Making a scope decision

[SeanAce1]

So i almost decided on purchasing an SWFA Super Sniper 16x or 20x, but then realized that half of the competitions especially the XTC and other shorter range competitions limit your magnification to 6x. Is there a comparably prices variable power scope that anyone would offer, like a 6-24x. A lot of the ones I have looked through don't seem to have much eye relief at the higher magnifications.

 

[Asa_Yam]

... but then realized that half of the competitions especially the XTC and other shorter range competitions limit your magnification to 6x.

NRA Over-the-Course highpower matches normally don't allow the use of scoped rifles at all.

Are you speaking of a local variation from NRA highpower rules? Just curious.

 

[SeanAce1]

I was reading the rules from one of the sites I was told about, I believe the International Benchrest site was saying that alot of matches are cut off at 6x power at 1, 2, and 300 yards. either a 6x fixed or variables being taped and marked.

 

[Asa_Yam]

1. re 6x magnification. You're speaking of Hunter class benchrest - their rules limit the magnification of the scope.

2. "XTC" is an abbreviation for "over the course". In shooting terms, this phrase is most often used for describing highpower rifle competition,both NRA and CMP sanctioned).

3. Benchrest is a minority sport. In the US, there are 32,000 shooters with NRA Highpower classifications,shooting distances ranging from 100 to 600 yards), and over 3,600 with NRA Long Range,600+ yard) classifications. Odds are good that worldwide numbers for benchrest shooting at the equivalent distances don't equal the number of shooters participating in highpower events in the US alone. NOTE: If we include the number of "fullbore" shooters worldwide,non-US equivalent of long range), the numbers become even more skewed in favor of non-benchrest shooters.

 

[SeanAce1]

SO most competitions available are iron sight? How hard is it to put iron sights on a rifle, i would imagine the front of the barrel needs to be tapped or threaded. I honestly would not mind shooting either way, free-sights involves more skill improvement which I am always ready to embrace. I just assumed most long range competitions involved scopes, which I was currently researching. I just don;t want to buy a 16x scope to find I cannot compete.

 

[Spotcheck_Billy]

Decide which range,s) you want to compete at. Find out whose rules they use for whatever matches you want to enter. Get ahold of a rule book for each of the particular sanctioning bodies or look up the rules on line.

Most competitors have several competition rifles if they compete in different classes and/or disciplines in order to be truly competitive in those different venues. Attend the matches as a spectator and pay close attention to what equipment the winning competitors are using in the classes that you're interested in.

Investigate all of this in depth before you invest a dime!

 

[rstreich]

Sean, most competitions are going to be at short range simply because there aren't a lot of long-range ranges available. If you want to shoot long range,800+ yards), then most long-range comps allow a scope.

In long-range BR it'll be all scope. In long-range High Power, they'll usually have several categories firing in different matches at the same time, but sometimes they'll break them up. In long-range High Power, you'll usually see rifle that have been set up to shoot both scopes and iron sights.

If you want to shoot short range, most short-range comps don't allow scopes. Benchrest and Silhouette are the only ones that allow scopes, I think.

For rifle competition, there are a number of different disciplines: High Power, Benchrest, Schuetzen, Silhouette, ISSF, etc. Before you start thinking about what you're going to need to do to your rifle, take Billy's advice and see which is available to you then read up on the discipline and go out and watch a match. You'll find a whole of people who'll be more than happy to explain everything that is going on at the match and likely give you a chance to shoot if there's space and time available at the match.

The most infectious thing about competition is that there is a great bunch of folks to hang out with while you're trying to beat them silly,and vice versa, of course).

robert

 

[Hipshot]

Sean, it is not necessary to thread the front of your barrel to install metalic,iron) sights. A number of sight manufacturers offer a mounting system that incorporates a ring that goes around the front of the barrel onto which the front sight is mounted. The most that would be necessary would be to have someone turn the last 2 inches or so of the barrel to remove any taper and thus have a true cylinder shape for the front mount to snug up on. The diameter of the end of the barrel then becomes the size of the front sight mount support. Most of the ones I've seen do not handle thin barrels because most people using the iron sights for competition have larger diameter barrels. However, it is possible to shim a small diameter barrel using copper or aluminum shims. There are some sophisticated front sight mounts that cater to adjusting a rifle zero from short range out to 1,000 yards without having to adjust the rear sight except for minor adjustments; these front mounts have a lot of vertical adjustment built in.

Good iron sights will cost as much as a decent scope...$400 to over $1,000. I shoot 300 meters with a scope and 50 meter .22 with iron and I really like using the iron sights. I can't put iron sights on my 300 meter gun to use is properly because is it a right hand action and I shoot left hand. But, as soon as I get a left hand action I will use iron sights.