Thread: Saving pennies to buy a scope $1500~$2000

Yeah I sold my Sightron SIII 6-24 and wish I didn't.

I'd advise against the 8-32, the extra magnification just isn't needed in FTR, or any shooting really.

Disagree entirely. I am now in the position, in FO at any rate of having equipment and skills equal to fellow competitors but losing out to them because they are using 80x March scopes whilst I shoot with a 32x SIII and a 25x VX. Sure they don't get to shoot that often on 80x, mostly back around 45x - 60x except of course when mirage is bad. They have a huge advantage over me. With my VX at 25x I am aiming with reasonable definition at the 6 ring or at the super vee whilst they are aiming inside the super vee. Most of my FTR buddies are shooting 42x some 32x.
Buy the most powerful scope you can afford, as long as the optics are up to it. You can always crank down but you cannot crank up if you haven't got the magnification available.

Well it means sweet fuckall if you can see inside the 6 ring, but the whole shooter and rifle combo is unable to hold a group to that level of prescision...

If you truly hit the limit of a 24 power scope, then by all means get something with higher magnification,but I guarantee you that the majority of f-class shooters in NZ are not shooing at that level...

Probably less than10 guys in the country able to shoot anywhere near that level (in a regular, repeatable way) at least the ones willing to put their names on the line and rock up for regional and national comps....

@zimmer, which club do you shoot at? Whatawhata or Otorahanga ? Did you do either of those club champs or Hamilton F-class champs past season ?

Originally Posted by ebf

Well it means sweet fuckall if you can see inside the 6 ring, but the whole shooter and rifle combo is unable to hold a group to that level of prescision...

If you truly hit the limit of a 24 power scope, then by all means get something with higher magnification,but I guarantee you that the majority of f-class shooters in NZ are not shooing at that level...

Probably less than10 guys in the country able to shoot anywhere near that level (in a regular, repeatable way) at least the ones willing to put their names on the line and rock up for regional and national comps....

Yes @ebf I will agree about the rank and file but for the winning shooters it's now about super vees. Super vees are attained by aiming for them not just getting them by chance because you have a high percentage of your shots falling within the 6 ring. You yourself have shot in Oz and will have seen the type of equipment they are using and their results (I can post an equipment list from the Queens) and know that their level of performance is the goal, if you are competitive shooters. And it is the goal or else why would the reasonable numbers of shooters (>10) trip around regional champs and got to Belmont and Camp Perry as per recently. And at the end of the day we all want to win don't we?
Of course all this means nix for the average Sat arvo club shooter. If that is what people are happy to be buy a cheap low powered scope, but don't bother having a good rifle, perfectly loaded ammo, great technique because without good strong optics the rest listed earlier is a wasted investment. A good (suitable) scope is just a part of the total complete package.

Originally Posted by ebf

@zimmer, which club do you shoot at? Whatawhata or Otorahanga ? Did you do either of those club champs or Hamilton F-class champs past season ?

Until a year ago was shooting at both Franklin and Akarana. Used to do the rounds of Whangarei and South Auckland Champs years ago in my fullbore days. Unfortunately due to a number of reasons, including health, have dropped out of the F Class scene. Getting most of my kicks now out of playing with my 22 Hornet and my 223. Still keep and eye on FO and FTR results though. Seeing shooters like yourself coming to the fore with good results plus clubs like Whangarei going from strength to strength. Still have several very capable FO rifles sitting in the safe but if I did get keen again I would build up an FTR class rifle.

@ebf I actually dropped in for a look see at Whatawhata champs on the way back from down the island. Later saw in the results that you had shot there. Next time I will seek you out and introduce myself. Cheers

Turning into an interesting discussion this... Bit off the original topic, but hey.

Zimmer, post the QRA equipment list if you want, I do not think it supports your argument.

Over the last 3 years I have had guys tell me:

You can't load accurate ammo using Lee dies
You can't be competitive using an Omark
You have to use a $4k March scope to be a top shooter
You can not get consistent powder loads using a beam scale.

And my response... BULLSHIT

The faster people stop blaming equipment and start looking at their own skills and application of the fundamentals of shooting, the better their scores will be.

Are you honestly saying that the top FO guys have the ability to judge wind at 1/8moa or better leveL ? The super V is only 0.5 MOA, changing from a dead centre hold to the x-ring is 1/4 MOA. You can do this with a 24 or 32 power scope...

What I saw in Oz is that there is significantly more competition, and that breeds improvement like nothing else. The level of gun handling (i.e. pure shooting fundamentals amongst their f-class guys is much higher) and their approach to load development and tuning is also more mature.

In my experience (over a few different shooting disipilnes) the top shooters could win with a piece of water pipe nailed to a 4x2 (I think you get my drift).