Need to be brought up to date

Rat Rod Mac · Post by **Rat Rod Mac** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:01 am

Hope you guys don't laugh at this question. Back around 1979 when I was a kid I spent that summer at the local gun club shooting small bore metallic silhouette. At that time this was a new game around here. Guys were showing up with anything they had in the safe, 10-22's, 241's, etc. I was using a Weaver T-6 duplex I had just bought. Same old story,, got married, kids,,etc... Now i'm starting to get interested in shooting again. Here comes the embarrassing part, the club does not shoot silhouette anymore and I have not followed it since 1980. Without going out and dropping a pile of money on all new equipment, what are the guys using now a days? I see 24 and 36 power scopes being mentioned. Back in the day 10x was tops. LOL. I don't know if I'm going to get back into it competition wise or just set up my own targets and have fun. I have also noticed that the scopes have come a long ways. Has anyone used that Sightron 4x16 with the target knobs? What are the guys using as far as guns go? Are they all custom rigs now? There was one called the Anschutz 54.18, if I remember correctly, that was the hot setup at the time. Ever see one of these around anymore? Any and all comments will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. RRM

ajj · Post by **ajj** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:45 am

"To start out without dropping a plie of money..." a CZ rifle with Brooks trigger kit and a Sightron 24x scope if you can't find a Weaver T24.
We keep trying to warn people about marriage and kids.
A "Rat Rod" would have the big block Chevy, right?

BlauBear · Post by **BlauBear** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:25 am

My favorite starter rig is a CZ 452 Varmint, Brooks trigger kit, Weaver KT15 and BKL 257 rings. Higher powered scopes are great (current favorite - Leupold FXIII 25), but I couldn't handle high power scopes at first. Pillar bed it, get some decent ammunition and it will give you years of great shooting, and then make a great backup, loaner or swap rifle when you move up. I Love these things!

Innocent · Post by **Innocent** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:39 am

Rat Rod,
Welcome to the forum. Yes the rifles and scopes have at least blinged up some. I look at all the additions to the position rifles now as opposed to the rifles I used as a kid and the then go look at the records....funny thing is a lot of the records being set in the 70's still hold. Hmm maybe all the shooting pants and adjustments aren't doing much for the mental part of the training.
I personally have moved from iron sights in the 70's through 1997 to a Weaver T10 on to Premier 18X40's. My eyes are getting older... typically only use the variable power at around 28-30. Still shoot my Winchester 52 with a Kenyon trigger the best. Maybe it is what I'm used to, still working on adjusting the Anchutz 54 with a Pharr stock. But the Winny fits.

Use what you are comfortable with. As for marriage and kids, bring them out too it's only ammo and money.

Mary

Rat Rod Mac · Post by **Rat Rod Mac** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:01 am

Thanks for all the replies. Those T series Weavers are still desirable? Hey AJJ, you reconized the name, ah. '32 coupe, three window,sbc.

Rat Rod Mac · Post by **Rat Rod Mac** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:04 am

Have another question for you. If I decide to go ahead and use the T-6 that i have and want to put a dot in it, what size dot do you recommend?

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:28 am

I look at it like everything else companies make and sell. They have to keep coming out with something new and improved even if its only a claim with no real proof to back it up. Take airguns for example. They have made one hole airguns for a long time now, yet they still seem to produce a better one hole gun every year. How can this be since its not like you can shoot half a hole. Marketing plays big into "new," product lines etc so they change the look maybe manipulate a few features and viola you have new and improved ready for sale.

The more items they can sell you the better, whether or not they actually help you is anyones guess. Could it just be a matter of believing your capable of more with all the jackets, shoes, gloves etc? I always hear using such and such will gain you a few points regardless of the shooting discipline but I wonder if those few points could not be gained all the same with a bit more practice. Personally I prefer to keep this as simple as possible. When I first switched over from a recurve bow to a compound it made me feel like Fred Bear, damn the compound bow is easy to shoot in comparison. Then after hauling it through the woods to hunt and worrying I would bump my sight pins or overdraw rest etc. I realized over time that for all the advantages I perceived it to have over a recurve it also was much more distracting and worrysome than the simple recurve yet no more effective really unless I didn't take the time to practice with the recurve. To this day I can pick up my compound bow at anytime and shoot a fist sized group @ 30 yards fairly consistantly. Were I to try the same with a recurve after a long layoff my lack of practive would be very evident.

