Are you searching for the Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300? You’re in the right spot. There are many different types of air rifles, but the way the projectile is fired is the most important factor to consider when picking a suitable scope. Make sure you get a scope that has been engineered to resist the reverse recoil if you’re using a spring- or piston-piston-powered air gun.
If they are springers, even air rifles with smaller calibers and lower power can cause havoc with a conventional firearm’s scope. Except for the very last sight, which we are included since it’s suitable for a specific use case, all of the scopes we provide below have been reported to work with spring and nitro air rifles.
If you feel like you need a bit more information on the recoil concerns before looking at scopes, feel free to scroll down. We’ll go into them in more detail in the buying guide. In the absence of that, here are my picks for the Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300.
1. Monstrum G3 6-24x50mm
Although the world record for an air rifle is at about 2000 yards, the thought of a scope made to shoot out 1000 yards or farther may seem absurd to the vast majority of air rifle enthusiasts. It’s not unusual for air rifle shooters to be out at 600 or 700 yards with the correct weapon.
Does predicting a projectile’s trajectory that far in advance require a lot of mathematics and calculations? It does, indeed. But is it even feasible? Absolutely. The Monstrum G3 6-24x50mm would be an excellent option if you have a large firearm, such as an Air Force Texan.457, and you’re interested in taking it out at great distances.
The image quality at lower magnifications is allegedly comparable to brands like Vortex, and the G3 reportedly works well against the reverse recoil. However, when you decrease the magnification level, both the light transmission and some of the color fidelity quickly decrease. In low-light shooting situations, don’t expect to make long-range shots, and you’ll be OK.
Since the reticle is the first focal plane, it will always be true to zero regardless of the magnification. When shooting at dusk or morning, the reticle’s innermost half is lit, making it much easier to see. It’s an excellent scope for practicing long-distance shooting because the reticle contains a BDC ladder and MOA marks for windage.
Pros
- A 1000-yard target can appear to be 42 yards away when viewed with a 24x magnification.
- Adjusting the parallax using a variable objective
- BDC-equipped and illuminated FFP reticle
Cons
- Maximum magnification’s low light performance is not outstanding.
- The reticle is a bit thick and may cover the target in excess.
2. Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x24mm
Important information: Not all Vortex scopes are intended for use with air rifles. For instance, it is far less certain if the Crossfire II will be able to manage the reverse recoil.
Any Vortex scope should work OK if you’re not shooting a springer, but the Strike Eagle has been tried out and proven to perform admirably with air rifles. Remember that the Strike Eagle’s magnification range is far smaller than you would choose for rifles with stronger spring or nitro engines.
While you require your airgun to perform well at close ranges, such as when hunting varmints or performing pest control around the ranch, an LPVO like the Strike Eagle is a fantastic option. The Strike Eagle may be overkill if all you’re doing is plinking, and the same is true if you’re using a low-powered CO2 or pump-action airgun.
When it comes to features, Vortex provides plenty of adjustment to get to zero, even with lighter air rifle calibers, good visual clarity, and a BDC reticle. Very close-range shots may be more challenging because Parallax is set to 100 yards, but good shooting technique and cheek weld should help to offset it.
At this price point, essential elements like image clarity, robustness, and durability frequently suffer in favor of gimmicks like adjustable parallax. When selecting a sight, each shooter must create their own set of requirements.
Pros
- Opens up to 1x for incredibly close-up pictures.
- Zooms in to 6x for comfortable 200-yard shooting
- Vortex’s guarantee
- Does the fundamentals pretty well.
- Light-up reticle
Cons
- Unable to adjust parallax
- Just using red lighting
3. Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm
Leupold’s corporate strategy is to over-engineer its goods to endure much more abuse than they should ever experience in actual use. This is true of the VX-Freedom range as well. The VX-Freedom line has undergone extensive testing and is compatible with almost all rifles.
Leupold has the best warranty available, and they have a stellar reputation for upholding it.
Additionally, Leupold is renowned for its optical excellence, clarity, and light transmission. Changing from a cheap no-name scope to a Leupold can resemble upgrading from standard definition to high definition or from HD to 4K. The picture is clearer, sharper, and more realistic.
Choose the Leupold if build quality and image clarity are your top priorities. Every dollar of the price for the VX-Freedom goes into those necessities, which is its primary disadvantage. If you want more than a duplex reticle, you’ll need to pay more, since this model lacks both reticle illumination and adjustable parallax.
This scope might not be the best choice if you plan to hunt varmints on your land because the parallax becomes quite obvious and challenging to manage once you go closer than 20 yards or so.
