How much magnification for 1000 yd F Open?

[WindSurgeon]

Before you all say "the more the better" or "the most you can afford", my question relates to the choice between a NF 12-42x or a NF 15-55x. For those that have the NF Competition do you use all 55x most of the time at 1000 yards? Is 42x adequate any longer?

 

[Lapua40X]

The higher the magnification the worse things get, IMO. Mirage will drive you insane at higher power.
I shoot F Class with 6.5-20 without any difficulty.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I run my 12-42 all the way up most of the time. It is a rare situation (high humidity and bad mirage) where I have to reduce it.

I haven't looked through the NF comp scope yet, but the 80x March was amazing from 1K in Phoenix mirage. That said, I couldn't see the target number at 80x without having to move down.

In reality, I've shot a lot of F-class with an 8-32 Sightron. Worked well for me, and I'm not terribly certain that I gained very much moving to the 12-42.

 

[280man]

If your budget allows get the 55x Comp if it does not then get the 42x benchrest. I have spent a lot of time behind both and the 55x Comp is better in all aspects.

 

[TonyR]

I have a 12X42X56 NXS and a 15X55X52 Comp scope. I run both of them at about 40X most of the time although there are times when I do use the 55X. I think the glass is better with the Comp scope so +1 on what Rick said. I have the NP-R1 reticle on the NXS and the FTR-1 reticle on the Comp scope and I like to use the hash marks like an MOA ruler so I chose the magnification accordingly with each scope.

 

[Down South]

Before you all say "the more the better" or "the most you can afford", my question relates to the choice between a NF 12-42x or a NF 15-55x. For those that have the NF Competition do you use all 55x most of the time at 1000 yards? Is 42x adequate any longer?

I have the NF benchrest 12 X 42, NXS 12 X 42, & 2014 Comp scope 15 X 55.....The comp scope has the best glass but i never shoot it over 42 to 45 power......I love everything about the scope, light weight, great glass, 10 MOA per revolution turrets etc. but my scores are no higher than when i was shooting my NF Benchrest scope that was 42 power......Most of the time the mirage is so heavy where we shoot im shooting much less than 42 power.

 

[Zilla]

I never turn mine down from 55x.

 

[ARIZONA_F_CLASS]

I have a 12-42 NSX last time I turned my scope down I lost 11 points on a small blurry target. It was the only time I ever turned it down and the last!!! Now I NEVER TURN IT DOWN!! To me big blurry target is better than a little blurry target!!!!

 

[knguyen]

i have never shot a 1000 yard match,
i have always wondered: at what distance can you actually still be able to see bullet holes?
i.e. i shoot a 6 BR, can you ever see bullet holes at say 600 yards?
i am able to see bullet holes pretty clearly at 300 yards but not able to come even close even seeing at 600 yards.
what is the farthest distance can members see their bullet holes?
(example
a: 6 mm bullet holes: what distance longest can be seen??( what scope, what power?)
b: 308 bullet holes: what distance longerst can be seen??(what scope, what power?)

I am also now in search for my next scope:cannot decide between: nightforce 12-42 vs. 15-55 competition: issue is budget/cost.
i currently own a sightron SIII 10-50x60: i am able to see pretty clearly up to 300 yards bullet holes, but compared to the 15-55 competition scope( i was able to look thru one at recent local match, the 15-55 was defintitely clearer at 300, but i am curious what 600 yards would look like thru say a 15-55 competition versus 12-42??)
thanks
khanh

 

[Fred Bohl]

khanh,

If it would help, the visibility of bullet holes is very condition dependent so please read the assumptions first.

Assumptions:

1. Well illuminated high contrast target image and clear air (no pollution, haze or mirage).

2. Observer has normal or corrected to normal (1MOA) visual resolution/acuity.

3. Minimum Objective Diameter to insure Dawes Resolution limit less than Bullet Hole Diameter.

4. Dawes Resolution Limit is defined as being able to tell that two 50% overlapping bullet holes are in fact two holes.

If the above conditions are met then theoretically:

6mm - 620 yards with 51.6 min objective diameter and 26.7x min magnification

6mm - 670 yards with 55.8 min objective diameter and 28.9x min magnification

.308 - 790 yards with 51.9 min objective diameter and 26.9x min magnification

.308 - 850 yards with 55.9 min objective diameter and 28.9x min magnification

From practical experience, the required conditions are seldom met with air quality (moisture, pollution, dust, mirage) and wind mixing the column of air from the scope objective to the target.

