I just picked up a 1720 and am looking to try Pistol FT-what scopes are you folks using?
Thanks,
John
Thanks,
John
Scope for Pistol FT?
- Thread starter JohnL57
- Start date
I’m trying out a fixed 10X rear focus scope from SWFA … Its clear, short and has a mildot reticle. I like rear focus becuase there no need to reach around to range (Im left handed)
I tried low and high mounts …. Low gives much flatter apparent trajectory, while high seems tro make the gun feel more stable offhand using “taco hold).
LD
I tried low and high mounts …. Low gives much flatter apparent trajectory, while high seems tro make the gun feel more stable offhand using “taco hold).
LD
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You don't need anything real fancy. You will only be shooting at 35 yards max. MTC is a nice relatively cheap scope.
Rick
Rick
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After years now shooting PFT have gone threw 5 pistols to get my ideal one made and as many or more scopes !!
Far and away ... "If you can Find one ? " HAWKE PANORAMA 4-12x50 AO or the smaller 40mm objective brother
The 50 is GREAT being more than enough surface area to re-scale via tape and it ranges dead nuts easily within 35Y.
Far and away ... "If you can Find one ? " HAWKE PANORAMA 4-12x50 AO or the smaller 40mm objective brother
The 50 is GREAT being more than enough surface area to re-scale via tape and it ranges dead nuts easily within 35Y.
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Could one of you explain to a long time powder burning pistol shooter how/why it is that air pistol shooters keep discussing and recommending rifle scopes to mount on pistols?
With 3 inch eye relief, to my mind, these scopes simply can not work when mounted to a pistol, with my eyes more that 24" away from the ocular. What am I missing?
thanks in advance.
With 3 inch eye relief, to my mind, these scopes simply can not work when mounted to a pistol, with my eyes more that 24" away from the ocular. What am I missing?
thanks in advance.
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Designated pistol scopes have a much longer Eye relief.And to modify my comment I had forgotten about people using the taco hold.I never shot FT with a pistol and wouldn’t even use a scope on anything except for my eyesight not being that good anymore I have no choice.But not unless I’m shooting long distance I prefer open sites If I still could.
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Many of us use the rifle scopes on our pistols with a modified Taco hold.
https://mrcompletely.blogspot.com/2006/06/taco-grip.html
Or we just shoot off of the bench. Either way rifle scopes can be your friend when combined with pistol shooting.
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Cuz it's in the context of pistol field target. VERY VERY different shooting position than the normal, pistol at arms length, scenario. Most shots in pistol FT are taken from seated position. Two classes, one sits on a small bean bag and basically uses the knee to kinda help support the gun, no other assist devices. The other class sits on a small stool or bucket and rests the gun on shooting sticks. In either class, the eye relief is much more similar to shooting a rifle than shooting a pistol (in the regular sense of "shooting a pistol").
The above all leads me to the scope that I'm going to try out for the 1720T pistol I'm getting set up for FT: the MTC Viper Connect SL 3-12x32, which has a very short eye relief and a large field of view. It actually has a built in eye cup (of sorts) that can be extended. The eye relief is so short that that eye cup can be rested on the eyebrow, which I understand is allowed as an additional point of contact to aid in stability. The 32mm lens size might make ranging tough though, so we'll see I guess. Which is the other weird aspect of pistol field target: the scopes ability to focus on an object is used as a rangefinding mechanism.
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Might check out the Bushnell Engage SFP 3-12x42 if you have any interest in SFP?
https://www.bushnell.com/riflescopes/engage/engage-3-12x42-riflescope/BU-REN31242DG.html
https://www.bushnell.com/riflescopes/engage/engage-3-12x42-riflescope/BU-REN31242DG.html
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Franklink,
I think that 32mm objective lens might not be all joy for parallax range finding....
Before shelling out the dough, hopefully someone with the actual scope will be able to chime in.
From what I understand, scopes for parallax rangefinding are helped by the following features (all other features being equal):
▪ High magnification
▪ Large objective lens
▪ Large parallax travel (the parallax turret travels a large amount for the ranges you're interested in)
▪ There is a distinct "popping into focus" — "popping out of focus" — some scopes have it, and some simply don't (my Discovery VT-3 3-12x44 FFP is a great scope for a pistol: it's short, it's light, good holdover reticle, lots of parallax travel — but no pop...)
MatthiasUpvote 0
Sold it ultimately with no regrets .... Went to the HAWKE panorama and been very happy ever sense
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Franklink,
I think that 32mm objective lens might not be all joy for parallax range finding....
