Best Air Rifle Scope » Top 3 Best Scope for Air Rifle Reviews

What is the Best Scope for Air Rifle?

Air rifles are commonly used in small game hunting, plinking and in shooting competitions. The affordability, fast and accurate nature of the air rifles make them an ideal choice for competition shooting.

The air rifles also provide you with double kickback making the best choice for tactical shooting. To be able to make the best use out of your air rifle, you need to pair it with an air rifle scope that matches its strength and capabilities.

Identifying the best air rifle scope for your rifle can be challenging, considering that air rifles use different calibers. The market is also filled with a wide range of rifle scopes for air rifles.

The availability of a wide range of air rifle scopes from different brands and manufacturers make it even harder for you to identify the scope that best suits your needs and requirements.

The best air rifle scope should be able to provide you with high-quality optics and a rugged and sturdy frame with durable parts. Most air rifle scopes in the market claim to be sturdy and durable but they lack the stability and strength required to handle an air rifle.

To make the process of identifying the best air rifle scope for your air rifle easy, we have done a thorough research of the air rifle scopes available in the market today and identified the air rifle scopes that provide you with reliability and durability.

We have created a list of the best air rifle scope reviews that have air rifles scopes that range in cost and power. Our choice of the scopes is based on their ease to use, the features present, the rugged frame and the accuracy provided by the rifle scope.

Tips for Shopping for an Air Rifle Scope

Prior to getting started with our air rifle scope reviews, let us discuss some of the considerations and tips to use when shopping for an air rifle scope.

Select an air rifle scope that matches the caliber of your air rifle

The first thing that you need to know when shopping for an air rifle scope is the kind of caliber your air rifle fires. There are different types of calibers that can be used in an air rifle depending on the type of air rifle you have. The calibers range in sizes from small, short styled bullets to long rifle bullets.

If you own a pellet gun, then getting a pellet rifle scope will be the ideal thing to do. The different air rifle scope calibers shoot at different distances, thus you need the right rifle scope that complement the power of each caliber. By identifying the kind of caliber your rifle fires, you will be able to select the best air rifle scope that has a corresponding magnification power with your rifle.

Most air rifles use the .177 caliber, which is the internationally recognized standard ammunition for competitive target shooting. The .177 caliber has a flatter trajectory than other calibers and provides the highest speeds. This caliber ammunition has a high speed but it is not ideal for big game hunting since it lacks the power and size to shoot large prey in a humane way. Due to its small size, it does not cause any fatal damage to the big game. It is therefore advisable to only use the .177 caliber for target shooting only.

The .20 caliber is a middle option between the .177 and .22. It is uncommon and more expensive than the .177 and .22 calibers. The .20 caliber provides a flatter trajectory than the .22 but has more weight and power than the .177. It makes a good choice for target shooting as well as small game hunting. This caliber is hard to find and very few weapons are compatible with it thus it might not be a good choice for your air rifle.

The .22 caliber is the most common caliber used in most rifles for hunting. It is mostly used for target shooting and plinking. The caliber has more impact, weight and size than most small air calibers thus it makes a great choice for hunting jackrabbits, gophers, pheasants and other small animals.

The only drawback of the .22 caliber is that it has a bullet drop but it can be solved by getting air rifle scopes with BDC or mil-dot reticles.

The .25 caliber is similar to the .22, but it is bigger and has weight. The .25 caliber requires a more powerful rifle. Air rifles that use the .25 caliber are the best air firearms for hunting but are still not powerful enough for large game hunting.

Get ready for the kickback from air rifles

Air rifles and air guns produce double recoil produced by other rifles. When using an air rifle, you will experience the normal kickback then a forward surge when you release the piston and the piston hits the end of the chamber. The heavy recoil produced by the air rifle can cause severe damage to air rifle scopes.

It is therefore important for you to choose an air rifle scope with lockable adjustment turrets and rubber shock-proofing or a scope that has a spring loaded adjustment turrets. Look for the best air rifle scope that has a rugged construction frame and one that comes with lifetime warranty coverage. Consider getting air rifle scopes from reputable brands.

Choose air rifle scopes with Adjustable Objective “AO”

Adjustable objective is one of the most important features to look out for in the best air rifle scopes. The adjustable objective feature provides compensation for parallax at the closest ranges.

Both adjustable and fixed rifle scopes have this feature. Considering the ranges most target shooters use to shoot with the air rifles, the adjustable objective is a very important feature to look out for in an air rifle scope.

Choose between adjustable and fixed lens air rifle scopes

Riflescopes with the variable lens are the best air rifle scopes for long range hunting and target shooting. The fixed lens scopes, on the other hand, are ideal for varmint and rodent control as well as short range shooting.

The fixed lens air rifle scopes are more solid and sturdier than adjustable lens scopes. It is important for you to select the air rifle scope that best suits your kind of shooting.

Best Air Rifle Scopes Reviews

After a thorough research of the air rifle scopes available in the market, we have come up with a list of the best air rifle scopes that can be used in the best pellet gun and high power air rifle.

