Glass make a decent shooter better?

[Gregg C]

Ok, this may seem simplistic. Can a good scope help me shoot better? How? Or rather, in what way ? I have a scope mounted on my 338 378 that, well, works. It's from Osprey International. It was VERY affordable. No, let's face it, it was cheap. In my defense, I knew next to nothing (or less) when I acquired it. Nuff said bout that.
I see my rifle cut holes on top of each other at times and my group at 200yds last week was about 5 to 6 inches, with a couple even farther. E.S. was 33fps, SD was 9 , average speed 3485, 225gr HORNADY Sets. Seems like decent loads(?). After thinking about it, I wonder if maybe it might benefit me to step up in the optics department. Please, comments are welcome. Similar experiences, anyone?

 

[Barrelnut]

I know nothing about OI scopes, but if you say they are cheap, I will take your word for it. A "cheap" scope, on a 338-378, with a 225gr bullet doing 3485 FPS is probably going to disintegrate at some point. So in this case, I think better glass would make a decent shooter better!

 

[Gregg C]

I know nothing about OI scopes, but if you say they are cheap, I will take your word for it. A "cheap" scope, on a 338-378, with a 225gr bullet doing 3485 FPS is probably going to disintegrate at some point. So in this case, I think better glass would make a decent shooter better!

Thanks for the response. Yeah, it was $125 for 10-40 x 50mm objective, 1/8moa turrets, illuminated reticle, side adjust paralax, 30mm tube, with rings. Sfp. Problem seems to be that I noticed last week I was having to strain to focus on target thru reticle. Tried paralax knob, didn't think of the eye relief till just now, but no real difference. Kinda just chocked it up to things that make you say "huh that's odd" but after thinking about it some more, I can't believe that this would be normal with good scopes. Bout decided to do some thing else. It works , and it got me to here, but....I don't think here is where I wanna be. Just wanted to know if any body else had had something like this happen. Guess it doesn't really matter, I just gotta pull the pin and do it I reckon.

 

[Barrelnut]

I had a Nikon Monarch go bad on a 300 WSM. It was shooting 3~4 inch groups and wondering. Few days later shot great. Thought it was loose rings. Then a week or two later started doing it again. Nikon confirmed it was bad and replaced it. Seems it was acting a lot like your OI.

I think scopes like the OI are really made for rim fires and smaller varmint rifles.

Have a look at the Vortex scopes like the Viper and Viper PST. They have good turrets and can run on magnums. I have one on a 300 Rum with many rounds through it. It has been a great scope.

 

[WeiserBucks]

A quality optic won't make you a better shooter by itself, but it will be one less variable in the equation.

 

[Rich Coyle]

tag

 

[BallisticsGuy]

What is the weight of the rifle with current optic on it? How heavy is your powder charge? Are you using a brake or suppressor? Once we can characterize the recoil impulse with some numbers we can see what your actual needs are. Otherwise it's just guessing.

The answers starting with no are correct. Won't make you a better shooter but could very well improve your results. Cheap scopes and distant animate targets are contraindicated by each other in general.

 

[Pdvdh]

Ok, this may seem simplistic. Can a good scope help me shoot better?

Yes. Won't make you a better shooter, in itself, but will help you to shoot better.

 

[Gregg C]

Yes. Won't make you a better shooter, in itself, but will help you to shoot better.

Right, THAT is what I was asking. Thanks everyone.

 

[Gregg C]

What is the weight of the rifle with current optic on it? How heavy is your powder charge? Are you using a brake or suppressor? Once we can characterize the recoil impulse with some numbers we can see what your actual needs are. Otherwise it's just guessing.

The answers starting with no are correct. Won't make you a better shooter but could very well improve your results. Cheap scopes and distant animate targets are contraindicated by each other in general.

Tha

What is the weight of the rifle with current optic on it? How heavy is your powder charge? Are you using a brake or suppressor? Once we can characterize the recoil impulse with some numbers we can see what your actual needs are. Otherwise it's just guessing.

The answers starting with no are correct. Won't make you a better shooter but could very well improve your results. Cheap scopes and distant animate targets are contraindicated by each other in general.

Rifle weighs about 15lbs,

What is the weight of the rifle with current optic on it? How heavy is your powder charge? Are you using a brake or suppressor? Once we can characterize the recoil impulse with some numbers we can see what your actual needs are. Otherwise it's just guessing.

The answers starting with no are correct. Won't make you a better shooter but could very well improve your results. Cheap scopes and distant animate targets are contraindicated by each other in general.

