[mcdonl]

Hi all, hows it going? I hope your all having a GREAT day.

I wanted to ask, what do you all PRIMARILY use your rifles that are equipped with optics for?

There have been many great discussions about the benefits of good optics, and this is not about that. I have just read how many of you really appreciate what you get when you spend $100's sometimes $1000's on very nice, high end optics and it just made me curious as to what you do with your rifles.

If you want to add in the thread how often you do what it is you voted on in the post that would be cool too.

AND... to make it REALLY fun, go ahead and post a picture of your rifle, doing what you do with it, sporting the fine optics you use...

Thanks for indulging me!!

[CoRoMo]

How do I vote for three of those four options?

[P.B.Walsh]

Yea really, I use mine for hunting and target shooting!!

:)

[GunsBeerFreedom]

All of the above, and then some.

[Col. Plink]

Well, duh... ;)

[mcdonl]

Well, I asked for the PRIMARY use, so if you hunt... and you target shoot to prepare for hunting then select hunting...

Not that big a deal, I am just trying to get a feel for what people do with their rifles.

:)

[TeamPrecisionIT]

Primary use for my AR with optics is 3 Gun, but obviously use it for plinking and HD, too.

Damian

[HGUNHNTR]

Fondling

[mcdonl]

3 Gun sounds AWESOME. Are the courses setup so that optics are required, or are they just a no-brainer?

HG... you need to show some restraint!! :eek:

[CoRoMo]

what do you all PRIMARILY use your rifles that are equipped with optics for?

My .270s are used for hunting.
My .22lr is used for plinking and hunting, but probably gets more plinking time.
My 5.56 rifles are used for competing/defense training courses.

Three of the four options. But I wonder what it would be like to take my M77 .270 to the next fighting rifle class. :cool: Hmmmm.:scrutiny:

[dubbleA]

Shooting a monthly rimfire match here on THR.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/dubbleA/Rifles%201/CooperM5717HMR.jpg

My favorite would be introducing youth into shooting.....

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/dubbleA/Shooting%20Pix/samproneFNH.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/dubbleA/Shooting%20Pix/CatsRangeTrip2.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f268/dubbleA/Shooting%20Pix/IMG_1712.jpg

[M2 Carbine]

I wanted to ask, what do you all PRIMARILY use your rifles that are equipped with optics for?
I have a number of rifles that are equipped with scopes, Red Dot sights and laser/lights but all my rifles are used for informal target shooting.

Several are primarily HD guns but are still used for plinking.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/M4withStreamlight.jpg

AND... to make it REALLY fun, go ahead and post a picture of your rifle,
A couple.
03A4
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/03A4CMP.jpg

Rock River Arms NM AR
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/RRANM.jpg

doing what you do with it
Having a home range and my reloaded ammo being so inexpensive I can teach people to shoot rifles that they normally wouldn't get a chance to shoot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/LindseyshootingSWMP.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/ChrisAR.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/Bell406_206B/NatM42.jpg

[possum]

my work gun is just that the m4 that i carry and use at work as an Infantry Squad Leader.

my personal ar is used in the context of defense, i use it to train mostly.

[mcdonl]

Wow... these pictures are awesome. This is a great thread!

[ArmedBear]

I use my rifle to club little baby seals. The optics add to the overall weight so I only have to hit them 8 or 10 times, instead of 15-20.

[Cosmoline]

Mostly plinking and working up loads these past years because I haven't had time for hunting. I also keep the Mosin handy for home defense.

[mcdonl]

Armedbear... it reminds me of a picture I saw once of a guy about to club a baby seal (Fake I presume....) and it said... do not purchase if seal is broken... ya sicko.

So, it looks like hunting and plinking are the primary uses. I am starting to get a better picture as to why expensive optics are the common thread around here. Seems like you can cut corners on the actual gun, but not the optics if you are relying on the humane harvesting of animals in inclimate weather, in the typical low light of early/late day at some serious distances given your region.

[Wanta B]

Ummm...to shoot the competition!:evil:

[M2 Carbine]

dubbleA, that is a cool picture of that young lady. What program did you do that with?

[dubbleA]

I have some new Corel,Pinnacle and Paintshop software but that was done with 10 yr old microsoft stuff, still one of my favorites. It's simply overlaying pictures in a picture. Thanks for the kind words.

BTW, that's her 1st time handloading. I made her load own cartridges and that was her first time shooting that AR at 100 yds. She pulled off a 5 shot group that went a 1/2" and thought it was no big deal.

[Maverick223]

My primary use is probably plinking and/or target shooting. Some hunting, but that certainly constitutes much less shooting than range work.

Shooting a monthly rimfire match here on THR.We still haven't forgiven you for that target. :evil:

I use my rifle to club little baby sealsOne of my favorite past-times...it helps you really connect with nature. http://forums.nitroexpress.com/images/graemlins/smilies/general/animal.gif

[wishin]

Mostly target shooting. Some deer hunting. My "best" scope on a rifle of mine is a Bushnell Elite. The others are cheaper Barskas and a Simmons. Nothing expensive, but work just fine.

[Mags]

I mostly train with mine for work (military) related duties and home defense, so I checked military/police since that was the most applicable but only vaguely applicable.

[Hatterasguy]

My rifles are simply "toys" I use to punch holes in paper with.


My friend in the Marines OTOH uses his M4 for its intended purpose.

[mcdonl]

My rifles are simply "toys" I use to punch holes in paper with.

Same here, and to perfectly honest I am not all that great so I guess that is why cheapo scopes have suited me fine. But, maybe the optics are a part of what is holding me back. This years resolution was to NOT buy a cheap $200 gun every month, but to save and 1 or 2 good guns a year... maybe next year will be accesories only!

My friend in the Marines OTOH uses his M4 for its intended purpose.

And tell him me and mine say thank you.

[ArmedBear]

In all seriousness, though...

For playing around, I kinda like irons. I currently have optics on only 3 rifles and a target pistol. All are conventional "scopes" with magnification. I have another scope and a red dot, in their boxes, not on any guns. (Both were cheap.)

All three scoped rifles are primarily hunting rifles, though of course I do practice with them.

Everything else (ARs, lever guns, milsurps etc.) wears irons.

[benzy2]

I voted plinking. I do hunt with a few and I do compete in a fairly laid back competition with a few. Still most bullets head down range for only fun. That said I still like good glass. If I am shooting for fun I don't want to be fighting with a mediocre scope the entire time. After the first day with a decent, though still nothing spectacular, scope I was converted. I would rather have one scope I enjoy than 5 that I don't. But that is me.

[Maverick223]

I would rather have one scope I enjoy than 5 that I don't.Amen, and good glass doesn't necessarily have to be excessively expensive unless you want the best of features, high magnification, and great glass. I am done buying poor quality optics, only stuff I can count on from here on out, and if I can't afford it now, irons till I can.

:)

[C-grunt]

My duty Bushmaster AR wears a compact ACOG. I got it for cheap and its a tax write off!

Thats the only scoped rifle I use on a regular basis so I voted police/military.

I just bought a Savage 93R17 that has a scope and I was given a pre 64 Model 70 30-06 that also has a scope. I havent shot either of those yet. The Winchester is missing the safety so it needs to be fixed.

[ArmedBear]

I havent shot either of those yet. The Winchester is missing the safety so it needs to be fixed.

Hell, why should that stop you? People shoot Remingtons every day.:D

[Arkansas Paul]

I voted hunting, because that's what I bought it for, but I sure do love burning some gunpowder on paper.

[Legionnaire]

I voted "hunting," but clearly, far more rounds are shot at paper. I own scoped rifles primarily to hunt; informal target shooting and plinking are side benefits. In 2009, I probably shot several hundred rounds through scoped rifles--including .22LRs--and less than a dozen at live game. But hunting is still the prime motivator.

[Erik M]

punching holes in paper, cans, and what have you. i also shoot steel at long distances on occassion.

[deadeyedog270]

hunting and target shooting but with the more property around my area geting posted and posted I use them more for targets

[Cust700 308]

I voted for hunting, but after last elk season I determined that either I need to get in better shape OR find a lighter gun. Right now mine tips the scales at around 14 lbs. Not really ideal for packing through the mountains, or for off hand shots. So right now I think this puppy is going to become a paper hunting rifle, hopefully I can find a deal on a more suitable/practical hunting rifle for next season.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i203/stoliver/Rem%20700/DSC00751.jpg

[Gungnir]

Which rifle...? :)

Other than my shotties, they all have optics. From an EoTech 1x to a Nightforce.22x

They're used for all of the categories.

[Old Time Hunter]

How do I vote for three of those four options?

My sentiments exactly!

As far as optics....try not to use them, but I do have 8 or 9 rifles with them. Rather not imbibe yet on the optical enhancers as it is a sign of weakness. It is inevitable though as I am approaching my 60's.

[DMK]

No poll option for Home Defense?

http://mysite.verizon.net/dmk0210/myarms/Midlengths.JPG

[armoredman]

Mostly for paper punching though it stands ready for other duties as needed.


http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/cztwocamo.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/range%20trip/018.jpg

[mrjohnston]

The ones with scopes are primarily hunting guns, but they punch paper from time to time. I prefer to plink with open sights.

[Redneck with a 40]

I've got a Remmy 700 SPS Tactical, 20" bull barrel, that I really like. I use this rifle for shooting targets at 300 and 400 yards, its fun.:) This is the only purpose this rifle will serve, I bought it with this in mind. Oh yeah, its .308.:)

[mcdonl]

I voted plinking. I do hunt with a few and I do compete in a fairly laid back competition with a few. Still most bullets head down range for only fun. That said I still like good glass. If I am shooting for fun I don't want to be fighting with a mediocre scope the entire time.

OK. Now I see where the real disconnect is with me and good optics. I am about as non perfectionist as you can get, so if I am hitting the center ring or even pretty close to it I am happy. I bet, that with my cheap scopes that if I tried to dial it in so that I was getting tighter groups I would quickly see the advantages of better optics.

Keep the pictures coming, I love 'em!

[ArmedBear]

WRT hunting, it also depends on the terrain and environment.

An honest 400-yard shot is not exactly unheard-of here in the high desert and steep mountains. You kind of have to sight in your rifles precisely, and have scopes with see-through lenses, for that to be remotely ethical.:)

[mcdonl]

see-through lenses

What does that mean?

[ArmedBear]

It means lenses you can see through.:)

Cheap scopes tend not to have them.

[mcdonl]

LOL... ok... I was reading too much into it I guess.

[aquapong]

No option for no optics?

[MCgunner]

Rifles are for killin' supper.

[ArmedBear]

Rifles are for killin' supper.

...and ovens are for cremating it after it's dead.:D

[Maverick223]

...and ovens are for cremating it after it's dead.Like it well done, huh? :D

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

I did not own any firearm before I started hunting, at age 24.

I grew up living in subsistance agriculture. We had a 20 gauge shotgun (single shot) for dispatching foxes and weasels around the chicken house, and a single shot 22 for killing beef, sheep and swine in our slaughterhouse.

When we sold the farm due to urban sprawl, I bought my first mauser, and went deer hunting.