Features for a good Beginner Airgun Scope? [2025-06-11]

[GTA-Airgunner]

Good morning Airgunners!  Thank you for being part of the GTA!

We had a massive windstorm last night that knocked out power and made it impossible to go to the range.  Instead of heading to the range, I started to get things set up for our next "Let's Talk Airguns" episodes.  We'll be filming multiple episodes on Friday morning, and here are our topics:

1. Ultimate Guide to Beginners Airgun Optics - Featuring the Hawke Vantage IR 4-16x50

2. Ultimate Guide to Intermediate Airgun Optics - Featuring the AirMax 30 WA SF 4-16x50

3. Ultimate Guide to Enthusiast Airgun Optics - Featuring the Sidewinder 4-16x50 FFP and Frontier 34 5-30 FFP

I realize that's a lot of HAWKE product placement, but they are an AGW sponsor, and we don't have any other optics companies in the system right now.  On the other side of things, I LOVE Hawke Scopes and would probably focus on them anyway as I feel they deliver good value, features, and performance.  I know there are less expensive options, some really good ones, but I'm more concerned about key features to consider at each level, and these all hit those for me.

I don't want to spoil the plot here, but I'll ask you all.   What are the key features you look for at each level?  What scopes do you use, and can you tell the difference between "good" glass and "bad" glass?  If so, what are the differentiators?

I look forward to your comments!

Thank you for being part of the GTA!

Cheers
Rick

[splitbeing]

Regarding good glass, you know it when you see it.  I got a deal on a hawke vantage and had that experience.  That said, in addition to Hawke, the winchester 2-7x is a go to scope for my needs and great quality for the price while holding up to springer use. 

I think some important conversation pieces might be setting a magnification and then the AO, realizing what happens when you change the magnification regarding your parallax, POA and POI.  This in addition to range estimation and the trajectory curve.

[eeler1]

Don't forget price!!  Seems awfully important to most airgunners, maybe the main factor.

[dan_house]

Important to me? Reticle.

Specifically "Christmas trees".... gotta have multiple points for range finding and hold offs.

[Berserkeley Mike]

Dear Rick, Sir,
Looking back, just a little, what I appreciated in my beginner scopes was quality in simplicity.  If Hawke is currently in your reticle, so to speak, their 4x32 AO was my education in distance estimation, mildot at x-magnification calculation and the resulting holdovers and such, all encased in rather bright and clear, so-far indestructible, glass.  Variable magnification scopes were visual gibberish until I understood that single magnification gem, of which I have three now, my SHTF, hit-on-the-head-can-still-do-the-math, twilight is still bright light, "springer over-rated" scopes.  Even simpler would be duplex reticles, but I think the choice between dial the distance and hold-over diverges at duplex vs. some kind of dot or tree. 
Baby steps for us in the masses, cheers,
Mike

[GTA-Airgunner]

Hey there

Price is certainly relevant.  It's going to be a key part of the discussion.  I'm curious to know where you all would set for price points.  Obviously, there are sub $100 scopes on Amazon that do just fine for most things, but beyond that, where is a good starting point? 

Let me know what you think.

Cheers
Rick

[GTA-Airgunner]

Hey there Mike..

So YES, fixed magnification scopes are much easier to build and less expensive.  The same is true for camera gear.  A "pro" fixed focal length lens can be incredibly sharp and also very affordable.  But then you jump to a "pro" zoom lens with a fixed aperture, and you better be ready to spend some $$ at least if you want a sharp image across the entire focal range. 

I've seen the same with rifle scopes.  The beginner scopes that stretch the zoom, like the 6-24 and the 8-32, especially with a 1' tube, are very murky at the highest magnification.  I would say they are basically unusable and are often bought because of the numbers on the box regardless of whether they are actually usable across the entire range.  Then you have an optic like the Hawke Frontier 34mm 5-30.  It's got a great image across the entire focal range.  It also costs $1300.. so it better be good.

As for reticle choices.. something that helps you have multiple aim points is a must.  These are all great points!

Thank you for your comments.

Cheers
Rick

[chutesnreloads]

I would also ask a priority given to the fixed power scopes.
And not necessarily cheap ones. The zoom and AO scopes are great
but sometimes simple is just better. Even for experienced shooters
For price,  $175 and under for beginners and on up for the more advanced

[GTA-Airgunner]

Fixed powered scopes - That sounds like a great topic aside from this project I'm working on now.  I had an SWFA 10x scope that was awesome.  I would love to have that back.  It was perfect for hunting and much easier for my wife to use as she wasn't fighting eye relief and another adjustment.

