I just bought a Benjamin Black Lightning that came with a horrible 4X scope. After less than a hundred shots, the scope (CenterPoint, I think) has lost it's zero, drifts farther right with every shot, and will not adjust left. The clarity is sub-par as well. The rifle was making tidy little dime-size groups before the scope went south.

I like 4X on this rifle; it's supposed to hit 1400 FPS with the right ammo and the extra magnification is welcome. I don't know how fast it's pushing 10.5 gr Crosman Piranhas, but the one quail I've shot flapped twice and expired. The rifle will be used for plinking and small game. I have a Sig Romeo 5 laying around, but kind of want to save it for something else and it has no magnification. I won't need the best scope ever, but I want to buy once and be done. Is the UTG Bug Buster decent?

As an aside, the 10.5 gr pellets seem to shoot best, out of the variety I tried. The lightest ones I tested were 7.3 and actually left smoke in the barrel. About one shot in eight wouldn't suppress properly, and was as loud as a .22 rimfire. The heavier pellets cured both of those issues. Smoke on the suppressor baffles seems like a bad thing, especially if I can't clean those baffles. And the trigger is a dang chore to manage, even with all the slack adjusted out of it. Any recommendations there? Thanks in advance!

Get one of these.

Nikon Prostaff P3 Target EFR 3-9x40 AO Matte Precision

The 1,400 pellets are total crap so don’t waste your money. They do go hypersonic and make a crack sound but they don’t group worth a shit.

Gas Piston/ spring piston airguns are brutal on optics!
Unlike regular "guns" most piston style guns have a "double" recoil effect.
When you pull the trigger, there is a initial recoil rearward, like at standard gun.
But at the end of the piston travel there will be a foward jolt!!
Most scopes are not made to deal with this.

So you need to get a scope that is "springer" rated!
One line is Swift AirMax.
You can check the online retailer of airguns...they should list scope that can hold up!

Good Luck

Ca_Longshot

The Hawke Airmax scopes are specifically designed for spring airguns.  There is a 2-7 by 32mm which should fit your criteria nicely.  It is also what I'd consider to be a budget scope, but for the about $200 price tag it is a pretty decent and quite functional scope.

Oh, and stay with the heavy pellets in that rifle.  You want it to be pushing pellets at no more than 900 ft/s, and closer to 800 ft/s is generally better.

Second recommendation for Hawke...