Red dot scopes - they any good

[ManDownUnder]

Looking for a new scope for the .117 air rifle... the gun's a ripper (1000fps, BSA Meteor) but the scope's bugger ever since the day the Bro in Law put his eye right up behind it and pulled the trigger.

He got cut above the eye... and the scopes up and down left and right... fucken hopeless.

That and the mynahs are breeding like rabbits around our place.

Thoughts and recommendations/warnings on the red dot scopes?

[SARGE]

just learn to shoot Iron Sights ya nana

[The Pastor]

The hard kore red dot scopes are worth wile (for high powerd hunting rifles) but they are $500 - to many 000's

The little $40 trade me ones are shit. - had one on mine for a while utter rubbish.

Iron sights on air rifles are the only thing for hunting rabbits/brids/opossums as they don't have a decent range you need to quickly get them in your sights.

I have a scope on my .177 and to tell the truth my iron sights are alot more accurate. Scopes just look cooler.

[ManDownUnder]

just learn to shoot Iron Sights ya nana

Hey groucho - that didn't take you long.

Iron sights work fine generally, but they're a bitch on/near and after dark... and my eyes don't like doing the 3 focal legths thing... near sight far sight and target...

[Motu]

You didn't go to the gun show on the weekend then? Not as many guns apparently,but heaps of scopes....

[The_Dover]

My god SARGE, something we agree on.

Never liked scopes as much as iron sights, too easy to knock about.

[The_Dover]

Hey groucho - that didn't take you long.

Iron sights work fine generally, but they're a bitch on/near and after dark... and my eyes don't like doing the 3 focal legths thing... near sight far sight and target...

I'd be careful shooting after dark out your way Nige, you might accidently pump a few stray rounds into any cop cars heading up 16/Peak Rd/ Old North Rd.

[ManDownUnder]

You didn't go to the gun show on the weekend then? Not as many guns apparently,but heaps of scopes....

Na - I have a thing about the idiots that go to gun shows. Some have a genuine interest in guns, hunting and ballistics, but so many are wannabe gangsters that give me the shits.

I'm happy as a pig in poo in a gun shop, but not at gun shows.

[What?]

Forget the scope - stick a JR Laser on it - well under $300 these days.

[Smokin]

I could never really get the hang of red dot scopes, What about a laser?

Doh, missed the last post

[Motu]

Na - I have a thing about the idiots that go to gun shows. .

I have the same problem with bike shops,bike shows and organised rides - I want to be as far away from ''enthusiasts'' as possible.

[Pixie]

Spring operated air rifles give cheap scopes a hard time due to the recoil.
I have a collimating sight on my gun ( orange ring image ) and it's fine.
The only disadvantage is it doesn't work at night or in poor light

[scumdog]

Spring operated air rifles give cheap scopes a hard time due to the recoil.
I have a collimating sight on my gun ( orange ring image ) and it's fine.
The only disadvantage is it doesn't work at night or in poor light

Hmm, this brave speak the truth!

Air-rifles (of the compressed spring variety) pound scopes to death with their jarring each time they're fired and the spring hits the stops.
.22 scopes which would be ok on a .22 last as long as a chicken in an Ethiopean refugee camp.
Centre fire scopes last a bit better but focal length, parallax etc mean they're not so suitable for the ranges a slug-gun is used.

Red dots are so-so, fine in bush for running shots but not as good as a scope with a 30-30 (or 'sniper') recticule (sp?) for what your intended purpose, get an air-rifle specific scope of good quality and of no more than 4X and you should be ok.

Apareture sights are pretty good too if you want to stick with iron sights, they have a longer sighting radius than the old V-notch half-way down the barrel and are quicker to line up.

(Removes white coat with 6 pens in breast pocket (with pocket-protector already there) , tucks spectacles in spectacle case and leaves the classroom).

[Swoop]

^^Good one Scummy!!
Pen protector as well...


MDU. I use a Tasco ProPoint PDP3 on something that has a bit of recoil, and it has lasted well for many years. I do not know how it would last with the jarring of the air rifle (as others have stated), but it has served me well.

[Skyryder]

I use to go out with a guy when I was working in the forestry who never used his gun sights. An old geezer then, he'd be dead by now, but we got to talking about this 'sightless' shooting. He was taught to shoot by his old man, point the rifle at the target and shoot. His technique was up and bang. No thinking. The theory behind this is at the first instant that you point at something with your finger, or a rifle barrel both eyesight and barrel are cordinated on the target. It's quick and fast and takes some practice but this guy realy missed at what he shot at.

If you have the time and ammo????????????????

Skyryder