Hum.. now you have me thinking....

Cheers
Rick

[eeler1]

I've been conflicted on the reticle thing, at least for a beginner scope.  The concept of sighting it in and then aiming a bit high for longer shots, or real short shots, isn't too hard to get a handle on.  We got along fine for decades until the manufacturers started etching the glass with all kinds of dots and lines and stuff, didn't know we needed all that.  So for a beginner, asking them to dope out their scope/gun for all those dots and lines is asking a lot.  Just look at the crappy (usually) scopes that manufacturers pair in a combo deal for a new entry level rifle.  That's what they think beginners want, a long black thing on top of the rifle that you look thru and makes things a bit bigger than to the naked eye, even if fuzzier.  Beginners often have a forgiving sense of what 'accurate' is, like hitting a full soda can at 15 yards to watch it fly and fizz, and calling it a 'good shot'.  Too long of a post, but I've had a chance lately to look at several different scopes at different price points.  For beginners, I'm with Mike, keep it simple, reticle, magnification, illumination, etc., but step up the quality of the glass.

[dan_house]

Price isnt the concern it used to be.... (excluding any tariffs....) but I'll spend more on a scope for my "better" guns than I would for my "across the shop" cheapie springers

[Rick67]

Hey there Mike..

So YES, fixed magnification scopes are much easier to build and less expensive.  The same is true for camera gear.  A "pro" fixed focal length lens can be incredibly sharp and also very affordable.  But then you jump to a "pro" zoom lens with a fixed aperture, and you better be ready to spend some $$ at least if you want a sharp image across the entire focal range. 

I've seen the same with rifle scopes.  The beginner scopes that stretch the zoom, like the 6-24 and the 8-32, especially with a 1' tube, are very murky at the highest magnification.  I would say they are basically unusable and are often bought because of the numbers on the box regardless of whether they are actually usable across the entire range.  Then you have an optic like the Hawke Frontier 34mm 5-30.  It's got a great image across the entire focal range.  It also costs $1300.. so it better be good.

As for reticle choices.. something that helps you have multiple aim points is a must.  These are all great points!

Thank you for your comments.

Cheers
Rick

I had a Frontier years ago, the 5-30x50 (I think) 1st Gen with a TMX reticle but didn’t have it for long.

It was on heavy sale, so…

$1,300 for a scope made in China, no matter how good it is, is simply ridiculous though.

Hawke seems to think too highly of themselves 

[GTA-Airgunner]

It's unfortunate that "made in China" has a universal negative connotation. It's well deserved, for sure, given all the &^^& they crank out. But there are some pretty nice things that come from China, too. I'm looking at my iPhone and working on my iMac this morning, and these devices are exceptional. So are my Huben K1 and many other airguns and airgun accessories that have served and continue to serve me day in and day out. 

Personally, I think Hawke strikes a good balance between quality and price.  They are sponsors, but I sought them out based on the quality of the scopes that I purchased for my personal use.   I continue to use them some 10 years later, out of my choice as I get offers from other optics companies all the time.  I'm not "exclusive" to Hawke in any way.  I have total freedom to use whatever I want.  I choose to shoot Hawke.

As for Hawke pricing re value and country of origin, that is a highly volatile and subjective conversation, and each is entitled to their own opinions, and it's not my job to try and change anyone's mind.   But in contrast, and I did a VERY quick search for German Rifle Scopes, I found Steiner optics (I don't know anything about them, but being German, I'm guessing they are good??).  A 5-30x56 34mm optic from them is about $2500 or twice what Hawke charges for the Frontier 34 with the same basic parameters.   I'm sure it's an amazing optic, and if I looked through it, I might see the difference, but I'm thrilled with what I get from my Frontier 34s (I have two; I paid the writer's cost for them).

Anyway, thanks for the input and feedback. 

Have a great day, and thank you for being part of the GTA!

Cheers
Rick

[eeler1]

Don't know if I'll be able to do the live feed, but wanted to mention warranty as a feature of a scope brand.  Everyone used to love the Leupolds, yes for overall quality, but also the lifetime warranty.  Hawke is an established brand that has a similar warranty, as do many other brands now.  It's something I look for.

[GTA-Airgunner]

warranty.. excellent point!

Thanks for the reminder!

Cheers
Rick

[Hoosier Daddy]

For a beginning Air-gunner I think it is utmost necessary to stress the importance of A.O.
My first "scoped" air rifle had a nice Hawke Sport HD 3-9x40, crystal clear all through the magnification range... but the fixed objective is set for P.B. distances not Air guns.