Scope on an air rifle?

[rondog]

I've heard that putting a non-airgun scope on a spring powered pellet rifle is a bad idea, something about the spring mechanism damaging the internals of the scope.

But what about a pump-up type pellet rifle? Will that damage a regular scope?

I ask because I have a Daisy Powerline 880 pellet rifle, with a pump-up lever, and a Nikon P-223 scope I'm not using at the moment. Curious if I can safely use the P-223 on the Daisy?

 

[readyeddy]

It's safe to use the scope on a pump pneumatic because there is no recoil.

 

[Sunray]

The spring mechanism is not going to generate anywhere near the forces is charging any cartridge does.
A Nikon P-223 is made to go on a .223 Rem rifle. No pellet gun will hurt it. Only issue might be finding a suitable mount for a Daisy 880.

 

[rcmodel]

The thing is, rifle scopes are designed to withstand recoil moving the gun to the rear.

A spring piston air rife is just the reverse of that when the piston reaches the end of it's stoke.
They recoil to the rear when the piston is released, then recoil back forward when the piston reaches the end of the stroke.

In other words, they recoil forward, and jar the glass loose because they are mounted to resist recoil going the other way.

Your pneumatic pump-up gun has none of that going on.
What little recoil there is, is to the rear, just like a firearm.

rc

 

[rodinal220]

Put a really good scope on a spring piston air rifle and it will kill it in short order.Even scopes designed for .50 BMG will not hold up.

As RC stated,the springer has recoil forces in two directions and its the forward motion that most scopes are not engineered for.

You have to contact the scope company and ask about the specific scope you are interested in to see if they make spring piston rated scopes.

Daisy Red Ryders,Co2,PCP,SSP,MSP guns are not physically hard on optics.

 

[WNTFW]

It is not the force, it is the harmonics that are the problem. It is a double hit on a springer.

Find out if the scope is airgun rated and you will be OK.

 

[kozak6]

It won't hurt it.

Although, one issue is that it's set to be parallax free at 100 yards.

 

[jmorris]

The spring mechanism is not going to generate anywhere near the forces is charging any cartridge does.
A Nikon P-223 is made to go on a .223 Rem rifle. No pellet gun will hurt it.

Simply not sound advice. "Springer" air rifles can destroy scopes that would otherwise live forever on centerfire rifles.

That does not apply to other air rifles like PCP and multi pump.

 

[oneounceload]

There are scopes designed for springers. I would try at Pyramid Air first; otherwise a Google search should get you results.
As mentioned, springers will destroy standard rifle scope in a very short time - been there done that, but I like my RWS 34. Squirrels and rabbits are DRT

 

[ZVP]

Rondog;
Go to Pyramid air and look up UTG and Centerline scopes. Airgun rated, well made, and economical.
ZVP

 

[OpticsPlanet]

Swift Premeir makes an airgun rated scope with a minimum focus of 10 yards:
http://www.opticsplanet.com/swift-3-9x40mm-high-recoil-scope-685m.html

I have a Weaver V3 on a Crosman, but the Crosman is CO2, not a springer.

Mark H.

 

[gamestalker]

My son trashed a scope or two by putting it on a springy type pellet rifle, as did I.

Now that doesn't mean that some optics aren't built to withstand dual or reverse inertia produced by a springer. Some are built with dual retention erector lenses, but there are many that are not. This is why there are scopes built specifically for use on springer pellet rifles.

You can also damage a good glass if you shoot off a lead sled with a braked rifle, ask me how I know. Ok, I'll give it up, I broke more than one scope recently with a braked 300 WM shooting of a heavily weighted down lead sled.

GS

 

[rondog]

Ok, my original question was about putting the Nikon P-223 scope that I already have on my Daisy Powerline, that I also already have. Not asking about other scopes or other airguns, but I do appreciate the input!

Others have told me "no problem", so I did it. Mounted the scope and dialed it in, then got some good quality pellets and dialed it in some more. I think that scope works perfectly on the Daisy!

Anyway, the problem critter that launched this whole ordeal has been dispatched, dead in the forehead right between the eyes. All components worked flawlessly. I doubt I'll use it again, at least until another problem critter gets in my hair.

Thanks all! This one can be put to bed mods.