Richter Optik 3-9x50 AO-E

Richter Optik scopes seem to have been around for aeons, and I’m sure other airgun shooters of a certain age will also remember them, particularly the 3 - 9 X 50 AO-E here on test, as the original was a popular model. Though it’s hard to believe with the plethora of ‘new era’ airgun specific scopes’ now available, that for its time, you could say this type of optic was once considered to be ‘fully featured’.

Back in the day, if an optic had parallax adjustment, it was via the front rotating objective lens housing and if it had an illuminated reticle, then the rheostat control was invariably on top of the eye-bell. Also, for some reason best-known to the manufacturers, it had 11 brightness settings and the colour when ‘lit’ was red! In that respect the Richter here on test can be termed very traditional, as it uses this layout. Built around a oneinch body tube, the scope measures 13 1/8-inches long and weighs 22oz. It features a 50mm adjustable objective lens (marked 10-yards, 15, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, 200 and – Infinity), low-profile ¼-inch MOA cover capped turret adjusters and boasts fully coated, anti-reflective lenses. At the rear of the high-strength aluminium casing is a smooth operating, deep outer ridged zoom ring, with a large raised hub for ease of operation, while the chunky eye-bell features a fast focus ocular and of course the rheostat control sits aloft, powered by a single CR2032 Lithium battery.

Threes and a four

Although it has what is termed a Mil-Dot reticle, I presume its Richter’s own design, as it only has 3-dots above and along both side stadia, while it does retain the more usual layout of four dots on the lower stadia. It’s useful for ranging using the bracketing method and for general-purpose work it gives enough alternative aim points should you need to aim off due to any breeze and to allow for holdover or holdunder depending on the target being further or closer than your set zero. Spinning off the ridged turret cover caps reveals more ‘old school’ leanings, as the adjusters themselves are ‘coin slot’ design – the windage turret gives 6½ full rotations, the elevation turret has eight, while both give 60 clicks per turn.

In operation, they click around very positively and audibly to each station; in fact, before we had open style ‘tactical’ locking turrets, these were what we referred to as ‘set and forget’. On the Richter, that’s exactly what you can do, because once you set zero, those adjusters aren’t going to shift, even on the harshest recoiling springer.

Conclusion

Quite frankly, I’m amazed at the quality of this scope, not only because of the bargain basement price tag but because in use it quickly endeared itself to me, such was the practicality and performance of all of its features. Lens clarity is impressive and a very bright sight picture was seen right to the very edges of the ocular lens. It’s fogproof, shock and anti-vibration resistant, has a two-year guarantee and comes supplied with a pair of good quality flip up scope covers.