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How to Improve Your Shooting Accuracy with a Gun Scope

Anyone who has ever owned a weapon knows the desire to be able to shoot with greater accuracy. The most basic way to improve your accuracy is through practice. However, sometimes that just isn’t the best way to improve your firearm handling. Taking your abilities to the next level sometimes requires improvement of your firearm to take your shooting to the next level. The addition of gun optics can be what you need to achieve the next level.

Handgun scopes and other scopes can all improve the weapons they were designed for. But how do you utilize this technology to help mold you into a better sharpshooter? Let’s take a look at some popular scopes, how to determine which one fits your needs, how to calibrate them, and how to maintain them.

Scopes and Gun Optics

No scope can perform well in every situation. Many scopes have their capabilities written on them that people can interpret, but unless you are well-versed in their meaning, you probably won’t have an idea what they mean.

Reading a Scope

A basic inscription on a scope could be 12 x 40. In this example, the 12 refers to the magnifying power of the scope and the 40 indicates the diameter in millimeters of the object lens (this is the end that you do not look through). When you use a higher magnification, less area can be viewed through the scope and the amount of light that enters the scope is limited. Working against the light restrictions of magnification is the diameter of the object lens, which allows more light to pass through the scope. This brightens the image.

Remember to consider the power ratio between power versus diameter. 4 x 32 is brighter than 12 x 40, even though the diameter is larger on the 40. Because of these problems, many scopes can now be found with variable power settings. This aspect helps adjust your optics on the fly so you can react to your environment as it changes.

The Reticle

Your crosshairs, or reticles, also play a vital role in the accuracy of your optics. They are generally one vertical and horizontal line that intersect. Where the lines cross should be the center point for where you are attempting to aim. The most common type of crosshair today is a duplex reticle, due to its ability to fit multiple needs. When you focus your scope, you will want to aim it at a light-colored wall and adjust the scope until the reticle is in sharp focus.

Buying a Scope

Ultimately, though, how do you select a scope that is right for you? Like other technologies, there always seems to be a better or different model available soon after you make your purchase that has some feature you would want to have. You must remember that scopes can always be adjusted and replaced, so you are not making a lifelong commitment.

Above all, remember to keep in mind the type of shooting you will be doing with your weapon. For target hunting, you will want a scope that is good for aiming at moving targets, like low-powered scopes tend to be. Target shooters might use a higher powered scope due to the lack of movement in the shooting style. No matter if you buy an EOTech scope or any other scope on the market, here is a short checklist of how to accurately use your new scope.

  • · Determine how far away pellets land
  • · Tune the elevation and windage for the particular condition
  • · Adjust the parallax
  • · Set crosshairs to the focal point of the target

Bore Sighting Your Rifle

At a range, set two targets at 25 meters and 100 meters respectively. Use a tripod or other securing mechanism to keep your rifle from resting on a hard surface. Remove the bolt or action. Adjust the rifle stand to center the 100-meter target when looking through the breech end. Without adjusting the position, make sure you align your cross-hairs in the center.

Enjoy your new optics and learning how to use them to increase your accuracy. Remember to practice all the other rules of responsible gun ownership once you have become a better shot. If you are looking for a night vision scope, make sure to check out this article on night vision devices.

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