Finer Than A Red Cross Hair

[Boatninja]

Shooting quail with a .22 lr is legal in south Texas and old timers have told me it once was quite common. I am looking for a scope in the middle price range, with a range in the 5-25x zoom, or fixed focus that can be focused under 50 yds if possible. But the most important part is a very fine crosshair, or recommendations for reticles, floating dot etc. I just don't really have the experience with a variety of scopes like a lot of people on this forum. Thanks to anyone who offers to help, I really appreciate it.

 

[cohunt]

25 zoom for 50 yards?

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

I really like a floating center dot, to me it makes all the difference. Have a look at the Element Optics Helix 6-24FFP. It will focus down to 10 yards and with a 4 power erector the reticle is useable throughout the zoom range despite being FFP. This is what I have on my more precise .22 WMR for hunting. Pricing is pretty competitive too.

https://element-optics.com/product/helix-ffp/

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

I just saw you said "red" crosshair title, and the Helix is not illuminated. They do have a couple other higher end/price scopes which are illuminated depending on your budget. The guys who started the company had a lot of experience with air rifles so they understand the need to be able to shoot very close but also at distance.

 

[Scythe]

I don't see a spending limit (oops) so I will suggest Nightforce because you can get a floating cross. I've tried the dot, prefer the cross.

Nightforce Reticles

 

[Boatninja]

25 zoom for 50 yards?

We only shoot the blue eyed ones and it takes a lot of magnification…………..
Seriously though they aren't as dumb as they're very small brains may seem and nowadays our shots are more like 70 yards We also use the scopes to evaluate white tails.

 

[Boatninja]

I just saw you said "red" crosshair title, and the Helix is not illuminated. They do have a couple other higher end/price scopes which are illuminated depending on your budget. The guys who started the company had a lot of experience with air rifles so they understand the need to be able to shoot very close but also at distance.

What is the helix you speak of? I am interested in most any kind of scope that has a Crosshairs fine enough to shoot at a Quail head. That actually sounds really good, the air rifle part that might be the avenue we need to go. Does not necessarily have to be in a particular color or even illuminated. This is a pretty elaborate story I guess, it is not something that is commonly done.

 

[just_jon]

I have several Leupold VX-3 EFR 6.5-20x40 scopes with the target dot. The dot is 1/8" @100 yards. They are air rifle scopes that I got on eBay late one night when I wasn't paying attention. They have held up to years of abuse on my 204 Ruger, 22-250AI and 6mm Rem.

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

What is the helix you speak of? I am interested in most any kind of scope that has a Crosshairs fine enough to shoot at a Quail head. That actually sounds really good, the air rifle part that might be the avenue we need to go. Does not necessarily have to be in a particular color or even illuminated. This is a pretty elaborate story I guess, it is not something that is commonly done.

See my post right above that one, where I reference the Helix. One of the main guys behind the company is Matt Dubber who has the youtube channel AirArmsHuntingSA. They are hunting pigeons, starlings, doves, geese, sparrows, hyrax etc using air rifles, and took that experience when developing Element Optics and the various scope models and reticles. Not to sound any more like a shill, but its a great channel if you like hunting and want to see the optics in use for precision small game hunting. Basically they have 3 models at three different price points (prices taken from Camera Land NY):

Helix 4-16x44 FFP or 6-24x50 SFP & FFP all non illuminated (~$475)

Titan 5-25x56 FFP Illuminated (~$800)

Nexus 5-25x50 FFP Illuminated (~$1500)

I think they are worth checking out for your application, the Helix and Nexus have parallax adjustments down to 10 yards/meters and the Titan at 15. They are made by LOW in Japan, have really positive turrets, and solid build. My Helix is still relatively new, but I am really impressed with the value for the money.

 

[26Reload]

 

[Boatninja]

See my post right above that one, where I reference the Helix. One of the main guys behind the company is Matt Dubber who has the youtube channel AirArmsHuntingSA. They are hunting pigeons, starlings, doves, geese, sparrows, hyrax etc using air rifles, and took that experience when developing Element Optics and the various scope models and reticles. Not to sound any more like a shill, but its a great channel if you like hunting and want to see the optics in use for precision small game hunting. Basically they have 3 models at three different price points (prices taken from Camera Land NY):

Helix 4-16x44 FFP or 6-24x50 SFP & FFP all non illuminated (~$475)

Titan 5-25x56 FFP Illuminated (~$800)

Nexus 5-25x50 FFP Illuminated (~$1500)

I think they are worth checking out for your application, the Helix and Nexus have parallax adjustments down to 10 yards/meters and the Titan at 15. They are made by LOW in Japan, have really positive turrets, and solid build. My Helix is still relatively new, but I am really impressed with the value for the money.

I was trying to punch out and see my posts on my phone out in the sun, on work downtime, it wasn't working, back to it now. These scopes look pretty much what I was describing to myself. Reading specs now. I'm very Vortex savvy, I own several and have a Viper 5-25x on one of my .22s, how do these stack up against Vortex. Also the $1,000 question, are they in stock any place?

 

[Boatninja]

See my post right above that one, where I reference the Helix. One of the main guys behind the company is Matt Dubber who has the youtube channel AirArmsHuntingSA. They are hunting pigeons, starlings, doves, geese, sparrows, hyrax etc using air rifles, and took that experience when developing Element Optics and the various scope models and reticles. Not to sound any more like a shill, but its a great channel if you like hunting and want to see the optics in use for precision small game hunting. Basically they have 3 models at three different price points (prices taken from Camera Land NY):

Helix 4-16x44 FFP or 6-24x50 SFP & FFP all non illuminated (~$475)

Titan 5-25x56 FFP Illuminated (~$800)

Nexus 5-25x50 FFP Illuminated (~$1500)

I think they are worth checking out for your application, the Helix and Nexus have parallax adjustments down to 10 yards/meters and the Titan at 15. They are made by LOW in Japan, have really positive turrets, and solid build. My Helix is still relatively new, but I am really impressed with the value for the money.

And yes thanks I do see the post now, but couldn't earlier.

 

[Boatninja]

Looking at Cameraland, are any part of these Element scopes Chinese?

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

And yes thanks I do see the post now, but couldn't earlier.

No worries at all. LRH on the mobile phone is terrible for me.

I was trying to punch out and see my posts on my phone out in the sun, on work downtime, it wasn't working, back to it now. These scopes look pretty much what I was describing to myself. Reading specs now. I'm very Vortex savvy, I own several and have a Viper 5-25x on one of my .22s, how do these stack up against Vortex. Also the $1,000 question, are they in stock any place?

I don't have a Viper to directly compare to, but I have a Razor Gen II, LHT, and a Crossfire II. I have shot and owned various others over the years but tend to favor Vortex's Japanese stuff and find their other products more underwhelming. The Helix gets compared a lot to the Diamondback Tactical because they are spec'd similarly but the build quality, reticle, glass and turrets are better on the Helix at the same price point. Titan would probably compare most closely to Viper PST II, but put together a little better. The Nexus I am assuming approaches Razor Gen II without the weight but can't say without handling/looking through one. I like the Vortex products that I have (Crossfire is wonky but that was expected), but if I was on the market for another optic I would lean towards Element at this point. I think they represent a better value for your money, though obviously their offerings are much more limited depending on the specific application.

To answer the $1000 question, I bought mine off Camera Land and it shipped from FX Airguns right away. I would buy from them again if looking for another.

Looking at Cameraland, are any part of these Element scopes Chinese?

Not to my knowledge.