Rifle weighs about 16 lbs, with a brake, and charge weight is 114grs at this time, of Retumbo. Going to 300 gr Berger or SMK for my actual go to load, if that makes a difference. Course, the charge will be different, but on the warm side of center is my goal. Gotta find that sweet spot before I can solidify that. I never meant to suggest that a good scope would make ME a better shot-just trying to eliminate all of the OTHER variables. My scope is not super crisp. Not horrible, just not like the Vortex I looked thru today. Thanks for your time, I look forward to your response. Should prove informative.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

Well recoil should be manageable so you're not into insane-o kick that'll abuse the optic. That means the world is your oyster.

First thing first, decide if you're going to buy a scope that will work well for now or if you're buying one that will be an investment. I'd encourage you to really save up and put the best glass you can on it so you can see well enough to stretch its legs.

brand has been less important than what you get for your money. You could slap a lot of different stuff on there from 16x SWFA's at 300 bucks to Hensholdt unobtanium at 7 grand. Personally I like a lot of US Optics, Vortex's Razor line, Nightforce Beasts and ATACR's, Schmidt & Bender PMII's, IOR Recon's and Crusaders, Steiner Military models and that sort of thing. That said, those are all expensive as hell. For a lot less something like a Burris XTR II or a Bushnell ER or LR model is a good option.

Decide on features that you need and price that you can pay. Then we find the offerings that will deliver quality. Accurate and consistent click values are extremely important at long range.

I would suggest that you could get a lot of useful information from the Sniper101 series on YouTube from TiborasaurusRex. There's several videos dedicated to optics and optics selection. After you've done those check out rexdefense.org and consider attending one of his seminars and then a live fire event. Those 100% will make you a better shooter. They're really good classes.

 

[flowhnun63]

A good scope is one of the very foundation and fundamentals of long range shooting. You can't kill what you can't aim at. I own a lot of nightforce and leupold scope and they have improved my hunting successes. Over the years new model scopes have been made to make things easier for hunters so knock yourself out.

 

[Gregg C]

Well recoil should be manageable so you're not into insane-o kick that'll abuse the optic. That means the world is your oyster.

First thing first, decide if you're going to buy a scope that will work well for now or if you're buying one that will be an investment. I'd encourage you to really save up and put the best glass you can on it so you can see well enough to stretch its legs.

brand has been less important than what you get for your money. You could slap a lot of different stuff on there from 16x SWFA's at 300 bucks to Hensholdt unobtanium at 7 grand. Personally I like a lot of US Optics, Vortex's Razor line, Nightforce Beasts and ATACR's, Schmidt & Bender PMII's, IOR Recon's and Crusaders, Steiner Military models and that sort of thing. That said, those are all expensive as hell. For a lot less something like a Burris XTR II or a Bushnell ER or LR model is a good option.

Decide on features that you need and price that you can pay. Then we find the offerings that will deliver quality. Accurate and consistent click values are extremely important at long range.

I would suggest that you could get a lot of useful information from the Sniper101 series on YouTube from TiborasaurusRex. There's several videos dedicated to optics and optics selection. After you've done those check out rexdefense.org and consider attending one of his seminars and then a live fire event. Those 100% will make you a better shooter. They're really good classes.

Appreciate the input, it lines up with what I was thinking. Looked at Burris, seems nice for the money. Vortex is good...Nightforce, and the like-waaay outside my budget. However, you mention SWFA. I wonder about fixed magnification, as in could I live with it...
I just recently noticed something on the scope I have. It appears that the reticle is interrupted on all four points. Corners. Whatever. The cross hairs all have a gap, equidistant from the center, and equal to each other. Indicating, what, etched glass reticle ? Thanks.
Gregg

 

[Gregg C]

Well, Gentlefolk, I stand corrected-It seems as I was I incorrect in saying Nightforce and similar were out side my budget constraints . Was at the big box store today, and lo and behold, on the shelf with a 900$ price tag....a genuine dyed in the wool NIGHTFORCE RIFLESCOPE!!!! And so I talked the counter guy into going outside wth it and a Vortex for a daylight comparison. Wow, what a beauty that NF is! I was counting blue feathers on a pigeon sitting on a power line far enough away as to be invisible to my (admittedly not so good ) naked eye. The Vortex ? Not so much. Maybe something was amiss on that particular machine, but I lost interest in it rather quickly. Just nowhere near tne clarity , or color, for that matter. Well, there we have it-a Nightforce, in my future! Hoodathunkit.
Gregg