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F T/R Competition 1000 Yard Power Setting

30-32X for me (NF 12-42x56 NP2DD scopes). I've crossfired twice with my rifle scopes set on 42X, once at 600 yd and once at 1000 yd. Both were dead center X's and I failed to make sure I was lined up under the correct target board for the shots. For my eyes, 42X does not buy me anything in terms of hold that I can't do at 32X; however, everyone's eyes are different, so you need to decide what mag works best for you. Although my major reason for not running higher mag is to get a bigger sight picture, it can have the added benefit of lessening the effect of mirage on the sight picture when the sun and temps come up. My recommendation would be to try your scope setup at different magnification during a practice session (if you have access to a 1000 yd range for practice), or during your sighting shots prior to shooting for score. This should give you a better idea of what the difference in mag will do.
 
35x to 45x depending on your scope , Using the March MTR-1 i set the 10-60x to 40x and use the 1 moa hash marks to call corrections .
 
Wow! And here I sit shooting a fixed 10x for 1000! I can't see the x-ring due to my reticle line thickness, so I just quarter up the 10 ring evenly and shoot. Mirage doesn't bother me near as much as the guys shooting 20x+, and I have never cross fired on anyone's target. As a matter of fact, I can see 4 targets on either side of my own target at 1000yds!

I have had a high score of 196-7x for a 20 round match so far. One day, I may pony up the dollars for more magnification, but I am still exploring the limits of my 20" barrel tactical rig.
 
I shot 1000yd match this past weekend and had scope set on 45x. And I could read the # clearly on the target. Last relay I could tell they were there but they were blurred(mirage). So it really depends on how you like to see the target I think. I like as much "zoom" as I can. All depends on conditions and location where you shoot too as how much power provides good picture for you
 
Wow! And here I sit shooting a fixed 10x for 1000! I can't see the x-ring due to my reticle line thickness, so I just quarter up the 10 ring evenly and shoot. Mirage doesn't bother me near as much as the guys shooting 20x+, and I have never cross fired on anyone's target. As a matter of fact, I can see 4 targets on either side of my own target at 1000yds!

I have had a high score of 196-7x for a 20 round match so far. One day, I may pony up the dollars for more magnification, but I am still exploring the limits of my 20" barrel tactical rig.

A high power scope will do wonders for you in a twitchy wind. Being able to favor one side of the x ring is a pretty solid advantage when the flags won't settle down very long.
 
My son uses 25X, only because that's all we have. Trying to build him a better combination for next year.
 
I'll bet that if you had shot standing with a 4X scope you could have had 22 out of 25 on the plate.

:)
 
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Not Class no fancy rest or fancy rear bag, but here is a 10" plate at 25X at 1100 yards I shot yesterday. Not sure how helpful is, but it helps put 10" in perspective :)

It is a iPhone pic sorry. 18 of 25 hit sub MOA plate, off a bipod both prone and sitting not a rest.
4e7e8uha.jpg


Jt

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If you could do that on a regular basis at 1000 yards you could be the US National Champion, assuming that's a 308. If it's something else you need to pick up another hit or so per 20 shots, and about 1/3 need to be in that little yellow dot..
 
A high power scope will do wonders for you in a twitchy wind. Being able to favor one side of the x ring is a pretty solid advantage when the flags won't settle down very long.

You guys are going to make me spend some Christmas money on myself!;) Now I'm off to survey what the market has to offer for more magnification. Repeatability and accuracy of dialed corrections will be my top priority in a scope. Any suggestions on such a beast from you F-class veterans?
 
The usual suspects. Nightforce seems popular. March if you're rich. On the budget, you can do well enough with a 36x fixed Sightron SII, but you get what you pay for.

For F Class, the important thing is 1/8 minute clicks (1/4 are too big in my opinion) and good glass so you can actually see the target rings. Repeatability is a luxury - you get sighters after all. I'd put clearly readable turrets ahead of repeatability, but you tend to get all or nothing. Having the arrows on the scope that tell you which way to turn the knobs visible while you're in position is a nice thing to have too. If you like target dots pay attention to how big they are - reference it to the half minute X ring. A 1/4 minute dot is pretty big.
 