Our list consists of the top pellet gun AR scope reviews that will help you make an informed decision when shopping for an air rifle scope for your air rifle. Here is the list of the best air rifle scope for your pellet gun or air rifle.

#1) UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope – Best Air Rifle Scope

The UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope is one of the best air rifle scopes that provide you with a fixed magnification eyepiece and 4X-32mm lens. It is a cheap air rifle scope that is sturdy and durable. The scope is very easy to use and is one of the UTG scopes designed for short range shooting. The frame of the air gun scope is made from aluminum to ensure stability and durability.

The construction is completely sealed with O-rings to prevent water, dust, and debris from entering the scope, making it a great scope for hunting. The interior of the air rifle scope is filled with nitrogen for fog, water, and shock-proofing.

UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope comes with the well-built lens with sapphire coatings on the outside surfaces for maximum light transmission to produce clear and bright images even in low light conditions.

The high-quality optics of the scope makes it one of the best air rifle scopes for hunting at dusk and dawn. It is one of the best UTG scopes for air rifles.

Features of UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope

Reticle with mil-dot markings and coordination with tactical turrets
Adjustable parallax setting
Fixed magnification eyepiece
Aluminum frame
O-rings seals
Filled with nitrogen for fog, water, and shock-proofing
The well-built lens with sapphire coatings on the outside surfaces

Pros of UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope

The reticle of the air rifle scope has mil-dot markings and coordination with tactical turrets for effective windage and elevation adjustment.
The adjustment turrets of the scope are easy to twist and produce solid clicks as you twist them.
UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope features an adjustable parallax setting that works at distances as low as 5 yards.
It is an affordable air rifle scope that is sturdy and durable.
The frame of the UTG airgun scope is made from aluminum to ensure stability and durability.
The UTG Scope is sealed with O-rings to prevent water, dust, and debris from entering the scope, making it a great scope for hunting conditions.
The interior of the air rifle scope is filled with nitrogen for fog, water, and shock-proofing.
It comes with the well-built lens with sapphire coatings on the outside surfaces for maximum light transmission to produce clear and bright images even in low light conditions.
UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope has a fixed power lens set that reduces the number of movement of delicate parts of the air scope, making it more durable than other air rifle scopes.
The fixed lenses of the rifle scope make for a much lighter, making it easy to carry.
The UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope is easy to use.

Cons of UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope

The air rifle scope has a fairly small eye box.
The UTG scope does not provide you with enough eye relief.
The quality of the UTG Mil-Dot Airgun Scope is inconsistent.
The scope has a fixed lens which limits the range that you can accurately shot. The scope does not provide you with enough accuracy past 50 yards.

#2) Hawke Sports Optics Sidewinder 6.5-20X Air Gun Scope – Best Scope for Air Rifle

The Hawke Sports Optics Sidewinder is the best air rifle scope for demanding air rifle shooter. The air rifle scope provides you with a wide power range of 6.5-20X. The scope has advanced features such as an illuminated reticle, lens caps and zero-reset turrets among other features.

The rifle scope comes with a 42mm objective lens that provides you with a wide field of vision, even at high magnification settings. The illuminated reticle is fully adjustable and comes with two color settings, red and green, to allow you to choose the most visible lighting for each hunting surrounding.

Each color settings has 5 brightness levels to choose from. The reticle works on a mil-dot design and stays the same no matter the magnification setting. The Hawke scope has a 30mm single tube frame that is made of aluminum for stability and durability.

The frame is fully-sealed and filled with nitrogen for fog and waterproofing. Hawke Sports Optics Sidewinder is one of the powerful air rifle scopes that can complement any high power air rifle.

Features of Hawke Sports Optics Sidewinder

5-20X magnification range
42mm objective lens
Illuminated reticle
30mm single tube frame
Fully-sealed and filled with nitrogen for fog and waterproofing
Tactical-style adjustment turrets
Adjustable Parallax
Hard carrying case
Lens caps and a sun-shade
Fully multicoated lenses

Pros of Hawke Sport Optics Sidewinder

Hawke Sport Optics Sidewinder comes with a 42mm objective lens that provides you with a wide field of vision, even at high magnification settings.
It has an illuminated reticle is fully adjustable and comes with two color settings, red and green, to allow you to choose the most visible lighting for each hunting surrounding.
The reticle of the Hawke scope works on a mil-dot design and stays the same no matter the magnification setting
The air rifle scope features a 30mm single tube frame that is made of aluminum for stability and durability.
It is one of the best Hawke scopes for demanding air rifle shooter.
The Hawke Sport Optics Sidewinder is fully-sealed and filled with nitrogen for fog and waterproofing.
It has fully multicoated lenses that ensure maximum transmission of light for bright and clear images even in low light conditions.
The tactical-style adjustment turrets with exposed knobs are spring-cushioned to maintain absolute zero under air rifle kickback, making the scope the best air rifle scope for tactical shooting.
The Hawke scope turrets lock to prevent accidental jogging that is common in the tactical or competitive shooting.
Hawke Sport Optics Sidewinder air rifle scope has an adjustable parallax that can go down to 10 yards for effective short range shooting.
The scope is one of the most versatile Hawke scopes that are designed to work with any firearm.
It comes with accessories you require in the field, like a hard carrying case, lens caps, and a sun-shade for convenience.

