Taller scope mounts or adjustable butt pad?

[camgunner]

I've been shooting HFT with an AAS200 for a few months and other shooters have suggested that I tend to "scrunch" myself down to look through the scope when I'm shooting. Therefore I wondered if I should fit taller scope mountings or should I try fitting an adjustable butt pad??

My Scope is a Hawke HD-IR but I'm not sure what the mounts are, they're just what the gun-shop fitted when I bought it.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what will be the easiest fix? How easy it to fit an adjustable butt pad to an AAS200?

Thanks

Ian

[oldskoolzzz]

I've always found to get the best scope/eye alignment bring the rifle up to your cheek as comfy as possible, like you were taking a standing shot but do it with your eyes closed (obviously do this un-loaded and safe etc)

Then slowly open your eye you will tell straight away if your scope is mounted too low or high as you will not get the best site picture and if you have to then move your head postion etc to get a good picture/comfy then you need to make adjustments.

You might find that your scope height is correct but its either mounted too far forward or backwards causing you to adjust your head postion which to others looks like you are hunching your head and not getting comfy etc.

If thats not the case I would then look at the scope mount height obviously going higher/lower depending on your results.

If you still feel your not getting good alignment, then I would look at adjustable butt pads and modding the stock to suit etc.

Hth

Nick

[angrybear]

Higher mounts increase the distance between scope & barrel which increases the angle between line of sight and tragectory of pellet which inturn reduces any lee-way in range estimation.
Lower mounts place L.O.S much closer to the flight of the pellet so if your range estimation is off the pellet will still be close, so mounts should be as low as possible.
The s200 is a small rifle, so if you are a size large< it may just be too small, the adjustable butt pad might help, but on the other hand if your position feels comfortable/natural to you why change it?

[Gary C]

Higher mounts increase the distance between scope & barrel which increases the angle between line of sight and tragectory of pellet which inturn reduces any lee-way in range estimation.
Lower mounts place L.O.S much closer to the flight of the pellet so if your range estimation is off the pellet will still be close, so mounts should be as low as possible.
The s200 is a small rifle, so if you are a size large< it may just be too small, the adjustable butt pad might help, but on the other hand if your position feels comfortable/natural to you why change it?

Nope. You are not quite correct on this I'm afraid.

Higher mounts improve range estimation at longet distances due to you looking down the line of the trajectory, which is why the FT boys either use, or used to use, them. There's no such thing as a free lunch and unfortunately close range estimation error is exacerbate due to the phenomena you mentioned, plus you have the problem of misalignment with poor quality mounts PLUS the increased effects of cant.

High mounts should be avoided, but the difference between low and medium is so slight that it is negligable compared the the effects of trying to shoot with your head in the wrong place. If your scope is too low you will tend to have to put your head on the stock sideways, which will in turn cause you to cant and give relatively huge errors at longer ranges.

My personal preference is medium mounts and an adjustable cheekpiece.

[imorik]

Whatever set is the most comfortable for you is the right set up. Then practice and learn your aim points. I find low mounts extremely uncomfortable and prefer BKL high mounts........everyone is different, but a comfortable set up will always be more accurate than one which is uncomfortable.

[ChrisC]

Hate to admit that i agree with that great, mincing, fruitcake Cooper.

Medium mounts (for the best balance between hold under on the shorter reduced kill shots and the amount of hold over needed on the longer shots.

Adjustable cheek piece as this will give you the correct alignment each time and reduce the possibility of any px/cant error.

You'll find that the vast majority of the top HFT shooters use the above. If you like the s200 then the older 'T' version had an adjustable cheek piece.