Just wondering what magnification scopes are being used  to shoot off hand,along with opinions as to why.

   Brian

Brian wrote on Jul 3^rd, 2015 at 6:25pm:


a few weeks ago I spent 3 days hunting prairie dogs in S.D.; used among others a .223 (CZ 527 with single set trigger).

One of the sessions included about 4 hours shooting them off-hand.  The Nikon 4-12 power scope set at 12x worked better than I'd expected.  (I normally use a 6-24 or 8-32 set at 18 to 20x.)

Bright sun and need for scanning areas for live entertainment - with enough power to discern between the P.D.'s and the little brown owls that are of the same size and occupy unused P.D. holes.

Lots of different perspectives here is mine

When I started in Schuetzen from Modern Rifle Silhouette I wanted 20x like on my Anschutz. High power is very important in Silhouette due to the irregular target with no defined aiming point.

Availability being what it was found and used a 12 x Unertl.  Moved to a 20 X Parsons STS soon as I could get one.  Both on a 14 lb CPA high cheek piece hook buttplate palm rest equipped rifle, it's easy to hold it steady.

I shoot a lot of iron sight too and on the Schuetzen often shot any and iron matches.  It takes a little while to change gears from Iron to high power scopes.  Last few years have used a MVA B 5 more than anything else.  Easy transition from Iron to Scope matches.  I still use the 20X gallery though. No wind small target and I don't often switch iron to scope indoors.

In theory picking your aiming point on the ASSRA target is an advantage, If you can break on the 3/4 moa center  scores are certainly going to be higher and with 20 x you can see the center very well.

However break all shots in the Red colored part of the target you will still have a score that can win almost any match, and for some breaking general center without overdoing it on break spots will cut the chance of flyers and off shots when you over hold looking for better.  Harry Popes advice still apply's "it's the absence of bad shots that make the score"

With 5 x breaking in the general center of the bull is easy to do you can't see the white Center 25 ring well.

So it depends what you are used too and what you can hold.  I think it's a mistake to over power, but if you can't see the spot you are not likely to hit it.  Question is what is your spot, 25 ring or bulls eye. 

Little 5 X MVA's are great scopes inexpensive and top notch optics new they don't have issues like old scopes. 

Boats

At a match at Beeson range some years ago, I asked one of the record holding OH shooters why he was using a 20x scope..... Serious as can be he replied,  "Because I don't have a 30X"

The time I had asked the experienced shooter on his power level, I had bought a CPA that came with a 30X scope on it with OH wood.
I wanted to help cover the costs of medals for a single entry OH match, 10 shots for score, I used my "new" rifle with the 30X on it.  I didn't want to mess with stuff for one match so I shot the 10 shots with the 30X mounted.
Told myself to keep all shots in the scoring rings and I'd have a respectable score, ended up with a 219 and a second place Silver medal.......
The higher magnification scopes just take more concentration and not rush to yank the trigger. Just control the movement of the rifle and time your shots.

English shotgun instructors have a catch phrase, " You have to see the bead and the lead, but you can't look at either one"

Offhand has many things in common with shotgun shooting, target is still but the gun is moving, it's your subconscious that tells you to pull the trigger, too much information slows that process. 

Trend is lot of information in the scope, high power, reticules that have all kinds of hash marks for wind and elevation. TMI slows the thought process. Shooter can follow any path he wants high power is the one most take today. I am going the other way reducing offhand scope power.

Boats

Thank's for all the replies, I have both a 6X & 20X and am test shooting both off hand with mixed results. It is harder to pull the trigger w/the 20X often times trying too hard to get the shot off causing bad breaks.Shooting w/the 6X seems to be, of course, more confidant. After recent testing the 20X seems to be working better  for me, even if it won't quite settle down all the shots come up on call and  grouped in the middle more so than w/the 6X. So if one can get less perceivable movement with higher magnification (after lots of practice) it makes sense that the scores should go up verses just being satisfied shooting a somewhat comfort zone 6X. Hopefully that makes sense.
Anyway I was just looking for opinions and more insight from those more experienced.


   Thank's 
         Brian

Brian wrote on Jul 3^rd, 2015 at 6:25pm:


I use open sights - semi-buckhorn, aperture, etc. You don't notice so much shake.

I do have a very old 1:1 'scope which I'd use if I had anything it would fit on...

--
Aonghas