Shooting tight groups with low mag scopes

[Wolfdog91]

Was talking about scopes on another forum ( wanting. A floater scope strictly for load development )
and had a few people say it's not hard to shoot good groups ( this is relative but one guy was talking 1/2 Moa with a 4x so I'll just say good is 3/4" to 1" @100yd for conversation) with low power optics. Apparently the main deal is using a target that "matches" your reticle/ mag... Idk about all that because in my experience shooting groups with a 1-6 LPVO or a 3-9 thick reticle hunting scope and shooting groups with a 16x and a nice reticle.... Usually one is a heck of a lot easier and not consistent lol .I feel there's a point where low mag and thick hunting styles reticles , well the amount of precision you can do just falls off.

Most of mine are 4-16 and I'm using cranked up to 12 or so when I'm shooting for load development or what have you.

I know there is an argument of too much magnification being a problem ( especially for people like me with target anxiety, ) but...

Anyhow wanted to see if anyone had any input on this . Like how does one shoot smaller groups with lower mag ? What is the process of matching targets ? Maybe there some big secret or old school knowledge I have yet to discover lol !

 

[joshb]

I live by one rule: Aim small, shoot small. My “floater scope” is a Sightron 10-50 with the fine crosshairs. For load development, it’s usually set at 50 power.

 

[Wolfdog91]

I live by one rule: Aim small, shoot small. My “floater scope” is a Sightron 10-50. For load development, it’s usually set at 50 power.

How the heck does that not freak you out ? Had a Muller 40x I think could see the flies in the target @100yd with pretty good detail but just couldn't shoot it too well because I could see my dang heart beat and every little movement I made ....abyw its because I don't have anything less then a 2lbs trigger but man I felt like I just just dancing the reticle all around that 1" target dot...
Keep saying I'll get something high mag and try training on it again

 

[potatoe]

I live by one rule: Aim small, shoot small. My “floater scope” is a Sightron 10-50 with the fine crosshairs. For load development, it’s usually set at 50 power.

I agree, this year I'm trying to do load development with a 14x on my new br and I'm finding that to be a little rough. ..I'd like to get a 24+ x scope just for this

 

[dryhumor]

I’ll use anything… depends on what I have sitting idle. I have a 6.5-20 that’s been on more than 15 rifles just for load development.

I believe the key is getting a larger bull/target area with low power scopes.

 

[joshb]

The high power scopes work best with the rifle sitting on a solid front rest and rear bag. I’ll work up the best load for a hunting/plinking gun and then put a 3-9 or 4-16 on it, depending on what the gun is used for. Any bad shots after that are on me, not the gun.

Yup! A 50x lets you see the flies. I’ve smeared honey on a target to draw them in. Sometimes I can hit them!

 

[jelenko]

Remember, shooting off a Harris type bipod with the butt in your shoulder is going to produce more movement than on front rest and rear bag.

If I had a low power scope with thick cross hairs, I'd want the target to have something I can line up with the crosshairs. Sight picture is sight picture. I would guess that with a 6X scope with thick crosshairs and a suitable target, you're not going to give up more than 1/8 MOA, probably closer to 1/16 MOA.

So, big question is what is your target for load development? If looking for sub .2, the low power scope isn't going to cut it.
If looking for 1/2 - 3/4 MOA, no problem.

PS. You don't need to hold on the center of the target. If there are dark lines anywhere on the target face, just hold on them and use the scope dials to move the POI around for the groups.

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm with Josh - My floater is a Vortex Golden Eagle- usually at 40x.

 

[tmwinds]

How the heck does that not freak you out ? Had a Muller 40x I think could see the flies in the target @100yd with pretty good detail but just couldn't shoot it too well because I could see my dang heart beat and every little movement I made ....abyw its because I don't have anything less then a 2lbs trigger but man I felt like I just just dancing the reticle all around that 1" target dot...
Keep saying I'll get something high mag and try training on it again

All of the movement you see with a high power scope is there with low power. You just don’t see it. You can’t hit what you can’t see.

