Top scope vs a Good scope - price range comparrison

[mrmetheman]

Trouble is, you asked about a "top class" scope - which is not going to be available within your budget, especially when some people on here are serious enthusiasts with gear worth several thousand pounds per set up.

Regardless of all that - rudeness is inappropriate by anybody and everybody in my opinion.
If you don't like the answer then scroll on.

As I understand it, a reflective personality means being a deep thinker - how does that fit in here?

Reflective means being able to reconsider an action or reaction too, adjust, reframe, admit fault or stand fast after cobsidering the circumstance.
Glass is also partly reflective, and it was used intentionally as a word-play.
My rudeness has been fully appoligized for and I remain apologetic.

 

[mrmetheman]

I have also mentioned in context, it does actually say a top class scope for each of the price ranges listed. I have even agreed previously that my language here was badly chosen and perhaps should have said "best for this price.. and second best for this price" but it wont let me edit it.

 

[Backgardenplinker]

2nd hand konus pro 3-9x32AO. £50 i think. Even new it would still be in the lowest bracket quoted.

Good one for really low end. Works fine on my HW77. Ive used it for BR20 targets and a 5p sized 5 shot group at 50m rested before.

Dont need to spend more but guess its nice if you can

 

[NEIL MCMLX]

I have bought a wulf fireball 6-12x50 with my rifle in a pack deal. No idea what its like. I rely on reviews and internet shopping. My wife is panicking that Im off to the range on my own, me legs don't work, you see. So hoping more people can comment suggestions.

You should look at the Wulf lightning range too, little bit more money, loads of scope

 

[Byronic]

My most expensive scopes have been around the £120-ish mark whether new or used.

Are they "top class?"
Probably not - but they do all that I need.

Hawke Panorama 3-12 x 50 AO is my favourite, closely followed by my Vector Veyron 10x44.
Side focus is a neat gadget and fun to use but AO is not a problem to use for me.

What is more important - i.m.h.o. - is finding a scope that suits you, your eyes and your shooting use.
Too many variables for other people's opinions to carry much weight for me - need to look through them under "real world" circumstances if at all possible.

 

[mrmetheman]

I like the look of the wulf lightning 30e up to 24 mag, with IR... but not sure I need that on a small range... thats the one I was currently saving for, anyhow. I dont even know if wulf are good, sounds wild... might look shite... find out tomorrow.

 

[mrmetheman]

My most expensive scopes have been around the £120-ish mark whether new or used.

Are they "top class?"
Probably not - but they do all that I need.

Hawke Panorama 3-12 x 50 AO is my favourite, closely followed by my Vector Veyron 10x44.
Side focus is a neat gadget and fun to use but AO is not a problem to use for me.

What is more important - i.m.h.o. - is finding a scope that suits you, your eyes and your shooting use.
Too many variables for other people's opinions to carry much weight for me - need to look through them under "real world" circumstances if at all possible.

Vector Veyron, now that sounds cool, like something from hitchikers guide to the galaxy.
Id buy that for the name.

 

[Byronic]

Vector Veyron, now that sounds cool, like something from hitchikers guide to the galaxy.
Id buy that for the name.

Probably not the best criterion for choosing a scope but . . . .

Vector Optics Veyron 10x44 SFP Compact 0.1MRAD Etched MPR-V5 30mm Rifle Scope

Introducing the Vector Optics Veyron 10x44 SFP Compact Rifle Scope, a powerhouse of precision in an ultra-short design.

www.opticswarehouse.co.uk

Very good price - less than I paid.
Good scope.
Clear image, holds its zero, good turrets.
My only reservation is that the reticle is a bit feint for my tastes.

You might not like it - scopes are a very personal choice.

 

[pjgtech]

If you can get to a shop or range or club and try out a few scopes, eg: look through them, that will really help, as not everyone likes the same scopes. we can recommend what we have, etc, but ultimately its down to what suits you and your eyes. If you are on a low budget you can still get reasonable scopes. It will also depend on what type of shooting you are doing, eg: garden plinking, target work, hunting, HFT/FT, BR, etc and at what ranges, eg: 10m, 25m, 50m, etc.

 

[pjgtech]

7 days in a got a strop on?! Probably need to wind your neck in a bit!

He as apologised now, (more than once) so fair play to him for that, I think he just worded his original query a bit ambiguously. We all make mistakes, its whether we learn from them or not and how we react afterwards that matters IMHO.

 

[NEIL MCMLX]

My most expensive scopes have been around the £120-ish mark whether new or used.

Are they "top class?"
Probably not - but they do all that I need.

Hawke Panorama 3-12 x 50 AO is my favourite, closely followed by my Vector Veyron 10x44.
Side focus is a neat gadget and fun to use but AO is not a problem to use for me.

What is more important - i.m.h.o. - is finding a scope that suits you, your eyes and your shooting use.
Too many variables for other people's opinions to carry much weight for me - need to look through them under "real world" circumstances if at all possible.

I don't know about you, but I was pleasantly surprised by the veyron. Way better than I was expecting.

 

[NEIL MCMLX]

Probably not the best criterion for choosing a scope but . . . .

Vector Optics Veyron 10x44 SFP Compact 0.1MRAD Etched MPR-V5 30mm Rifle Scope

Introducing the Vector Optics Veyron 10x44 SFP Compact Rifle Scope, a powerhouse of precision in an ultra-short design.

www.opticswarehouse.co.uk

Very good price - less than I paid.
Good scope.
Clear image, holds its zero, good turrets.
My only reservation is that the reticle is a bit feint for my tastes.

You might not like it - scopes are a very personal choice.

