New guy jumping into rifle shooting and building a trainer

[On_Target]

Hi Folks,

I have always wanted to get into precision shooting since I was younger and now that I'm older I actually have the time and some money to get started. Right now I have access to a range that is 100yrds max (with 75yd & 50yd lines as well) so I decided to start with a .22lr rifle to work on fundamentals and technique as much as possible before joining a private club that goes out to 600yds. I will have a separate rifle for 600yds since I know .22 wont make it that far.

I have a Savage MKII FV-SR that I plan to make into a training rifle for precision shooting. I am pretty handy so I plan to eventually pick up a Boyd's Unifinished Tacticool Stock and do the finishing and assembly myself. Where I am stuck is on what optic to get for the range I'm working at and maybe use on a different rifle for longer distances later on. I have read the optics selection guide but there are still so many options that I can't decide with my lack of experience. Any help from the SH community would be great.


Use / Purpose
I plan to use the rifle for target shooting / precision training. I would also like to eventually get into some competitions as well. I don't hunt or plan on hunting with this rifle.

Budget
I would like to spend $300-$400 for an optic (rings are separate) but if a case can be made to spend a little more I can be swayed. I would like something that will work on my .22 trainer and then later on a long range (600yds) build.


I have heard a lot about the Snipers Hide community so any help I can get would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[mr2.0]

BSA tactical on Midway around $250 or spend a little and get the super sniper 3-15x42 around $500 or gone mad and buy a MARCH 3-24x42 for $$$$$$ lol

 

[yoteman]

my 2cent leupold 6.5x20 EFR,little more but cant beat it for what you are doing
SS scopes also great
i have used a Nikon Buckmaster 6x18SF for years, an very happy with it, now it is on my sons CZ
an still going strong
scope are like the Ford vs Chevy debat, which one which one.
i have not tried a midway BSA, but other BSA models we have seen go tits up after a year of turning the knobs
like i said just MO
YO

 

[PlinkIt]

I just got one of these midway BSA models less than a month ago.. I will say for the money its a ton of features.. there are minimal things I can see right off being wrong with it.. the parallax focus is a little flimsy in its attachment.. and I have yet to do a true tracking test on the scope, but it appears to return to zero reliably and 4 mils on the reticle relates to 4 mils in tracking.. For the cost its a great way to get going and put a functioning scope on a rifle without draining the budget, which will get you shooting until you can upgrade.. give you time to play with it and decide what you really want in the future optics

 

[On_Target]

BSA tactical on Midway around $250 or spend a little and get the super sniper 3-15x42 around $500 or gone mad and buy a MARCH 3-24x42 for $$$$$$ lol

I just got one of these midway BSA models less than a month ago.. I will say for the money its a ton of features.. there are minimal things I can see right off being wrong with it.. the parallax focus is a little flimsy in its attachment.. and I have yet to do a true tracking test on the scope, but it appears to return to zero reliably and 4 mils on the reticle relates to 4 mils in tracking.. For the cost its a great way to get going and put a functioning scope on a rifle without draining the budget, which will get you shooting until you can upgrade.. give you time to play with it and decide what you really want in the future optics

I've been hearing about this scope from a few other people as well. From everything I've read and heard its a pretty good quality for the price. I hear its the only BSA that people don't turn their noses up at.

 

[Pinecone]

I put the BSA on my CZ, and it is a very nice scope, especially for $250.

 

[NewsShooter]

I have three of the BSA scopes on 22's. They're nice for the price. I can dial to 300 meters with standard velocity. You might look at the rhineland arms stock too. It's an AI clone in walnut, mine required a bit of work but it's a very solid stock.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ion/71572-thoughts-picking-scope-rimfire.html

there's alot of stuff in the price range you stated, when in the same boat i usually make a pros and cons list of what it is i NEED, then a pros and cons list of what i WANT. and then search for the scope that has most of the pros from both lists, when narrowed down read the reviews. some tips in above link.

even if you don't buy one there, midway is a good place to filter through, as you can set min and max price, then further refine it from there.

i have not had experience with the 250.00 bsa, which is front focal plane, but have gotten the bsa "mildot" on a .243, after 500+/- shots it's still in one piece - all the other bsa's i've tried went belly up and wouldn't bother with any other one from them.

i love my nikon buckmasters 6-18, and also have a liking to nikko stirling. 70.00 4-16x centerpoint scope at walmart is surprisingly nice, if you just want something to stick on "for now". i don't really mind a millet either.

