Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 30 of 30
  1. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Oh man oh man... I don't know if I should be happy or not because I am gonna go broke. I ran across an old guy that I have known since I was a little kid today. He has 56 acres that is all cleared and ready to go. I'm gonna go scope it out and see what it looks like. He told me I could come any time I want and shoot all I want. He said "I'm pretty sure we have at least 1000 yards that you can use"...

    This is literally less than 10 minutes from my house. It might be 5 or 6 miles at best.

    I don't know if I should be happy or not because now I not only need an expensive long scope but a .308 build, a 6.5 build, maybe a 338 lapua and a bunch of nice optics to go on them...oh yeah and ammo too.

    *whine* " My wallet hurts so bad".

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    SC
    Posts
    2,888
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    I personally would build a rifle that isn't too extreme like a .308 or a .260....it's not your land and I'd hate to see you sink $6k into a .338 and then not be able to shoot it. Thats just my take on it

    Start slow; learn the ropes with an AR out to 3-500 yards and go from there man.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Former11B View Post
    I personally would build a rifle that isn't too extreme like a .308 or a .260....it's not your land and I'd hate to see you sink $6k into a .338 and then not be able to shoot it. Thats just my take on it

    Start slow; learn the ropes with an AR out to 3-500 yards and go from there man.
    I was being facetious :) LOL But I guess around here nothing is surprising LOL.

    My wallet hurts bad enough already.

    I really need to win the powerball.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    I did a little bit of calculations... considering that I like to do photography as well I wanted to correlate my 'shooting' with my 'shooting'. Correlate one hobby to the other....

    Based on my basic math (and I am asking for other people to chime in and point out if I am wrong) a 1-4X scope would have about the same field of view (angle wise) as an 85-300mm zoom on a full frame camera. On a 1.5 crop camera it would be about the same as a 55-200mm zoom. (roughly)

    So if you were more or less looking down the shooting alley with these fictitious zoom lenses that would have the approximate same field of view through out that range.

    I just thought that was interesting to correlate those two.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Here is another interesting article that is on topic.

    http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/ChoosingScope.asp

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Spring, Texas
    Posts
    893
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by alamo5000 View Post
    I did a little bit of calculations... considering that I like to do photography as well I wanted to correlate my 'shooting' with my 'shooting'. Correlate one hobby to the other....

    Based on my basic math (and I am asking for other people to chime in and point out if I am wrong) a 1-4X scope would have about the same field of view (angle wise) as an 85-300mm zoom on a full frame camera. On a 1.5 crop camera it would be about the same as a 55-200mm zoom. (roughly)

    So if you were more or less looking down the shooting alley with these fictitious zoom lenses that would have the approximate same field of view through out that range.

    I just thought that was interesting to correlate those two.
    I haven't taken the time to do that math. Could you share the way you came up with that? I have a 7D with a 1.6 crop factor. I'm also curious to know if people would generally prefer a 1-4x optic vs a red dot optic. "If" this was your only rifle. I realize purpose of use would play a big factor.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Facebook - Marty Callan

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Txfilmmaker View Post
    I haven't taken the time to do that math. Could you share the way you came up with that? I have a 7D with a 1.6 crop factor.
    I have been reading a lot and studying this scope thing a lot recently and probably driving a few people here nuts at the same time LOL!

    That said I frequent a camera forum that has a full blown lens database that has all the angles of views of a BUNCH (think hundreds) of different lenses and it gives those angles of views on both a standard full frame camera and on a 1.5 crop camera. The data on the camera forum is definitely correct.

    I also looked at various scope manufacturers on the specs on their scopes. Bushnell's website tells you that their 1-4X has a 110 foot field of view at 100 yards at 1x and at 4x it has a 36 foot field of view... so I just used an online calculator that can calculate out triangles and I punched in the numbers... 300 foot on two sides, how many degrees angle etc etc until I got 'about' the equivalency of what an average scope's specs say. After that I just cross referenced the angles to the lens database etc etc. Basically once you put in the angle it spits out side C of the triangle in feet so you can do an apples to apples comparison.

