You spend a lot of money on your air rifle, but you may not be satisfied with optics. Optics supplied with your air gun may not match the potential and precision of your rifle.
I have curated a list of 11 best scope for air rifle target shooting UK that would improve the strength of your air rifle.
At the end of this article, I would also discuss the important factors to consider on how to choose the best scope for air rifle target shooting.
Let’s start.
Best Scope For Air Rifle Target Shooting UK
#1. Hawke Sidewinder 30IR 8-32X56 SF
Hawke sidewinder 30IR 8-32X56 SF has 8x to 32x magnification with no distortion or blurring making it suitable for air rifle target shooting.
The turrets are pre-fitted and have the popular push-pull lockable design. Three rotations are available on each turret. This allows for plenty of adjustment. You get a third turret on the left for side parallax adjustment.
You get an illuminated reticle with red or green color. The reticle is glass etched ensures robustness. A free dedicated software is available online via Hawke’s ballistic reticle calculator for you to calculate and predetermine aim points.
Pros:
- Premium quality optics.
- Side parallax adjustment.
- Illuminated reticle.
Cons:
- Mounts are not included.
Best For: Air rifle competitions.
#2. Delta Optical Titanium 4.5-14×44 FFP
The Delta Optical Titanium 4.5-14×44 FFP is a product of Light optical factory in Japan with 4x to 14x magnification and has the reticle in the first focal plane.
This means that the reticle size varies with change in magnification which gives you a constant ranging scale throughout the zoom. (As shown in snapshot below).
The scope’s reticle come with the important + or – ½ mil-dot hold under or over hold markings. This lets you gauge your target and adjust the aim taking the force of gravity into consideration. These markings hold true across the variable magnification.
The 44mm objective of Delta Optical Titanium 4.5-14×44 FFP fits closer to the barrel minimizing your trajectory problems. The scope is made of high-quality Japanese lenses to give you clear image production.
Delta optical titanium scopes inside are filled with nitrogen that makes it water and fog proof.
Pros:
- The reticle in the first focal plane, magnifies along with zoom.
- Durable construction – Fog and waterproof.
Cons:
- The instruction manual is not informative.
Best For: Huter field target sports.
#3. BSA 3-9×50 Essential TELESCOPIC Air Gun Rifle SCOPE Sight + 11mm 3/8″ Mount
BSA 3-9×50 is a budget telescopic air gun rifle scope suitable for modern air rifles and .22 rimfires. The scope offers you 3x to 9x magnification.
With BSA 3-9×50, you get a big 50 mm front lens for superb light gathering that allows the scope to produce bright and sharp images. The scope is braced to take the 2-way harsh recoil of spring-piston air rifles.
The scope has an eye relief of 3.5 inches which is enough to make up for gun recoil so that scope does not hit your eye. You can adjust parallax from 10 yards to infinity.
The scope comes with coated optics, with metal lens caps included. BSA 3-9×50 is waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof.
Pros:
- Crystal clear optics.
- Quick dial turrets for fingertip adjustment.
- Durable build.
Cons:
- The dovetail mount is flimsy.
Best For: Target shooting and hunting.
#4. Aztec Emerald 5.5-25×50
Aztec emerald 5.5-25×50 is designed with the inputs of specialist airgun shooters. The scope offers you 5.5 to 25x magnification. The emerald line uses excellent glass clarity with accurate range finding to give you a perfect aim.
Aztec emerald has a well-marked reticle in the second focal plane which means when you zoom, the reticle stays the same size. Turrets are well marked and click values are ¼ MOA(Minute Of Angles).
The reticle is designed by leading competitors to provide you with the best in field trajectory and range estimation. The scope has side focus parallax correction for ease of use.
The turrets are low profile and have a lockable design. You get two zoom markings for a perfect projectile trajectory. Aztec emerald is shockproof, waterproof, and fog proof. You get sunshade, lens cleaning cloth, and a fitted box with the lens.
Pros:
- Sturdy design.
- Bright and sharp imaging.
- Side parallax correction.
- Zoom markings for projectile estimation.
Cons:
- Large profile.
Best For: Shooting competitions and hunting.