Before shelling out the dough, hopefully someone with the actual scope will be able to chime in.
From what I understand, scopes for parallax rangefinding are helped by the following features (all other features being equal):
High magnification
Large objective lens
Large parallax travel (the parallax turret travels a large amount for the ranges you're interested in)
There is a distinct "popping into focus" — "popping out of focus" — some scopes have it, and some simply don't (my Discovery VT-3 3-12x44 FFP is a great scope for a pistol: it's short, it's light, good holdover reticle, lots of parallax travel — but no pop...)
Matthias
Already have the scope. Won it at the AZ State match raffle, donated by AOA (thank you AOA!). One crisp $20 worth of raffle tickets so I guess you could say the price was right.
As for the high mag ranging better, limited to 12x by the pistol rules.
I don't suspect it'll range the way my Falcon x50 does. Now THAT is one that pops in and out of focus better than any other scope that I've ever looked through. But this is pistol ft rules so apples and oranges when talking bout a max of 12x versus 50x.
It'll be fun to see how it does I suppose.
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Ripper, Biohazardman, Franklin,
Thank you for explaining it for me. I've looked up the "TACO" hold, that and also Motorheads image, shows exactly what I was missing. As the only scoped pistols I've owned are in .44magnum, .454 Casull, maybe you can imagine my confusion! No way is the taco hold going to work in that case.
Learn something new every day.
Thank you for explaining it for me. I've looked up the "TACO" hold, that and also Motorheads image, shows exactly what I was missing. As the only scoped pistols I've owned are in .44magnum, .454 Casull, maybe you can imagine my confusion! No way is the taco hold going to work in that case.
Learn something new every day.
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Nobody I have ever seen shoots pistol the way you are imagining at FT matches, that is, with gun held at arms length, and perhaps with one hand. They sit crosslegged or on a low stool off a bipod, and shoot the same way as the Field Target rifles do, but without the extra aid of a buttstock, its fun, but pretty specialized, with teeny targets that require precision and wind-doping skills.
Since this IS a Field Target Forum, its a decent place to become acquainted with the game(s).
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Ripper, Biohazardman, Franklin,
Thank you for explaining it for me. I've looked up the "TACO" hold, that and also Motorheads image, shows exactly what I was missing. As the only scoped pistols I've owned are in .44magnum, .454 Casull, maybe you can imagine my confusion! No way is the taco hold going to work in that case.
Learn something new every day.
Back in the Day, I did shoot a Desert Eagle in .357 mag using the “taco hold” and a forward, high mounted red-dot … ok scores, but not so good as my Thompson Center in .32H&R mag. We shot “hunter pistol” NRA Silhouette back then.
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Ripper, Biohazardman, Franklin,
Thank you for explaining it for me. I've looked up the "TACO" hold, that and also Motorheads image, shows exactly what I was missing. As the only scoped pistols I've owned are in .44magnum, .454 Casull, maybe you can imagine my confusion! No way is the taco hold going to work in that case.
Learn something new every day.
Motorhead is not using a “Taco Hold” in that picture. Taco Hold entails holding the gun away from the chest somewhat, with non-trigger hand holding the scope bell from over the top in a sortof cantelever position for the support hand, which does not brace against the body. It keeps barrel heat from the support hand and allows a steady offhand hold. The scope is normally quite high and forward over the barrel, allowing the thumb to wrap under the scope bell. The eyepiece is normally not farther to the rear than the web of the shooter’s grip hand.
Surprisingly, a very tall scope held this way can allow even .44 mags to work ok offhand with the gun that near the face, since the gun is so much lower and the recoil is directed up rather than rearward due to the pivoting at the wrist.
But enough powder burner talk. The same hold can work well with an airpistol if the mount is higher, and it seem sgteadier toi me … but you may need a little built in droop for the mount to ease holder for the very close shots.
LD
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The UTG swat Compact 3-12 is great.
I've used the wire reticle and it works well, never owned a glass etched one. They range better than all of my 12x power scopes, but they don't click well.
Cheapest good option that ranges well and you can buy a Sidewheel with it for only a little more.
Don't buy anything with adjustability past 12x as it's not legal for pistol ft.
I've used the wire reticle and it works well, never owned a glass etched one. They range better than all of my 12x power scopes, but they don't click well.
Cheapest good option that ranges well and you can buy a Sidewheel with it for only a little more.
Don't buy anything with adjustability past 12x as it's not legal for pistol ft.
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