Are springers hard on scopes?

manbearpig

manbearpig

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Do powerful springer air rifles kill scopes because of their wonky recoil? I've heard it said they're hard on scopes but I'm not sure how much of this is hearsay, or just based on the #%@$tty plastic scopes they typically ship with.

I'm not talking about high dollar Leupolds, but your typical sub-$200 category.. I have a couple of these that have held up to years of hard use on plinking .22LRs without any problems.
Are these at risk on a springer air rifle?
 
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I've got a stoeger x50, she's got quite a thump. Springer air rifles recoil backwards which rifle scopes are not designed to tolerate. As you mentioned Leupold scopes are compatible with springers, other than that you can find specifically engineered air rifle scopes for under $200 - the x50 came with one and the whole package was on sale for $150. She's still zeroed after a few hundred pellets.
 
I always wondered whether that's an old wife's tale or not
in my experience, I have never had a scope failure on a springer while using regular scopes which I have a few
 
A high power springer will eat a scope not designed for their recoil very quickly. Generally the cheaper the springer and the higher the power the faster it'll happen.
 
Mounting the scope securely on a 'springer' can be a bit of a problem... more than mounting it on a .22 LR.
 
Interesting, thanks for all the info.

I've shot plenty of springers when I was a kid but they all had decent iron sights and never a scope. I had a couple pneumatic air rifles which I mounted whatever optic I had laying around on and never gave recoil a second thought, but now I'm considering getting a spring piston PAL air rifle and not many come with irons. I figured I'd just throw one of my cheaper scopes on it but not if it'll kill them.

Hmm...
Any recommendations on a budget air rifle rated scope that's readily available in Canada?
 
Springers not only have rearward recoil but also when the piston reaches the front and comes to a sudden stop it suddenly shifts momentum the other way. Some springers are smoother than others for this transition of “whiplash”
Also I found when sighting your rifle off a bag or rest and then shooting offhand your POI will be different, because the recoil acts differently when shouldering the rifle as opposed to resting on a bag etc.
Field Target shooters “tune” their springers to lessen this for better accuracy. As someone here mentioned the cheaper the rifle and higher powered the less accurate it will likely be because of fighting these forces.
As a result I always go for airguns specific scopes that are built for this.
 
Here in UK where the sport of field target shooting was invented, there are a choice of classes - so I'm told. Springers and PCP. Springers these days, although very VERY good, are not in the same class accuracy-wise as any PCP rifle - all up to 12 ft lbs, remember.

As a lifetime shooter (I mean that literally - I'm 76 now and started shooting at age six] I learned early on with springers what everybody who wants to shoot them with any degree of success knows - they do NOT like to be held by the forend, or rested on a solid object. Instead, cradle it on your hand, or rest it on a resilient object - your hand, for instance, placed on top of the post or object. And buy a scope that is RATED for use on a springer. Reticles that are etched are pretty much immune to going sproing, but those with wires will certainly go futz just when you need it not to.

All you have read is the truth, not any kind of hype to sell pricier scopes. I'm sure that your Canadian airgun specialists will sell resilient scope mounts, called 'Dampa-Mounts', that do exactly as it says on the tin - absorb that scope-busting double-recoil.

I have a couple of springers - one was an attic find that looks exactly the way you'd imagine - crappy. But is still shoots a .177 pellet at 520 fps. The other is my 1960 Walther LG55 target rifle - in a totally different class. Shooting standing, and resting it on the back of my hand in the approved manner, I can still shoot quarter-inch five shot groups at 10m using the dioptre sights it is fitted with.
 
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I have a Diana 22 cal that push 1000+.

I have killed 2 scopes on it, one Bushnell 10X40 and and one Leupold V2X 3X12. Since 2018, a S&B 3X12X50 PMll is mounted, It's still going strong after5 years
 
Here in UK any air weapon over 12ft lbs is classed as a Section 1 firearm - the same as a cartridge-firing long arm or handgun, and requires a Firearms Certificate FAC].

Target air rifles are only 6ft lbs in any case - we are not trying to knock down small game or pests with them.
 
I've heard of the unusual recoil ruining scopes, yes, in one case a very expensive one. That was years ago though and I would have thought that by now scope makers would be reinforcing their optics for the possibility of a forward shove- but I would certainly ask before investing a lot for one.
 
rws diana 48 in .177.
rws lockdown one piece mount & a bushnell 3200 3x9.
close to 1000 rounds & the scope is still holding up.
totally agree that these air rifles require a "cushioned" hold.
 
tacfoley said:
Here in UK where the sport of field target shooting was invented, there are a choice of classes - so I'm told. Springers and PCP. Springers these days, although very VERY good, are not in the same class accuracy-wise as any PCP rifle - all up to 12 ft lbs, remember.

As a lifetime shooter (I mean that literally - I'm 76 now and started shooting at age six] I learned early on with springers what everybody who wants to shoot them with any degree of success knows - they do NOT like to be held by the forend, or rested on a solid object. Instead, cradle it on your hand, or rest it on a resilient object - your hand, for instance, placed on top of the post or object. And buy a scope that is RATED for use on a springer. Reticles that are etched are pretty much immune to going sproing, but those with wires will certainly go futz just when you need it not to.