#5. Optisan EVX 4-16×44 F1 Rifle Scope
Optisan EVX 4-16×44 F1 scope gives you high-end features like sidewheel for parallax adjustment and flip-up lens cover, high-quality image, and a mid-range 4x to 16x magnification.
The scope comes with a first focal plane MH16 reticle. This reticle has enhanced mil-dots and windage markings that helps you with accurate guessing. MOA stays the same regardless of magnification helpful in calculating trajectory.
The Optisan EVX 4-16×44 F1 scope comes with lockable turrets which are fingertip adjustable making fine-tuning easy for you.
You get parallax adjustment via the side focus system from 10 yards to infinity. There is a sunshade included in the box. Argon gas is filled in the interiors of the scope to eliminate environmental reactions inside the scope.
Pros:
- High-quality image.
- Side parallax adjustment wheel.
- Lockable turrets.
- Reticle sub tensions are correct at all magnifications.
Cons:
- The scope is heavy.
- Reticle is not illuminated.
Best For: Hunter Field Target sports.
#6. Athlon Talos BTR 4-14×44 FFP Illuminated SF Rifle Scope
Athlon scopes are a product of American based company using Chinese manufactured optics in HFT friendly specifications. The scope has 4x to 14x zoom. You get the first focal plane reticle that has valid power settings at all magnification levels.
The reticle in Athlon Talos grows and shrinks along with magnification and it is etched onto the glass that provides backing support for complex reticle design and offers great durability.
You also get an adjustable illuminated reticle helping you in dawn and dusk or low ambient light situations. The scope is made off a single piece tube increasing durability.
The scope provides you with side parallax adjustment and easy to use turrets. The reticle has closely spaced MOA (Minute of Angle) that gives you additional aiming point reference.
You also benefit from Nitrogen purging in the scope reducing the chances of moisture getting inside the tube making it for proof and waterproof.
Pros:
- Durable build.
- Closely placed MOA points for greater accuracy.
- Illuminated reticle.
Cons:
- The scope has a floating central cross which some may not like.
Best For: target shooting and Hunting.
Best Scope Magnification For Air Rifle Hunting
#7. Hawke Airmax 4-12x50AO Riflescope
The Hawke Airmax 4-12×50 AO AMX rifle scope has 16 layer multi-coated optics giving you exceptional clarity. The scope offers you 4x to 12x magnification. The reticle is glass etched to withstand high recoils.
The Hawke Airmax is constructed along a 1-inch mono-tube chassis for enhanced durability and strength. The scope has a wide view optical system ideal for airguns.
You get an integrated adjustable objective for parallax adjustment that helps reduce weight and also increases durability due to less moving parts.
The ¼ MOA low profile turret features a no-snag fingertip operation that ensures precise and accurate clicks. The fast focus eyeball and high torque zoom ring ensures click reticle focus and fast target acquisition.
The inside of the optics are nitrogen purged which makes the scope water, shock, and fog proof.
Pros:
- A wide view ensures bright image reproduction.
- Clear optics for precise aiming.
Cons:
- Not suitable for piston-driven air rifles.
Best For: Hunting.
#8. UTG 3-9×32 1” BugBuster Scope, AO, RGB Mil-Dot
UTG 3-9×32 1 inch bug buster is an affordable air rifle scope with very durable construction suitable for guns with hard gun recoil. The scope offers 3x to 9x magnification.
The standard 1-inch tube design which is common with many other manufacturers means you won’t have any compatibility issues. Emerald coating is done on the lenses for maximum light transmission to give you bright, clear images.
You get a target range estimating Mil-Dot reticle for optimal aiming and shooting. The reticle is illuminated but you can use it without illuminating it as it works fine in most of the scenarios. You can adjust the objective from 3 yards to infinity.
You get a 2-inch sunshade, high-quality lens caps along with the scope. The insides of the scope is nitrogen purged to make it rainproof, fog proof and shockproof.
Pros:
- Quality optics for a clear image.
- Durable design.
- Adjustable objective and magnification settings are user friendly.
Cons:
- Eye relief is limited which makes it a bit uncomfortable to use with high recoil air guns.
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Best For: Varmint hunting.