Cons of Hawke Sport Optics Sidewinder

The air rifle scope is one of the most expensive air rifles thus it might not be an ideal choice for people on a tight budget.
The Hawke Sport Optics Sidewinder air rifle scope provides you with high magnification range which is only ideal for long range shooting and might not be useful for close range shooting.

#3) BSA Air Rifle Scope – Best Budget Air Rifle Scope

The BSA Air Rifle Scope is a reliable air rifle scope that provides you with an adjustable magnification range of 3-9X power range. The adjustable magnification range allows you to shot out up to 300 yards. One of the best pellet gun scopes with fully multi-coated to ensure maximum light transmission and reduce glare for clear and bright view in all lighting conditions.

BSA Air Rifle Scope has a rugged frame that features an aluminum tube for rigidity and durability. The sturdy and solid frame of the scope makes it the best air rifle scope for target shooting.

It is built to handle the stress of air rifle shooting. The rifle scope comes with aluminum lens caps to protect the lens from damage in case of an accidental drop. The adjustment turrets of the BSA rifle scope have rubber inlays that provide the cushion from air rifle kickback. It has an adjustable parallax with an AO eyepiece that works down to about 10 yards.

Features of BSA Air Rifle Scope

3-9X power range
Rugged aluminum frame
Fully multi-coated
Aluminum lens caps
Target-style turrets with precise MOA adjustments
AO eyepiece

Pros of BSA Air Rifle Scope

It is one of the cheapest air rifle scopes that come with a lifetime warranty.
BSA Air Rifle Scope features fully multi-coated to ensure maximum light transmission and reduce glare for clear and bright view in all lighting conditions
The air rifle scope has a rugged frame that features an aluminum tube for rigidity and durability.
The BSA Air Rifle Scope is built to handle the stress of air rifle shooting, making it the best air rifle scope for target shooting.
The adjustment turrets of the BSA rifle scope have rubber inlays that provide the cushion from air rifle kickback.
The air rifle scope comes with a pin that accurately holds zero when you really need it.
BSA Air Rifle Scope is capable of withstanding heavy recoil without losing its zeroed-in focus.
The scope allows you to adjust for parallax with an AO eyepiece down to about 10 yards which is uncommon among adjustable scopes.
It offers you an adjustable magnification range of 3-9X power range which allows it to be used in long range shooting and target hunting.

Cons of BSA Air Rifle Scope

The BSA Air Rifle Scope does not have a technical reticle; it has a basic duplex design with narrowing crosshairs in the middle of the sight. The reticle cannot be used for calculating long-distance bullet drop or inclines.
The lens caps that come with the air rifle scope are not clip-on. You need to screw them on with narrow threads, which are good for storage but don’t ensure quick access.

Conclusion – Best Air Rifle Scope

Owning the best pellet gun or a high power air rifle is not enough to help you prepare for competitive shooting. You need to invest in a quality pellet rifle scope or pellet gun scope that matches the strength and power of your rifle or gun.

We have done a comprehensive review of the air rifle scope in the market to help you identify the air rifle scope that is best for your situation. Our list of rifle scope consists of the top pellet gun AR scopes that not only provide you with durability and stability but also offer you enough accuracy and precision you need in competitive shooting.

The UTG scope is best air rifle scope for close range shooting. The scope has fixed magnification but comes with tactical adjustments and a parallax adjustment feature which comes in handy for short distance shooting.

It is one of the most affordable UTG air rifle scopes that are ideal for air rifles. If you are on a tight budget and you are looking for a cheap yet reliable and quality air rifle scope for your pellet gun or air rifle, consider getting the UTG air rifle scope.

The BSA air rifle scope is also a relatively affordable air rifle scope that provides you with a higher magnification range than the UTG scope. It offers you 3-9X power range which is ideal for target practice as well as small game hunting. It is a versatile air rifle scope that has a rugged frame to ensure durability and reliability needed when using an air rifle. Air rifles produce high kickback thus you need a strong scope that can handle the heavy recoil produced by the air rifles.

The Hawke air rifle scope is a premium air rifle scope for high power rifles and pellet guns. It offers you a wide power range and tactical adjustments.

It is the best air rifle scope that provides you with enough precise and powerful that you need for target hunting and long range shooting. It is a great choice for beginners looking for one of the powerful air rifle scopes that can offer both accuracy and durability.

We hope that the article was of great use to you and that you are able to identify the air rifle scope that best suits your needs and matches the power of your air rifle and the pellet gun.

Best Air Rifle Scope » Top 3 Best Scope for Air Rifle Reviews | Airgun Scopes