Optical sights
This type is used for training and sports shooting at shooting ranges, hunting and for outdoor entertainment. Introducing the top optical sights.
Leapers TF2+ 4×32 JSC
Model created by an American manufacturer. This option is reliable and easy to use. In addition, it is of excellent quality. It has a low magnification factor. Convenient to use for recreational shooting. Also suitable for hunting at a distance of up to 50 meters.
The model is made of aluminum alloy, which is used in the aviation industry, so the model is reliable and comfortable to use in difficult weather conditions. It has an affordable price, has IP68 protection, and is filled with dried nitrogen. The gas helps with fogging of windows from condensation that forms in foggy weather and during sudden temperature changes. Therefore, the device is not afraid of moisture.
The scope uses a standard mil-dot reticle. The model is assembled using innovative True Strength technology. Thanks to it, the unit is resistant to loads that affect settings and adjustments, and the position of the sight reticle. The sample is installed on various air-type hunting rifles.
Gamo 3-9x40 WR
The sight is manufactured by a popular Spanish manufacturer of similar equipment. The model is familiar to every hunter. The sample is installed on popular rifles. A person, provided he uses the unit, will greatly improve the quality of shooting, even if he changes his gun. To mount a scope on a rifle, standard mechanisms are required. The body is made of aluminum, so the weight of the sight is not very large - 400 grams, length - 32 centimeters.
The aperture of the sight has good performance. If the target is located at a great distance and cannot be seen, it is necessary to use a special wheel located at the base of the lens. The detail will help the hunter adjust the clarity of the image. Magnification ratio 3x-9x - suitable for shooting a squirrel from a hundred meters away.
The model is used as a universal sight for hunting purposes. A convenient adjustment mechanism and reticle help you quickly determine the distance to the target and adjust your shooting.
Gamo 6×40 WR
A good option with a high aperture ratio, specially designed for strong spring-piston pneumatics. The sight has a wide field of view. Together with its high magnification, they make it an attractive model for novice hunters. The device is protected from humidity and filled with nitrogen. Instead of ordinary rings, the kit includes a monoblock for better reliability.
Leapers Accushot 3-12x44 Mil dot
The pattern is suitable for experienced hunters. It has a variable magnification, presented in a comfortable range of 3-12X. The advantage of the model is its resistance to strong recoil of pneumatics. The sight reticle is illuminated in eight colors of different intensity levels. This is necessary so that the scope can be used in varying degrees of illumination. There is protection against moisture and fogging of the glass.
Smersh 10-40x56 SBF
The model has a significant magnification factor and is used for sports shooting. With a scope, it is possible to benchrest at a distance of up to two hundred meters. The sample is convenient for use in powerful spring-piston rifles and PCP shotguns. The large-sized lens and large tube volume help ensure good visibility at night and in inclement weather.
Types of fastenings
Mounting a scope on an air rifle is possible in many ways, because you can’t count the number of mounts on one hand. However, there are some features related to their interchangeability that will be useful for the buyer to know.
A universal mount called a “dovetail” allows you to install any bracket, and, accordingly, any sight using adapters. The guide rail is installed on top or side of the receiver and has the shape of a trapezoid in cross section, with an expansion from bottom to top.
The Weaver rail and Picatinny rail are a bracket with a rail fixation system. The only difference between them is the distance between the fixing slots. It is interesting that all devices designed for mounting on a Weaver rail can easily be mounted on a Picatinny bracket, but the reverse process is impossible.
Collimators for pneumatics
Collimator sights are used at close range and are usually used by game hunters. With their help it is convenient to shoot at moving targets. We present the rating of collimators.
Model VOMZ PK-R
Sights from the Volgograd Optical-Mechanical Plant (VOMZ) have a good combination of reliability and cost. Compared to foreign analogues, they do not cost as much as 80% of the price of the rifle. At the same time, they serve without complaints for 5-6 years.
The sight is an inexpensive model that can handle double the recoil of a gun. VOMZ samples are considered one of the best in their class in terms of quality and cost.
This is a closed device and is small in size. Convenient for use by novice hunters. It has a low aperture ratio, but this disadvantage is more than compensated for by its robust and reliable design. The model can be used when playing airsoft, hardball and during training events. The mechanism is very reliable - even after a fall it does not fail. Has a high-quality guidance system. In general, despite the lack of ambition, the unit has a stable character.
