Red Dot on a Spring Air Gun?

[Archie Klein]

I'm looking for a red dot sight, under $150, that will mount and survive on my Hatsan Mod 25 0.177 break-barrel springer air pistol.  My use is pest control at 50 feet max.

I really want one that is designed for an 11mm (not 3/8") dovetail rail.  But I will use a 11mm to 20mm Picatinny adapter if there is no other choice. 

TL;DR:  I've tried six red dots so far (below).  All have failed mechanically within a couple hundred shots; often less.

Has anyone had long-term success with a sub-$150 red dot on a springer?  If so, what gear?

Thanks


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Hatsan Optima 1x30:  This mounted fine and had acceptable parallax but the dot adjustment turret failed internally and began to spin uselessly.  I later read it may be small screws coming loose inside.  Two of these Optima red dots very quickly failed in the same way.

Hawke Vantage 1x25:  This mounted fine and had low parallax but after only around 60 pellets the dot adjustment turret failed internally and the dot would not turn off.  I later read that this is due to copper bridging on the pc board that  many cheap red dots use as a switch element in these turrets.  Though this one wasn't real cheap and I expected far better.

Ballista 1x30 Red Green:  This mounted fine and parallax was acceptable but the windage knob failed internally and became loose.  Felt like it would come off in my hand if I kept using it.

EZShoot 1x30 Red Green:  This mounted fine but had noticeable vertical parallax out of the box.  At first this was only in the top of the field of view but it soon affected the whole field ie. vertical red dot action was non-existent.

BSA RD30 1x30:  Mounting failed because it's really designed for a 3/8" dovetail and required significant screw force to get it onto the 11mm rail.  Where it might have been ok for a powder gun or PCP but it needed even more screw force to have it hold against this springer recoil.  The screws have square shanks to prevent them turning when the nuts are tightened.  With the force needed these square corners rounded off.  Might have been salvageable by replacing with quality machine screws, lockwashers and nuts but the sight also had noticeable horizontal parallax at 40' so I gave up.

This BSA experience is why I don't want a red dot designed for a 3/8" dovetail but which "ought to work" on 11mm.

[Back_Roads]

 Most likely none available, I have some luck with mid power springers and the $40 reflex sights, but they rattle apart given time also. UTG has a larger dot sight option that has stood the test of time on the harder hitting break barrels, but will need a weaver to 11mm adapter.
www.amazon.com/UTG-Green-Mount-Riser-Adaptor/dp/B004HICPHW/ref=sr_1_9?

[splitbeing]

I've used a hawke vantage dovetail red dot on springers.  Others here have as well.  They sometimes come up on bargain gate but fall under $150 at standard pricing.

[Archie Klein]

Thanks, Back_Roads, I'll look into that red dot.

Splitbeing, I did try a Hawke Vantage.  It failed internally after about 50 shots.  The symptom was that the dot could no longer be turned off.  Investigation by others finds that low-end control turrets wipe spring steel contacts across the copper pads of a PC board, as a cheap way to make a multi-position switch, and that these contacts can displace copper and create a short circuit.   Speculating on the early death of the Hawke unit I got, maybe the wiping contacts were not well formed; and/or maybe recoil shock helped the steel dig into the copper.  Each component sub-factory will build to this typical design a little differently, so the most probable failure modes will vary.  I've actually had more trouble with such turrets coming apart internally.

[Rick67]

Get one that has excellent warranty like Vortex or Burris. I own both, so I’m partial.

DVOR most often have them on sale.

[Rick67]

I think a prism sight, having a permanently etched reticule, would last longer than a red dot.

They’re tall though and not low in profile.

[Archie Klein]

Get one that has excellent warranty like Vortex or Burris. I own both, so I’m partial.

DVOR most often have them on sale.

I take it that their red dots have held up for you on spring air guns?

[Archie Klein]

I think a prism sight, having a permanently etched reticule, would last longer than a red dot.

They’re tall though and not low in profile.

I agree and a prism scope is a fallback possibility.  But I do want the pure point & shoot capability of a decent low-parallax red dot.

A green laser pointer sight would be great for my use but what I've found so far are all junk.  The red ones are junk AND invisible in daylight here.

[Rick67]

Get one that has excellent warranty like Vortex or Burris. I own both, so I’m partial.

DVOR most often have them on sale.

I take it that their red dots have held up for you on spring air guns?

Powderburners, sorry.

If they do give up their ghost they’re sure to be replaced 👍

[splitbeing]

Thanks, Back_Roads, I'll look into that red dot.

Splitbeing, I did try a Hawke Vantage.  It failed internally after about 50 shots.  The symptom was that the dot could no longer be turned off.  Investigation by others finds that low-end control turrets wipe spring steel contacts across the copper pads of a PC board, as a cheap way to make a multi-position switch, and that these contacts can displace copper and create a short circuit.   Speculating on the early death of the Hawke unit I got, maybe the wiping contacts were not well formed; and/or maybe recoil shock helped the steel dig into the copper.  Each component sub-factory will build to this typical design a little differently, so the most probable failure modes will vary.  I've actually had more trouble with such turrets coming apart internally.

Hawke is pretty good about hassle free warranty. Did they send you a new one?

I had mine on a .22 Diana 460 and it held up alright.  It did creep up the rail a bit and needed to be moved back forward every now and then, but on a 460 I'd expect that with anything that doesn't have a stop pin.