Re: Recoil chart w/ muzzle brake
Let me preface this post by saying that I am not an air rifle expert by any means, BUT...spring-loaded air rifles are a very unique problem when it comes to optics.
Even though air rifles are nowhere near the power offered by rimfire or centrefire cartridges, spring driven air rifles have a very unique, two-stage recoil that CAN damage conventional rifle scopes.
When you fire an air rifle, there is a backward recoil effect that is immediately followed by a snapping forward recoil effect that combines with the vibrations produced by powerful springs and places an enormous, but unusual stress on both scope and mounts. A lack of perceived recoil (like with an air rifle) really has zero to do with the impulses that can be exerted on a scope and mount from this spring effect.
Scopes designed for air rifles have lenses and a reticle that are braced/reinforced forward and aft to so that recoil doesn’t shake them loose. Most scopes (not all) designed for rimfire and centrefire rifles are not reinforced at the lenses and reticle on both sides. Because of this...a standard scope can get damaged and fail under the recoil impulse from an air rifle.
If you run a search for spring air rifle optics selection, you should turn up some additional information, articles and more "scientific" info that what I posted above.