    Keep in mind the numbers are based off of a full frame camera and a 1.5 crop camera but neither are exactly the same or exactly 'on' but they are close enough for an approximate comparison.


    Quote Originally Posted by Txfilmmaker View Post
    I'm also curious to know if people would generally prefer a 1-4x optic vs a red dot optic. "If" this was your only rifle. I realize purpose of use would play a big factor.
    Read this article:

    http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/ChoosingScope.asp


    For me, I have shot a number of rifles with red dots and I simply do not like them as much. This is just my opinion. Other people might love them. With the exception of say a Trijicon SRS you will always have the whole battery problem. When it dies you no longer have an aiming point. Also red dots for the most part are a fixed focal length. Sort of like a prime lens on a camera. Don't get me wrong.... on a camera I pretty much only use prime lenses, but for shooting I like fixed or variable scopes better than true red dots any day.

    With a scope if your battery dies you still have an etched reticule. In other words it will still work just fine until you can round up a battery. With the 1-4x power scopes you pretty much have the same function as a red dot when you are on low power. A 1-4x is in all actuality a very very versatile optic.

    I recently managed to do this:



    That is three rounds at 100 yards. Keep in mind I was shooting off of a bipod and really trying for an accurate shot group.

    For 100 yards and in you have so much more versatility with a 1-4x. You can zoom to the 'right' field of view for what you want to do... even shooting with both eyes open on 1x.

    Now here's the rub...I have been debating going back and getting either another 1-4x or getting a 1-6x or even a 1-8x.

    I have also been experimenting and testing A LOT to figure things out about scopes. I managed to clear a lane so I could try a 200 yard shot...and I had absolutely NO problem hitting it at that range. The 4x was more than enough. I got back to where I was 300 yards away and yes it would be a challenge but I am certain I could hit targets at 300 yards without a problem. Would I be shooting 'groups' out past 100 yards? Probably not. But could I hit metal at 300 yards, absolutely. Just for reference, with cheap ammo I was able to get shots all within a 6" target at 200 yards with a 1-4x... with match ammo I should be able to do better.

    If I want to shoot paper and try to stack holes on top of holes or possibly go for longer shots (300-600 yards) then I would most certainly want a lot longer of an optic.

    But to me the 1-4x is a very good all around scope. When you really look down 300 yards away at a target I was thinking 'holy smokes'...actually seeing that range in person puts it all into perspective...at least it did for me.

    Now most red dots are fixed power. I did a review on the primary arms 2.5x scope (not a red dot) and for me if you want a fixed focal length I would go that route instead instead of a true red dot. The versatility of the 1-4x is awesome. The only thing that it leaves me kind of 'wanting' is for more on the long end.... or so I thought. More or less anything within 200 yards would be pretty screwed with a 1-4x. Red dots to me are more like one trick ponies.
    Last edited by alamo5000; 22 February 2015 at 16:28.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    All that said I am not the guru here. I came here and have been asking a million questions. Other people are a lot more knowledgeable than me, but that said when I try to do my homework I try to do it all. I am somewhere in between FNG, complete noob, and a somewhat experienced shooter.

    Most of my shooting has never been 'tactical' or any of that stuff in nature. Ballistics and harmonics and all that stuff just makes sense to me. I have been around it for a long time. But with this whole AR thing it has this 'tactical' element to it... and it crosses over into what some cops do and what some military folks do, and it crosses into 3 gun for sure. A lot of this stuff is starting to intersect but a lot of that stuff was also sort of new to me.

