Spotting scopes and mirage?

[4xforfun]

Great idea but I haven't ever seen one .
Many of times I have seen it so bad that you couldn't see bullet holes on a white target at 200 . Larry
Target cam works

...and a cheaper scope will make it easier??

 

[memilanuk]

Below your target is where you can see the mirage the best . It runs across the face of the target . Larry

Yes, you can see the mirage down there easier, true. But there are frequently multiple layers of air moving around out there at any significant distance - both vertically and between the firing line and the target. Mirage above the target is where your bullet is actually traveling, and will show you what's really going on where it matters.

Some days the mirage under the target is all you can see clearly. Some ranges don't have number boards above the target, or don't have any good contrasting interfaces for reading mirage *other* than under the target. But for most good target shooters I know, it's the *last* choice place to try and get an accurate read on the conditions.

 

[savagedasher]

...and a cheaper scope will make it easier??

No you just have to learn what your looking at
Larry

 

[Judd]

I don't have any scientific proof or any explanation to make any sense of what I'm about to say. But I can tell you the last few shoots I've taken mine too people come from all down the firing line to look through my spotting scope. I know it doesn't do anything to the mirage but it is a clearer picture than any scope I've looked though...to the point I wish I could put a reticle in it and strap it to the rifle. It just provides a better picture. I've never looked though another NightForce spotting scope (and I know they are made by Meopta) to know if they are all like this but mine is and it was worth every penny I paid for it. My shooting partner has a Swarovski and we leave it at home after I bought the NightForce. Feel free to call me crazy but glass or something else in this scope is different and it is a clearer picture when the mirage gets bad than anything I've ever looked through.

 

[savagedasher]

Yes, you can see the mirage down there easier, true. But there are frequently multiple layers of air moving around out there at any significant distance - both vertically and between the firing line and the target. Mirage above the target is where your bullet is actually traveling, and will show you what's really going on where it matters.

Some days the mirage under the target is all you can see clearly. Some ranges don't have number boards above the target, or don't have any good contrasting interfaces for reading mirage *other* than under the target. But for most good target shooters I know, it's the *last* choice place to try and get an accurate read on the conditions.

Most of the time my target is in the center or below center . Everyone has their own way of dealing with it . But scopes isn't the answer . Larry

 

[memilanuk]

Depends on the rules of the game you're playing.

 

[nbkky71]

In my Service Rifle days (.223) with a 821 Kowa with 27LER I could see Bullet Holes a 300 yards.

This is the case with my Kowa as well, but as stated, heat and humidity can make it next to impossible. Like looking through a puddle of spit on those brutally hot/humid days here in NC.

On trick that we used at our local matches was to cut out a hole the diameter of the aiming black in the target backer. When a repair center is overlaid on the backer the bullet holes are back-lit by ambient light, making them easier to pick out.

We ran walk & paste reduced HP matches and used used shoot-n-see targets on a seperate sighting target. It made picking up sighters pretty easy, even at 300yds.