Hitting a steel plate with mates and shooting an F Class comp are so different , you need between 30x to 45x to shoot this type of competition so you can hold around the main rings . Either a plain cross or a reticule that has hash marks that are useful at 30x to 45x , 0.5moa is very useful ( March MTR -2 @ 40x )
 
Diver , I wasn't having a go so apologies if it came over that way , the OP did direct his question to people that shoot F Class which kind of indicates that the power setting required is for shooting F Class targets ?
Scopes are so personnel and I have two MK4's boosted to 24x which recently got me out to 2,625 yards without using any holdover (130 MOA used ) which was fine on 24x but when shooting 1000 yard F Class you need more power !

Ps. Diver , I loved the pictures you used as it's what threads need to make them interesting . :)
 
My question is what power setting do most of you F-Class shooters use at 1000 yards?

Thanks

I usually shoot with the scope around 30-35 power. In some conditions I dial it down to 25.

My 2 cents...


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I feel like a bump w/ a 4.5-14x scope... F class 600y qualifed expert.

From what I have seen by the top competitors is the nightforce 42x target scopes and the Sightron Siii 10-50x scopes as the two main optics. I am seriously considering the Sightron Siii 8-32x w/ 1/8moa clicks. Hopefully enough to bump my score from the mid 190's up to the high 190's.
 
I usually shoot with the scope around 30-35 power. In some conditions I dial it down to 25.

My 2 cents...


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IMHO, get the scope with as much power as your budget will allow, then you can dial back according to conditions. For me, I prefer to have the extra magnification, if needed.
 
Despite having a 5-40x I only use it at 20-30x and am a big fan of the 1/8 target dot. It let's me see my left and right neighbor and also some of the grass in front of the targets. If I see my neighbours go left all of a sudden yet do not see it in the flags, I at least know somethings happening. More magnification only makes the target bigger, it does not cause me to see more or better. The 1/8 dot gives a good centering tool. But it's all personal in the end.
 
I use a 12-42 BR with the Np-2DD reticle , I can only use the 42 power early in the morning. When it's warm outside, then I just dial it back to 30-34
 
Hi Dave, long time.

Yeah, I just found out that my 2 years old NF NXS has a zoom ring that allows me to dial down from 42X. I would never do that in competition. Maybe I can remove the ring and save weight.
 
If y'all always use 42 power , what do you do about mirage? Down here in the south , the target can "boil " so bad , that you can't distinguish anything.
 
Right, we never get any mirage in South Texas.

You deal with it and learn to use it to your advantage.
 
when I started at Bodine in PA i had a 32 x for the first shoot..
It was so bad do to mirage,etc I dropped down to 12 x and stayed there,
this was bulls eye shootin not steel....rifle was a 30-338 cal
 
You're confused. You were not seeing mirage, you were blinded by your tears; a 30-338 will do that to you.
 
with the SWFA 5-20 I am lucky if I can get to 12 until the mirage is so bad. In the winter time shooting in the snow I keep it between 16-20 depending on how much of the target is being covered by the cross hair.
 
As the quality of the optics goes up, the mirage has less of an impact on the image.
 
My two 24x's were done by Premier Reticles when they were in bed with Leupold , I don't think anyone does it anymore but you may find the odd one for sale with either 24x or 36x . Leupold claim 140 & 45 MOA within the scope but I'm getting 148 & 55 MOA which is far better than having to use the reticle holdover . When I had mine boosted from 16x to 24x I also had the heavy duplex changed to a fine duplex which on reflection I should have gone with something that had holdover points so on the rare occasions I wanted to shoot past 2,700 yards I could .
 
My two 24x's were done by Premier Reticles when they were in bed with Leupold , I don't think anyone does it anymore but you may find the odd one for sale with either 24x or 36x . Leupold claim 140 & 45 MOA within the scope but I'm getting 148 & 55 MOA which is far better than having to use the reticle holdover . When I had mine boosted from 16x to 24x I also had the heavy duplex changed to a fine duplex which on reflection I should have gone with something that had holdover points so on the rare occasions I wanted to shoot past 2,700 yards I could .

Thanks. I wish I could have my 16's boosted as my eyes are not as young as they once were...
 
You could try one of the external boosters , I think they are called 'bulls eye' or similar ? I'm told that the down side is eye relief ( Being much closer ) so if your shooting a big kicker its going to be tricky ! :eek: