Buying a cheap airgun scope doesn’t have to mean settling for a product that is not fit for purpose. The Richter Optik 3-9x50 AOE scope - distributed in the UK by John Rothery Wholesale – has a recommended retail price of just £59.99 and that includes mounts. I have been using this budget riflescope for nearly ten years, and it has given me excellent service during this extensive long-term test.
The fact that I have been using this Richter Optik gunsight for so long without any problems certainly confirms that it is very solidly constructed. Its tough aluminium body incorporates a 25mm tube and has been nitrogen-purged to keep it fog-proof in damp conditions. This budget priced telescopic sight is also shock resistant, which means it is built to stand up to the recoil of a spring or gas-ram airgun.
In terms of size, the Richter Optik 3-9x50 AOE is fairly standard. It is just over 33cm long and weighs 622g. Those proportions make for a versatile scope that makes for a good match with mid-size and larger airguns while still not looking out of place on compact carbine models.
Below: The Richter Optik 3-9x50 AOE's proportions make it a good match with airguns of all sizes
This Richter Optik scope’s lenses are fully coated with an anti-reflective compound to enhance performance. Combined with the large 50mm objective lens, which improves light transmission, the result is a sight picture that is bright and crisp and surprisingly sharp right to the edges.
The zoom feature on this telescopic sight gives you adjustable magnification from three to nine times – which should be just about right for the sort of affordable sub-12ft/lb airgun you’re likely to pair a scope like this with. The collar that shifts the zoom up and down turns smoothly while having sufficient torque to prevent accidental adjustment.
Don’t rule out the lower magnification settings, as they make for a brighter sight picture in low light conditions and also give you a much wider field of view which really helps with fast target acquisition. Turn the zoom up to and 9x you have sufficiently high magnification for precision shooting at longer sub-12 ranges.
Below top: A 50mm objective and advanced lens coating make for clear viewing
Below bottom: The Richter Optik 3-9x50 AOE is a zoom scope suitable for short and long-range airgun shooting
You don’t always have the luxury of adjustable parallax on lower priced riflescopes, which can be a frustration for airgun shooters as it tends to me most problematic over closer ranges. The Richter Optik 3-9x50 AOE does have adjustable parallax, which is dialled in by turning the collar at the front of the scope. Just like the zoom ring, it turns smoothly but without feeling slack while dialling out parallax error and bringing the target into sharp focus. This model focuses out to infinity and down to less than ten yards, which is great if you’re shooting pests at close range.
The windage and elevation turrets are relatively low-profile, which means they shouldn’t get in the way if you choose to use any add-ons with this scope. Each ¼ MOA adjustment shifts the point of aim by one quarter of an inch at 100 yards. The dials turn with very positive clicks and, while it’s just about possible to turn them with your thumbnail, it’s a job that’s best done with a key or screwdriver.
Below top: Parallax adjustment down to under 10 yards make this a great scope for airgun shooting
Below bottom: The windage and elevation dials turn with positive and precise clicks for confident zeroing
This Richter Optik’s fine reticle presents you with an uncluttered sight picture and features mil-dots which provide clear aiming points to compensate for a side-wind and the rise and fall of your pellet as gravity takes its toll on its downrange journey. When you first set up, use the fast-focus eyebell to ensure that the reticle is exactly focused to suit your eye – it’s a job you only need to do once.
The reticle can also be illuminated in red for improved contrast against dark backgrounds, which can be a great help when shooting in low light conditions. The control dial is positioned on the ocular bell – it may get in the way of some add-ons but I have been able to attach my scope-camera without any problems. The dial gives you a choice of 11 different levels of brightness when lighting up the reticle.
Below top: This affordable Richter Optik scope features a mil-dot reticle for accurate aim off. Note: image quality is reduced by scope camera
Below bottom: An adjustable illuminated reticle ensures a clear aimpoint in poor light conditions
As I have already said, this scope even comes supplied with two-piece mounts. They fit dovetail scope rails and they’re decent quality – better than some of the mounts that I’ve seen included with affordable scopes. You also get a set of push-on flip-up lens covers to keep dust and other muck off the lenses.
The Richter Optik 3-9x50 AEO telescopic sight may not boast the refinement of a high-end telescopic sight, but I think you’d have to spend more than double its asking price to get anything noticeably better. To get a scope with decent optical quality, along with features including adjustable parallax and an illuminated reticle, for under £60 really is exceptional. You really do get a lot for your money with this budget riflescope. Most importantly of all, you get an affordable scope that is up to the job whether you want it for plinking or pest control.
Below top: The Richter Optik 3-9x50 AOE comes with mounts to fit dovetail scope rails
Below bottom: You even get a set of flip-up lenses to keep dust and grime off the glass
MAKE: Richter Optik
MODEL: 3-9x50 AOE
PRICE: £59.99
SUPPLIED BY: John Rothery Wholesale
LENGTH: 330mm
WEIGHT: 622g
FEATURES: 3-9x zoom, parallax from 10 yards to infinity, illuminated mil-dot reticle, supplied with mounts and lens covers
Article first published 28th July 2025
