Rifle Scopes Scope choice for Kids first precision rifle

[diverdon]

Neither on my kids have all that much experience shooting. When I started the Nucleus project I ordered them the Vortex Razor Gen II 3-15x scopes. Recently/currently EuroOptic is having the great sale on the Vortex Razor Gen II 1-6x. I've had so much fun shooting the 1-6 on the AR the last couple of days it is causing me to wonder if that might be a better scope to put on those rifles to make is easier to use until they want something that lets them look for more precision.

Opinions from those who have taught children to shoot are particularly appreciated. All opinions welcome.

 

[Geno C.]

Both my boys started with irons. When they moved to scopes we started with a 3-18. The lower power helped them get on target quicker and was still better than irons in their eyes. Now my 11 year old uses a 6-24 and usually has it turned down about half way and only when shooting groups does he crank it up. The 6 year old is about to move up to the same power scope. I'd say your 3-15 will be a OPD starting point for them. 3 on the bottom is plenty and they won't miss 1 and 2x

 

[longshot2000]

Two thoughts here.

1) I am not sure I would spend money on the Razor for a child. Sort of like given him/her a Mercedes to learn to drive. PST Gen2 is a great next option, or the NF SHV, and I would select mid-magnification, like 3-15x 5-25x, or that range is a little too much. I had my kids work for it, like @Geno C. said, with irons. Shit, I walked to school, but my kids expect to drive in their own car. And they had an iPhone. Spoiled shits.

2) If you want to look at lower magnification, Razor HD 1-6x is a heavy mf... I would opt for (again), PST Gen2 1-6x, or NF NX8, if you want to spoil them.

Let me know if I can help. We carry NF and Vortex, as well as Leupold, Steiner, Aimpoint, S&B, Kahles, ELCAN, and other great brands, and do offer some great 'hide incentives.

 

[patriot07]

PST2 3-15 seems like it would be a great starter scope, but I have no experience teaching kids to shoot.

 

[Geno C.]

Well.... it is a 3-18 razor ?

 

[CONUS_Reaper]

I can remember when I was young my first hunting rifle (.270 WIN) had a 3-9 on it. I would get so frustrated at the range because I had no concept of proper sight picture, paralax, eye relief, etc., even after the were explained several times. I often found myself fighting my optics and that was always my focus, it honestly made me hate shooting rifles for many years.

To make a long story short. I agree with the above posters that irons are the way to go. I'd even say maybe a peep style iron could offer a lot of opportunity for cross training of skills between irons and glass. I also agree that a "higher end" optic is not really needed until they need it if that makes sense. To that end, there's some manufacturers making cheaper lower end glass that is plenty good enough for kids to get started. I'd say look for a rifle/scope package that can be easily flipped when their skills outgrow it?

I have not taught my daughter to shoot a rifle yet, but I have taught her to shoot a compound bow. And my approach was the same, I started her on a kids all inclusive bow package to see if she was interested, and could at her age understand the concepts of archery. Once she got more proficient we picked her out a bow together, arrows, etc.

Shit who knows. With modern video games kids might not even need range time to learn to shoot anymore (hahaha).

 

[diverdon]

Two thoughts here.

1) I am not sure I would spend money on the Razor for a child. Sort of like given him/her a Mercedes to learn to drive. PST Gen2 is a great next option, or the NF SHV, and I would select mid-magnification, like 3-15x 5-25x, or that range is a little too much. I had my kids work for it, like @Geno C. said, with irons. Shit, I walked to school, but my kids expect to drive in their own car. And they had an iPhone. Spoiled shits.

2) If you want to look at lower magnification, Razor HD 1-6x is a heavy mf... I would opt for (again), PST Gen2 1-6x, or NF NX8, if you want to spoil them.

Let me know if I can help. We carry NF and Vortex, as well as Leupold, Steiner, Aimpoint, S&B, Kahles, ELCAN, and other great brands, and do offer some great 'hide incentives.

In my case both scopes are already in the safe so when the rifles arrive from PVA I could install either. If you are able to beat EuroOptic 949 price on the 1-6 you ought to post that, I'm sure you could sell some.

