How do you feel about scopes?

[markjs]

Personally I kind of hate them.  Now, don't get me wrong, I use them for anything out past 50 yards, I mean who wouldn't?

What I HATE most about them is getting them "dialed in" is a big PITA event, not only that but every time you move one from one gun to another, there you are getting it dialed in again.  They also make the gun something you have to really make a bigger deal of shooting. You can't just point and shoot so easy.

I very much prefer shooting with open sights or a red dot, but am probably more accurate with a scope.

I also don't see the point in spending much on scopes. Seems to me the cheap ones, if you get the right cheap ones do just fine. Its not until you get to the really spendy optics that you start seeing huge improvements in quality, and those are worthwhile of course for those who can afford and make use of it.

Open sights just seems "more fun" to me, and of course also a greater challenge to one's skills as a shooter.  Red dots are cool and fun, but not really something that takes a ton of skill to use, feels like a "cheat" to me.

Speaking of red dots, I sure do miss my 2240XL, that was a BLAST to shoot, hit hard with it's 10" barrel and the red dot was perfect for it. The gun ended up rusting up pretty bad, was stored a long time in humidity. It was savable, but I think it ended up getting stolen.  Pity though cuz I loved the gun, I sure do want another, but they are a lot pricier now. I don't want to bother with a plastic breech 2240, but I might just for the economics of it. I'll eventually get another...

Gonna go shoot today and have a crappy Daisy 880 scope that will fit that or my Crosman 1077, but I'm not going to bother. It does help on the Daisy, but it make pellets so much harder to load!

[Ronfiveo]

I can understand your frustration with scopes, but if you are after precision, nothing else will do it better.

Keeping in mind you still have to "sight in / zero" the open sights as well, but hopefully, only once.

If you're just out plinkin' then scopes are  not needed that much that keeps it fun, but anything past 50' is
mostly just guess work, especially if you are near sighted. 

Killing cans and spinners is cool using the irons, not so much if you want to score in competition.

It all depends on what you want out of shootin' and what you expect the results to be. 

Scope or no scope, happy shootin' .

Ron

[airgunaut]

I threw away the crappy scope that came with my 880. Much later I installed a Hawke Vantage 2-7x32 scope on it, which I appreciate, especially in lower light conditions that are a challenge with the peep-sighted rifle. Both my air pistol and my PB one have open sights.

The scope does make aiming well easier, so I often dial it to just 2x. But when the target is tiny, I use higher powers. Otherwise, what’s the point of having one? It adds weight and I have to check parallax before shooting.

[Lt. Dan]

I guess I'm different, I do hate cheap scopes but I actually love quality scopes, for airguns I prefer Hawke Airmax and I love zeroing them in. I only occasionally swap scopes  between rifles as I buy a scope for each rifle.

[Iowa airguner]

Ok have to say I am not a fan of pistol scopes. Rifle scopes I like and dream of spending a thousand dollars on one some day. But pistol scopes I can’t get used to . I have two pistols with scopes a Beeman P1 with the Beeman scope. And my ultimate 2300T build .   

https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=114568.120

I am actually thinking about removing the scope and changing to front muzzle brake for a forward sight.

[Tater]

Moved to the Scope and Optics gate.

[HOSPassassin]

I have a love-hate relationship with scopes. I have never had a really nice one so I guess I don't know what I'm missing there. A 4x32 AO does about 95% of what I need a scope for since I rarely shoot much farther than 30 yards. I'd rather stalk my target to get a higher-percentage shot inside that approximate limit than try to stretch farther and farther. I used to be keen on trying to shoot farther until firstly I got a rangefinder and discovered exactly how far 30 yards is, and secondly I thought realistically about my typical hunting environment and decided that opportunities at 50, for example, aren't very common.

I have taken an awful lot of critters with iron sights over the years. They don't fog up, get wet, or get knocked out of adjustment nearly as easily. It's a shame more people don't know how to use them or don't care to, and manufacturers don't care to make them.