#9. Sightron SI 4-12×40 HFT SIH 4-12 X 40 FT MOA Rifle Scope
Sightron SI 4-12×40 HFT SIH 4-12 X 40 FT gives you a crystal clear image. You get a front focusing objective lens for parallax adjustment and turrets for zeroing. The Sightron scope does 4x to 12x magnification.
The absence of side parallax adjustment means you get a sleek lightweight scope suitable for your small build. You get a thick MOA arrangement with hash markings for elevation estimation.
You can adjust parallax from 8 yards to infinity. Finger adjustable turrets with round knurled dials have audible clicks making your adjustment easy in the field.
The scope lenses are multi-coated for greater optical quality. Nitrogen gas is purged inside the scope to avoid fog or water build-up. Sightron offers a lifetime warranty.
Sightron scopes give you an excellent quality lens for the price in exchange for a lack of high-end features.
Pros:
- High optical quality lens for better image reproduction.
- Lightweight.
- Lifetime warranty.
- Waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof.
Cons:
- Lacks side parallax adjustment.
Best For: Hunting.
#10. Excelvan Rangefinder Illuminated Optics Sight Scope for Tactical Hunting Sight Optics
Excelvan rangefinder is a hunting scope with 1.3-9x magnification and a crosshair for increased aiming speed and accuracy.
You get an illuminated reticle in red or green color and in multiple brightness intensities suitable for the environment.
The scope has a wide field of view which is great for rapid firing and spotting moving targets. The construction is mostly metal that helps with durability. The optics provide you with a clear image.
Overall the scope is suitable if you are looking for a budget airsoft build.
Pros:
- Affordable.
- Illuminated reticle.
- Wide field of view.
- Clear image.
Cons:
- Not suitable for high power air rifles.
Best For: Varmint hunting.
#11. Vantage+ IR Riflescope 4-16×50 AO Mil-Dot
Vantage+ 4-16×50 AO mil-dot is an entry-level scope with 4x -16x magnification. The scope has a simple ergonomic design with 11 layer multi-layer coated lenses giving you a clear image.
You get an illuminated Mil-Dot reticle helpful in a low light environment. The magnification is improved for a smooth operation and a fast-focus eye-ring is used for quick and precise aiming.
The scope has adjustable parallax with the objective. You get an eye relief of 89mm enough for a lightweight setup.
The scopes quick mounting system tube consists of 2 parts as compared to other scopes which considerably reduces the price.
Pros:
- Adjustable Illuminated reticle for low light environment.
- Adjustable objective.
- Quality optics for a clear image.
Cons:
- Not as accurate beyond 40 yards.
Best For: Hunting.
How To Choose The Best Scope For Air Rifle Target Shooting
#1. Objective Size
A large objective size means you get more light transmission that gives you a bright and clear image. But most of the air guns are very lightweight.
A large scope is heavy and might throw off the balance causing fatigue. So a medium or small objective sits closer to the barrel increasing accuracy and ease of use as the build is lightweight.
#2.Reticle
Scopes come with a variety of reticle choices. Air guns do not require complicated reticles as they are of no use. You need to focus on these in an airgun reticle.
- Different duplex style: thin duplex, german duplex reticle – useful for small targets at short and long distances at different magnification levels.
- Mil-dot reticle: Mil-Dot scopes can aid you in adjusting for long-range shooting and hunting. At longer distances, the air rifle’s projectile is lightweight and gets affected by wind and bullet drop. The horizontal mil dots allow you to compensate for windage.
#3. Magnification
Short parallax distance is better for air rifles. Typical airgun competition distance is 10 yards. So, a scope with an adjustable parallax distance of 10 yards or a fixed 10-yard parallax is the one to go for. If you don’t have parallax adjustment, long-distance magnification becomes blurred and unusable.
Magnification of air rifles max out around 100 yards. But for target shooting 3x-9x magnification or lower works best as large magnification makes it impossible to keep your crosshairs steady.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a scope for target shooting tournaments Aztec emerald 5.5-25×50 is the best option due to its accurate aiming capability and range estimation built into the reticle.
The Hawke Airmax 4-12×50 AO AMX rifle scope is best suited for hunting as it has quick target acquisition and clear image production.