Quick question on rifle scopes. I can get Barska scopes at a wholesale price, has anyone had any experience with them? I was looking at: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.barska.com/Excavator_Rifle_Scopes-BARSKA_8-32x50_IR_AO_EXCAVATOR_SCOPE_1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.barska.com/Excavator_Rifle_S ... OPE_1.html</a> I will be using it for target shooting out to 900 yards. Reviews seem to be a little all over the place, some love it, some hate it. You guys know your shit so id prefer to hear some feedback from someone on here if anyone can help.
Kind of what I figured... prices looked too low for it to be any good but i was hoping against all reason this wasn't the case. Is there a good mid-range option for scopes? Im not looking to spend thousands here, i just want a nice decent scope with variable magnification for under $1k. Am I dreaming?
I don't do much long range and I have no idea what the latest & greatest optics are for long range shooting but for the $1k range there are a lot of good options. Try SWFA.com and look through what they have. They tons of scopes there and their prices are usually among the lowest. The scopes I see on most of the long range stuff around here are Zeiss, Leupold, Nikon or Vortex.
Those were the first two that came to my mind. I don't do any real long range shooting, but when I was looking for a scope to put on my shotgun, I heard nothing but negative reviews on anything from Barska. As I write this, a guy in my office who hunts walked past and I asked him if he any any experience with them. He said he put one on his son's .270 last year. He's got a Nikon on it now because the seals failed halfway through the season and it fogged up. He had only shot the gun 5 times during sight in, and once while hunting.
Putting really cheap glass on a rifle you expect to shoot accurately (especially for any competition) will be an exercise in frustration. Priority #1 on a target rifle is the scope's ability to hold a zero and have consistent adjustments, and a Barska is not what comes to mind for that. 900 yards means the clarity and crispness of the glass will matter too. I suggest you look at this- <a class="postlink" href="http://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-vx3-6-5-20x40mm-efr-target-rifle-scope-personalized-by-leupold-custom-shop.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-vx3 ... -shop.html</a> As suggested Nikon, Bushnell, US Optics, etc. will have quality offerings in your budget range too, but I've done the majority of my long range and target shooting with Leupold scopes so I'm admittedly biased. Good glass means good rings/mounts too so I'd bed a 1-piece base or rail onto the receiver and use Burris Signature rings.
Looks like these folks have good prices and will ship to Australia. $42 to go around the world isn't too bad, either. That seems to be Cabela's domestic shipping rate for fishing flies. http://www.theriflescopestore.com/shtoau.html
At the moment, usually the rifle clubs .223: I'm doing F-class and shot a 54.1/60 last week at 900 yards with it. I was super fucking stoked and then my second round went 45.2/60 (it got real gusty and i shouldn't have kept adjusting as much as i did. Drilling the first two sighters right on top of each other in the X is some consolation though) I'm just shooting as a trial member at the moment. You cant just join a gun club here in Australia, they have to approve you... apparently they used to get a lot of bikie associates join up, get their license and gun and then they would 'get robbed'. Ill be getting something similar second hand (although i think ill go for a .308) through the clubs armory once i'm a full member (hopefully they approve me this Saturday). They don't usually have scopes though as the guys keep onto them when they upgrade so i need to sort my own optics. Thanks for the advice and links guys, much appreciated.
That is a bad ass rifle there... congrats on some good shooting! I can't tell you how many times I have center-punched a sighter once, then twice, and miss a condition change once I go to a record target. Do you guys use wind flags? Because winter has started, I have resumed checkering work and plan on getting through a handful of stocks that need some scratching before the snow melts. This is the first one so far. Spoiler 20 lpi wraparound point pattern on a black walnut 10/22 sporter stock. I am rusty and this wood has a bad temper when you want to cut a straight line. Lots of cleanup work to do as I deepen the lines...
R.I.P. Bob Munden <a class="postlink" href="http://www.ktvq.com/news/butte-sharpshooter-and-guinness-world-record-holder-bob-munden-dies/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.ktvq.com/news/butte-sharpsho ... nden-dies/</a> If you don't know of his "work", search for some of his videos. He's perhaps the best pistol shooter who ever lived.
Re: Re: Guns and Ammo Thread Damn, too bad I used to watch him on Shooting USA. Throwing a playing card in the air and then splitting it with a. 45
Yeah its pretty nice, a little banged up but it does get a fair bit of use and its old, it started life as a Sportco model 44 Target Rifle in 7.62mm. They are getting a new F-class rifle for next year which has been made up by one of the best shooters in the club, so im looking forward to using that. Yeah we do use wind flags, I'm still not great at reading them though. Its a bit of a steep learning curve but everyone is really helpful and willing to share knowledge with the new members (which is great for me, but it is a lot to take in). We are right next to the beach though which does make for some interesting wind conditions at times. It also means we occasionally have to stop shooting when a Kite Surfer with a death-wish starts kiting (?) at the end of the range. Heres a sat view of the range, as you can see its probably unlikely we would actually hit a kitesurfer but better to be safe than sorry i guess
Not really a guns and ammo question but I think a few people will have some knowledge on knife sharpening. I bought a little stone kit. It came with a medium stone and a "fine arkansas" stone. I tried out a few knives and got them reasonably sharp, at least a lot sharper than what they were. Tried to keep the blades at a 20-30 degree angle in relation to the stone. Just looking for some general tips and information.
I straight up suck sharpening knives by hand using stones, I am gonna use some tax money to get a Wicked Edge system, takes the guess work out of it. Props to you for doing it by hand, I just can't do it for shit, Edge Pro makes a good system as well. I have used a Lansky kit forever and it works good, just looking to upgrade.
This is a pretty good guide: http://artofmanliness.com/2009/03/05/how-to-sharpen-a-pocket-knife/ Lansky sharpeners work very well as Flat_Rate said. Depending on the knife I either use a whetstone or a diamond stone. This works well for quick sharpening, but I would only use the coarse side for a cheap knife as it removes a lot of material: http://www.amazon.com/Smiths-CCKS-2...r_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1355541446&sr=1-6
Honestly, sharpening a knife free hand is the fastest way and is a basic man skill. Being able to feel a burr, hone it down, and put a keen edge on a knife with a simple stone is satisfying and effective. I use Norton stones (their fine/medium india combo stones) and have never had a problem. My kitchen knives will slice through rolled up magazine paper with no effort.