Training with Telescopic Sights

[GaryD]

Does anyone use telescopic sights as a training aid for prone.

[Pat McCoy]

Yes, and for standing. In Prone it helps you see what your normal amount of movement from pulse is, and learn to accept it.

In standing it can help you learn to relax and accept the normal (for you) amount of wobble. If you tense up and try to hold steadier you see more and more small "jumps" instead of the relaxed wobble (figure 8 for some folks). After learning to relax and hold without a target, you can make NPA adjustments to get on the target.

[WarWagon]

In prone, yes. In standing and kneeling, my scope is too heavy, and throws the balance of my rifle off enough that it becomes counterproductive.

[Hap Rocketto]

To add to what has all ready been said a scope is a poor man's electronic trainer.

By using a low powered scope, 10X to 20X, in holding practice you can get a very good idea of your area of wobble, the duration of your steadiest hold, and motion caused by your hand or trigger finger as you release the shot. It is a poor man's electronic trainer.

An iron sight shooter can get some very positive training by this use of a scope. It gives a more accurate view of your actual hold than pure iron sight practice. Use of the scope, in this manner, at regular intervals will also indicate if your position has changed or if your holding exercises are improving your hold.

A lower power scope should give the best results, as it will give a clear picture with the least amount of magnification of motion. Remember that the scope will effect the weight and balance of the firearm. Finally, this will not be of any real value unless careful records and observations are kept in your diary. The records are essential to measure growth.

[Bowman26]

I read some of the things David Tubb has written and he says he uses a scoped 10m air rifle for practicing inside at his home. I only shoot scoped rifles these days and nothing at paper targets all silhouette. What has been said above about being able to see the amount of wobble movement you are getting is very true, it will show you how much you are moving. With that in mind also consider that if you can learn to hold the scope steady that hold steadiness will transfer over to any other sights used.

When I first started to shoot sils I used a 6-20x and then went to a 24x thinking that would be plenty of magnification since I was seemingly all over the place when trying to hold it steady. In no time with consistent practice I was looking to sell all my 6-24x scopes and get 8-32x. Now I shoot with them set at 32x and use a booster that gets me up to around 38-40x. This is about as high as I plan to go as I have found once you go higher and get used to it going back down is very hard to do and timing of shots is affected also. The main point of all this being that now when I shoot a rifle with a 3x9 scope or even something at 20x my hold looks rock solid and steady which I know it is now that I have learned to control almost 40x scopes.

The difference I enjoy is that with anything 20x or less even 24x you are basically aimming at the target as a whole. When you get into the 30x + range you can start to pick out spots within the target to try and break your shot on. Which makes you aim smaller and your hold tighter.

Bo

[GaryD]

Thanks for all the comments and from them it seems that a scope does help in the training for prone.

Bowman26 comments on how he started with a lower mag scope and progressed to a bigger one shows to me that it really helped him with his hold.
I do have a couple of scopes one a 24x leopold that I bought off an American girl at Bisley about 30 years ago (She was running out of money) and a 36x scope that I bought recently off a friend.
I have used them both on my rifle in the prone position just to try them out but have never really used them as a training aid.

I am aware of what Hap Rocketto said about it altering the balance of the rifle but hopefully I will get used to it so I will be giving it a try.