Ordered a Hawke Sidewinder, received an Airmax. Should I return it?

[Suburban]

I bought a Sidewinder 30 3-12x50 that was DOA.  I'm pretty sure the erector tube return spring was missing, incorrectly installed, or permanently compressed.  I could crank the turrets a full turn without the point of impact changing.  Return went well, not too mad about it.

I ordered another from Amazon, which was fulfilled by a airgun shop.  I knew something was amiss when I got home from work.  The box was too small.  Inside was an Airmax 30 3-12x50 scope.  I definitely ordered a Sidewinder, but the price is the same, or near enough.

The Hawke box wasn't sealed, so I checked it out.  It focuses better at closer range than the Sidewinder did, although the minimum for the side-focus on both is 10 yards.  The adjustment turrets are a little bit smaller, I think.  Airmax has a Christmas tree reticle vs. a more standard mil-dot crosshair.  The only cons I can think of, from initial inspection is that reticle illumination is red only (Sidewinder has green and red), and resale for an airgun scope might be a bit trickier.  Okay, the Airmax didn't come in a hardcase, but really, who cares?

Thoughts?  If it makes any difference, I only own a single-stroke pneumatic, and a PCP, and I probably will never buy another springer.

[SteveP-52]

I have the scope, mounted on my one and only PCP (see my avatar pic) and have absolutely no regrets buying it. IR may only be red but works very well on the low setting without being any kind of distraction. The "christmas tree" is actually designed so that every line of the boxes is another holdover giving you 10 mildots worth and the horizontal lines between the upper mildots are spaced for half mildot intervals so if you want say 2 1/2 mildots of holdover, you know exactly where it is.

You should also have no trouble in the future selling it as it will work just as well on a powder burner as it will on an air rifle

[Habanero69er]

Unless the Sidewinder was a special low price, I'd say Amazon owes you back some money. Despite the price difference, the Airmax is a good scope too. BTW, Hawke scopes are springer rated too.

[bandg]

I have both and like both but as noted the Sidewinder must be more expensive so I would expect a refund as well if keeping the Airmax.  If I had to choose one over the other it would probably be the Sidewinder but there isn't that much to separate them to me.

[wimpanzee]

I would send it back and demand the correct item. Don't let them get away with being sloppy.

[PCPhack]

Absolutely return, and report it to Amazon. The Airmax is a cheaper scope.

[Suburban]

The actual vendor, who I'm not going to name (they're a forum sponsor), is blaming Amazon for not listing the scope as the correct product.
 What I paid for the scope is only $5 more than the cheapest that I can currently find for the Airmax scope, and a significant amount less than some vendors prices, so I think I am inclined to believe them.  They don't have any of the 3-12x50 Sidewinders to exhange, but offered a refund and to pay the return shipping. 

Overall, I actually think I like the Airmax a little more than the Sidewinder, at least for my current needs.  I think I'm just going to keep it.

[bandg]

Problem solved.