 

[dannyjbiggs]

Mirage intensity dictates where I set my rifle scope power. Consequently, when I'm shooting individual, I might waste a lot of the power on the 12-42, more on the Competition. When shooting under a wind coach, I'm a little more liberal and tend to take on a little more power in similar mirage conditions experienced while shooting individual. Either way, if mirage allows me to do it, I max out the power on both aforesaid rifle scopes. Starting out, and in-string, I always alert the wind coach as to what I can clearly see. I'd prefer him not bother calling out 1/8 ring-calls, when I can only accurately see to the 1/2 ring, etc! Yet, he can do what he wants--he may just have to wait significantly longer for me to break the shot than normal.

Dan

 

[Down South]

I have a 12-42 NSX last time I turned my scope down I lost 11 points on a small blurry target. It was the only time I ever turned it down and the last!!! Now I NEVER TURN IT DOWN!! To me big blurry target is better than a little blurry target!!!!

I guess i'm just weird or my eyes see things differently cause in heavy mirage i can see the target much clearer when i back down on the power. There are times that im shooting 30 power or less at 1000 depending on the mirage. If the target is blurry the extra power doesn't seem to help me any and shooting 30 power or less doesn't seem to hurt me any either. Don't get me wrong, if conditions allow i much rather the higher magnification.

 

[Joe Salt]

I think a lot has to do with your EYE'S! I'll be 69 years old in May and I haven't been able to see bullet holes at 1000 yards for a number of years. If you are early 30's or 40's you have a better chance.

Joe Salt

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I see all my bullet holes at 1000 yards. That 3" spotter is easily visible.

 

[Joe Salt]

Must be an F-Class shooter Busdriver? I also can still see the spotter till the record target goes up. 8)

Joe Salt

 

[Steve Blair]

I see all my bullet holes at 1000 yards. That 3" spotter is easily visible.

[br]
Our mirage and lighting conditions at Camp Pendleton are sometimes so bad that we have trouble seeing both the 6" spotter and scoring disk, through either rifle or spotting scope. But I still shoot at 42X. I can see the target more clearly at lower power but my scores don't improve. So, it stays at 42.

 

[bsumoba]

I try to shoot at the highest magnification I can barring mirage and other atmospheric anomalies preventing me from a clear sight picture.

Having said that, I find that I actually shoot better at the slightly lower magnifications.

For example, at the 3x600 relay, I was shooting at near full power (55x) the whole match but I had near perfect conditions.

In the 3x1000 match where we had a lot of mirage, I was at 35-40x power.

 

[DBailey]

I always alert the wind coach as to what I can clearly see. I'd prefer him not bother calling out 1/8 ring-calls, when I can only accurately see to the 1/2 ring, etc! Yet, he can do what he wants--he may just have to wait significantly longer for me to break the shot than normal.

Dan

I always giggle when our coach calls 16th's then do my best to guesstimate it.

On topic, my scope stays on 42x at 1000 yards. It's just always worked out better for me that way. I haven't had a chance to try one of the 55x competition scopes yet.

 

[Scott Harris]

I have a 12-42 NSX last time I turned my scope down I lost 11 points on a small blurry target. It was the only time I ever turned it down and the last!!! Now I NEVER TURN IT DOWN!! To me big blurry target is better than a little blurry target!!!!

I guess i'm just weird or my eyes see things differently cause in heavy mirage i can see the target much clearer when i back down on the power. There are times that im shooting 30 power or less at 1000 depending on the mirage. If the target is blurry the extra power doesn't seem to help me any and shooting 30 power or less doesn't seem to hurt me any either. Don't get me wrong, if conditions allow i much rather the higher magnification.

No, I'm the wierd one, use a 3-24x42 FFP March. ;D Use it at 21-24X with light mirage and have gone all the way done to 13X in heavy mirage at 1000. Shot the highest score for the weekend at the Bergers last year with the magnification set between 13-15X the whole weekend.

I'm that penguin walking the wrong way away from the crowd. ;D

 

[Erik Cortina]

I always alert the wind coach as to what I can clearly see. I'd prefer him not bother calling out 1/8 ring-calls, when I can only accurately see to the 1/2 ring, etc! Yet, he can do what he wants--he may just have to wait significantly longer for me to break the shot than normal.

Dan

I always giggle when our coach calls 16th's then do my best to guesstimate it.

On topic, my scope stays on 42x at 1000 yards. It's just always worked out better for me that way. I haven't had a chance to try one of the 55x competition scopes yet.

You mean you guys don't use the decimal system for coaching/aiming? You know it is more precise that way right? We don't get carried away either, we only call out aim points out to 2 decimal places. ;D