What is the average scope power a top competitor uses?
ifldned

The top competitors who I see (I am certainly not one), tend to use scopes in the 24-36X range.

I'm sure that there are those who use more than 36X, but I don't see them at the matches I attend. I have looked through a 36X scope at silhouette animals and realize how easy it would be to get a cross-fire or shoot an animal out of sequence. The field of view gets pretty small at the higher mags.

My 2 cents,

SteveM.

all though i am a semi newbie, i found the same thing ^^^^^ getting off target with small FOV.

plus it seems that i tend to shake a bit more on higher power (was using 28x). that was just me overcompensating for movement on the higher power.

i found that using a target dot, you can cover the the animal completely on a certain power. when the animal "disappears", squeeze.

I have two of the bumped 6.5 x 20s that are 18 x 40 now. There is no way the 3/8 dot ever covers the animal at any power. You don't shake any more on the high powers, it just looks that way. Biggest problem is getting on the right animal but I very seldom get on the wrong one. I usualy shoot them at around 30x.

I have a weaver t-16 with a .25inch dot and a 10x leupold with a .5 inch dot for my 54.18 Anshutz. I use the 10x mostly because I see no advantage of using a 36x and I also like to see the dust fly up if I miss to get a wind speed check as we do not use flags.
ifldned

if there is a regular user of 36x scopes and higher that has never shot the wrong target I want to shake your hand.
ifldned

I see most guys shooting 20X or 24X. I agree that 32X can make you shoot the wrong target. I am using the Leupold 25X FXIII with a 1/2 dot now. I think the 6x24 Bushnell 4200 is also a great scope, and certainly a lot of quality for the price. Leupold is getting a little silly with their prices.

From the statistics gathered at the National Championships that I have been able to research....

The most popular magnification is about a tie split between the (20x to 24x) and the (36x to 40x) with lesser quantities of the 16x and below.

30x for smallbore and 24x for highpower

I have a couple of x24's but I really could go up to 30x. I think I would be happy.
I wasn't thrilled with 36x.

military snipers use leupold 4-14x power scopes and the shoot off a bipod ,not standing. That is the general range out to 500 yards, for a .308 which is equivalent to 100 yards for a 22lr. What makes you think you can out shoot a military sniper shooting with a rest, out to 500 yards standing with a 22 rifle? They have spotters and personal digital assistants,"computers",
ifldned

I have shot alot of pistol and rifle disciplines. How many of you expert shooters can hold you firearm weave on the target 100% of the time? ifldned

How many of you expert shooters can hold you firearm weave on the target 100% of the time?

I don't not hold 100% of the time, if the conditions are right (no wind blowing me) I can hold on the animal for 4 to 8 seconds. Natural point of aim (NPA) goes a long way towards keeping you on the target. And yes I do use spotters, and the experienced one can help you with wind, mirage, etc.


Mary

It doesn't matter at all on how long you are holding on the target. It is only the exact moment when you fire that it is important.
If are holding there for ten seconds but don't stay on when you fire is worse than shaking all over the place and fire when you are there.

And to add, the snipers are trained to shoot offhand as well as otrher positions, not just from a prone rest. They need to adapt to the situation that they are in which is not always from a comfortable prone position.
Jerry

Never claimed to be a sniper, and don't want the job! It's dirty, uncomfortable work where the targets can shoot back. I much prefer a controlled range against defenseless steel animals I don't have to sneak up on, and then getting a good meal and a hot shower at the end of the day. And did I mention outhouses? And toilet paper? Besides, my high power scope would dangerously limit their field of vision, whether they can hold on-target off hand or not, so they wouldn't want it - I'd gladly give it to them if they needed it, though.