Is it going on a Springer? That may make some one change their suggestion.
What characteristics should one look for in a scope for field target? And how should one prioritize those characteristics? * Is FFP or SFP preferred?* How important is the magnification power? What range to look for?* I generally like large reticles, like 50, but I was going to try to keep this one around 40. Does this matter?* Mildot, or some other reticle preferred?* Adjustable parallax on front or side?Before we get too excited, this is going to be a cheap scope, no question about that. It is not going on an expensive gun, and I cannot justify paying more for the scope than the gun, at this point anyway. Regardless, of its bargain-basement price, there still is quite a selection of scopes out there with a wide variety of features, and it is good to get one that provides the features suitable for the job.
"I cannot justify paying more for the scope than the gun"LOL, a good scope can be swapped from gun to gun so there is only need to buy one, especially if a Picatinny mount is used. LOL....it's also kinda hard to hit a target that you can't see clearly so IMHO a good scope is at least as important as a good gun. Hummm....perhaps even more important because a poor scope on a good gun isn't going to make hitting the killzones easier."Is FFP or SFP preferred?"Guess it depends on the user because I prefer the "reticle size" to stay the same as image size changes. "How important is the magnification power? What range to look for?"I only shoot the "hunter class" so the max allowable shooting mag is 16x whereas there is no limit on scope power usage with the other classes. Along with scope power I've found that scope sharpness and clarity to be very important, especially to see a small close range killzone after it has "pellet spatters" all around the hole."I generally like large reticles, like 50, but I was going to try to keep this one around 40. Does this matter?"Reticles, are you speaking of objective lens size? When scope rangefinding (rangefinders aren't allowed in FT) the larger objectives give a shallower depth of field relative to the power setting which makes determining the distance to the target more precise. Another issue is the dimness of the image on some shaded lanes that make it a challenge to even see the killzone and a brighter image is helpful. As with most things, a "good" scope with a 40mm AO might even have a brighter/crisper image than a mediocre scope with a 50mm AO."Mildot, or some other reticle preferred?"When I first started shooting field target (hunter class) I used 4-16x40 Bushnell Elites (3200 and 4200) with the standard duplex reticle and actually did pretty good with that setup by using the features of the reticle as "hard aiming points" like this.........Later I starting using "dotted or slash style" reticles like this that provided more "hard aiming points".........."Adjustable parallax on front or side?"I've used both over the years and with the "front parallax" the size of the AO matters because it allows the "range marks" to be more spread out and precise. Matter of fact, years ago when "front AO scopes" were more prominent in field target some scopes had a large collar like this to "spread out" the marks..........With the side parrallax scopes large sidewheels can be fitted like this to spread out the "range marks" even more........Most shooters mark their AO and Side wheels with actual distances and then refer to a "dope sheet" to determine the actual number of "clicks" to adjust for each distance. The more simple "hunter class" doesn't allow "clicking on" so only holdover aiming/shooting is used. Because of this and the fact that my springers are used for all shooting be it ft, practice, squirrel hunting, etc I prefer to set up my AO or side wheel with symbols relative to the "sharp focus distance" like this.........Anywhoo.....my advice is to simply use what you have (or borrow, some clubs have loaner guns for the match) to get your "ft feet wet" before deciding on the hardware. You'll decide which "class" you prefer after some dabbling and this is where the choice of optics is decided. When I first started shooting field target at the DIFTA club in Damascus, MD decades ago I only shot the "standing class" (there was no "hunter class" at that time) and there was one offhand shooter that used an old HW77 with a "duck taped on cheek riser" and home made set back trigger blade (a piece of bent aluminum strip) along with a 3-9x40 Leupold EFR (Extended Focusing Range) scope and somehow he would shoot offhand scores that ranked midway up the open class scores. In other words, don't get all worked up on hardware till you have a handle on your preferences. My brother would shoot ft matches along with me at the DIFTA club and at first we simply used the matches as practice for the fall squirrel season.....
There are a lot of incredible scopes out there, some with incredible prices.Find the equipment and features that work for you, through your own experiences and understanding.Label out culture and self justification of expenditure should not factor in, especially from people who are not paying the price or pulling the trigger.Find the features you need as you explore within your own budget.
Yes, Nced explained everything well.Buy once, cry once! If you buy a good scope, you should have it a long long time and can use it on other guns as desired.A cheap scope will get tossed afterawhile. Save you pennies and expand your budget! -Y
Heck if you can save a few more months and get something good. I see that you already bought a scope, so I personally would start putting money away now for a new one later down the road. This way you can use the scope you bought as a "loaner" scope for when you get a new gun and have to start all back over.I think we all started where you are and went the cheap route. But as the years go on and you do more shooting you will begin to enjoy and appreciate a good scope. Recently I bought a Torric optic for my RedWolf, and a Vortex PST2 scopes for my Rapid. While these are quite expensive.....the clarity and color is amazing. And I don't have to worry about the scope not returning to zero when I am dialing. There is a point though when you start getting into the higher dollar optics that the price doesn't match what you are getting. I would be willing to bet that we all have a small stash of scopes we no longer use. So they sit in their boxes and wait for a temp home on another rifle. Think of an optic as an investment. You will more than likely have the optic much longer than you will the actual rifle you bought it for.
I would be willing to bet that we all have a small stash of scopes we no longer use. So they sit in their boxes and wait for a temp home on another rifle. Think of an optic as an investment. You will more than likely have the optic much longer than you will the actual rifle you bought it for.
Quote from: woogie_man on March 12, 2022, 10:53:14 AMI would be willing to bet that we all have a small stash of scopes we no longer use. So they sit in their boxes and wait for a temp home on another rifle. Think of an optic as an investment. You will more than likely have the optic much longer than you will the actual rifle you bought it for.Ya know, I never thought of it this way. I was just thinking the way my grandfather did, "make do".I do think I have learned my lesson, though.