We already have an arms race in airgun FT with basically no rules in open class besides energy level limits and having to support the gun with your body but besides that anything goes. As such we have people wearing harnesses that lock them into a sitting position from there they use a kneebrace riser attached to the forearm stock. Next they use adjustable hooked butt plates and adjustable stocks with a thigh rest extension to rest on the opposite leg of the knee riser. Some even get the entire shooting jacket and pants with clip locks. So when new folks come out to give it a go they see $4000 pellet guns and all the shooting attire which cause sticker shock for one and intimidation for another. We now have a Hunter division as well and its slowly growing as I think more people overall will be relaxed enough to enjoy this level of competition and actually be able to afford it without feeling the need to join the arms race.

This game should be kept as simple as it is at its core. Knock animal down score point, don't knock him down don't score a point. How we get so many rules for something so seemingly simple in nature is beyond me.

Dee

dryfire · Post by **dryfire** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:58 am

Rat Rod
I would probably install no larger than a 1/2MOA dot in your T-6.
Before you sent it for a reticle change you may want to peek through a few scopes that are in use now by shooters to see what you like and how much coverage on the targets (or subtension) the different dot sizes
make. Even a 1/2MOA dot in a 6-power scope makes for a very small dot
- might be too small to acquire quickly. This is much of the reasoning for
more magnification. More power ,keep in mind, also makes for more
magnified movement. There is a trade-off and you have to find that
medium point for yourself. I always recommend as much power as you can handle - something only 1st hand experience will tell you.
One more thing - Be Careful this game is awfully addictive OH, Too Late!

Innocent · Post by **Innocent** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:14 pm

Rat Rod,
Dryfires comments are very good, peek through a few scopes. Nothing wrong with a 6 power if that is what you are comfotable with. What is important is the repeatablity of movement found in the Weavers, Leupolds, the new Sightrons and I've heard but not personally tested the BSA's.

The dot size is a personal preference as is the power, you might find that you can do well with somewhere around 20 power and it will help your shooting by a few points. Try several, the newer Weavers are lighter in weight.

Mary

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:17 pm

Unless they have totally redesigned their adjustment system in the last couple of months, I would avoid any scopes with the BSA name on them. I had one work decently well for a few months before it absolutely stopped adjusting at all, but the other BSA scopes that I've seen used for silhouette are either unreliable from the start or get that way quickly with all the knob twisting within a few matches. Even their top-of-the-line is still bottom-of-the-barrel when it comes to scopes.

Detritus · Post by **Detritus** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:50 pm

Hi Innocent,
Do you know how far back in Sightron's line up it was when they were not as reliable. Was it early on when they first started out or a certain few models...?

Ben.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:40 pm

As far as I know, Sightron's SII and higher lines have always had extremely good adjustment systems. The newer models (Big Sky with B in the part number) just seem to have a bit better glass in them, from what I hear. I have only looked through a couple of the Big Sky models and they did indeed seem to have clear glass than the SII 24x model that I owned, but without the two side-by-side for comparison I can't make any sure conclusions.

Innocent · Post by **Innocent** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:13 am

Ben,
It was one of the first models of Sightrons that I had problems with, a friend has some of the newer ones and he has had no problems with them including having one damaged in transportation and the service department replaced it for free.

Mary

BlauBear · Post by **BlauBear** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:56 am

Sightron, at least the current models, has an excellent reputation for reliability - some claim it's the most reliable. It may have been earlier or lower end models that gave bad experience.

Weaver is always a good choice!

Leupold is the gold standard for optics and my personal favorite. Early on, I was told that with scopes you really get what you pay for, plus good glass holds value and a Leupold you don't need anymore will always find a new home quickly. In fact, every time I re-sell a Leupold, I fret afterward it must have been under-priced because it sold so fast with little or no haggle.

dryfire · Post by **dryfire** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:44 pm

Hi Bob
I'll second that. But I just buy 'em

I love those 36s
Andrew