Sits atop a hw30 nicely

 

[NEIL MCMLX]

I like the look of the wulf lightning 30e up to 24 mag, with IR... but not sure I need that on a small range... thats the one I was currently saving for, anyhow. I dont even know if wulf are good, sounds wild... might look shite... find out tomorrow.

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it

 

[NEIL MCMLX]

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it

I have that on my fenix400 usc

 

[Danthepainter]

The hard facts are that making precision optical instruments is expensive. Manufacturers know this all too well. Until you've looked through a decent mid- to upper range scope, it's impossible to explain to somebody what they're not seeing with a budget alternative. Thus the makers offer high magnification and large objective lenses to try to 'brute force' the issue. I read time and again on here that someone needs more magnification. The reality is that they probably have too much and the big 44mm+ lenses are actually robbing them of optical resolution. Unless you need to range- find (high zoom for FT) or shoot BR (high fixed power), high mag is somewhat a curse. All the big extra lenses needed ruin the fidelity of the image unless you are prepared to pay for them. The amount of lenses between the objective and your eye therefore must be kept to a minimum to retain clarity. Anything else is bells and whistles that don't help and only add complexity and weight.
As to scope price versus cost of the rifle, I absolutely will spend more on the scope than the rifle. Unless you are on an extremely low budget, most rifles will outshoot the owner. So why make things hard for yourself by using an optical sighting device (you know, the actual connection between you and the target?} that gives an indistinct, washed out sight picture with internals that won't track and re- centre repeatedly? I contend that that's the false economy.
And don't get me started on silly reticles and illumination...

 

[Rich79]

£51-£100

£101-£150

£151-£200

£201-£250

£251-£300

We're talking new yeah?

£51-£100
I normally wouldn't bother but if I had to then the Nikko Panamax with etched reticle.

£101-£150
This is hard because secondhand I'd buy a Bushnell Legend for this.
Maybe a new Panamax again or the next level up.

£151-£200
Used Nikon all day long
If I can find a new Optisan on a deal I'd get one of those, to be honest I've not tried much in this bracket.

£201-£250
Hmmm, again secondhand you're moving into low end decent used glass like Bushnell Elites etc
New, definitely an Optisan or maybe an Arken if I can look through one before I buy.

£251-£300
This is where I normally pick up used Bushy Elites or Leupold VXiii's.
New probably a Falcon.

But in any category never a Hawke.

 

[Johnny Rogue]

He as apologised now, (more than once) so fair play to him for that, I think he just worded his original query a bit ambiguously. We all make mistakes, its whether we learn from them or not and how we react afterwards that matters IMHO.

Yeah, I actually deleted my post when I saw that.... but now that you've quoted it, I guess it's here for ever.

 

[Paynut]

Scopes are a personal thing IMO, I have several in the 250/300 range, all MTC Copperheads, fantastic scopes which suit me, maybe not others.
Also scopes in the 100/150 range which work well, Hawke, Wulf etc.
Try before you buy within your budget ranges to see which are suitable

 

[Thegogg]

I’m with this.

Top scopes are £1500-£3000, a mid range one is more like £300-500 for air guns, sub £300 is very much at the entry level stuff, but you have to be reasonable in what your after, so I suspect your asking the wrong question with the wrong wording?

For general air gun use I’d say to balance the cost of the scope with the cost of the gun you’re putting it on. It’s not a hard and fast rule, but who puts a £500 scope on a £300 gun? So perhaps have a scope around a third of the price of the gun just as a sense check?

I’m not a fan of Nikki Sterling, I think Hawke have a good range of air gun suitable scopes at decent prices, well within your price groups, and if you go for specific scopes for specific jobs - like BR, then certain models like the sentinel stand out as brilliant value for money.

I'm the polar opposite on Nikko Stirling and Hawke, as I believe the Nikko Stirling Diamond Long Range of scopes are fantastic value for money and within your allotted budget and are far better than anything from Hawke in the same price range. I recently bought a Hawke Frontier 5-30x50 but soon replaced it with a Nikko Stirling Diamond Long Range 6-24x50 I already owned, as to my eye the glass was far better but it's each to their own I suppose so I'd suggest trying anything before going with someone else's recommendation.

 

[Shultz & Larsen]

The problems you will face in 2026 is that the scope market, along with most things, is awash with both brand and choice. Sadly, this situation is almost always accompanied by its troublesome bedfellow, confusion.

Back when I were a lad, moving from open sights to what is now a very rudimentary set up of a fixed 4x32 or 6x40 would put you in sniper class albeit self perceived in a lot of cases I might add! These scopes were usually quite good quality and from what are now seen to be reputable manufacturers of the time made from decent glass and materials.

Time marches on and shooters were becoming aware of the shortcomings, (real or perceived), of fixed focus / fixed magnification. These problems were addressed by manufacturers so we got variable control for each of these adjustments. Then, objective size became a thing, followed by reticle design, side focus, illumination, tube size, MOA's and MIL's, night scopes/day scopes. I could go on but this is where manufacturers saw a market and try to fill it ending up with the myriad of choices from the myriad of manufacturers that I mentioned above.

How then, do I answer your question? Firstly, I will own up to having been round the houses with scope purchases but I have come back home so to speak and now apply the KISS principle of fixed 4's, 6's and, pushing the boat out a bit, variable 3-9's to side focus 4-16's. None of these having an objective larger than 44mm and the manufacturers being either Hawke or Optisan.

You will find something within your price range, I can guarantee it but the best advice I can give is that you MUST see scopes in person and spend time looking at and through them. Have a day out to Forest Lodge in Wragby and compare various models and prices, it's the combination of your eyes and the scope that really matter.

The above is the advice most given here when it comes to scope choice after having decided what type of shooting you intend on doing.

Got to love a fixed 4x32 or 6x40 though, it's where it all started for me