Any first hand experience with 4-12x50 Hawke Vantage on a HW95 class springer?

[nced]

I swore off the Hawke AirMax due to the poi shifting I got simply by shooting "three NEW AirMax in a row". After the 3 AirMax scopes I upgraded to a Hawke Panorama which didn't shift the poi by focusing and it was a rather nice scope except for the fact that it wouldn't focus sharply any closer than 11 yards at 12x! The Panorama was sold within a week after receiving it to someone who wasn't concerned about close focus.

IF the 4-12x50 Hawke Vantage is robust enough for a HW95, PLUS doesn't shift the poi with focusing, PLUS will focus sharply down to 10 yards at 12x.....I MIGHT be willing to try another moderate price Hawke, however I'm not willing to buy one "to find out" and then spend money shipping it back to Hawke. I was hoping to get some first hand reports here.

I have viewed a few airgun owner reviews of this scope and it seemed that the reviews were done by PCP owners only which does send up a "red flag" for piston gun use. Actually, I'd like to get away from "side focus mechanisms" if possible and revert back to AO focusing.

[mobilehomer]

Ed, I have a Bushnell AR 223 3-12X40 on my NP2 .22(21 fpe), for over 10,000 shots with no problems. It is very clear, I can read "caldwell' on the target stickers at 50 yards. Focuses at less than ten yards. The side focus snaps in and out over a matter of inches. It is very repeatable. It does not have mil dots, though. If you can, take a look through one. They can be had for less than $200.


http://bushnell.com/hunting/rifle-scopes/ar-optics/3-12x-40mm

[nced]

Ed, I have a Bushnell AR 223 3-12X40 on my NP2 .22(21 fpe), for over 10,000 shots with no problems. It is very clear, I can read "caldwell' on the target stickers at 50 yards. Focuses at less than ten yards. The side focus snaps in and out over a matter of inches. It is very repeatable. It does not have mil dots, though. If you can, take a look through one. They can be had for less than $200.


http://bushnell.com/hunting/rifle-scopes/ar-optics/3-12x-40mm

My favorite scope over the years was a 4-16x40 Bushnell Elite 4200 with AO and it was great for a couple years mounted to a stiffly tuned .177 R9, however something shot loose inside and since the scope was discontinued it couldn't be repaired. Bushnell did send me a replacement Elite 4200 scope but it had a side focus and wouldn't focus sharply any closer than 18 yards at 12x. At that time I tried quite a few different scopes and "discovered" a mil-dot reticle with the cheap $80 4-16x40 Adventure Class Center Point. The Elite had a duplex reticle which I had gotten used to but I really took a liking to the "dots on the line" to use as holdover point. Since using the cheap Center Point every scope I've used has been "dots or slashes on the line" and I did get spoiled.  Looking at the specs for the "AR223" it does seem that there are indeed "dots on the line" which would be just fine. Another issue may be the minimum close focus range and I can't find it listed anywhere so the question remains if the scope can focus down to 10 yards at 12x and also be parallax corrected! On the SWFA site there is an interesting thing listed in the specs that say "fixed parallax"....
http://swfa.com/Bushnell-3-12x40-AR-Optics-Rifle-Scope-P61354.aspx
My guess is that "fixed parallax" is a mis-print.

Actually, the only issues I had with my 3-12x44 Optisan Viper was the size and weight of the thing, however the scope "snaps in and out" sharply when focusing which makes scope rangefinding at 12x a lot easier. While the Hawke 4-12x50 Vantage is a heavy scope it's still about 3 ounces lighter than my Viper but the Viper also comes with a 30mm tube instead of a 1" tube. The Viper also comes with a useful "lighted reticle feature" which I've needed on occasion when there was a dark target set in a dark lane when the black reticle seems to disappear.

Anywhoo.........this Bushy does indeed look interesting, thanks for the link.

[mobilehomer]

Mine focuses a little closer than 10 yards. Also, according to Bushnell it is not springer rated. But, per an e-mail from them, any scope Trophy XL and above is springer rated. This IS rated above the Trophy. And I figured any scope that could handle an AR with its two-way recoil, should handle a springer just fine. And it does!! FYI, the crosshair subtends about 1/4" at 50 yards. I use Avery fluorescent color reinforcing dots as my aim points. 1/2" O.D. with 1/4" I.D.

[SteveP-52]

Ed, I have the Hawke Vantage 4-12x50 AO IR scope mounted on my Hatsan Model 95 Vortex .25 cal. I can't say how the recoil matches up to the HW95 yet though as I just got my new HW95 and because of snow in NY, have yet to get some trigger time.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but as it was explained to me by the gentleman who sold me my XS25, POI changes with a change in magnification but it shouldn't change if you adjust the AO focus. Give me a little time tomorrow morning and I'll get mine outside to try the 10 yards at 12x adjustment. My AO is currently is set at 30 yards with 7 magnification. I've never had it all the way to 12x, so I'll have to test what you're looking to find out. I do know the AO will adjust to under 10 yards but 10 is the lowest number marked on the bell.
Don't know if any of this helps you at all but I'll play with mine and repost tomorrow.