Pros
- Superior image quality
- Tank-like in design
- Amazing warranty
- Versatile range of magnification
Cons
- No reticle lighting
- Unable to adjust parallax
- Easy-to-use duplex reticle
4. UTG 3-9x40mm Hunter
The UTG is specially made for air rifles and boasts performance and a price to match. The construction quality can withstand the reverse recoil from spring-powered air rifles, and the 3-9x magnification makes it ideal for usage at the full range where airguns are most likely to be utilized.
Additionally, it features a feature set that perfectly complements air rifles. The mil-dot reticle offers 36 distinct illumination colors to choose from and is compatible with any caliber and configuration that you choose to use it on. This means that you can select an illumination hue that works best for you whether you’re shooting in broad daylight or at night, at tiny or large targets.
Additionally, you can get adjustable parallax for a remarkably inexpensive cost. A fantastic feature for an airgun scope to have is adjustable parallax because, unlike ordinary rifles, shooting at very close ranges is frequently done. Additionally, the closer your Aimpoint is to you, the more exponentially the reticle’s departure from the target will increase.
The UTG is an excellent scope for air rifles overall.
Pros
- Built for powerful reverse recoil
- Typical magnification range: 3–9x
- Flexible reticle lighting
- A Mil-dot reticle that works with any caliber or load
- Includes mounting hardware
Cons
- Can only open up three times.
- Low light scopes don’t transmit light as well as normal scopes do.
5. Hawke Sport Optics Airmax 2-7×32 AO
The Hawke was created especially for air rifles, and the Airmax would be my second choice for the finest overall sight behind the UTG. I believe that its inferiority to the UTG is a result of its higher cost and lesser magnification. The effective range of the scope is decreased while only using 7x as opposed to 9.
I can stretch out to around 300 yards with 9x, but 7x will get me out to 200 yards comfortably. Although more seasoned shooters likely benefit significantly more from that 7x, for me, it actually makes a significant difference.
Overall, I believe the 2-7x isn’t as handy as the 3-9x would be because, on the other hand, shooting at 2x and 3x seems very comparable for close-range shooting. Therefore, being able to open a little wider doesn’t seem to be as helpful for up-close shots.
So why do I even include this scope, you ask? I include it because, unlike the majority of these scopes, the Hawke is made primarily for air rifles, whereas the others are created with firearms in mind first and foremost. The Hawke should rank among the top options if we had to wager on which air rifle scope would endure the longest.
The Hawke’s AMX reticle is quite attractive, and you can customize how you wish to utilize it for your rifle and load thanks to the reticle’s mix of dots and lines.
Pros
- Made for air rifles
- PMX reticle
- Fares well with all fundamentals
- An objective that is flexible (parallax)
Cons
- Magnification is less adaptable than other options.
- A lower value for money
6. CVLife 3-9x40mm R4
Let’s be clear up front that this is not the scope to use on the Air Force Texan that was stated earlier. This low-cost scope will perform admirably with a light air rifle. The scope is really affordable, the magnification range is just where it should be, and the reticle is a straightforward duplex.
The objective lens is a great size at 40mm, and the reticle is in the second focal plane. Although the low-light performance is not as good as it should be on paper, it is still absolutely adequate for an entry-level scope that will likely be mounted on a plinking rifle, perhaps even for a child.
The CVLife is actually much better than it ought to be considering the cost. The adjustable turrets allow you 14 MOA clicks, and the view is reasonably clean and clear. It can be annoying because the turrets need to be turned with a coin or another object. However, you only need to deal with the turrets once because you generally won’t use this scope for any shots that need for quick adjustments.
The CVLife is the top cheap option since it provides all the essentials at an absurdly low price. It’s difficult to contest the value for money when you consider that you could get a whole fleet of these scopes for the price of just one Leupold.
Pros
- very reasonable
- Range of “Workhorse” magnification
- The crosshair reticle is useful for instruction and practice.
Cons
- No guarantee
- No BDC or reticle lighting
- Unable to adjust parallax
7. Burris Fullfield II 6.5-20x
Although Burris didn’t develop the Fullfield II expressly for air guns, all of their scopes are built to endure reverse recoil, and the Fullfield is no exception. Thanks in part to the Burris guarantee, the magnification range makes it an excellent choice for more potent air guns.
Monstrum is a lesser-known brand, so if that makes you anxious, you might do better to go with a recognized corporation that has a lifetime guarantee. Although you won’t obtain quite as much magnification, 20x should still be more than enough given the expected shooting distances.
Keep in mind that the 6.5x magnification of the Fullfield II model makes it difficult to aim at objects that are closer than 50 yards. The 50mm objective’s big size aids in light transmission, and Burris has traditionally provided high-quality images in their scopes.
The great guarantee and high quality, like most scopes in this price range, come at the expense of features. The only “feature” the Fullfield II has in terms of features is a ballistic mil-dot reticle, which many people dislike but which I personally prefer. Make sure to look at the reticle’s image on OpticsPlanet to see whether it matches your preferences.
