Scope or no Scope

Hello It's been 15 years sence I been airguning and at 50 im going to do it again but im a bit confused on open sites or scopes I never use to use them but now it looks like the way to go. I'm going to get a beeman R9  .20 I think to control
magpies crows and starlings. Please Help

[daved]

I have no personal experience of the R9, but from what I've read, it's a Rolls-Royce of air rifles.  As far as scopes go, I'm leaning on 50 real hard myself, and I couldn't shoot the way I want to without one.  One thing to watch out for, whatever scope you get, be sure it's rated for use on spring guns.  The double recoil pulse of a springer will wreck a regular scope in pretty short order.  If you're set on the R9, I know there's a combo available, called the Goldfinger.  Comes with 4-12x40 Bushnell (?) scope, I think you can find them for around $400.  By all accounts, it's a heck of a deal, and a pretty sweet combo.  Other options in scopes really depend on how much money you want to spend.  The Leapers brand scopes are decent and popular, and top out at around $200.  If you're made of money, there's always the Swarovski line.  I think they start at around $1000, and go up from there.  Anyway, hope this helped, and welcome aboard.

Dave

PS Yes, the lunatics do run this asylum, and Gene even said we could ;-).

[Gene_SC]

And if you are not made of money... then Bushnell, BSA, and Simmons make some good AO scopes for under $150.00. I have just bought a Bushnell 4-12X40 for under $80.00 and also a new Simmons 6-18X40 for under $80.00. Now these were on sale at a tremendous discount. You have to look for the deals.

Also I might add, if you are just shooting in a 35 to 45 yard range you will not need big glass.

A good place to look for scopes is Nachez. You wil find a link in our Mall.

Good Luck

Gene

I've been shooting nothing but open sights for over thirty years and I've had a heckuva time adjusting my technique to scopes.  Each to their own, but I am better with opens than with a scope, even at pretty long range distances.

I'm not going to claim to be any kind of expert, but here is my advice on getting used to scopes: Get the gun and shoot it a LOT with the open sights.  Shoot it so much that you know it inside and out.  Shoot it until you feel that you have absolutely maxxed out it's potential with open sights.  Shoot at least two tins of pellets through it.  

THEN add the scope.  By doing this you will eliminate some of the variables in your accuracy.  In other words any problem with your scoped accuracy can be attributed to your technique with the scope and not your technique with the rifle.

I bought an Air Force Talon SS and immediately mounted the scope.  My first session really blew....I was all over the place and about to give up on the rifle, thinking I'd gotten a lemon.  I then put on the open sights and was immediately rewarded with very small groups at 30 yards and being able to pretty consistently hit a pop can at 80 yards.  It showed me that the problem was my technique with the scope, not the gun.  I'm going to shoot a tin or two more of pellets with this and then maybe switch to a scope and try again.  Maybe.  Call me Quiggly, but I really like the extra challenge of open sights at long distances.

Just my $0.02.  Any you're probably being overcharged!  :  )

[daved]

Hey, Jos, that advice sounds like it worth at least a nickel to me :-).  I'd actually intended to shoo the 350 awhile with opens, but the rear sight was damaged when I got it.  New ones' on its way from RWS, may have to give it a try when it gets here.  Thanks for the idea, makes a lot of sense to me.

Dave