Coloured reticules

[KHGS]

Ned, I think you have a good point, because the aiming mark, even if white in the centre, would tend to draw the eye to the centre.

When I was young with good albeit spectacles corrected eyesight, I could see spotters on targets with my naked eye out to 800 yards. Unfortunately, I could also see the spotter in the target & in those days when all were the same white (locally at least), I would, as the shoot progressed, centre my sights on the spotter. Took my coaches quite a time to work out what was happening.

Musing, I'm starting to get a good belly laugh up about these perceived needs of F classers. We want the championship target resurrected in some way because it's easier to aim at for some, but we want ET speeds dumbed down so those who make quick decisions are handicapped back to the field. Seems like with all this technology available, somebody could design a Grand Theft Auto game for F classers so we didn't have to experience all those real world conditions that contribute to not succeeding.

Love it!!!!!
Keith H.

[AlanF]

....Musing, I'm starting to get a good belly laugh up about these perceived needs of F classers. We want the championship target resurrected in some way because it's easier to aim at for some
....

I'd suggest a more sensible target for all F-Class shooters, and a game changer for people like Razer.

but we want ET speeds dumbed down so those who make quick decisions are handicapped back to the field...

Exactly what sort of quick decision are we referring to here? Is it "jeez, better get the next shot away before the wind changes"

[Bindi2]

....Musing, I'm starting to get a good belly laugh up about these perceived needs of F classers. We want the championship target resurrected in some way because it's easier to aim at for some
....

I'd suggest a more sensible target for all F-Class shooters, and a game changer for people like Razer.

but we want ET speeds dumbed down so those who make quick decisions are handicapped back to the field...

Exactly what sort of quick decision are we referring to here? Is it "jeez, better get the next shot away before the wind changes"

Why do you have to wait for it to change before making a decision on what to do. The less time spent laying down the less time for the roo ticks to get you.

[Razer]

Thank you for the replies that were 'on topic'.
It is obvious that there are quite a few shooters who would benefit from a more visible centre(although that is not what I asked).
Fact; The number of shooters who fall into this category will only increase with time.

I am in no way advocating a change of target dimensions, just seeking a way to overcome the problem of seeing black cross hairs on a black background!

The current target is(always been) a dedicated design for peep sights with no thought for the then, future discipline of scope shooting.

There has been no consideration for the style of shooting which is fast taking over from TR, so, there is a very sound reason for changing the centre ring/s colour/s.

I will, rather than leave my rifle in the safe, continue to shoot on the existing target even if it is extremely frustrating and is costing me points, not through lack of ability, but, from not being able to centre my shots due to visibility/lack of contrast.
Just to set the record straight. I have 20/20 vision, but, am long sighted and only need reading glasses which do not work looking through a scope. I have no trouble when out hunting.
Phone call today, eye operation on February 11th. Hopefully this should address the problem.

So, I will pose the question again. Without target changes, is coloured/contrasting reticules feasible/possible as I believe that this would resolve issues for many target scope shooters.

[Bindi2]

To answer your Q it is a personal thing. As a pistol shooter I wore different coloured lenses depending on the day to high light the sights on black targets before I needed glasses. Now the cost of having 3 colours is too high. There was a supply of coloured lenses/filters to screw in the front of your scope in the USA. Sorry I don't remember which site the advert was on.

[aaronraad]

I think scope manufacturers will eventually cotton onto F-Class as viable market for a specific product. Most of what we see now is a cross-over configuration of scopes sold to various long range shooters in general. I can't think of any F-Class specific scopes on the market with anything more than a maybe a reticle they advertise as suited to F-Class? We should see these new products in our generation if the sport continues to go.

Much like specialised peep sights were developed for the fullbore or smallbore target shooters as opposed to just the long tang or military peep sight.

Is Savage still the only big name brand making a F-Class specific factory rifles, I would have thought at least another brand would have jumped on this by now? How long has it been since Winchester made their Palma Match Rifle on the Model 70 over in the US even?

[AlanF]

...So, I will pose the question again. Without target changes, is coloured/contrasting reticules feasible/possible as I believe that this would resolve issues for many target scope shooters.

If an illuminated cross-hair doesn't work, I can't see how a coloured cross-hair would.

At the risk of going of going off-topic (again ), if you are prepared to wind the knobs and aim at the centre (maybe you do already?) then consider the following reticule design which will give you black on white with the current targets :



It could be specified as a custom reticule or retro-fitted reasonably inexpensively, and with a variable scope could be adjusted to slightly bigger than the black aiming mark. I'd suggest it would be equally as precise as a crosshair on a white super V, and in heavy mirage, probably better.

[Bindi2]

Several of my hunting rifles have red , blue or green cross hairs for night shooting as black cross hairs don't work very well on black pigs at night. The colours don't work very well in daylight. But a black cross hair and a coloured front lens cover is a different kettle of fish.

[Razer]

To answer your Q it is a personal thing. As a pistol shooter I wore different coloured lenses depending on the day to high light the sights on black targets before I needed glasses. Now the cost of having 3 colours is too high. There was a supply of coloured lenses/filters to screw in the front of your scope in the USA. Sorry I don't remember which site the advert was on.

Thank you.

