Spotting Scopes in Air Pistol

[BobGee]

Can anyone (David?) tell me why ISSF rule 8.6.1 does not allow the use of spotting scopes in 10m events when those lucky enough to have electronic targets, i.e. all Olympics, World Cups, etc. have a monitor which shows shot placement?

Bob

[David Levene]

Not me.

[j-team]

Probably so they don't clutter up the firing line and block the view of the TV cameras that broadcast the 10m events to those millions of viewers worldwide!

[renzo]

Maybe (only maybe) the fact that 10 meter firing positions are only 1 meter wide against 1,25 mt. for 50 meter and 1,50 mt. for 300 has something to do with the rule.................

[Frenzy81]

I don't remember seeing anything in the rules, but I've been told by the old-timers here that spotting scopes are allowed if you don't have a motorized target changer.

[BobGee]

"8.6.1 Spotting Telescopes

The use of telescopes not attached to the pistol to locate shots or judge the wind is permitted in 25m and 50m events only."

Bob

[DFWdude]

Probably so they don't clutter up the firing line and block the view of the TV cameras that broadcast the 10m events to those millions of viewers worldwide!

At 10m, one needs very little magnification to be useful. My spotting scope is a simple Tasco Monocular on a monopole. (8x or 10x, can't remember which, since I'm not allowed to use it anymore). Since it measures only 4" long, it gets visually lost at the line, rather than cluttering it.

Beats me why they are not allowed. It just makes more work for non-electronic target users, as the shooter must reel the target 3-5 meters back and forth toward the line to see the shot on paper. More work takes more time and raises the blood pressure, too.

[Gwhite]

I think it's a simple matter of not thinking (or caring) about "the great unwashed." Their focus is on elite shooters at fancy venues & big competitions. Given the prevalence of electronic scoring at such events, there is no need for spotting scopes. The fact that the rest of the world still has to use paper targets with hand cranks (or worse) is our problem, not theirs. Even when they used hand cranked paper targets at big events before electronic targets, they frequently allowed only 2 shots per target, so it wasn't as big a deal.

Fortunately, the people who run our local matches ignore this rule.

[Rover]

And, unless they're assholes, they ignore the cylinder expiration date thing, too.

[Reinhamre]

Allowed in Sweden on a national competition so look out if there is anything like it in your country.
Internationally we have Megalink or Sius so no big deal...

[john bickar]

The cynic in me thinks it's so shooters can't challenge shots on EST based on where the hole is on the paper roll.

[john bickar]

And, unless they're assholes, they ignore the cylinder expiration date thing, too.

Those two things don't have to be mutually exclusive.

[Rover]

And, unless they're assholes, they ignore the cylinder expiration date thing, too.

Those two things don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Too true, mi amigo!

[TenMetrePeter]

Just keep shooting into the white part of the card like me and you don't need a scope.

[thirdwheel]

A couple of years ago one of my A level pupils designed and made a 10m target changer with a camera that transmitted the target image back to a tablet or phone. You could change the targets via the tablet or phone too. It all worked well, we tried it outdoors and it had a range of over 100m, as he built it as a wireless network not blue tooth as we found that was not capable of all we wanted to do with it. If you just use a small camera module a wireless board and battery at the target end in a small project box that would get round issue. All bits from the auction site and battery ended up being one of those mobile phone backup jobbies.

[Frenzy81]

Allowed in Sweden on a national competition so look out if there is anything like it in your country.
Internationally we have Megalink or Sius so no big deal...

Yep, national exception to the international rules in Norway as well, but only if there's no target changer or electronic targets.

[Xman]

Shooters where clubs that have both e targets and crank 'em/push button targets is that the shooter with the the e targets have the advantage of have having to break their hold on the AP as the others have too.

Yes customized grips allow for repeat-ability of grips, but it is not the same as NOT having to put he pistol down, removes a 2 shot target and load a clean target and crank it or push button it back down range.

Fitting a scope stand in a 1M space is easy and very doable. It is easiest with a right angle 45 degree lens scope. With a straight lens it is much more difficult to get the positioning right to load and or charge a SSP ( homage to Rover).

[Mike M.]

If you have electronic targets, there's no point in a spotting scope. Its just one more item to carry. I've shot on them at the 2012 World Muzzle-Loading Championships in Pforzheim, Germany. Marvelous.

[BobGee]

Rather belatedly it has dawned on me that under full ISSF conditions, if you are shooting on paper targets you can only shoot ONE pellet per target so you do not need a scope! You see every shot when you wind the target back in.

Bob