The selection of an optical sight, which is used for an air rifle, is not the easiest task. The use of pneumatics without it is the absence of a huge number of advantages that could play into your hands. Since an air rifle is used for shooting at small targets, an optical sight is sure to be useful to every fan of such entertainment, as well as some types of hunting. Which optical sight to choose for an air rifle and what are the features of each of the presented types?

Types of sights for pneumatics

Today there are a large number of sights of various types on the market. The most common can be considered:

• optical;
• collimator;
• laser designators;
• mechanical.

Mechanical sights were seen by everyone who at least once held a hunting weapon in his hands. Such a device is a front sight and a rear sight. It is with such models that most types of pneumatics are equipped.

It is very easy to use a mechanical sight – it is enough to combine the front sight, the rear sight and your object on the same line. But it is difficult for the human eye to keep such a large number of objects in focus, so vision constantly jumps from one object to another, losing accuracy.

The collimator sight is considered a subspecies of optical sights, its design is fundamentally different from the mechanical one. As part of the collimator sight, there is a translucent lens and the collimator itself, which is a classic or laser LED projecting a sighting mark onto the lens. Through the glass, the aiming mark is reflected directly into the eye of the arrow and is combined with the object itself in the plane.

If you move the pneumatics, the aiming mark will move from the target. But even if you look at the optics from a different angle, while maintaining the immobility of the rifle, the sighting mark remains in place. Thanks to such properties of the collimator sight, pneumatics can be quickly aimed at the target without losing accuracy, even when the eyes are not in line with the sight.

Collimator sights have a large viewing angle. With the help of such a device, aiming is performed several times better.

You can buy open and closed collimator sights, which have a completely similar principle of operation. A closed collimator is better because it has greater protection from damage and adverse external conditions. And an open one should be chosen when a wide viewing angle for the shooter is of great importance.

Laser optics is very similar to a classic laser pointer, but has horizontal and vertical adjustment options. Such sights release a laser beam with low power, which is directed towards the target and projects a glowing dot onto its surface.

You can buy laser designators with different beam power and color. The main disadvantages of such systems are limited range visibility, as well as poor visibility in harsh light. With the help of a laser designator, it is convenient to fire from any position, since it is necessary to monitor only the target and the glowing point on its surface, which reduces the aiming time to a minimum.

Optical sights are now available to every owner of pneumatics, because manufacturers produce them in a wide variety. This kind of optics can be chosen for both sports and hunting.

Despite the fact that outwardly optical sights are very similar to each other, they are all fundamentally different in terms of characteristics and quality.

The optical sight for pneumatics is a complex structure of lenses. The quality of optics directly depends on the quality of the glasses installed in it.

Their quality is influenced by the method of lens production and the chemical composition of the glass. If you decide to buy a cheap optical sight, but there, most likely, technical glass will be installed, which has minor cracks, bubbles, haze and other defects. All this makes the image fuzzy, distorts it. Due to the insufficient transparency of the glass, the aperture of the optical sight is reduced, which worsens the possibility of hunting in low light conditions and with a high multiplicity of approaches.

Optical sights with a high price are made of special illuminated glass, which boasts excellent characteristics of uniformity, transparency, refractive capability and dispersion.

What are the characteristics of the optical sight you need to pay attention to?

High-quality lenses have a perfectly smooth surface and the correct shape. Before being installed in the optical sight, the glasses undergo multi-stage mechanical processing, which allows you to get a clear image with sufficient detail and good color reproduction.

To improve the quality of the image visible through the lens, an anti-reflective coating is applied to it, which manufacturers keep secret. The most famous manufacturers of optical sights are Gamo, Hawke, Hatsan and Hakko. This and other optics for pneumatics can be purchased in our online store with delivery in Ukraine.

What characteristics should be taken into account before choosing and buying an optical sight for an air rifle?

• The diameter of the input lens. The size of the input lens in the scope significantly affects its characteristics and scope of application. Large-sized optics have high light intensity and an extended viewing angle. But such a sight will have a lot of weight, which is extremely inconvenient if necessary to move with pneumatics on foot. Also, such optics can quickly fail due to the strong recoil when firing.
• Field of view. This characteristic indicates the space that is visible to the shooter in the eyepiece. The units of measurement can be meters or degrees. A wide field of view increases the overview of the terrain and simplifies the search for a target for hunting.
• Multiplicity. This indicator is one of the key ones for optical sights. Depending on the multiplicity, it is determined for what needs the sight can be used. The multiplicity of optics indicates how much the image will be enlarged depending on the distance. So, if the x4 multiplicity is indicated on the optics, then when observing an object from a distance of 100 m through the sight, it will seem that you are observing the target from a distance of 25 m. Optical sights can have a constant or variable multiplicity, which is adjusted using a special flywheel on the eyepiece.
• The body of the sight. The optics with a high price have a monolithic duralumin housing, which is filled with nitrogen and hermetically sealed. Thanks to this design, even with a sharp change in temperature, the lenses inside do not fog up. The thinnest and longest part of the sight is called a tube. It is on it that the optics fasteners are located, as well as regulators for making vertical and horizontal corrections. The larger the diameter of the pipe, the greater the margin of vertical and horizontal edits the optics will have. Top models of optics today are equipped with pipes with a diameter of 35 mm.
• Mechanics. This is the name of all mechanical adjustment systems provided in optics, which allow you to change the focus, multiplicity, horizontal and vertical edits. Before you buy an optical sight, pay attention to the mechanism of the focusing system. Judging by the reviews, the mechanism with lateral adjustment can be called the most convenient – with its help you can make adjustments without ceasing to look at the sight.
• Sighting nets. With the help of auxiliary images on optics, it is possible to aim better, determine the distance to the target, etc. Sighting markers can be engraved on the lens or made of wire. The most popular among the abundance of sighting nets is the “mil-dot”, which is used by hunters, snipers and other owners of pneumatics.

This information will be enough to have an idea about optical sights before buying.

Optical sights for pneumatics: recommendations for choosing

If you are wondering which optical sight to choose for an air rifle, pay attention to the following when buying:

• The diameter of the lens. For daytime hunting or shooting at dusk, the diameter of the optics should be no more than 40-44 mm. Night vision optical sights should have a diameter of 50-56 mm.
• Grid illumination. In conditions of insufficient illumination and night hunting, the illumination of the grid is extremely important. It allows you to get the necessary contrast for good visibility of the crosshair and performing a targeted shot from night vision pneumatics.
• Tightness. Take into account the climatic features of hunting when choosing optics for pneumatics. When hunting in the rain, you will need waterproof optics. The best products have a shock-resistant housing that protects against falls and mechanical damage.
• Resistance to recoil. Not all optical sights can be used with large-caliber pneumatic weapons. Before choosing optics, you should read the manufacturers’ recommendations.
• Bracing. Manufacturers today offer many mounting options for all types of pneumatic weapons. The most popular is the fastening under the rings.

Liga Sporta online store sells sights for night vision pneumatics and other types at a bargain price. You can choose and buy the most suitable version of the sight for your pneumatic weapon, having familiarized yourself with the characteristics and customer reviews.