ones that have caused me issues in the past - ncstar, simmons, sightmark, hawke
though not viewed as a good brand, i've still haven't had an issue with barska. (please save the flaming)

i've looked through some redfields, they seem clear and bright for the price, and a few bushnells aren't bad for not a lot of dough.

so is it neccessary to have to spend 300-400? not really, but around that 300-400 range gets into vortex - leupold - burris - weaver - SWFA super sniper brands. you may not be able to get some of the features (gizmos) and possibly not the reticle you'ld like (mildot is usually the favorite), but now youre talking scopes with a good reputation for their products and customer support in the event of a problem, and are generally crisp and clear and dependable. this is usually worth more than "gizmos".

some of the 70.00 - 250.00ish scope you probably will be able to get along with, though in the back of your mind you have to somewhat accept that they can crap out on you at any moment, and if that moment comes, don't get the wind out of your sails.

everyone here can list names and models all day, do the pros / cons lists, narrow it down, check out the warranties & reviews. by the end of the day you may have 3-5 choices to run with rather than 30-50.

 

[Dinosaur Jr]

I've been thru the painful optics 'learning curve' with bargain scopes.

I currently use Nikon Prostaff (BDC reticle) scopes on both of my 22 rifles. With your budget, you could even bump up a grade to a Prostaff 5 or maybe even a Buckmasters. For the money, Nikon glass is amazingly bright and clear. Fully multi-coated with a high light transmission factor. Lifetime warranty. I'm extremely pleased with their performance. As an added bonus, the Nikon "Spot-On" ballistics app is full of awesome sauce. You can tune your BDC reticle to scope model, magnification, and exact bullet type to get fairly precise distance solutions that correspond to the reticle marks.

For a mount, I recommend a DNZ Game Reaper. A little on the pricey side but rock solid. One-piece base, no ring lapping, custom fit to receiver, available in 3 heights & 1" or 30mm, billet tempered 6061T6 aluminum, grade 8 hardened steel screws.

Personally, I think its an excellent precision training combination. Good luck on your decision and cheers!

 

[steve123]

BSA tactical on Midway around $250 or spend a little and get the super sniper 3-15x42 around $500 or gone mad and buy a MARCH 3-24x42 for $$$$$$ lol

^^^^!!!!

 

[Quarter Horse]

Best warranty in the industry. Mil-dot reticule. 65" of elevation travel. You can switch it to your centerfire when your ready. Vortex - Camera Land NY

 

[STR]

Best warranty in the industry. Mil-dot reticule. 65" of elevation travel. You can switch it to your centerfire when your ready. Vortex - Camera Land NY

Couldn't agree more. I just opened a package which had my Vortex PST 1x4 scope for my AR, and I'm very impressed with the quality of the build materials. I know the PST line might be a little more, but I'm sure they build with the same quality in mind for all their scopes.

 

[On_Target]

Wow lots of great info on here! Thanks a lot for the help everyone, I know I have a lot more searching to do but the info here at least has me pointing in the right direction.

Thank you again.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Honestly, I don't think one needs to custom build/assemble a trainer. The idea that the rifle must outshoot the shooter isn't my idea of valid until the shooter is proficient enough to be able to tell the difference between a system-induced error and a human-induced error. If one can, they have managed to find r=that rifle's potential, and such a potential is good enough that the shooter will be able to distinguish between their goof and the rifle's hiccup. For me, that's what we seek when we train.

A rifle doesn't need to shoot perfect to be a trainer, and if you find one that is, you could even be mistaken.

Such a horse is too high; it may be wisest to dismount.

I don't build rifles, I buy them. Doing some basic tune-ups (includes replacing optics with functionally reliable, if not enviable, products), finding compatible ammo, and then finding out what the rifle's accuracy bottom line is keeps me occupied and improving far more than enough to justify not going ape-poop over details.

Stepping up, the only real difference is that centerfire ammo can be hand reloaded and loads developed to achieve a rifle's optimal accuracy potential. It is completely possible for an accomplished marksman to handload and develop a box-stock rifle that is competitive. Seriously, many, many O/O box rifles are highly capable of more accuracy than their shooters can attain, regardless of equipment.

Save your money for ammunition, handloading capabilities, and range dues. That's where the benefit comes from.

An accomplished marksman can either get any rifle to shoot acceptably, or identify what is wrong with one that refuses to. Marksmanship is measured less in inches, and more in being able to find a rifle's full potential. Many of us here adhere to BR methods and philosophies, but most of us don't shoot BR rifles, or compete in BR.

I think that a reliable bolt action rimfire repeater and a modest but reliable scope will get you where you want to be for a trainer. I also think that your budget is too heavy on rifle/optics, and could be heavier on finding the right ammo, etc. BTW, the 'best' ammo is hard to find, and not going to train anyone any better if they don't have the skills to justify it.