Pros
- Maximally high magnification
- Decent picture quality
- Forever Warranty from Burris
Cons
- High-magnification minimum (6.5x)
- No reticle illumination, a parallax adjustment
Purchase Guide
In this section, we’ll discuss all the variables that should be taken into account while choosing the Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300.
The fact that there are various types of air guns using various projectile propulsion techniques makes using air rifles challenging. Although each of these approaches has its own special considerations, the only relevant factor when buying an air rifle sight is whether reverse recoil occurs.
Magnification
Air rifles are rarely used for distances even close to those of normal rifles. Low-power variable optics (LPVOs) are a great choice for air rifles because of this. Although it’s challenging to find LPVOs that can resist the reverse recoil of a potent springer, those potent rifles are more likely to require additional magnification in any case.
With the Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300, the minimum magnification is frequently far more important than the highest. I addressed this in the section on product reviews, but excessive magnification might make shooting at close range challenging. It makes sense to avoid scopes with the lowest setting that is too high because the majority of air rifles will be shooting between 20 and 70 yards.
Durability
What I just mentioned regarding glass and image quality, then? When it comes to durability, throw it out the window. Strongness and durability are crucial unless you’re mounting the scope on a recoil-free air rifle. Even the best features and image quality won’t matter if your scope malfunctions.
Because of this, I’ve made a point of being very cautious when stating which types of air rifles each sight is suitable for throughout this post. This is due to the fact that you must make sure you purchase a scope that is built to withstand the reverse recoil you will be directed at it, or you risk becoming an expensive paperweight.
It’s easy to assume that any scope that costs a few hundred will work. Although it’s not always the case, money will be able to manage your inexpensive spring-powered air rifle. Rifle scopes are made to endure recoil only when it is coming from behind. All bets are off when the recoil changes direction.
Cost and Budget
It’s not always advantageous to spend more money when purchasing the Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300. In fact, choosing a more expensive scope on purpose can end up costing you less in the long run.
What justifies this? Because they concentrate on factors that are more crucial for regular rifles than air rifles, more expensive scopes are more expensive. Will a Leupold that costs many thousand dollars withstand reverse recoil with no problems? Of course, but so will an alternative scope, which would cost less but provide exactly the same benefit.
Quality of Glass and Images
Only if you select a scope that is not on our list will you need to be concerned about this issue. The image quality of every scope I’ve included here will be at the very least respectable, and the best will have excellent photographs.
To someone who hasn’t personally seen the difference between a scope with good imagery and one with lousy imagery, it can be challenging to explain. The good news is that if you’re purchasing your first scope, you probably won’t be able to see much of a difference between a good scope and a superb scope in terms of image quality because you just aren’t that experienced yet.
While it takes a little bit more time to look through a scope for image quality to become a higher priority, newer shooters tend to care more about functionality. There is nothing wrong with that, and it may even be a good idea to start with a small, feature-packed scope and save your larger purchases for when you are a little more experienced.
The point is that while image quality is vital, there may be other features that are more crucial to your intended usage of the scope you are purchasing.
Reticle style
Contrary to what the majority of sight manufacturers may claim, reticle design is mostly a personal preference. It’s crucial to keep in mind that there isn’t a single master reticle available that can instantly make you a more accurate shooter.
When looking at reticles, you can find options ranging from straightforward bullet drop compensator (BDC) ladders with arrays of aim points at various windage and elevation combinations to complex bullet drop compensator (BDC) crosshairs (often referred to as duplex).
My recommendation if you’re purchasing a scope for the first time is to go with a duplex or a very basic BDC, such as a mil-dot reticle. The reason for this is that something more complex will only confound your sight picture and you probably won’t be able to see its value just yet.
If you allow yourself the chance to become proficient with a straightforward reticle, it will become clearer to you what modifications to your reticle might be beneficial based on how you shoot.
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Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300 FAQS
- Is red dot superior to reflex sight?
A true red dot sight is a reflex sight that is housed in a tube. Open reflex sights offer a larger field of view and limitless eye relief, while they offer a brighter reticle. Open sights are more convenient for aiming with both eyes open and are better at acquiring targets more quickly.
- What is superior? 177 or.22 caliber air rifle?
The 177 round is the most efficient for the job because of its superior penetration and a smaller diameter at a higher velocity. A.22 moves at just under 600 fps, and a.177 typically moves at just under 800 fps.
Conclusion
Choosing Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300 is a fun and quick process if you know what features to look for. Each of the scopes we’ve chosen in this post offers the crucial components you’ll need to make your trip successful once you’re in the hunting area. Whatever model you choose to be among Best Air Rifle Scope Under $300, we hope you found this information to be very beneficial.