TargetTalk

I'm looking to get a scope for 3-p outdoors shooting and prone. What is the maximum power anyone has used with good results. What seems to be the most used. I thought about the premier reticle scopes that are boosted. Has anyone found any problens with one. thanks

Is this a spotting scope question or a shooting scope?
It sounds like a shooting scope so I'll answer accordingly. I used a 10 power Unertl 2" scope for 50 foot and 50 meter. It was an experiment that lasted more than 18 months but I found I shoot better with iron sights and a 1.3 diopter magnifier in the foresight. I also tried 4,8,10,12,15,25 and 36 power scopes that belonged to others with smallbore and found the 10x to be the best balance of sight clarity and distraction from excessive movement. I hate to say but it seems that with scopes you really do get what you pay for, a $1000 Nikon will be 10 times better than a $100 Bushnell. Really.

mike

The power used in a rifle scope is largely dependant upon the shooter's holding capabilites and their comfort levels for magnification.

If a shooter has a solid position and a good hold, they will be able to use a higher magnification with success. However, if they only have a marginal hold, the more maginfication they have the more detrimental it will be....after all more power only shows more movement.

For prone, most shooters opt for a scope between 16 - 24x. Over 24x, you significantly lose your field of view and it becomes a nightmare during heavy mirage. Under 16x can be used by some with success, however it becomes more difficult for crosshair placement.

If you are looking for one scope to use in both prone and position, the best bet is a receiver mounted scope, as it will be lighter and balance better on the rifle during standing and kneeling. A variable power scope also adds the advantage of being able to gradually train w/ it and slowly increase the power as you become more comfortable. In addition, during really heavy wind outside, you can crank down the power - making it easier to concentrate on sight picture.

Other items to consider are the accuracy and repeatability of the windage and elevation mechanisms. In addition, also consider what type of reticle you like....dot, dot with cross-hair, cross-hair only (and then how heavy...).

At the end of the day, what makes the more expensive scopes better are the optics and internal mechanisms. Optical quality gives a crisp view with little distortion and aids in the gathering and transmission of light to the eye. In short, it will appear slightly brighter than looking at the target w/ the naked eye....nice on a really overcast day. As for the internal mechanisms, what good is a scope for target shooting if you are in a match, want to adjust the point of impact and cannot trust if it moved or not.

As for cost, use the same philosopy as with iron sights.....get the best you can afford. You get what you pay for...and remember that the vast majority of smallbore shooters do not need a $1+k scope like the Nightforce or Swarvorsky. Stay in the range of Leupold (ish) and you should be fine. It may cost a little extra, but it will be a one time purchase. Go too inexpensive and in a year you will be buying what you really wanted.

One other item to note...if you plan on using the scope both indoor and outside, remember to make sure the model you purchase can focus down to 50 ft. There are some models that do not do that......

I was looking at a leupold boosted to 14.5-35x but would a lower poer variable due better. I feel i have a soome what low movement position i shoot 1080's outdoors with irons so position shouldn't be a big problem. For 100yd prone do you need anything above 20x or even for 50yds

Whatever movement you have will only be MAGNIFIED with the scope. When I was very active in the 3p game, I was not really comfortable in standing w/ the scope...always shot irons. But in prone and kneeling the scope was set at 20x. For prone, in many instances I would have preferred 24x, but it was only a "wish". At that point, I was typically shooting 1140-1150 outside and about 1170 indoor - both w/ irons.

While a scope is nice, if you are in the 1080 range, I would actually recommend holding off on getting a scope until you are in the 1130 range. Up to that point, you might actually hurt yourself w/ developing bad habits w/ the scope such as jerking the trigger in standing and poor follow through.

Assuming you are shooting NRA conventional 3 position (not ISU), also remember that most matches are won during the iron sight day..... In addition, do not let the scope become a crutch...or use it too extensively to practice. Irons....irons....irons.......that is what gets you to a higher performance level. Not the scope. A scope is good to see basic patters for wobble and execution, however it is really not required until you are performing at a level to really reap the benefits.

If you are dead set on a scope...then go with the 6.5 - 20x variable Leupold. You really can't go wrong and you can always get it boosted inthe future. The lifetime guarantee does not hurt either......