[Back_Roads]

 In reality I really did not know what a scope was, until I got back into airguns seriously again, my first scope came with a Beeman dual cal. package, I shot with the irons for a month or so, then mounted a scope, learned how to keep the scope mounted solidly. Learned the cheap scope only last 1000 or less shots then is trash
 I have most of my guns scoped, but leave several with open sights as they serve their purpose. I actually enjoy mounting and sighting in scopes, add a little Chair Gun vodo and let some lead fly

[avator]

I need a scope in most cases due to my limited eyesight, or the aging. Learning and gaining experience in hold over/under as well as range estimation is key and can be frustrating. I target shoot/plink so all my ranges are fixed and I know my guns as far as power and range. Ring heights, projectile weight and power of a gun are the main factors.

[maraudinglizard]

I have always hunted with scopes on pb guns but to put one an airgun was unheard of until I started hunting with them. It's a game changer for sure. I have better shot placement when hunting squirrel in dense brush . Centerpoint 4-16x 40mm AO mildot is my favorite scope. Unfortunately finding a good mildot scope is getting to be a thing of the past. There are still some relatively in expensive ones out there if you don't mind the hunt for them. My eye sight is not so good with open sights. I look for scopes with adjustable diopters in them. As for sighting them in it can be a pain but once find the right pellet you are set and done. The majority of the guns I have do have scopes on them. I would go crazy if I didn't have a scope on an air rifle.

[airgunaut]

Adjusting windage and elevation by turning dials/turrets is faster and easier than using little screwdrivers, that’s for sure.

The problem in the original post is the moving from one gun to another repeatedly.

[chutesnreloads]

Yes. Why be switching a cheap scope around to different guns?
When I was younger I hated scopes too. Didn't like a scope on a PB and on airgun was unthinkable.
Got my 1st "magnum" springer in my 30's and it came with a scope. Tried it and found new appreciation for optics.
30 years later and the only iron sighted guns I use for anything but fun are handguns and shotguns.
Sometimes surprise myself with a nice ironsighted group on paper. But that's just paper. Picking out a small
critter in some brush or grass, I NEED those optics now

[Blowpipe Sam]

I realized as a teenager that scopes made for more precise shot placement.  I didn’t have a scope back then but the first gun I bought as an adult had a scope.  There are definitely pros and cons to optical sights.  They get in the way.  They don’t like being banged around.  They are slower to acquire the target.  AO and IR scopes add either another level of convenience or another layer of frustration.  Don’t get me started about adjustable magnification.

If I had my druthers I’d have a collection of fixed power scopes that ranged from 3X to 7X.  Each for a specific air rifle with the objective tuned to the optimum range for that gun.

[Novagun]

Scopes on airguns always seem to me to be overkill for such low powered shooters with limited range. In reality they are have become almost essential for hunting. Your target a kill or not conclusion and it had better be a kill. The scope allows much more detailed sighting than open sights and with the low power of the rifle you need the best shot you can deliver. A scope is also a useful tool for target finding. With a scope of 4x I can distinguish between a rabbit lying low in the grass and the tawny colour of dry hay dropped by cattle. With spectacles my eye sight is still pretty good but a scope helps in low light. Open sights just don't do the job
The trouble with open sights at longer distances is that applying holdover the foresight obscures some of the target. I find that the foresight post needs to be quite thick to be clear. I have tried skinny posts but they introduce some sort of aberration/distortion..
I find modern scopes properly mounted take a fair but of knocking about. Just think, they can take the complicated recoil of a magnum springer, time after time. I do find them susceptible to temperature changes like the difference between summer and winter.
The click adjustments on scopes are covered and not prone to accidental adjustment during use.

Open sight , be they Gamo dayglow or good quality Weihrauch, have exposed ajustment wheels that can be brushed or knocked. On top of that there is a certain amount of play in the mechanism that can move.
I like Open sight shooting and keep some guns especially for that because it is fundamental shooting that should be kept in practice.

[Nukall856]

   Seems as though you have very little experience with scopes, not a bad thing. Like others said using a scope makes seeing what you shooting at alot easier and makes shots past 20 yards alot easier. Most of my air rifles are scoped, though I do leave some open sighted for rainy days or such. Alot of open sights do have some wiggle room or play, "Iron Sights" seem to be a thing of the past. Get more scopes so you don't have to move your one scope around. 4x32mm is enough to do most Anything. To even think to attempt to use a 4x15mm is redonkulous. Also Im not sure your 880, or 1077 or 2240 is capable of +50 yards. 880 can do 50 yards on a no wind day with Alot of holdover and a Mildot scope.

NVak