 

[diverdon]

As I already have scopes for the project and I don't know any good easy way to install an iron front sight. Irons are pretty much out for this project.

 

[tbs]

Neither on my kids have all that much experience shooting. When I started the Nucleus project I ordered them the Vortex Razor Gen II 3-15x scopes. Recently/currently EuroOptic is having the great sale on the Vortex Razor Gen II 1-6x. I've had so much fun shooting the 1-6 on the AR the last couple of days it is causing me to wonder if that might be a better scope to put on those rifles to make is easier to use until they want something that lets them look for more precision.

Opinions from those who have taught children to shoot are particularly appreciated. All opinions welcome.

Wow, how times have changed. I'm obviously from a different generation. My first rifle was Winchester 67 single shot for my 10th birthday. Any gun i wanted after that i had to work summers and pay for it myself. Never had a scope until i was in my 20's.

 

[spife7980]

I started with the traditional open iron sights on a bb gun and the first single shot 22 had a rear peep and front post.

First scope was a 2x old weaver with a simple post reticle on a 22 hornet. Then I got a 4x duplex on the 300 savage and was on top of the world. Eventually I got to a cheap 3-9 I hated around age 17 with the 30-06.

I say keep it simple to start with. Although you already have the good stuff in your safe. I hated all the "complexities" of scopes when I was first learning but I think that was just because they werent very good to start with and I was fighting the scope itself as much as the fundamentals of learning to shoot. I doubt your razor would have wandering zero issues etc to work out.

 

[Eoddave27]

I would say a Razor is a little overkill for a first scope. My sons stared out with B.B. guns and open sights. After that they went to a 10/22 with a pretty basic 3-9 scope. Once he was comfortable with that I built a 223 trainer and then a 243. The 223 got an Athlon Midas and the 243 got a 30mm Tract Toric HD but he had to earn that 243 and Tract scope. Now my oldest is 9 and competes with me in the men’s class in the local PRS matches. He usually gets a few laughs and is something of a novelty until he starts shooting then everyone tends to stop laughing. He hasn’t won any matches but he usually places in the middle of the pack or better. His mom and I are pretty proud of him and we are having a lot of fun which is what really matters.

 

[diverdon]

I would say a Razor is a little overkill for a first scope. My sons stared out with B.B. guns and open sights. After that they went to a 10/22 with a pretty basic 3-9 scope. Once he was comfortable with that I built a 223 trainer and then a 243. The 223 got an Athlon Midas and the 243 got a 30mm Tract Toric HD but he had to earn that 243 and Tract scope. Now my oldest is 9 and competes with me in the men’s class in the local PRS matches. He usually gets a few laughs and is something of a novelty until he starts shooting then everyone tends to stop laughing. He hasn’t won any matches but he usually places in the middle of the pack or better. His mom and I are pretty proud of him and we are having a lot of fun which is what really matters.

My eight year old and six year old both do every single thing I ask them to do cheerfully (except stop fighting with each other) So in one sense I guess I could say that they have been earning it. But, when this finally gets here it is going to be as a surprise for them.

 

[Eoddave27]

I guess I should say I made him earn it on the range. I didn’t build him his 243 until he was consistently shoot sub MOA groups at 100 yards and qualify with his 223 out to 600 yards at our local range. We had to work through a fiinch at first but one we got past that he was golden.

 

[Milo 2.5]

Youth really should understand how to shoot iron sights. But is it necessary today? I have vast experience with 2 young brothers, whom I bought 22's for, one irons, one scope, the oldest got the irons. Both transitioned to the other like clockwork, not to simplify shit, but it boiled down to the principle of the task.
Letting the kid have good glass can only aid in his learning process, slap the pst on it. I was in the same boat a coupe months ago, had a dasher built for a 12 yr old, I bought a Leupold Mark 5 3-18. I couldn't get 35mm rings that I wanted, so I ended up slapping one of my kahles 624i's on it. In retrospect, it was a damn good move, watching the kid utilize .2 holds warms me up. I did have to buy a Leupold VX3i to hunt with this fall, Kahles a heavy scope.
Of coarse the mark 5 got sold at reduced rates, lol

 

[lancetkenyon]

Buy them a good scope and it will last them for years, if not a lifetime. Teach them about the aspects of scope use. Parallax, magnification and benefits of low vs. high mag, dialing for elevation, holding for wind (made easier by subtensions), etc. So much more fun when they can see the hits at long range.