The lenses are Alumina and are made by Leupold. I have had a set of 40mm and 50mm for many years and although I tried them when I first bought them, mainly for the supposed clarity, I never used them as they actually dim the sight picture.
I went through them again last Saturday and found that the only one that helps is the OP which is a smoky colour and is for improved contrast.
It did help as it partially stops the rings from merging, albeit at the cost of brightness.
No such thing as a free lunch is so true.

I also have a Nightforce with a NPR2 reticule but that doesn't help either as higher magnification accentuates the problem.

I did have a NF benchrest with the DD reticule and on sold it as the dot was invisible to me, and again, the 42 power was of no advantage.

Hopefully these comments will help others from making the same mistakes that I did.
The Ophthalmologist appears to be the only solution even if he charges more than the cost of a March Scope.

Thanks Alan, just saw your post.
Quote: If an illuminated cross-hair doesn't work, I can't see how a coloured cross-hair would.

At the risk of going of going off-topic (again ), if you are prepared to wind the knobs and aim at the centre (maybe you do already?) then consider the following reticule design which will give you black on white with the current targets :
************************************************
Illuminated reticules are only good for fading light and when used on a distant target they appear black. My assumption is that a coloured reticule would maintain it's colour on the target face. That may well be not the case.

Up to 12 months ago I could even aim off in the X ring, now I have a job to differentiate it from the 6 ring.
I also found that as fine as it is, my target dot reticule is easier to centre than the fine duplex.
Roll on Feb 12th.

RE:If this is what I could see on the target, then all would be solved. I think that DOB has a lot to do with all this.

[Razer]

Several of my hunting rifles have red , blue or green cross hairs for night shooting as black cross hairs don't work very well on black pigs at night. The colours don't work very well in daylight. But a black cross hair and a coloured front lens cover is a different kettle of fish.

That is interesting, I have never seen coloured reticules before so assumed that there was none available.
Any particular brand of scope? Do you think the coloured reticule offer any advantage at all on a target?

I have no trouble shooting black pigs at night, maybe because the ferals don't have target rings on them.

[bsouthernau]

Hopefully these comments will help others from making the same mistakes that I did.
The Ophthalmologist appears to be the only solution even if he charges more than the cost of a March Scope.

This might be a dumb question but have you tried aiming somewhere else? 6 o'clock on the aiming mark? Obviously not so good if you like to aim off but could be better for you if you wind the knobs.

Barry

[Bindi2]

Several of my hunting rifles have red , blue or green cross hairs for night shooting as black cross hairs don't work very well on black pigs at night. The colours don't work very well in daylight. But a black cross hair and a coloured front lens cover is a different kettle of fish.

That is interesting, I have never seen coloured reticules before so assumed that there was none available.
Any particular brand of scope? Do you think the coloured reticule offer any advantage at all on a target?

I have no trouble shooting black pigs at night, maybe because the ferals don't have target rings on them.

I started with a unbranded illuminated (red) one when it died I moved to Artic Fox (not range quality) (red, blue, green ) have more than several and 2 NF. The red and blue is better than sliced bread at night. The pigs would not agree.
We have a shooter in the club who has a vision impairment of some sort , he aims at the target corner and winds. An interesting side to that is he does not appear to suffer when the mirage is galloping, so much so that several of us are going to run some experiments over summer.

[Razer]

Tried that Barry but thanks for the suggestion.
Aimed at the edge of the black ring at 3 o'clock but still cannot get a decent clear contrast.
Mainly getting wind shots as I lose too much time achieving a sight picture.
I think it all comes back to the operation in 11 weeks!
Ray.

Quote Bindi:
I started with a unbranded illuminated (red) one when it died I moved to Artic Fox (not range quality) (red, blue, green ) have more than several and 2 NF. The red and blue is better than sliced bread at night. The pigs would not agree.
***********
Were these coloured reticules all illuminated? Would still like to be able to see an iridescent blue, green or yellow.

Interesting point re: aiming at target corner.
Mirage, by it's very nature, distorts target rings so a clear well defined area would be more distinct.

Was shooting a 1000yards many years ago with a Leupold EFR and 'flat rail'.
Run out of wind-age so put cross hairs on target top and bisected the centre vertically. Think I ended up with a 57.

[Bindi2]

Tried that Barry but thanks for the suggestion.
Aimed at the edge of the black ring at 3 o'clock but still cannot get a decent clear contrast.
Mainly getting wind shots as I lose too much time achieving a sight picture.
I think it all comes back to the operation in 11 weeks!
Ray.

Quote Bindi:
I started with a unbranded illuminated (red) one when it died I moved to Artic Fox (not range quality) (red, blue, green ) have more than several and 2 NF. The red and blue is better than sliced bread at night. The pigs would not agree.
***********
Were these coloured reticules all illuminated? Would still like to be able to see an iridescent blue, green or yellow.

Interesting point re: aiming at target corner.
Mirage, by it's very nature, distorts target rings so a clear well defined area would be more distinct.

Was shooting a 1000yards many years ago with a Leupold EFR and 'flat rail'.
Run out of wind-age so put cross hairs on target top and bisected the centre vertically. Think I ended up with a 57.

I think we maybe at a train wreck here. Illumination = cross hairs/ reticule, black when turned off coloured when on. NF has only one colour (red) Arctic can have two colours other than black when turned on. One way on red the other way on blue/green depending on model.

[Bindi2]

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