Re: What is the minimum magnification for 1k?
All,
The 1000 yard NRA LR target has a 44 inch aiming bull. This is a big enough blob to allow an accomplished shooter, using irons, to usually get some kind of consistent relationship between the target and the front sight, making good hits possible, even with a Service Rifle. So, clearly, no magnification is necessary for such kind of shooting.
No doubt though, any amount of magnification from an optical sight can help a shooter get better results than with irons; but, for me, it's not as much fun. One example of this is when conditions don't reveal the bullseye. Then, the resourcefulness of the shooter coming to the firing line with irons will be challenged to find something else out there to serve as an alternative aiming point.
Now, I realize, some folks don't have any interest in shooting with irons at LR. They say they can't see the target. Until F-Class came along you'd not see any of these folks shooting in 1000 yard competition, mostly, because desired success was seen (no pun intended) to be unobtainable.
F-Class has really helped to get folks out to fill target points and dramatically improve interest in the shooting sports. Today, it seems, no one has much interest in irons. It appears, scopes and LR are becoming as ubiquitous together as peanut butter and jelly.