Bench rest shooters, are you using more than a 3-9 scope?

[Sheepdog1968]

About a year ago I started competing in a monthly 200 yard bench rest match. The rifle in question was originally intended to be a general purpose rifle but it is now a dedicated range rifle. I had purchased a nice 3-9 scope for it when I intended for it to be a multipurpose rifle. Now that it is a range only weapon, I am thinking if upgrading.

Do any of you bench rest shooters compete with only a 3-9 powered scope? I can shoot 2" groups at 200 yards with it but I can't see the bullet impacts. Also, the power isn't strong enough for me to use wind hold overs on my point of aim. Curious what power scope you are using. I don't want to buy a spotting scope as I'd rather invest that money in a higher power scope.

By the way, if it were just a matter of hitting a target the 3-9 is fine. In bench rest I think I need something that will allow for a bit more accuracy in my shot.

Many thanks for the help.

 

[49willys]

I dont have a bench rifle but I do like to watch the bench matches.I notice that every one of the bench rifles in the matches have at least 12 power on the high end.I see mostly night force scopes that go to 24 power.There is one guy I know that uses a bsa target scope on his surgeon action 6mmbr and does very well.He`s like 89 years old too.hope this helps some.

 

[tuj]

hahaha, yes. 36x.

 

[jaguarxk120]

I've seen a 36X on rimfire benchrest.

 

[Walkalong]

36X.

Some folks use even higher power scopes these days.

In bench rest I think I need something that will allow for a bit more accuracy in my shot.

I could move my point of aim over 1/4 of a bullet hole if I wanted to. Now, point of impact accuracy is a whole nother thing.

 

[toiville2feathers]

Absolutely , you can't hit what you can't see. My bench guns have have 36X Leupold scopes, modified to 45X. That is for the light and heavy class. Hunter class is limited to 6 power. I don' shoot F class so I'm not sure what the scopes are limited to.
Bench rest is like NASCAR. If you want more speed it will cost more money, lots more.
Want smaller groups, it will cost you more money.

 

[jb27]

A Weaver 36x target scope would be a good place to start. I'll be putting a 45x Leupold on my Bench gun when it arrives.

 

[AirForceShooter]

20X on my CZ 452

AFS

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[LeonCarr]

A buddy has a 36X Weaver on a Remington 700 Varmint in .222. You can literally aim at one corner/quadrant of a bullethole.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[spitballer]

I shoot bench rest on a very informal basis and invested in a Leupold 4-14x AO vx3 a couple of years ago and couldn't be happier. In my experience, good scopes are like good cigars: you get what you pay for. I can see shots out to 300 yds with the scope as long as I have a splatter-type target (shoot-n-C), but for longer shooting I have to rely on a spotting scope. Good luck to you.

 

[243winxb]

The 36X is not easy for me to read in some conditions. The cross hairs dance all over the place. Buy a variable, unless your going full benchrest.

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[Jim Watson]

I don't work at it hard enough to manage a 36X.
I am ok with a 24X and would try a 32X.
A big variable would be the way to learn what you can handle.

 

[ramproguy]

8x32 power minimum if you're serious with PA

 

[tuj]

Benchrest you don't want a variable, you want a fixed power scope of 24x or 36x depending one what you can manage and conditions. I have shot guns with 40x and 45x and I thought that was too much; too much mirage and wobble.

The Weaver T36 is the gold standard of benchrest scopes.

 

[Walkalong]

During the years I was shooting Benchrest, Leupold dominated the field, with some Weavers here and there. Good scopes for sure. I have one in the closet that Weaver repaired. Mushy adjustments. In their words....soft materials that they stopped using.

I rarely has trouble with the 36X power, although occasionally the mirage would blurr the target.

 

[jb27]

Leupold and March seem to be the current go-to scopes in Benchrest.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I did talk to the top three locals in our informal bench rest. They all gave the same reccomendation plus my brother owns one of those scopes. I'm not going to state the brand because I don't want to start a brand discussion. I just wanted to know about magnification. If I ever get around to taking a mid to long range rifle from Thunder Ranch or Gunsite I'd likely just use the 3-9. For bench rest from the comments here I'm going to go to higher magnification.

 

[rsnell]

If you intend to shoot hunter class bench rest, a 6x scope is the highest power allowed.

 

[Hoser]

18 power at the bottom end and 50 at the top end is the norm.

 

[ramproguy]

The first thing I think is to find a scope with parallax adjustment on the bell or by side knob if you haven't already. that will tighten up your 2" groups considerably. Perhaps you already know this but I'll assume you do not but if you take your rifle and set it in bags or a rest and focus it on your target, then without touching the rifle, move your eye around in a circle, without parallax adjustment, it will appear that the target is moving. hope this helps

 

[fotheringill]

I do not shoot in competitions, but can relate the following:

The bigger the target looks, the better the groups.
The quality scopes with high power are going to cost serious money.

I progressed as follows, shooting at 50 and 100 yards.

Leupold EFR 3-9x33
Weaver 4-16
Weaver T-36
Leupold 45x45 Competition.

All have adjustable objective.

The Weaver T-36 (and the other Weaver) seem to have a lack of quality for clear viewing. Also, the Weaver T-36 is hard as heck to get to acquire a sight picture and hold it.

The Leupold 45x45 is a dream compared to the others. Crystal clear picture, easy to acquire and hard to lose the sight picture.

If you can see your way to get to the 45x45, I would recommend it. In hindsight, I should have waited to get the 45x45 instead of the incremental steps with two other scopes to get there.

 

[tuj]

I shoot rimfire benchrest. We shoot a 0.1" 10-ring at 50-yards. I have used four different T36's on my rifles with good success (came in 2nd in TX in 2012). Another top shooter in our club also uses T36's (and won nationals last year).

I had an opportunity to shoot a Leupold 36X at 240 and 260 yards. The mirage was too much; very hard to get a good image at the time. Later cloud-cover allowed for good shooting. I found the Leupold to be more finicky in terms of eye-relief distance than the T36. The Leupold was clearer, yes, but harder to position one's head with.

 

[PapaG]

6-24X on my CZ and I'm on the lower end of the power scale at our club.