Anyone have a decent aftermarket air rifle scope they recommend? My OE scope is trashed and the squirrels are laughing at me.

Konus & Hawke , both budget and good for springers PCP etc. konus has glass etched reticle

agree here

I’ve got Hawke scopes on a 22 and a 22 Mag. They are really nice. Make sure you have an inch pound torque wrench for the rings. The side adjustment for range can’t take much more than 15 inch pounds on the rings. I use fix it sticks.

I have a Hawke Vantage AO on one of my 22 LRs and have been impressed with the value for the price. If you want to go even more budget, the Tasco 2-7x32 adjusts down to 5 yards and is perfectly serviceable for casual shooting and infinitely better than the scope that came with it as a package. That's what I have on my Remington AM77 (Crosman 2100).

Hawke is definitely the one to trust for a very powerful spring piston or gas piston air rifle. There are nicer scopes, but not that will hold up as long on a springer at anywhere close to the price.

What rifle will you put it on?

Just a $150 Gamo .177. From looking at the scopes mentioned, I will be into a scope for about as much as the rifle cost. That’s fine with me if it holds zero for a few 1000 rounds.

The light weight Gamos are real hard on scopes. I think this would match up nicely with the light weight Gamo:
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/...d-rifle-scope-mil-dot-reticle-1-4?a=5165

^That’s a link to the Hawke 4x32 on Pyramyd Air. No need to spend a lot on a big heavy scope that is going to throw your rig off balance. And no need for a lot of magnification on a 30 yard gun. Keeps it simple, light, and handy.

It will still break the scope eventually. No matter what you put on it. But these Hawkes will outlast most scopes 10 times the price on a light weight, powerful break barrel.

Edit- proper rings:

High ones for a multi shot Gamo breakbarrel- https://www.pyramydair.com/product/hawke-match-1-rings-high-9-to-11mm-2-pc?a=7373

Medium for if you have a single shot- https://www.pyramydair.com/product/hawke-match-1-rings-medium-9-to-11mm-2-pc?a=6700

Blue loctite- https://www.pyramydair.com/product/blue-242-thread-locker-10ml?a=1090

I would swab out the screwholes with denatured alcohol or maybe acetone on a q-tip and clean the screws same way. Just a dab of loctite on each screw. You’ll need it to keep things from coming apart. It will need 24 hours to cure.

Thanks for the detailed run down!

Let us know what you put on her👌

Ordered the Hawke you recommended. I will comment once I get it on and run it.

Sight-in about a inch or so low at ten yards and step back to 20 or 25 to dial her in to the center.

At ten yards, ten clicks = 1/4”

At 25 yards, four clicks = 1/4”

Get your left/right dialed in, then your elevation. Don’t try to make adjustments for both. You may find that lateral adjustments also somewhat effect vertical POI and vice versa.

If you must make a big adjustment, cut it in half. Most scopes don’t track perfectly, especially scopes made at a price point.

Don’t be surprised if the first shot after every adjustment hits a different POI from the rest of the group. Especially after a big adjustment. Sometimes the erector tubes don’t settle until after the shock from the recoil.

These are a few things i learned dealing with the optics in the military. Last but not least, don’t rush it.

I was finally able to borrow a torque wrench and get the scope mounted. Took 10 pellets and the last four looked good at 20 yards
3” circle

I went with a different, solid mount. It was specifically for air rifles


I will see how it stands up.
Thanks again @10 Gauge