Advice on beginers scope choice?

[lowndsie]

I'm after a scope for the tikka 223 but cant decide whether to get a 3-9 or a 4-12 in Leupold vx1. It's for a beginner shooter and Im worried the 4-12 might be a little to "advanced" for them.... but then would there really be much between the 2???

[Kenny]

Lowndsie,

I have found that beginners have trouble finding things in the scopes veiw until they get more experienced, I mean they creep up and down the stock and wave the bloody thing about looking for what they want to shoot at ...(which has usually pissed off by the time they work it out so they have no hope of shooting it anyways) this is piss funny for awhile no doubt...but gets annoying so -

Just my opinion but I would give a 'green' shooter a fixed power not over 8x with a nice long eye relief...just to make it easier for them.....

cheers

KY

[dave]

A mate of mine who has just got into shooting has been using a tikka 595 in .222 and it wears a 4-12x40 vx1 and he loves it, great little scope, ive got one on the .22mag and it just hits everything its pointed at. The thing i did notice that out spotlighting he did find it hard initally to get used to it and a lot of vermin did get away while he was trying to focus so id suggest get used to it out in the daylight in regards to optimum eye relief on different settings etc and away you go, providing the begginer shooter literally had no shooting experience before like my mate otherwise i think id go the 4-12 as that scope seems to fit the bill on more varmint rifles then a 3-9.

[shane]

I feel the 4-12 will be far better in the long run.

To start with wind the scope back to 4 or 5 power until they get used to it then slowly increase the power. It wont be long until its up to full power.

And for their first few spotlighting trips keep the power down to make it easier.
cheers,
Shane

[cam_mackps2]

It's for a beginner shooter and Im worried the 4-12 might be a little to "advanced" for them

Now i still clasify myself as 'a beginner shooter' started shooting just over a year ago (tho had had a few shots over the years before that). I have a tasco (shit, i know) 3-9x50 on my cz 452 .22lr, with such little practise with a scope more than 4x (6 months of weekend use) i can find most stuff almost instantly on 9x, even tho it is as blurry as driving with a fogged up windscreen. As shane has pointed out just "wind the scope back to 4x or 5x", the extra zoom could be a benifit in the long run, instead of buying a second scope later on when they find their confidence. some times i wish i had either so more zoom or clarity for shooting the odd starling at 70m, they are pretty small.

[lowndsie]

Thanx for the info guys..... You've sold me on the 4-12.

[Ackley Improved]

You'd be mad not to get the 4-12... wont be long before the beginner shooter is looking for more power...... Bit of practice and they will be able to pick up stuff in the scope pretty quick on 12X...

It has taken a while for myself.... but I only shoot off 25X now..... have nearly mastered finding the target......... I said nearly..... na, its great...

Cheers
AI