Start modest and let your skills tell you when an upgrade is really needed. Upgrades are needed only when performance can be demonstrably proved to be hampered by the current setup. There's nothing wrong with a squirrel rifle for practice and training. Its what I learned on, and I never felt deprived.

I bought my current trainer for $125 used; it trained youth marksmen (and me) for years, and now provides a home for a Tasco Varmint Target 6-24x42 MilDot Varmint/Target bought new for under $80. Squirrels fear it, and rightly so. It shoots inside a quarter at 50yd with very basic hollow point ammo, and that's plenty good enough for a trainer. With CCI Standard Velocity Target 22LR, it does better.

Greg

 

[1000yard]

Best warranty in the industry. Mil-dot reticule. 65" of elevation travel. You can switch it to your centerfire when your ready. Vortex - Camera Land NY

+1, hard to beat

 

[On_Target]

Honestly, I don't think one needs to custom build/assemble a trainer. The idea that the rifle must outshoot the shooter isn't my idea of valid until the shooter is proficient enough to be able to tell the difference between a system-induced error and a human-induced error. If one can, they have managed to find r=that rifle's potential, and such a potential is good enough that the shooter will be able to distinguish between their goof and the rifle's hiccup. For me, that's what we seek when we train.

A rifle doesn't need to shoot perfect to be a trainer, and if you find one that is, you could even be mistaken.

Such a horse is too high; it may be wisest to dismount.

I don't build rifles, I buy them. Doing some basic tune-ups (includes replacing optics with functionally reliable, if not enviable, products), finding compatible ammo, and then finding out what the rifle's accuracy bottom line is keeps me occupied and improving far more than enough to justify not going ape-poop over details.

Stepping up, the only real difference is that centerfire ammo can be hand reloaded and loads developed to achieve a rifle's optimal accuracy potential. It is completely possible for an accomplished marksman to handload and develop a box-stock rifle that is competitive. Seriously, many, many O/O box rifles are highly capable of more accuracy than their shooters can attain, regardless of equipment.

Save your money for ammunition, handloading capabilities, and range dues. That's where the benefit comes from.

An accomplished marksman can either get any rifle to shoot acceptably, or identify what is wrong with one that refuses to. Marksmanship is measured less in inches, and more in being able to find a rifle's full potential. Many of us here adhere to BR methods and philosophies, but most of us don't shoot BR rifles, or compete in BR.

I think that a reliable bolt action rimfire repeater and a modest but reliable scope will get you where you want to be for a trainer. I also think that your budget is too heavy on rifle/optics, and could be heavier on finding the right ammo, etc. BTW, the 'best' ammo is hard to find, and not going to train anyone any better if they don't have the skills to justify it.

Start modest and let your skills tell you when an upgrade is really needed. Upgrades are needed only when performance can be demonstrably proved to be hampered by the current setup. There's nothing wrong with a squirrel rifle for practice and training. Its what I learned on, and I never felt deprived.

I bought my current trainer for $125 used; it trained youth marksmen (and me) for years, and now provides a home for a Tasco Varmint Target 6-24x42 MilDot Varmint/Target bought new for under $80. Squirrels fear it, and rightly so. It shoots inside a quarter at 50yd with very basic hollow point ammo, and that's plenty good enough for a trainer. With CCI Standard Velocity Target 22LR, it does better.

Greg

I understand what your saying here and appreciate the advice. I know my first post sounds like I'm charging without thinking but I do understand that I will need a lot of time to become proficient in my chosen skill. I do plan to keep the rifle as-is until I feel like there is a reason to change something. I don't design firearms so I don't pretend to know more than those who build them, but I do like to add my touch to items that I own when appropriate.

If you have time, can you point me in the right direction of some training (books, videos, etc) that I can review. Also can you clarify what you mean by "BR"?

 

[Victory]

BR = Benchrest

Benchrest shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This should explain it better than I could.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Victory's link provides the gist of the subject, probably better than I could.

I am retired and my own strategy is to keep my existence as uncomplicated as is reasonably possible. Consequently, I am no longer as up on the current literature as once I was. Perhaps others can fill in a bit with this.

My training technique involves a shooting partner. Both shooters review a section of an agreed-upon text, and then take turns observing each other as they try to implement each phase, taking turns practicing and coaching each other. Books are not enough, none of us can make this happen on our own, there needs to be an accepted critical observer and coach, bringing another set of eyes to the process. Each will learn from contrasting the roles.

Greg