Hawke Sidewinder

[alun 9]

Hi all, i have a hw100kt in .20 on order which should be with me in the next 2 weeks I have been doing a lot of research on different scopes and have decided to go with the hawke sidewinder 30 milldot, what i am unsure about is whether i would be better off going for the 3-12x50 or the 4-16x50? it will be used purely for hunting so am i right in thinking the 3-12x50 will be the right choice or will there be a need for the higher mag of the 4-16x50 its all new to me so any advice will be much appreciated

cheers

alun

[risingfriend 1,042]

Hi mate nice scope take a look at the sr pro ret very nice as for mag mate choice is yours i rarely change from 10xmag as with the side parralax its pin sharp down to 5yrds

[villaman 9,983]

Hi

3-12-50 will be fine , like Aaron said have a look at sr pro . With my Hw100kt .22 I shoot on 8 mag because it works out from a 30 yard zero every aim point is 5 yards ie 30 - 35 -40 -45 .

Best to go on chair gun and have a play around with pellet type and mag and see your aim points

[AR177 588]

I have just bought a 3-12x50 sr pro Ret sidewinder for my .22

 

Very nice and clear

 

I've gone for the lower mag so I can get further range out of my .22 with its steeper trajectory, with my old .177 I always used 4-16 scopes as the trajectory meant you could get away with it

 

I'm sure either you go for will be fine

[alun 9]

Thanks lads think i will go for the 3-12x50 then, had a look at the sr pro ret the other day but found it a bit to busy for me as i am just starting out, can see how it would be usefull to the more experienced shooter though

[Deker 3,478]

The Sidewinders are very averagely fine.

 

Scopes get personal, as does magnification and reticles. My sidewinders are on a rimfire and centrefire and are adequate.

 

Personally I would not consider one for an air rifle, personal choice, they are heavy and if you are only looking relatively low magnification I'd say there are more appropriate and cheaper scopes.

 

ATB!

[alun 9]

The Sidewinders are very averagely fine.

 

Scopes get personal, as does magnification and reticles. My sidewinders are on a rimfire and centrefire and are adequate.

 

Personally I would not consider one for an air rifle, personal choice, they are heavy and if you are only looking relatively low magnification I'd say there are more appropriate and cheaper scopes.

 

ATB!

 

thanks for the advice deker, so what scope would you go for? had also thought about a mamba lite but have heard mixed reports about them suffering white out etc and would prefer a milldot ret

[risingfriend 1,042]

Mtc range are very nice scopes mate and white out
only occurs when your eye is not in the correct position
have a look at the hawke panorama ev range also

[Deker 3,478]

 

The Sidewinders are very averagely fine.

 

Scopes get personal, as does magnification and reticles. My sidewinders are on a rimfire and centrefire and are adequate.

 

Personally I would not consider one for an air rifle, personal choice, they are heavy and if you are only looking relatively low magnification I'd say there are more appropriate and cheaper scopes.

 

ATB!

 

thanks for the advice deker, so what scope would you go for? had also thought about a mamba lite but have heard mixed reports about them suffering white out etc and would prefer a milldot ret

 

 

I always shy away from specific scope recommendation because EVERYONE will have their own opinion, what is great to someone will be rubbish to someone else.

 

All I can comment on is what I use, on my rifles (Air/rimfire/centrefire) I have an assortment of JSR, Hawke, Bushnell, AGS at the moment. I have also owned or used Leupold, NF, S&B, Simmons, Falcon, MTC, Nikon and a few others no doubt.

 

I use what I need and my current choices are adequate.

 

ALL my scopes are Mil Dot, personal choice, and all are good enough on magnification and clarity to do the job.

 

ALL are variable power, and I like side parallax, I am gradually moving over to all side parallax.

 

Glass quality on many of the inexpensive scopes today is amazing, where the cheaper scopes tend to fall down a little is build quality. Where spending £1000 or more on a scope will tend to come into its own is dialling in, part of build quality, and glass should edge it, but as I've said glass is open to debate, my £900(ish) Leupold was only a tiny fraction better on glass than my £35 JSR, and my Simmons WTC3.5-10x50 (No Mil Dot version) had exceptional glass and build, about £135 if you shop around today!

 

Get what you like but do not be swayed by all the doom mongers that will tell you it is essential to spend more on the scope than the rifle, times have changed.

 

ATB!

[Lewis Ste 245]

I don't see the need to spend £200 or more on a scope that your unlikely to look through past 60m. Or for that matter having over 15x mag, unless the want to see the flees jumping out the ears at 40m. I rarely go past 8x so a 3x9-40 is enough. 50mm objectives do help when lamping but no nessersarly any better for day work.

 

Each to there own and that's just my opinion guys

 

Atb

[Elliott 436]

 

 

 

 

The Sidewinders are very averagely fine.

