Rifle Scopes CRAZY OVER COVID SCOPE DECISION

[craighobbist02]

During this time with everything closed and low inventory. I'm trying to decide on a new scope.
I'm older. Eyes are starting to go. Looking for a Hunting scope for a .25 airgun.
I will be day pesting and night hunting ferals w an occasional coyote.
I've narrowed it down to three. All FFP Scopes.
1) Bushnell Forge deploy MOA FFP 2.5Z15X50
non illuminating.
2)Athlon Argos BTR Gen II 6-24x50 Illuminated Christmas tree reticle either mil or moa(I'm wondering if this is to much scope for hunting)
3) Sightmark Citadel 3-18 x50 lr2 or lr1, same Christmas tree reticle. Illuminated.
Any thoughts or other ideas on a budget scope ?
Want to stay at the $400 range.

 

[PR3AK]

I had a bushnell forge ....for the money I liked it.....I used it in terrible conditions (cold to warm A LOT)
And it never failed @-16f then taking it right into a warm house still never fogged it

Although if your eyes have trouble picking up the reticle at night perhaps illuminated is best

 

[VargmatII]

I am putting a new scope on my FX Impact .25 caliber, so we are a little bit in the same boat, so to speak. Have you considered a digital scope? I am thinking about the Sightmark Wraith 4-32x50 for my FX. I figured it could be a practical choice for that rifle, and I am sure that my son (8 years old) would find it fun as well.

 

[longrange454]

At 74 i'm going the other direction. SFP Illuminated reticle.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Not crazy about FFP scopes for most hunting situations, but YMMV.

 

[squishee]

Older (my) eyes have issues with ffp scopes on low power settings unless the reticle is well thought out. I have a gen 1 argos 6x24 i will probably never sell. It has bounced around on rifles from 22lr to 300 win mags and always works.
Mediocre glass .It has a good to my eyes (Thicker on low power) illuminated reticle.
You never mentioned range that you hunt at.

Edit I would say illuminated reticle is a plus for low light pest hunting.

 

[squishee]

Also my argos spent some time on a spring gun and held zeros fine.

 

[HousePlant]

I have the Sightmark Pinnacle on my Bergara HMR Pro and it's actually pretty great, but that one is a Japanese LOW factory scope. Anyway, their tree reticle gets positive reviews from me, albeit the crosshair is a little thick when you're 16 zoom onward (I have the higher zoom model).

 

[slickalaus12]

If your eyes are going bad I wouldn't recommend the Argos. I have the gen II 6-24x50. It's a decent scope for what it is but the eye box and eye relief are tight, and the glass is just decent. I'd go with a scope with less features, that has better glass. The Argos is also heavy for a hunting scope.

 

[acudaowner]

that's not crazy between my father and myself even on a 22lr we both fight over either the sightron 10x50x60 or the delta 5x50x56 . even though everyone always says you don't need that much mag it may be true but its really nice when to have it when it cost 1/2 as much as other scopes that don't have it and when you can use it its grand to be able to see that much more than others on the range . Now the sightron the last time I looked could be gotten for a little under 1k the delta the cheapest I have see in was 1600 so neither are super cheap buy still far cheaper than 3k or 2800 . Good luck to you sir finding something that you like and can use to keep you shooting .

 

[craighobbist02]

Older (my) eyes have issues with ffp scopes on low power settings unless the reticle is well thought out. I have a gen 1 argos 6x24 i will probably never sell. It has bounced around on rifles from 22lr to 300 win mags and always works.
Mediocre glass .It has a good to my eyes (Thicker on low power) illuminated reticle.
You never mentioned range that you hunt at.

Edit I would say illuminated reticle is a plus for low light pest hunting.

The range in in is 10- 120 yards. It's a Hatsan Gladius air gun. Has a trajectory like a rainbow. Hence the hold over wanted on the reticle.

 

[craighobbist02]

If your eyes are going bad I wouldn't recommend the Argos. I have the gen II 6-24x50. It's a decent scope for what it is but the eye box and eye relief are tight, and the glass is just decent. I'd go with a scope with less features, that has better glass. The Argos is also heavy for a hunting scope.

Thank you. O didn't see how tight the eye box is on the Argos. The Sightmark is out too.
Do you have any suggestions ?

 

[slickalaus12]

Thank you. O didn't see how tight the eye box is on the Argos. The Sightmark is out too.
Do you have any suggestions ?

I don't really know what to recommend in that price range. I am mostly bench-shooting, so I am not too sure what would make a good hunting optic at that price.

 

[Sigma]

I love my forge 2.5-15x ffp just picked one up for my 22 lr a month or so ago for $450 on natchez.

I also picked up a match pro 6-24 for my daystate regal 22.

Both are great scopes. Both track like they are on rails and glass is clear as can be. Only downfall on the match pro is that it doesn’t come in an MOA version.

Just a few pics through the forge scope at 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 power

 

[craighobbist02]

I love my forge 2.5-15x ffp just picked one up for my 22 lr a month or so ago for $450 on natchez.

I also picked up a match pro 6-24 for my daystate regal 22.

Both are great scopes. Both track like they are on rails and glass is clear as can be. Only downfall on the match pro is that it doesn’t come in an MOA version.

Just a few pics through the forge scope at 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 power

That looks pretty darn good. Damn ! I'm even more confused..

 

[Sigma]

That looks pretty darn good. Damn ! I'm even more confused..

out of the 3 choices you provided the forge is absolutely the best choice. If you have any questions pm me.

 

[craighobbist02]

I am putting a new scope on my FX Impact .25 caliber, so we are a little bit in the same boat, so to speak. Have you considered a digital scope? I am thinking about the Sightmark Wraith 4-32x50 for my FX. I figured it could be a practical choice for that rifle, and I am sure that my son (8 years old) would find it fun as well.

I have just discovered, the eye box is quite narrow on the Sightmark ?