Sling and Spotting Scope Question

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Jim

Sling and Spotting Scope Question

Post by Jim »

A bit of advice from you Junior program leaders needed . . .
I run a sporter class 3P air rifle program at our club. There is general disatisfaction with the web slings Daisy provides with their rifles. What is a good alternative and where to I buy them? How about an AHG sling from Champion Shooter's Supply?
Second question - I am going to pick up a couple of Kowa spotting scopes this year. Should I get the 45 degree eyepeice or straight? What works best with 3P shooting? How about a scope stand suggestion.
Jim
jmorris_3-at-yahoo.com.44340.0
Jay V

Re: Sling and Spotting Scope Question

Post by Jay V »

: A bit of advice from you Junior program leaders needed . . .
: I run a sporter class 3P air rifle program at our club. There is general disatisfaction with the web slings Daisy provides with their rifles. What is a good alternative and where to I buy them? How about an AHG sling from Champion Shooter's Supply?
: Second question - I am going to pick up a couple of Kowa spotting scopes this year. Should I get the 45 degree eyepeice or straight? What works best with 3P shooting? How about a scope stand suggestion.
: Jim

Hi Jim,
I run a junior 3P air rifle club in the Chicago area. The Daisy slings do not work well in my opinion, try the web slings from Champion's Choice for about $15 ea. These are the same as the CMP's military slings ($10), except they are new, not surplus. The CMP ones will cost you about the same when they add the shipping, so you might as well get the new ones. You will also need a handstop. I think CC has an economy one for about $15 as well.
The AHG slings are not legal in Sporter. The rules say 1 1/4" unlined without bias-cut (use the 3P Council rules when buying equipment, the NRA rules are looser). All regular smallbore slings are 1 1/2".
About scopes...We have all 45 degree scopes, and I think they are easier to use. Our club has 16 BSA 12-36 50mm scopes that we bought from Midway USA about 2 years ago for under $75 dealer. CC has them too. I think they are plenty good for 10M (especially for juniors), and I have personally used one for years in conventional pistol and free pistol out to 50M. You may need better scopes if you shoot smallbore. Sooner or later the scopes will hit the floor, but none of ours have stopped working. I really can't find fault in them, especially at the price. We have been very pleased with our stands from Champions Shooter's Supply. We have off-hand stands from Champion's Choice, and have found them to be good as well.
One more tip...Buy Monard junior gloves (www.monardusa.com). For the price they are WAY better than any other.

Jay Vergenz
AIAC
www.aiac-airguns.org
IL

jverg-at-att.net.44342.44340
pdeal

Re: Sling and Spotting Scope Question

Post by pdeal »

Jim: I would just like to add one suggestion to what Jay said. If you buy a BSA or any other chinese scope I'd suggest you buy just one first and give it a real good trial run. I have found that with these cheaper scopes sometimes they are good and sometimes not. Even with a particular manufacturer quality does not seem real consistant.
pdeal-at-mylanlabs.com.44344.44342
Jim

Re: Sling and Spotting Scope Question

Post by Jim »

No issue here - I am heading the Kowa route as I have sufficent budget for them. Just looking for configuration opinons.
Jim

jmorris_3-at-yahoo.com.44345.44344
Pat McCoy

Re: Sling and Spotting Scope Question

Post by Pat McCoy »

As stated earlier the AHG sling is too wide. We use the Tompkins/Gallager sling from Sinclair. It is $33.50 in leather or $37.50 in biothane (non-stretch synthetic). Item #34-2300 on their web site.
The kids seem to adapt well to either 45 degree or straight thru scopes, but the Kowa 502s are easily damaged if tipped over or dropped.

patmccoyagency-at-hotmail.com.44348.44340
Ken J

Re: Sling and Spotting Scope Question

Post by Ken J »

Jim,
If you're interested in spotting scopes, I've got some great information.
First, if the scopes only purpose is for 10 meter airgun, try the small kowa. Noone really talkes about them, but for clarity, weight and durability, you can't go wrong. Take a look on the web for TS-501 and 502.
Now, if you're interested in smallbore shooting out to 100 yards (and beyond), I'd recommend the TS-610 and 612 series scopes. You will find no scope with more clarity, durability and light weight. I guarantee you'll see mirage when other competitiors won't. Buy points? Wellll...If you can see what others can not, I don't think there's any harm in it!
Scope stands... if you're the least bit mechanically inclined, you can come up with a design pretty cheaply. You don't have to settle for the high dollar scope stands. In fact, if you were to go to a world cup, you'd see a lot of world class shooters using camera tripods, cymbal stands, or whatever you can hang a scope on. Your money would be better spent on good scopes rather than high dollar stands (that aren't as stable as a standard camera tripod anyway).
My 2 cents,
Ken J
.44366.44340
pdeal

Re: Sling and Spotting Scope Question

Post by pdeal »

Jim: I was looking for a cheap way to protect my daughter's little Kowa. I cut a section out of one of those cheap gun socks and slipped it over the scope. The material seems to stay pretty well intact and not unravel. So far it makes a pretty decent and very cheap slightly cushiony covering. I left the ends 4-5 inches long and just fold them over the ends of the scope when not in use.
pdeal-at-mylanlabs.com.44368.44345
Jay V

Re: Leather sporter slings

Post by Jay V »

I have just found a person making affordable 1 1/4" leather slings suitable for 3P sporter class air rifle.
They are the basic, unlined, unbiased, 1 1/4" slings with full-length adjustment holes - best of all they cost only $15.
For more info you can contact him at xcount@dakotacom.net, or email me if you would like his phone number.

Jay
jverg-at-att.net.44404.44342
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