 

Scopes get personal, as does magnification and reticles. My sidewinders are on a rimfire and centrefire and are adequate.

 

Personally I would not consider one for an air rifle, personal choice, they are heavy and if you are only looking relatively low magnification I'd say there are more appropriate and cheaper scopes.

 

ATB!

thanks for the advice deker, so what scope would you go for? had also thought about a mamba lite but have heard mixed reports about them suffering white out etc and would prefer a milldot ret

I always shy away from specific scope recommendation because EVERYONE will have their own opinion, what is great to someone will be rubbish to someone else.

 

All I can comment on is what I use, on my rifles (Air/rimfire/centrefire) I have an assortment of JSR, Hawke, Bushnell, AGS at the moment. I have also owned or used Leupold, NF, S&B, Simmons, Falcon, MTC, Nikon and a few others no doubt.

 

I use what I need and my current choices are adequate.

 

ALL my scopes are Mil Dot, personal choice, and all are good enough on magnification and clarity to do the job.

 

ALL are variable power, and I like side parallax, I am gradually moving over to all side parallax.

 

Glass quality on many of the inexpensive scopes today is amazing, where the cheaper scopes tend to fall down a little is build quality. Where spending £1000 or more on a scope will tend to come into its own is dialling in, part of build quality, and glass should edge it, but as I've said glass is open to debate, my £900(ish) Leupold was only a tiny fraction better on glass than my £35 JSR, and my Simmons WTC3.5-10x50 (No Mil Dot version) had exceptional glass and build, about £135 if you shop around today!

 

Get what you like but do not be swayed by all the doom mongers that will tell you it is essential to spend more on the scope than the rifle, times have changed.

 

ATB!

An interesting post there Deker and positive to note that you don't have to spend a fortune these days to get good glass.

 

For sub 12 air rifles I think 3-9x40 is more than adequate. I generally shoot on x6 with my HW77K and x10 for my HMR out to 200 yards!

 

If I was to invest in an air rifle scope I'd be tempted to give the Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 a whirl

Edited September 30, 2013 by Elliott

[risingfriend 1,042]

buy the best you can afford and what suits you as stated its a personal thing what suits me may not suit you and then there is use for example hft/ft or hunting and lamping or nv etc or an all rounder.

can only comment on the scopes i have used and advise you on the scope you asked about, if you can get to a club or decent rfd then this would be your best option try before you buy.

[pianoman 3,587]

I'm seriously looking at a 3-9x40-spec Nikon Prostaff for my HW77 .22 and HW97K .177 after reading some favourable accounts about the forums and, notes like Elliott's made here.

 

I have a 4-12x50mm HAWKE PANORAMA EV IR AO (Extended View. Illum'd. Reticle. Adjustable Objective.) I use for hunting and a bit of HFT and it is easily the best made and accurate Hawke scope I've yet had. The 10x half-mildot reticle is very clear and unobtrusive on sight-picture. So, worthy of consideration and not a costly optic for what it delivers downrange.

 

For air rifle hunting and target shooting I find 6Xmag just magic and the 3-9x40 spec with AO is really all I need. My eyes are not as sharp they once were for fixed-focus/mag/paralax objective lenses anymore. But, there's really no need to bolt a walloping great observatory-like lens on your rifle these days either!

 

All the best.

Simon

[zini 1,939]

Agree with buy what you can afford or need for your rifle, but also have to say the Sidewinder Tac 30 and 30 SR Pro are quality as well as the Panorama on a air rifle.

 

If your not using NV kit and using a lamp or shooting at dusk you still need a scope with the optics to achieve it.

 

Its ok using a £30 scope in the day or with NV kit but will that scope be good at 1900 hrs when silhouette shooting in the Autumn / Winter? Some will but i think many wont cut the mustard. Its all down to buying what you need as the gent says.

 

The forum is all about giving out advise and passing on TRUE comments about your kit and what it will achieve.

 

An example is on my .22 XVI ratting rifle Ive got a cheap Crossman 3-9x40 AO scope with some weird mildot ret in. Its brill for ratting but for shooting at 40 yards at last light?? not a chance. Change it for a Sidewinder or Panorama and its not a problem.

 

Another example is in 2009 i used to shoot a .22 BSA R10 with a Tasco £40 scope with Russian military ret. I shot hundreds of quarry in 11 months with it and it was great for what i needed it for. Lamping was a bit harder but i still managed so goes to show you don't have to spend £200 to bag a bunny.

 

Im not being a scope snob here and pointing out I've been both sides of the fence here and agree with all the above comments.

Edited October 1, 2013 by zini

[zesto 9]

Another thumbs up for the Hawke SW Tac 30 scopes. I have one in 4.5-14x42. Beautiful and clear, superbly fine, sharp mildot reticle. Great dusk performance too and only marginally behind my Leupold V3 6.5-20x40 EFR at dusk and the Leupy cost twice as much.