Can 't determine whether I want my scope high or low on my 1710 hunter.......got it low now with Warne split rings, and it seems comfortable enough, with a firm cheek weld......but my elbow ain't as low on my hip as I want it.... I've got a "collapse" against the rib cage hold!

What's the current thinking on scope height? And do you absolutely have to have your elbow down on your hip in order to shoot well?

I know of a couple outstanding shooters that don't get their elbow anywhere near their hip. I think scope height is very personal. Troy Lawton has his scope so low that my face shape prevents me from even seeing through his scope. He shoots high 30's to 40 so it seems to work for him!

My scopes are all very close to the height limit.

Dustin

OnaginOffagin wrote:Can 't determine whether I want my scope high or low on my 1710 hunter.......got it low now with Warne split rings, and it seems comfortable enough, with a firm cheek weld......but my elbow ain't as low on my hip as I want it.... I've got a "collapse" against the rib cage hold!

What's the current thinking on scope height? And do you absolutely have to have your elbow down on your hip in order to shoot well?

For me its about coordinating my cheek weld pressure with the amount of pressure I use with my right hand to bring the rifle back into my shoulder. On my factory stocked 1712 I have rings as low as I can get to get the cheek weld pressure I want. With my custom stocked rifles with relatively high combs, I have correspondingly higher rings for the same effect.
My shoulders are too wide and I'm too inflexible in my torso to get a "picture-perfect" elbow-on-hip stance. Of course if I keep putting on weight, my ribcage will "go meet" my elbow instead.

Balance....set the scope such thatyou can see through it with the rifle will balanced in the triangle of your forward arm/stock point, your stock/shoulder and your cheekweld, without any grip from your hands. Not that it will necessarily stay there when discharged but it should balance there without any additional pressure.

Mary

It's not how high the scope is it's how the rifle rides. Objective is to hold the rifle secure with erect head positon. Run the rings way up cheek off the stock is a real negative. With Silhouette buttplate rules you can hold the smallbore rifle high buttplate up on the shoulder keep a good cheek preassure and get the erect head that's desired. Everybody is not the same and solutions are different. High power rifle much more difficult to run high on the shoulder due recoil. Look at accross the course Service rifle shooters using AR's hardly touch the shoulder at all. Can't do that with a rifle that recoils, it works for Smallbore though.

Boats

This has been a long standing debate in NH. IMO, there is no right answer, just plenty of opinions. I used to take photos of top shooters and then review them later to see if I could learn anything. There are some very different approaches to scope height. I like to tell folks, it's a journey. You have to find what works for you. More than half of this game is mental. A good shooter could be handed an unknown rifle and after 5 practice shots, clean the next 10 pigs. Go to as many matches as you can and watch and experiment. Pick one and then stay with it and TRAIN. Too often folks change stuff so often they never really get real the benefit from real training.

Here is a post with some pics of "high master" shooters and as you can see, there is no right answer.

http://durant7.blogspot.com/2011/05/too ... right.html

The design of the stock is a factor in determining scope height. For instance, my CZ 452 American, I consider it having a more straight level butt in relation to the barrel. With my shouldering with forward hold, I found current 1.43 inch scope height to be perfect.

I originally started out with 3/4 inch scope height 2 years ago, then 1 inch tall a year later. Then the middle of last years season I changed to the current 1.43 inches tall. Perfect for my change in forward and more comfortable hold.

I would have purchased CZ's Silhouette rifle with angled downward butt end, but did not make in LH. I have used Mary's theory to determine what I need for scope height to keep my head erect and in line. When I shoulder my rifle, the eye piece is right there in my natural position, which I prefer. Butt end angle of stock with forward hold and shouldering, determined what scope height was best for me. Trial and error.

As mentioned, everyone has their method and have to experiment. You may end up with 3 sets of rings or risers b/4 you are settled in. My 2 cents.