Niko Sterling panamax 3-9x40
Printed From: Kiwi Airgunners
Category: Technical
Forum Name: Reviews
Forum Description: Rate your airgun or pellets here
URL: www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=1356
Printed Date: 28 Jun 2026 at 4:59pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 10.14 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Niko Sterling panamax 3-9x40
Posted By: kruzaroad
Subject: Niko Sterling panamax 3-9x40
Date Posted: 06 May 2026 at 1:57pm
 Air rifle rated version. $240 at gun city. Inch scope tube Comes well packed in box, with it sitting on the little stand in pic and packed either end to stop movement. Has cleaning cloth and booklet. The turrets are capped but under the caps is marked. One click = 1/4 moa. The clicks are felt and audible. Finger turnable. Turret caps have a rubber seal between cap and body of scope.  The zoom is smooth and easy to turn with a built in ridge on zoom dial. It goes the opposite way of other scopes ive had zoom on  The retical is part mildot. The glass is clear and presents a picture. Note this not how it looks through the scope to the naked eye. The ph seems to blow the colour out and gives a way less clear image. This image is to show the retical set up.  Over all it feels solid and well built. Has a bit of wieght but not anything overboard and not as heavy as the hawk vantage. Over all first impression is good but the proof is on the pudding. Still trying to decide if need recoil damping scope mounts or just pit a set of sportmatch mounts and if it gets shaken to pieces then get it repair(joys of lifetime warranty) then put a damping mount on. So far so good but thought the same of redwin which just couldn't handel it and crapped out. So thats the unboxing and first impression get back with real testing resaukts in a couple of weeks i guess. |
Replies:
Posted By: -Ec
Date Posted: 06 May 2026 at 2:24pm
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Interested to see how you get on with this scope as I'm thinking of getting a new scope for my Diana. Not a huge hurry as the CV Life is OK except no half Mildot marks in the reticule and not a fan of AO for hunting - I just leave it about halfway between the 25 & 50 yard marks. I have been looking a Victoptics - a sub-brand of Vector optics that focuses on "cost-effective products to meet the needs of more customers". They have a number of scopes specifically designed for "high-power spring break-barrel air rifles to survive the harsh, two-way recoil that destroys conventional scopes" However I'm interested to see how you get on with the Niko Sterling panamax. Similar cost when taking shipping in to account and buying from a NZ dealer HAS to be an advantage if there are any issues. Surprised to see the pheasants sill hanging around with the hunting season underway! ------------- Regards, -Ec |
Posted By: kruzaroad
Date Posted: 06 May 2026 at 5:47pm
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That sounds interesting ec. Ill check it out. I don't like the idea of a recoil reducing scope mount base. Just more to go wrong. Just a bloody good scope would suit me. Lol two pheasants. That a very quiet pic. Saving them up for farmers son to come out for shoot. Doesn't get hunting in as much since he became a police sargent. So let them hang around till he gets here and has the sort of shooting you dream about pheasant hunting. Im not aware of the game bird seasons thought it was duck season with all the shotties going off around the place. |
Posted By: kruzaroad
Date Posted: 06 May 2026 at 6:05pm
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Dam wish i knew of them a week ago. They have some pretty awsome scopes I would like to try. 1000 g's of testing pressure. reticles with useful markings. Good find ec. Almost hoping the niko sterling doesn't handel it so can get one. Hmm or get one and put the niko on a powder burner. |
Posted By: -Ec
Date Posted: 06 May 2026 at 6:12pm
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Not sure of the exact dates now as it's been years since I did any game bird scaring, but back then both duck and "upland game" shooting started on the first Saturday in May. Duck shooting ended on Queens birthday weekend with pheasant and quail hunting lasting 6-8 weeks after duck shooting ended. I believe duck shooting season is longer now but not sure how much longer. My Gamo came with a "recoil reducing rail" which I still have but I'm not using at present as it mounts the scope too far forward for the scope I have on the gun. The son-in-laws 177 Gamo has one as well. Here is a quick video showing how it works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXh2rCTDdZ4 and this one shows the issue I have with my scope on my Gamo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkZX_7K6Yt8 ------------- Regards, -Ec |
Posted By: kruzaroad
Date Posted: 06 May 2026 at 6:52pm
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Yeah i dont think much of gamo recoil mount. Had one before. That video makes me just as sceptical. Tells you nothing really. How does it reduce recoil forward, how do two separate but still clamped pieces stop shock when they don't move. You can't tell me those two little bits absorb shock 100% like gamo claim. Could be wrong nut i dont believe it. Rather something like diana bullseye recoil reducing mount. Seems more realistic. But that looks.problematic too. Those scopes are the one. Made to handel it, no need for fancy party tricks. Going to run it on strait med sportmatch mounts. Got a put onto them one.of shooters on here. After trying a few other types i pretty much stick to them. They are the bees knees. |
Posted By: -Ec
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2026 at 2:37pm
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Hey kruza, how are you finding the Niko scope? ------------- Regards, -Ec |
Posted By: kruzaroad
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2026 at 2:45pm
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Will let you know when rain stops. Its been fine and I'm happy with it but.... Few days back accuracy dropped off on rifle, when target shooting. Decided could be one of three things. Two ive fixed but weather stopped me testing scope at moment. Its air rifle rated, not sure its magnium air rifle rated. So yep happy with scope but not sure if it can deal with diana. Will update thread when have it back on and tested. |
Posted By: -Ec
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2026 at 3:48pm
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I'm soooo over all this rain. I've replaced the stealth rings I had on my Diana with sports match rings and really want to test it out. Also want to test my Super Meteor. it came with a basic Chinese 4x32 scope with a 30/30 ret and some budget rings. I've now set it up with the stealth rings and I'm keen to see how accurate it is. I did mount my CVLIFE FoxSpook 3-9x40 which also has a 30/30 ret but it just looked too big for for this rifle (see picture below). If the BSA is accurate I'll look at getting a more suitable scope for it as it should be a decent bird gun out to around 40-50m plus a good plinking gun. Current favourite as a replacement is this one ... https://discoveryopt.com/collections/hunting-scopes/products/ms-6x32  ------------- Regards, -Ec |
Posted By: kruzaroad
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2026 at 4:39pm
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Checked the breech block for sideways movement? I imagine going off mine from years ago it will be accurate. That was back in days of no pellets to choose from. Good magnification level. Objective lens size might make picking a starling out amongst the tree interior a bit more difficult as last light fads. But looks like a good choice for gun. Plenty of birds up here if you want to tackle, myna, starlings and sparrows mid next month for a few hours during the day. I haven't used the 1322 for bird hunting since I got the diana. So they are a bit less wary. Gave the hatsan pistol away so they haven't even been shot at with that. |
Posted By: -Ec
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2026 at 4:55pm
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There is no sideways movement in the breach, however there is a little up and down movement. Looks like if I pop a pin out and turn it around it may sort this. Hopefully will be able to test it in the next day or so. A mate had a Meteor back in the early 70's and this was a very accurate gun - though I struggled to hit anything with it! Plenty of starlings, magpies and turkeys around here though the Diana is more suited to the magpies and turkeys!Would be keen on a visit next month if that is possible. Still have to arrange another visit to Myson's once I have both both the Diana and BSA zeroed in. Below is a picture of one of the flocks of turkeys in the area - there is another flock of similar size plus two more of around 6 birds.  ------------- Regards, -Ec |