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omegabrock
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/05/2014 Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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Posted: August/05/2014 at 10:31 |
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first, i am new to this forum. i frequent a few others but i just came across this one yesterday. after checking a few of the threads, y'all really know your stuff. i am completely new to scopes and i just recently bought a .308 (savage arms because it was in my price range). it has the stock scope on it and i can keep a tight shot group easily at 100 yards (biggest range i have access to). do yall have any links or advice to give someone trying to learn? im not sure what questions to ask because shooting at 100 yards i'm sure is completely different than 600+. my ultimate goal is to be proficient at the 300-800 yard range.
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BeltFed
Optics Retard Joined: February/12/2008 Location: Ky Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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Best advice I can give right now, is to look through the topics that seem to ask the same questions you have and read them. Then if you have a question, ask it.
Are you interested in target shooting, hunting, competition, etc.? |
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Life's concerns should be about the 120lb pack your trying to get to the top of the mountain, and not the rock in your boot.
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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Tell us a little more about what you will use the rifle for: Hunting? Target? Tactical? Do you have a budget?
This will help us give you some recommendations, if you want to replace the scope. Welcome to the OT.
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-Matt
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DCAMM94
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/19/2008 Location: Fort Worth Status: Offline Points: 3491 |
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Welcome! You'll be happy with that Savage by most all accounts. I don't own one, but I've heard they are an accurate platform, and there are many fans here. Great choice of caliber, also. As far as a scope for longer range, I would recommend one of the SS scopes from SWFA if you want to learn how to shoot at longer ranges. A good ballistics app on your smartphone or laptop isn't a bad idea either. To start learning, in addition to a longer range/place to shoot, you might look at one of these:
because they are first focal plane scopes, and one of these:
Welcome to the forum, and get ready for an expensive hobby! Deck |
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Although personally I am quite content with existing explosives, I feel we must not stand in the path of improvement. -Winston Churchill
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omegabrock
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/05/2014 Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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my goal is target, hunting and tactical lol. i really enjoy just going out and sending a few down range but i want to get into hunting and my life long goal is to live on a nice chunk of land to hunt. plus the defensive aspect is a plus.
i don't really have a budget set now. i don't know when i will have the ability to shoot farther than 100 yards so im just trying to learn what i can before the time comes to get something better. i already have the mil-dot master in another tab to check it out some more. saw that in another post. thanks for the quick replies. it's also good to hear that the savage has some fans. my wife surprised me with it one day when she came home haha.
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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For a do-all type scope, I would look at a tactical-style riflescope.
The above mentioned SWFA 3-15 is hard to beat, but if you don't want FFP (and some of us don't ;) ), you can also look at the SFP Vortex Viper PST or HS-T. Any of these scopes have matching reticle subtensions and adjustment values, and would make great scopes at reasonable costs to learn to shoot near and far. I would also heartily recommend taking a quality beginner's long range shooting class, where you can reduce the learning curve substantially.
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-Matt
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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I like Savage rifles and own one. It shoots really well, considering how inexpensive it was.
As far as scopes go, when you are ready to spend some cash, get the SS 3-15x42. It is an excellent allround package. ILya
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omegabrock
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/05/2014 Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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that first part opened up a whole new research tab for me, starting with the topic on this forum ffp vs sfp. thanks for mentioning this. also, taking a class is something i didnt know was an option. i will definitely start looking for some nearby.
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R H Clark
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/26/2011 Location: NW Alabama Status: Offline Points: 200 |
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My best advice is to keep what you have until you know that it is limiting what you want to do. At that point you will know what you require in your next purchase. Everything is a trade off in some ways, so you have to choose what you want to trade for what you need most.
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omegabrock
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/05/2014 Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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yeah, i will definitely hold off for a while. at least until i can actually get some longer range shots.
another question - are there benefits of either mil over moa or moa over mil? or is it basically the same thing, just with different formulas to explain the adjustments?
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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Considering what he has, that is not necessarily the best advice. If I understand this correctly, what he has a standard scope that came as a part of the package from Savage. Savage has package a variety of different scopes on its rifle. If it is the Nikon Prostaff 3-9x42, that can work allright for hime. If this is one of the earlier "bubble-pack" Chinese scopes that I have seen, I would get rid of it in a hurry. ILya |
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omegabrock
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/05/2014 Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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it's a 4-12 power with a plain reticle. it's good for being pre-zero for normal target shootingh
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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My advice is to find someone that can teach you, preferably professional instruction.
There is much information and misinformation on the internet, and no one becomes a competent marksman through online activities. And, as Koshkin said, your scope might be serviceable and it might not, determine that now, it could save you some real aggravation.
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Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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omegabrock
Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/05/2014 Status: Offline Points: 8 |
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i have looked into training and classes, the problem i have found with that is cost. since i have moved halfway across the country away from family, i really don't know anybody local. i would love to take some classes or at least meet somebody that i could go to the range with and pick their brain. and yea, i have found a good bit of conflicting information lol but i feel, as of now, if i can soak in enough of the information that seems to be pretty consistent then i can go out and figure it out a lot easier than just buying something and taking it to the range.
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R H Clark
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/26/2011 Location: NW Alabama Status: Offline Points: 200 |
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If I understand this correctly, what he has a standard scope that came as a part of the package from Savage. Savage has package a variety of different scopes on its rifle. If it is the Nikon Prostaff 3-9x42, that can work allright for hime. If this is one of the earlier "bubble-pack" Chinese scopes that I have seen, I would get rid of it in a hurry. I would certainly agree with that! Still I would try to get enough experience to know what I needed before any purchase. At least think about things like turrets VS reticles, what reticle is needed, AO or not, and if size and weight are important considerations. |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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http://www.samplelist.com/TradeInForm.aspx this is the link to the trade in form . SWFA will take used scopes in trade toward the purchase of a scope. The advice to select one of the Super Sniper series scopes http://swfa.com/MRAD-C4225.aspx either the 3-9 or the 3-15 is very sound advice. Personally I prefer the mil based scopes because you can use the reticle to measure from where the bullet hole is to where you want it to be and dial correction in in the same increments. The FFP scopes have the advantage that the reticle marks for 1 mil always represent 1 mil at any power magnification therefore at low powers like 3X the reticle is quite small and at very high powers the reticle looks very large. The second focal plane reticles always appear the same. Some of us that started with MOA based scopes still like that because for some reason we have become used to thinking about things in inches and with MOA one MOA at 100 yds is about 1 inch so each 1/4 moa click moves 1/4 inch and at 200 yds 1 moa is about 2 inches so each 1/4 moa click moves 1/4 of that two inches --- for a movement of 1/2 inch per click at 300 yds one moa is about 3 inches and 1/4 of three inches is 3/4 of an inch movement per click. With the FFP Mil / Mil scopes you dont really think in terms of inches. One Mil is a 3.6 inches at 100 yds One Mil is 36 inches at 1000 yds. One Mil is 1 meter at 1000 meters.
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - August/09/2014 at 21:02 |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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It is also wise to invest in good quality rings and bases and a beginner may suffer a bit of sticker shock at the cost of the top quality ones but you get what you pay for. This is about as low priced as I would go for rings. If you look at the cost of Badger Ordnance Rings (the gold standard) these look like a bargain. Talley makes high quality bases that to me seem to be just as high quality as bases costing four times as much from some other manufacturers. Talley bases are a true bargain. Their rings are almost as much as Badger and also very high quality . Warne rings are good rings but Talley and Badger are better. la Rue makes a quick detachable ring I like also LT719 even more expensive.
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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