FT scopes - why so high?

[RobF]

It's not to do with clicks. That's a side benefit and it's not that big of a deal.

If you put in a scope height of 3cm (which is almost on the barrel for a 56mm scope) you get 8 1/4 MOA clicks between 50 & 55. If you put in 9 cm for a height then you get 5. No one is really going to start with 3, so the actual gain between say 5 (which is 7 clicks) and say 15cm (which is 4 clicks) is only 3 clicks for a 10cm move.

It makes much more of a difference at closer ranges.

As said it doesn't change your tracjectory, but changes how you look at it. But closer in the angle of difference is much steeper, further out the pellet is more inline with the line of sight.

Stick it in chairgun and it will show you all this. But there's no point in putting a scope where it mucks up your position.

[FPoole]

A scopes ranging ability is also less precise out at 45-55 yards, so it helps to have a flatter pellet path at those ranges, in case you range it a little off. It also means that there will be a far greater difference in the clicks at very close ranges, but a big FT scope can range to a few inches at the shorter ranges.

[NeilMac]

^^^ Wot Rob sed...agin ^^^

In summary: It has naff all to do with trajectory, it is all about the muscles in you neck, shoulders and back.

[thumbhole]

^^^ Wot Rob sed...agin ^^^

In summary: It has naff all to do with trajectory, it is all about the muscles in you neck, shoulders and back.

Why do shooters not opt to shoot prone then as in HFT, or are they only allowed to sit, kneel or stand?

[Rich]

In my case it's because getting up twenty times in a 40-shot comp from a seated position is hard enough, and getting up from a prone position would be exhausting.

I think most FT shooters will tell you - maybe counter-intuitively - that they find the seated position to be the more stable.

There's also the consideration that there should be less risk of shooting the grass.

[Shootfish]

Many thanks for the wealth of information guys; it all makes a lot of sense and I can retire 'well learnt' on this matter. And Russ, the chart was particularly helpful.

[Sportsmatch]

Yes you can go prone in FT but it's off the elbows with no support for the rifle on a peg or the butt on the ground

[SuffolkRifle]

In my case it's because getting up twenty times in a 40-shot comp from a seated position is hard enough, and getting up from a prone position would be exhausting.

I think most FT shooters will tell you - maybe counter-intuitively - that they find the seated position to be the more stable.

There's also the consideration that there should be less risk of shooting the grass.

On a FT course the target should be clear from 21cm above the ground at the gate (taken from the BFTA Main Shoot Rules 2019), which, from a prone position should be visible, but how many course setters check that?
Prone is the most stable position for shooting, far less movement than seated - but given the average age of FT'ers others have probably made the valid excuses

[RobF]

On a FT course the target should be clear from 21cm above the ground at the gate (taken from the BFTA Main Shoot Rules 2019), which, from a prone position should be visible, but how many course setters check that?
Prone is the most stable position for shooting, far less movement than seated - but given the average age of FT'ers others have probably made the valid excuses

As a region that shoots both hft and ft and sees both camps swap and dabble, when hft shooters try prone to ft rules they soon find that being unable to rest the gun or the hand on the ground or against a peg is no where near as stable as a good ft sitting position, which granted is difficult for the new shooter to pull off but is more stable.

But we could always strap a scatt or sideview on if that’s doubtful and compare for interest.