 

[TTE]

I could see my dang heart beat

Yes, that is true.
However (unless you are a bench guy), in reality how far is that bullet hole moving off the target when your heart is beating ?
It moves the same amount with a lower power scope, it's just not as pronounce in the eye box.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

When I shoot optics below 4x, I use a bullseye size that allows me to center the reticle. So a dulpex would have equal amounts of the bullseye color in each quadrant. Another option for a crosshair is a matching cross on the target, matching the reticle for the distance being shot( if crosshair is covering 1" @ 100 yds, target lines are 1" wide) this also allows you to plumb the target(very important especially with low X scopes because tilting is harder to see). Dots are easy just center on correct size(slightly larger) bull.

 

[CSLR grandpa]

Wolfdog91 try drawing a large cross- 1/4” thick lines for a hunting scope 3x9, match your scope to the cross, simple.
CSLR grandpa

 

[mic2377]

A reticle with a fine aiming point is helpful. The other crucial component is good eyesight, and an appropriately adjusted diopter on the scope. I have an 18" AR out to ~900 yards with a 4x scope, and made hits (albeit not a very high percentage) on 2 MOA targets at that distance. The rifle/scope combo was routinely sub-MOA for five shot groups.

The one thing that suffers most with lower mag is target ID, and target discrimination from background if partially obscured. I would want a higher mag for that.

Another factor is despite wearing glasses, my vision corrects to be better than 20/20 (around 20/15). That little bit of extra resolution really helps.

 

[marchx]

I do load development and shoot at x60 magnification. in case of mirage I back off to x40.

 

[Fuj]

My floater was a Bushnell original 4.5-30 XRS. I say was because I
put it on my grandson's CZ-457 and he won't give it back.....LOL
I used to use a Weaver K-12. Still have it somewhere......I could
shoot pretty tight with it as long as the rifle was up to it.

 

[Bugs]

My floater scope (for load development) is a well-traveled old Weaver T36. I usually have a Var-X III 6.5 x 20 around for the same purpose.

 

[dryhumor]

Something that crossed my mind. Different colored targets can help or hurt as well. I shoot a 308 with a 6x scope on it. Depending on the color and target size, I can or can’t see what the group is looking like.

U-line sells rolls of colored inventory stickers, seems like from 1/2 to 4 or 6 inch. I bought rolls of 3” red and black, but tend to favor the red. They stick well, and really aren’t too expensive overall.

I think this is some, but not all of what they have.

Circle Inventory Labels, Color Coding Dots in Stock - ULINE

Uline stocks a wide selection of Blank Inventory Circle Labels. Order by 6 p.m. for same day shipping. Huge Catalog! Over 43,000 products in stock. 14 locations across USA, Canada and Mexico for fast delivery of Blank Inventory Circle Labels.

www.uline.com

 

[Steve Donlon]

Was talking about scopes on another forum ( wanting. A floater scope strictly for load development )
and had a few people say it's not hard to shoot good groups ( this is relative but one guy was talking 1/2 Moa with a 4x so I'll just say good is 3/4" to 1" @100yd for conversation) with low power optics. Apparently the main deal is using a target that "matches" your reticle/ mag... Idk about all that because in my experience shooting groups with a 1-6 LPVO or a 3-9 thick reticle hunting scope and shooting groups with a 16x and a nice reticle.... Usually one is a heck of a lot easier and not consistent lol .I feel there's a point where low mag and thick hunting styles reticles , well the amount of precision you can do just falls off.

Most of mine are 4-16 and I'm using cranked up to 12 or so when I'm shooting for load development or what have you.

I know there is an argument of too much magnification being a problem ( especially for people like me with target anxiety, ) but...

Anyhow wanted to see if anyone had any input on this . Like how does one shoot smaller groups with lower mag ? What is the process of matching targets ? Maybe there some big secret or old school knowledge I have yet to discover lol !


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I would make or buy a square bulleye target the same size as the area between the four dots on your retical and just center the dots in between outside lines of the box. I ike to use MOA bullseyes with a center dot. That way you have five points to line up. A center point on each side of the square with a over all center you can see in the middle. Then every distance looks the same with a FFP scope. In other words, make the target match your retical.

 

[Bill Norris]

I normally put whatever scope I plan to use on the rifle in question and roll with it. If it is of the low mag. type I match the size target up for the reticle and use the highest power I have.

 

[snert]

For a long time my scope was a T10. Now it is either a 20X Leupold or a 36 Sightron. And the T10