Sporters and the 6X scope

C

center22

New member
Built a XIII/Shilen Ratchet IR 50 Sporter which has a 6X Leupold w/fine crosshairs and dot. It's been a safe queen for around 8 months and I decided to shoot it some today using my best lot of Lapua Center-X. My setup at the bench included a good spotting scope ... Farley Coaxial front rest and rear bag. During the initial setup, I was using a USBR target which has a bold green colored 8 ring ... this made it relatively easy for my old eyes to center the dot in the 10 ring area.

However, when I switched over to a regulation IR 50/50 target for practice, I could no longer distinguish the dot or 10 ring to give me a reference point for a center hold, using the 6X scope. Basically, I was just trying to keep the dot/crosshairs centered between the black outer 5-6-7 rings. My first IR50 target score was a 245 6X, in fairly strong, fast switching wind ... but I feel this Sporter is capable of better results. That is of course, if I could see the target rings clearly. I will try some Eley Match and Tenex down the road, but does anyone have any advice for improving target definition with the limited magnification of IR 50/50 Sporter rules? Thanks, ... John
 
Crosshairs

John,
I had the same problem last year. I was doing fairly well initially & switched my bold crosshaired scope to a fine crosshair w/dot scope. It drove me nuts! The longer I focus on the the dot the buggier my eyes got. I switched back to a fine crosshair scope with no dot & it made a big difference. The tiny dots aren't for me with a 6x scope. At least not on that target.
Keith
 
Old eyes.

John: Just a consideration. The last time I had an eye exam for new glasses I explained to the optometrist the exact conditions and criteria of 6x scope, the distance to target and everything I could tell him in regard to the same problems that you are having with sporter class. The eye doc. was able to replicate those conditions and then custom tailor a pair of spec's. that I have been using with much better results in sporter class. Ill be damned if I let my old eyes dictate my scores, even if it means using multiple pairs of glasses at the bench. "works for me" Good luck! Ed.
 
That is exactly the challenge of the sporter class. Everyone has to deal with the same problem. I find it easier to shoot the sighters on the side than the real target, because of the smaller black ring on those sighters. I do have a method to find the center of the target with a 6 power and I will share. First you need to make sure your scope crosshairs, rest, and target are all perfectly level. If any one of them is not perfectly level, my suggestion will not work. Now with everything level, you can put your dot on the first target and place it in the middle as close as you can. Now look at your cross hairs. Does the cross hairs appear to bisect (go thru the middle of) all the other targets in the horizontal and vertical rows. If it does, you are in the middle. Once you know the center then you can move off from there to find your hold-offs. For me, getting the hold-off right is the hard part and usually is a "feel". Calm conditions are usually pretty easy. Here is where having a sporter that can handle the wind is a huge advantage. The Broughton 5C that I have can usually handle most gentle wind conditions, allowing me to just hold dead center to give me a 10.

Of course the best advice I can give anyone regarding improving your sporter scores is to have your sporter built by the best sporter gunsmith on the planet: Mr. Gordon Eck.
 
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Agreed.

Fix your eyes.......Get a Real Sporter! Have Gordon build it. He is, after all the "SPORTER KING" take that to the bank. Ed.
 
Hi John....I bought the M4 30MM 4.5-14 17 oz, Leupold scope and it is the clearest I have seen and I tried them all. Once you buy the scope you will have to send it back to Leupold and have them put in the X hair you want, and have them put target turrets on it, and change the focus to 50 yards. It cost about 700.00 after the scope purchase and everything is done, but you will be done looking for a sporter scope. I have 2 and love them both. Doug
 
Doesn't this

Bill B said:
That is exactly the challenge of the sporter class. Everyone has to deal with the same problem. I find it easier to shoot the sighters on the side than the real target, because of the smaller black ring on those sighters. I do have a method to find the center of the target with a 6 power and I will share. First you need to make sure your scope crosshairs, rest, and target are all perfectly level. If anyone of them is not perfectly level, my suggestion will not work. Now with everything level, you can put your dot on the first target and place it in the middle as close as you can. Now look at your cross hairs. Does the cross hairs appear to bisect (go thru the middle of) all the other targets in the horizontal and vertical rows. If it does, you are in the middle. Once you know the center then you can move off from there to find your hold-offs. For me, getting the hold-off right is the hard part and usually is a "feel". Calm conditions are usually pretty easy. Here is where having a sporter that can handle the wind is a huge advantage. The Broughton 5C that I have can usually handle most gentle wind conditions, allowing me to just hold dead center to give me a 10.