[nced]

Ed, I have the Hawke Vantage 4-12x50 AO IR scope mounted on my Hatsan Model 95 Vortex .25 cal. I can't say how the recoil matches up to the HW95 yet though as I just got my new HW95 and because of snow in NY, have yet to get some trigger time.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but as it was explained to me by the gentleman who sold me my XS25, POI changes with a change in magnification but it shouldn't change if you adjust the AO focus. Give me a little time tomorrow morning and I'll get mine outside to try the 10 yards at 12x adjustment. My AO is currently is set at 30 yards with 7 magnification. I've never had it all the way to 12x, so I'll have to test what you're looking to find out. I do know the AO will adjust to under 10 yards but 10 is the lowest number marked on the bell.
Don't know if any of this helps you at all but I'll play with mine and repost tomorrow.

Thanks for the info and would appreciate any update on how the Hawke Vantage works with the Hatsan 95 Vortex. I'm certain that your gas ram Hatsan generates much more recoil than my HW95 since a "rammer" has a sharper shot cycle than a "springer" to begin with and my HW95 has been detuned to shoot 7.9 grain pellets at 850fps (about 12.5fpe).

[Yak54]

Ed--You may want to consider the Mamba Lite which is about 5 oz. lighter than the Viper.  With your talent & expertise I bet you could come up with a larger side wheel mod for the Mamba Lite.  I have a Mamba Lite on my R9 for a year of shooting with no issues.  Just sayin.   

[SteveP-52]

Ed, I have the Hawke Vantage 4-12x50 AO IR scope mounted on my Hatsan Model 95 Vortex .25 cal. I can't say how the recoil matches up to the HW95 yet though as I just got my new HW95 and because of snow in NY, have yet to get some trigger time.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but as it was explained to me by the gentleman who sold me my XS25, POI changes with a change in magnification but it shouldn't change if you adjust the AO focus. Give me a little time tomorrow morning and I'll get mine outside to try the 10 yards at 12x adjustment. My AO is currently is set at 30 yards with 7 magnification. I've never had it all the way to 12x, so I'll have to test what you're looking to find out. I do know the AO will adjust to under 10 yards but 10 is the lowest number marked on the bell.
Don't know if any of this helps you at all but I'll play with mine and repost tomorrow.

Thanks for the info and would appreciate any update on how the Hawke Vantage works with the Hatsan 95 Vortex. I'm certain that your gas ram Hatsan generates much more recoil than my HW95 since a "rammer" has a sharper shot cycle than a "springer" to begin with and my HW95 has been detuned to shoot 7.9 grain pellets at 850fps (about 12.5fpe).

The Mod 95 is a .25 caliber and I had to get the notes out...it shoots H&N and JSB a touch over 18fpe but it's also softbedded after reading a few threads on here about the benefits of that little modification. I've only got a little over 800 shots on it so far, but no issues, zero hasn't budged and neither has the scope using a 2 piece set of the Hawke Reach Forward match mounts instead of a one piece mount. Time will tell how it holds up to 1000's. The new HW95 is a .22 cal and untouched. Everything I read said buy it, shoot it, enjoy it and don't worry about tuning it until it absolutely needs to be.
Yak also brings up a very good question about choice of AO: side wheel vs front of scope and since I've never had a side wheel AO, I can't compare the 2. Hopefully someone else chimes in with that comparison.

[nced]

Ed, I have the Hawke Vantage 4-12x50 AO IR scope mounted on my Hatsan Model 95 Vortex .25 cal. I can't say how the recoil matches up to the HW95 yet though as I just got my new HW95 and because of snow in NY, have yet to get some trigger time.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but as it was explained to me by the gentleman who sold me my XS25, POI changes with a change in magnification but it shouldn't change if you adjust the AO focus. Give me a little time tomorrow morning and I'll get mine outside to try the 10 yards at 12x adjustment. My AO is currently is set at 30 yards with 7 magnification. I've never had it all the way to 12x, so I'll have to test what you're looking to find out. I do know the AO will adjust to under 10 yards but 10 is the lowest number marked on the bell.
Don't know if any of this helps you at all but I'll play with mine and repost tomorrow.

Thanks for the info and would appreciate any update on how the Hawke Vantage works with the Hatsan 95 Vortex. I'm certain that your gas ram Hatsan generates much more recoil than my HW95 since a "rammer" has a sharper shot cycle than a "springer" to begin with and my HW95 has been detuned to shoot 7.9 grain pellets at 850fps (about 12.5fpe).

The Mod 95 is a .25 caliber and I had to get the notes out...it shoots H&N and JSB a touch over 18fpe but it's also softbedded after reading a few threads on here about the benefits of that little modification. I've only got a little over 800 shots on it so far, but no issues, zero hasn't budged and neither has the scope using a 2 piece set of the Hawke Reach Forward match mounts instead of a one piece mount. Time will tell how it holds up to 1000's. The new HW95 is a .22 cal and untouched. Everything I read said buy it, shoot it, enjoy it and don't worry about tuning it until it absolutely needs to be.
Yak also brings up a very good question about choice of AO: side wheel vs front of scope and since I've never had a side wheel AO, I can't compare the 2. Hopefully someone else chimes in with that comparison.

I WAS thinking about going back to a scope with AO instead of side focus, however, I got spoiled with how nicely my 3-12x44 Optisan Viper snapped in and out of focus to the 4-16x40 CenterPoint set at 12x that I'm using while the Viper is getting a "look-see"! Anywhoo......I forgot how the Center Point focused when rangefinding compared "even to the Center Point" and the Center Point focus was "snappier" than the 3-12x50 Aeon I returned due to focusing issues.