All you have read is the truth, not any kind of hype to sell pricier scopes. I'm sure that your Canadian airgun specialists will sell resilient scope mounts, called 'Dampa-Mounts', that do exactly as it says on the tin - absorb that scope-busting double-recoil.

I have a couple of springers - one was an attic find that looks exactly the way you'd imagine - crappy. But is still shoots a .177 pellet at 520 fps. The other is my 1960 Walther LG55 target rifle - in a totally different class. Shooting standing, and resting it on the back of my hand in the approved manner, I can still shoot quarter-inch five shot groups at 10m using the dioptre sights it is fitted with.
Click to expand...

^this. Issue isn't rearward recoil (all firearms have this to a greater/lesser degree) as all scopes are designed for that. My understanding is that it's the forward recoil of the piston coming to a stop. The points about hold on springers are correct too, though it took me a long time (and frustrating misses) to really accept that. Ie, zeroing a springer (Diana, 2 of them over the years) off a rest, then missing shots at the same distance when resting on a fence post, edge of a barn door sniping pigeons, etc. I've cycled through some pretty nice rifles trying to disprove that, eyeing up a new Crosman 362 in hopes I'll get the consistency I'm after this winter. Minute-of-center-mass on a pigeon=should be up to it.

D&L is a good place to look/ask questions. They sell (sold?) the HAWKE brand which seems to be a favorite among the airgun crowd. I've owned one and shot behind another, thought the reticles were super busy and the glass very mediocre...but most of them are budget scopes. I'd fully expect them to survive on any air rifle, springer or not.
 
Howdy guys and gals, a couple things I've learned along the way with my airgun journey. The best scopes for springers are not adjustable. 4X for example, no zoom. Less moving parts, less things to go wrong, and it's a more solid build. Alternatively there are many zoom scopes with reputible brands that are approved for springers as well, you'll have to do more research. ONLY pick a springer scope with a strong warranty behind it. Element Optics make a solid unit the HELIX 6-24x50 SFP gen 1 is a tank, like thick and heavy and can take a beating. The newer Element Optics Helix 4-16x44 FFP is a little smaller and a little lighter. I have both of these scopes, and I'm confident to put them on a springer.
 
Powerful springers and nitro piston air rifles can destroy optics. Fortunately I've only had one scope get destroyed and warranty covered a replacement. Sometimes the double recoil will break wire crosshairs, sometimes the adjuster springs are not stiff enough to stop settings from jumping, and sometimes the recoil can be harsh enough to shear off erector screws. I have an airgun rated scope that did fine on a powerful NP until the windage adjustment started jumping. The rifle was an accurate shooter but ate scopes. It previously belonged to a friend and it sheared off the erector screws on his Stoeger 3-9x AG scope and destroyed a non-AG scope of his.

There are a few scope choices that are better than most.

Bushnell - The Banner line won't hold up and wasn't designed for AGs. The Trophy line and up should be okay. The Trophy 6-18 and 4-12 was once advertised as being airgun rated. Bushnell once had the cheap Sportview and Sportsman 3-9x32 scopes that were AG rated but I had the Sportview die on a springer.
Hawke - A dealer recently told me the Vantage line is not AG rated, although some people do okay with them on mild springers. The AirMax line and up are rated for AGs. Good warranty.
UTG/Leapers - I have three UTG scopes on springers and they are doing fine after 5+ years. Unfortunately, we don't get the UTG lifetime warranty in Canada. D&L Airguns will provide a one year warranty for UTG.
Vortex - The importer informed me that all their Vortex scopes are fine on airguns. Good warranty.
BSA - They have the old Essential line and the current Outlook line of springer rated scopes but not many dealers have them. Sometimes amazon.ca has the 4X version.
Centerpoint - A Crosman division. Usually not great optics but sometimes they last on mild springers. I have a cheapo 4X CP that has lasted on a 7.5fpe springer but the glass looks terrible.
Tasco - They have a line of springer rated scopes but I'm not familiar with them. Mixed ratings online.
Mantis, Spectrum, Umarex/RWS, Diana, Ohhunt, Discovery, Element- I have no experience with any of these.


We have a few dedicated airgun stores in Canada: D&L Airgun, Airgun Source, and Canada Shooting Supply.

When I'm searching for a new scope for a springer rifle I have a few characteristics that I look for.
- airgun rated for springers
- reticle etched in glass rather than a wire
- adjustable objective that goes down to 10 yards
- mildots to use for holdover
- warranty
- good ratings for springers
- ideally I would like to look through the scope to check clarity but that's not possible online
 
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I have a Bushnell Match Pro on a Diana 46 Stutzen .177 springer. I contacted Bushnell tech about putting it on a "springer", they replied that it should be fine (etched reticle).
I switch this scope back & forth to a CZ 457 .22 (smallbore Silhouette) in summer and back to the Diana for winter shooting in my 10M basement range. These scopes are supposedly centrefire rated as well.
 
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