    That said, red dots might have a perfect place in the scheme of things... I am just not there yet though.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Spring, Texas
    Posts
    893
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Sure. I understand. Thanks for all the info. What photography forum do you frequent?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Facebook - Marty Callan

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Txfilmmaker View Post
    Sure. I understand. Thanks for all the info. What photography forum do you frequent?
    Since I shoot with Pentax I go and lurk at Pentax Forums sometimes. It's a very friendly place for people shooting pretty much any kind of camera.

    For Pentax shooters that's pretty much the go to place for information and doing gear swaps and whatever else you're into. There are people from all over the world there.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Spring, Texas
    Posts
    893
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by alamo5000 View Post
    Since I shoot with Pentax I go and lurk at Pentax Forums sometimes. It's a very friendly place for people shooting pretty much any kind of camera.

    For Pentax shooters that's pretty much the go to place for information and doing gear swaps and whatever else you're into. There are people from all over the world there.
    I just read a review out a medium format Pentax. 635? $8k body. I shoot Canon because I also shoot video. Most of friends shoot Canon. It works out well for sharing gear.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Facebook - Marty Callan

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Txfilmmaker View Post
    I just read a review out a medium format Pentax. 635? $8k body. I shoot Canon because I also shoot video. Most of friends shoot Canon. It works out well for sharing gear.
    Ah. You're talking about the 645Z, which is getting a lot of attention.

    None of the Pentax cameras are super into video as far as I know. It's just not the niche that they are after I guess. They have that mode but I have never tried to shoot a video so I can't tell you anything about that part.

    I would say though if you're into shooting pictures---I priced out a 645Z and a whole collection of brand new lenses---and you can get into that format with a fantastic camera from scratch for about $15,000, which is kind of unheard of for medium format. Hasselblad and the other guys offer bodies only for like 40 grand or more.

    Pentax is also due to release a full frame 35mm camera within the next few months which is also going to be getting a lot of attention. Up until now Pentax has only offered 1.5 crop and then would jump to medium format. The camera is announced but not yet released so everyone has been chomping at the bit for it. I personally don't care. I might buy one eventually and I might not. It won't help me be a better photographer. I am still learning lighting and composition and all that stuff.

    I have the K3 which in my opinion is the best camera performance wise, the best value, and overall performer among all crop cameras on the market. When I was getting into photography I priced out lenses and cameras and did a side by side comparison with a 7D and a Nikon, keeping in mind that I don't shoot video, I was able to get comparable (in my opinion better) gear for about 60% of the price of a similar Canon setup-- so I took the gamble and I have been 110% more than pleased with the choice. The FA Limited and DA Limited lenses are Pentax's equivalent to Canon's L series glass.

    Another cool thing is any and all lenses that have ever been made for any Pentax camera ever are compatible with any Pentax camera body. I have some manual glass that is almost as old as I am.

    In any rate I am only a hobby photographer but I have been interested in it forever but I really got nudged into it through traveling. I have done my fair share of travel so another bonus is I can fit six or seven (L series equivalent) prime lenses, a camera body, a flash, etc and fit it all in a small 9 inch by 15 inch by 5 inch backpack. I can put the whole kit in the overhead compartment without any problem which was another factor in what I got. Plus they are tougher than nails.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Spring, Texas
    Posts
    893
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Sounds like you made a wise choice. Olympus and Sony are doing some interesting things with cameras as well. The video aspect definitely pulled me towards Canon. in the end, it's the photographer, not the gear.
    Facebook - Marty Callan

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    5,854
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Txfilmmaker View Post
    in the end, it's the photographer, not the gear.
    ***DING DING DING*** We have a winner folks!!!

    I have a friend who is a very well known photographer... and I put up a picture of his and people were oooh aaaahhh and wondering how many mega pixels, what lens and this or that, but they were fawning all over the shot....turns out he shot the thing with a 25+ year old film point and shoot camera that he was carrying around in his pocket LOL.

    With friends like that I have learned very early on that it is all about skill.... skill that I don't quite have yet.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Spring, Texas
    Posts
    893
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    :-)
    Facebook - Marty Callan

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •