distances (30 meters) and at long distances (up to 150 meters). Drive scopes have a wider field of view because most of the lens is unpatterned. There is usually a bold dot or circle in the center. Not suitable for hunting small game birds (quail, partridge).
- Crosshair. A classic version of the sighting reticle, which can be presented in a wide variety of varieties. For shooting with a magnum rifle, it is best to choose something simple, since there is usually no need for a rangefinder reticle. But the highlighting of the center of the crosshair is quite a useful thing, especially for novice hunters, as it allows you to concentrate much better on the target.
- Ballistic. As a rule, it is used by professional hunters shooting at a distance of about 200 meters. This reticle is equipped with a rangefinder bar to calculate the distance to the target. However, it shows the greatest effectiveness at the moment of zeroing the weapon. Only with the help of this grid will you be able to see how strongly gravity acts on cartridges of different masses.
Thus, for most hunters using the Hatsan-125 rifle, a crosshair scope is the best choice. However, if you are a fan of rutting hunting, then you should give preference to the driven variety.
Lens diameter
Lens diameter is one of those indicators that is most often ignored by buyers when choosing an optical sight. And in vain! After all, if the viewing angle is too small, it will not allow quick aiming at a moving target. For a magnum class rifle, it is best to take an optical sight with a diameter of at least 24 millimeters. However, the more mobile your desired prey is, the higher this indicator should be:
- foxes – from 28 mm;
- hares – from 32 mm;
- deer – from 36 mm.
In addition, do not forget to take into account that the viewing angle should be perfectly combined with the magnification of the optics. If you buy 2x optics with a diameter of 36 mm, you will be able to see half the forest, but it will be extremely difficult to target a small bird. And although this point is taken into account by most manufacturers, some companies continue to produce “exotic” optics that have a narrow specialization. Do not purchase such a model out of stupidity, otherwise you will regret it for a long time.