Of course the best advice I can give anyone regarding improving your sporter scores is to have your sporter built by the best sporter gunsmith on the planet: Mr. Gordon Eck.
Click to expand...

depend on the target itself being perfectly level?
 
Do you mean rimfire gunsmith?

"Of course the best advice I can give anyone regarding improving your sporter scores is to have your sporter built by the best sporter gunsmith on the planet: Mr. Gordon Eck. "
 
Keith

linekin said:
John,
I had the same problem last year. I was doing fairly well initially & switched my bold crosshaired scope to a fine crosshair w/dot scope. It drove me nuts! The longer I focus on the the dot the buggier my eyes got. I switched back to a fine crosshair scope with no dot & it made a big difference. The tiny dots aren't for me with a 6x scope. At least not on that target.
Keith
Click to expand...

what exactly did he do prescription wise vs. your standard prescription? Tks
 
glp said:
"Of course the best advice I can give anyone regarding improving your sporter scores is to have your sporter built by the best sporter gunsmith on the planet: Mr. Gordon Eck. "
Click to expand...

This is the rimfire forum, so yes, this advice applies to rimfire sporters.
 
blades said:
Question - why mess with a variable over a fixed. ?
Click to expand...

I agree with you. I have the old Burris 6X HBR. I've looked thru a lot of scopes and I see no reason to change. (But sadly it is no longer available.) It's easier for a shooter and match director to be sure that the scope is legal, that's for sure. I'm not crazy about those scopes that don't have a clear 6 or 6.5 power setting, where one has to kinda guess where the 6.5X might be.
 
As far as I know you have to purchase the scope from outside Leupold and then send it to there custom shop. Please correct me if I am wrong. If you have been in the game long enough you will find that there is a very limited number of scopes available, that will keep the weight down or at the 7/1/2 pound sporter class limit. Why a Variable? I have gone through the gauntlet of scopes and the 4.5-14 is the most clearest scope I have ever seen for the sporter. Easier to make wt. and (crystal) clear. My sporter scores have gone up considerably since I bought the M4 4.5-14 30MM scope. All ways had clarity problems till I bought this scope. Just shot another sporter 250 last weekend at Jacksonville, and the scope really helped to do this, and my rifle does shoot very well, thanks to my smith. I have 2 of these scopes, and all I can say is, buy one, send it to Leupold for the focus, crosshair, and turret changes, and you will be done looking for a good sporter scope. It is also easier to make wt. with it, then the 6.5-20X Leupold and also clearer. It does have 1/4 min. clicks, but I have not found it to be a problem. Everyone has their own opinions but the proof is in the pudding, and I think I have proven my findings. It's your money. FWIW. Doug:eek:
 
My 'oldish' eyes get tired when shooting the Sporter target. So every couple of bulls I focus on something mid-range for a few secs. For me, this seems to rest my eyes, and when I go back to the target my eyes don't feel so strained.

Michael
 
New Eyes

I had cataracts from both my eyes removed last October. I am somewhat pleased now that I can not only keep the reticle focused indefinitely but I can see the rings again :eek:. It's been many, many years since I've been able to see the scoring rings on the IR 50/50 target through a 6X scope. My recommendation; if you have cataracts, get them removed as soon as they well take them out. I expedited mine a bit.

Pete
 
Target turrets

DJB in Wi said:
Hi John....I bought the M4 30MM 4.5-14 17 oz, Leupold scope and it is the clearest I have seen and I tried them all. Once you buy the scope you will have to send it back to Leupold and have them put in the X hair you want, and have them put target turrets on it, and change the focus to 50 yards. It cost about 700.00 after the scope purchase and everything is done, but you will be done looking for a sporter scope. I have 2 and love them both. Doug
Click to expand...

Doug,
Just wondering if those turrets give you a 1/8th click or not?
Thanks!
Pete
 
Pete R.........The reason for having the target turrets put on is so you can get a better grip on the turrets for scope corrections. I asked and was told that the 1/4 minute adjustments cannot be changed to 1/8 minute clicks on that scope. Doug
 
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