HW30s Short range optic options?

[BigpondCT]

Hi all,

Picked up a 30s recently and have been using it for pest control from 8.5-18 yards. I'm using irons sights now but have been having difficulty maintaining the sight picture and could use some pointers as I'm totally new to shooting.

So far I'm considering a Williams peep or a leopold 3x9 x33 scope, but am open to anything. The scope is more out of pocket but I'm not certain that I'll get much benefit from it beyond the peep sight at short range (never used either). If I do buy a scope, I'm not sure if I should be looking at anything outside of a Bug Buster.

Anyway, any feedback or insight is greatly appreciated!

[scrane]

I went from a bugbuster to a Williams on my HW30. I like the iron sights on this gun, but outside of a pretty coarse reticle the bugbuster is a nice fit.

[Tomcat]

Have you considered a red dot?  I haven't tried one on a spring gun, but I like them for short range on 22 rimfire and C02.  I have been thinking about a RD on my HW30s. 

Anyone had any experience with a RD on a springer?

[dv8eod]

http://www.hawkeoptics.com/hawke-sport-hd-2-7x32-ao.html

Excellent warranty and easy to zero. Don't forget rings.

[EMrider]

http://www.hawkeoptics.com/hawke-sport-hd-2-7x32-ao.html

Excellent warranty and easy to zero. Don't forget rings.

I'd second this recommendation. This Hawke is ideal paired with an R7.

[Petey]

Hard to beat Hawke . Their customer service is second to none.
I currently own nine Hawke scopes and love them all..... My R7 and 30s both have Airmax  EV 3x9x40 w/ map 6  on them . Nice bright image .light weight and perfect for the distances I shoot.

Happy Shootin !
Petey

R7 Custom

[JimL911]

The Williams is nice for plinking and keeps the gun light but to take advantage of the accuracy potential of the 30S you should scope it. The Hawke 2-7X32 is a great fit. At 2 X it can focus below 15 feet. I have Burris signature with mine and the objective is about 1/8 inch off the tube.
Bottom http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/jimlevis911/797a9b52-7e4d-4127-b8e0-537e69749792_zps49bc6aa9.jpg

[cvasquez]

small light springer should have small light compact scopes. And at close ranges 2.5 x is plenty. Take a look at the Leupold 2.5x. Its 8 inchs long and weighs a mere 6.5 ounce with great eye relief and clarity. I have a Beeman SS3 on mine and its an absolute joy at 5.5 inchs long and 6 ounces with 4x and AO !! HW30s/R7 is a precision tack driver air gun and not very powerful so shot placement is critical.

[grauhanen]

The Hawke 2-7 scope is a very good scope for the money.  And it's airgun rated for the double spring piston recoil.  I have the IR glass etched reticle model and like it a great deal.

[cabellero59]

cvasquez's comments about short and light on the R7 interest me.  I've observed in the center fire target/varmint world, the glass keeps getting bigger.  I'm guilty of this also.  I'm running a 4.5-14 Leupold with a fine cross hair on an accurate 22 sporter.  This rifle is good for 3/8" at 50 yds.  With this scope, I can see better, but I'm not sure I can shoot better than with a very clear 2-7 with a fine reticle.  I've been using a fixed 4x Leupold on the R7 and often get .25" at 20 yds.  I'm always lusting to see a bigger target but practically, I'm thinking of sending this scope in and having the parallax reset to 20 yds and it will be perfect.  With the fixed 4x, there is minimal moving parts, and the duplex reticule gives me two aiming points, one at 20 and the other (just where the reticule begins to thicken) perhaps 35 yds.  If I go to higher power, the two aiming points move closer together making them less useful.  Last but not least, for sporting, we seldom shoot in a perfectly calm condition with a exactly fixed yardage.   In this case, the aiming error between a very clear 4x and a 7 or 9 is miniscule compared to the error caused by wind drift or miscalculating the yardage.  What I'm saying is that I usually miss because of wind and a rainbow trajectory, not because of lack of voltage.  I guess I'm trying to talk myself into keeping the compact fixed 4x on it because its cute.

[Petey]

The 2x7x32 is a great scope.....had two of them. Just getting older and need a bit more power and light....

Shoot that AG and enjoy it!

Petey

[north country gal]

This winter I used an inexpensive fixed 4x scope air gun scope with an AO on my HW30S for indoor shooting and it worked, fine, and that was shooting offhand, without a rest. For backyard work, I'd prefer a variable, though, especially one that gets me down to 2x for that occasional shot from a standing position.

Someone asked about red dots. Yes, I did use several models of red dots on my HW30S, this winter, too. Had no issues with recoil, but, then, the HW30S isn't a magnum springer, either.

Did have one issue, however, and that was parallax. Like a lot of folks, I assumed that a red dot is a red dot as far as parallax. Wasn't until I was getting some strange results with some models, that I thought to check for parallax. At 10 meters, some models had a LOT of parallax, some not so much. At such close range, just be sure to consistently line up your eye behind the red dot.

[Powder burner]

I put a $30 walmart Bushnell 4x32 on my nephew's xs12, works well and doesn't weigh much.  It would be a good cheap starter to help you decide which direction to go.

[hawk45]

Currently have a 3-9x and shoot most stuff at 3x out to 25 yds.  Hawke is highly reguarded in the airgun world for durability, but also for customer service when there are issues.  And high power springers will eventually cause issues.  The HW30, not so much though.  The 2-7 would be perfect to compliment the lighter rifle.  If you think you'll want to go to 50yds ever, maybe go with the 3-9 for a few bucks more.

[triggerfest]

Hawke 4x32AO or 2-7x32AO, both provide a clear sharp sight @ 5yrds and that's what you want with a HW30..

[Not The Brightest Bulb]

Currently have a 3-9x and shoot most stuff at 3x out to 25 yds.  Hawke is highly reguarded in the airgun world for durability, but also for customer service when there are issues.  And high power springers will eventually cause issues.  The HW30, not so much though.  The 2-7 would be perfect to compliment the lighter rifle.  If you think you'll want to go to 50yds ever, maybe go with the 3-9 for a few bucks more.

Agree fully and I just switched to the 2x7x32 on my 30 and love it and I have had some Hawke scopes (2) that had problems and they were replaced immediately. 

[Oldgringo]

A common thread through all of these responses is AO.  I suggest that whichever scope you end up with that it be an AO.

[Yak54]

Hi Finn

I have the Hawke Sport HD IR 2-7x32AO on my HW30S, and it is about ideal for the application.  The IR version has a glass etched reticle which I believe is better than the non glass etched reticle.  Just my .02 cents. 

[hawk45]

Etched is always better.  Wire reticles can move or break.

[Bullit]

A simple 4x32 scope is quick, light and easy for the range your rifle will hunt.  I Bet it's a sweet shooter     Simmons makes the .22 Mag that's been around for a long time.  Look at your local Wmart or Sporting goods stores and you'll see that all the major mfrs  offer good fixed power .22 scopes that you can look thru.  Buy local if you can, in case you don't like a scope.   Don't need to spend a lot to try one.   Your rifle won't kill these scopes.