For people who have recently mastered the hunting craft, the VOMZ model with variable magnification 6-24X, which has an aiming reticle in the first focal plane, is suitable. A similar sample will cost ten to twenty thousand rubles.
Model Hawke RD
The sample is suitable for targeted shooting at a distance of over 50 meters, with its help it is easy to quickly take aim.
The mechanism is distinguished by a high-quality case and has a multi-layer anti-reflective coating. The sample holds serious returns. The disadvantages include the mesh being too large. In this regard, the model cannot be combined with a magnifer.
Model Bering Optics PR
The unit has a high-quality guidance system. But, besides this, it has several useful devices built into it. These include: laser pointer, flashlight. These functionalities useful for the hunter are conveniently installed on the callimator. Therefore, the mechanism will be useful for every fan of airsoft and similar games. The model is easy to use, but its brightness is low and the grid is too large.
First meeting
All firearms experts recommend starting shooting training only with the use of a mechanical sight. Firstly, the weapon in its basic configuration with rear sight and front sight has minimal weight, and secondly, there is a minimum of obstacles and interference for aiming between the shooter and the target.
Mechanical sights for air rifles are available on the market in all sorts of combinations, often using multi-colored fiber optics for better alignment of the rear sight with the front sight when shooting. In addition, diopter sights, which improve focusing on the target, have proven themselves well. During the training process, mechanics will be enough to fully master the shooting technique, and only after learning to hit simple targets offhand can you install complex optical devices.
Brackets
Modern sights are universal in terms of mounts. They are designed for a dovetail seat. The equipment can be equipped with a “tail” bracket or a side bar. The latter option is often used for firearms. You may not find the bracket in the box, so you will have to buy it separately.
Now about the types of brackets. They can be monoblock or separate, from 2 parts. In the first case, the tube is rigidly connected to the general structure by rings. In the second, you can more carefully adjust the alignment of the sight in relation to the barrel. But you will have to use the weapon as carefully as possible. Inaccurate use will cause the tube to bend.
The closer the sight is to the barrel, the fewer adjustments there are. The other side of the coin is that using a standard open sight in this case is impossible; it will have to be removed, since the “front sight” lies in the field of view of the lens. The high bracket allows you to freely use the “native” aiming devices, which is extremely convenient for close and long-range shooting at the same time.
The bracket material can be as follows:
- steel;
- silumin;
- duralumin.
Duralumin and steel are priority metals, since silumin is extremely fragile. Steel fixing screws on silumin / duralumin brackets often lick the threads, so tighten as carefully as possible, without a “last” turn. Also take care of an additional stopper so that the optics do not slip due to vibrations when firing.
The best of the best
But optical sights for air rifles are considered to be the best device for effective shooting. And if the buyer thinks that choosing the right device will not be difficult, then he is greatly mistaken, because sometimes choosing a rifle is easier than choosing the right optics for yourself.
- Lenses. When looking from different angles when choosing, you need to exclude the presence of all kinds of chips, scratches, bubbles and other defects on the glass that will interfere with aiming.
- Lens and eyepiece. In addition to the fact that everything in the device should be adjusted to the owner’s vision, use should not cause discomfort.
- Line of sight. The larger it is, the more convenient it is to aim. And zeroing the optical sight of an air rifle without specialized equipment will be more effective.
- Housing and aiming system. Although these are minor factors, high-quality case material will reduce damage to the optics upon impact, and convenient focusing wheels will allow you to make adjustments without taking your eyes off the eyepiece.
Reticle
Choosing a scope brand is a purely personal matter. The pattern on the optics can be different, so it all depends on preferences and tastes. Although there are special sniper scopes, equipped with additional adjustments and lacking the crosshairs that many are accustomed to. Instead, you can see triangular marks.
For the best choice, you should go to the store and test all the main designs “by eye” in order to have a more complete understanding of the brands.
Entertainment devices
The use of a laser pointer and collimator for rifles is interesting only in the first days of purchase. Aiming is several times faster, and the object itself is better visible. Naturally, the accuracy and rate of fire increases significantly. But such a scope for an air rifle limits the shooting distance. The further away the target, the bolder the point of the laser beam, or the complete darkening of the object in the collimator.
Such devices are more interesting for owners of short-barreled weapons, which have a firing limit of more than fifty meters. Judging by numerous reviews from owners of air guns, the laser designator has proven itself to be excellent on automatic weapons capable of firing bursts.