My daughter (now 16 who has been shooting CF rifles for 8+ years) is a phenomenal shot with a scoped rifle, and shotgun and open sights too. She has shot over a mile as well.

 

[Jsp556]

I believe in buying good equipment. I gave both of my boys NF NSX 2.5-10x42’s for their AR’s. No sense in buying something you’ll have to replace as their skill level improves.

 

[hypno02]

Everyone needs to know how to shoot with irons. More about marksmanship can be learned shooting with irons than with any type of glass. Another bonus is they will learn how their eyes work.

If the current rifle doesn't support irons grab a $350 Palmetto AR and an MBUS rear sight (hell I have an extra I'd send you for free if it's for the kids)

If your kids can learn proper marksmanship with an iron sighted AR, shooting a bolt gun with mid-top tier glass will be a walk in the park.

 

[missed]

My daughter's 223 has a Burris XTR2 3-15 on it. One of the biggest issues my kids have had going to it is the tighter eye box.
She is 10 and understands the parallax, reticle, dialing and holdover. Now that she can handle it pretty good she really enjoys it. My boy still likes the iron sights more, but he is 6.....

They can both shoot with irons, there 22 has a cheap ass Simmons on it that I bought when I was like 15 that is on the now. It has about a 1' eye box on it that really reduced the initial frustration of finding you center in the scope.

 

[Wyfox]

I put a Bushnell LRHS 3-12x44 on my kids rifle.

 

[Snuby642]

A problem I had with my 2 boys when they were young was I got them a "standard"
3x9 scope.
It had no Parallax adjustments so they suck at close range.
Many brands have parallax adjustable now, at lower prices.
Exposed turrets is another commonly available item now on budget scopes.
3x9 is barely enough at 100 for anbody with less than 20/20 vision.
I suggest 4x12-4x16 will get them out to reasonable ranges without starting over.
Bushnell ar series has some nice scopes for the price and function.

You can take advantage of the parallax and exposed turrets begining at 50 ft.
Teaching fundamentals and walking out the range will be easier as you go.
Keep the range sessions in shorter segments for young shooters.

When you determine they can out shoot the ammo and equipment upgrade them.
Set a goal for them to reach for thier upgrades, wont take long till they comandeer your rig.
Lol

Edit: misread the op's part about the 3x15's he already had.
Just use those from the start and spend that extra $ on ammo.

 

[strat81]

Under a grand, I'd look at a SS 3-9x or 3-15x, or a Weaver Tactical 3-15x. Maybe see if you can find a used Sig Tango6 3-18x.

Over a grand? Maybe a Vortex AMG due to the lower weight.


I have my kids shooting a Ruger 10/22 and Ruger American Rimfire, both with Leupold VX-2 2-7x rimfire scopes. *shrug*

 

[MTETM]

My experience. Both our girls started shooting at 4. Both started with scopes.. Both shoot 3P and apertures today as well as scoped rifles.

First scopes on 22's were a 3-9 and a 2-7 Vortex from the shop. When they reached 7 and 8, they started to shoot steel matches and they each received a 223 match quality rifle.
We decided each girl would have a single good optic from the folks. They were allowed to try several and we put a price cap on them.
Today at 9 and 10 years old, One has an Athlon Cronus and the other has a Bushnell DMRII. These will be the last optics we purchase for them. They use them to hunt and shoot steel. They are heavy, but the quality is very good and the girls are learning to be proficient with them. We have no regrets in our choices.
These scopes also go onto their 22's when practicing. They don't think much of their old low power scopes these days.

Downside, they like to crank them up....