Outdoorsman Thread

[TripleF]

Knice boat buddy!

Good luck!

[tjmurphy]

Would some of you shooters and hunters take a look at this item and tell me what you think?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190770967974?ss ... 1438.l2649

I'm not a shooter nor a hunter and don't really understand what they're talking about when it comes to optics. I wear bifocals and can either see the target or the front sight, but not both at the same time, so I was thinking of the addition of a scope on the Mini-14 I bought a little while ago. Would appreciatie the critique.

[treefarmer]

tj, I'm an old man and can't see the sights on a rifle like I when I was a young buck. I have been using scoped rifles for close to 45 years for deer hunting and it's the way to go. I would do a little more research on a scope that the intended use was defense. What catches my eye is the very low price, good quality rings and a base usually cost more than that whole package that even includes the scope. Not familiar with that brand but I believe you are on the right path as you will find a good scope is a necessity for older eyes and makes shooting a pleasure. Treefarmer

[Old Hunter]

TJ, my opinion (for what it's worth) is to go with good red dot on a self defense rifle. Scopes are bigger, heavier, and shift the center of balance on a quick use rifle. In optics you truly get what you pay for - I've never been happy (over the long haul) with cheap optics - go with a small red dot (Burris makes the Fast Fire III which is the best for red dots, but they are pricey). There are Red dots (Tru Glo brand) in the $50 to $80 range which have held up on my turkey guns using turkey loads and chokes - nothing you shoot is tougher on a sight than a turkey rig. Hunting scopes and rifles are an entirely different story - I swear by Leupold for my hunting rifles. OH

[jerryd6818]

T.J. -- I have the same problem. This type of device (several styles are made by different companies) was recommended to me as a solution for my aged eyes during casual shooting. So far, I haven't tried it but these days, I seldom get an opportunity to shoot.

http://www.eyepalusa.com/eyepal_how_does_it_work.html

[Paladin]

http://www.texashuntfish.com/app/videos ... Fight-Ever
The link is to an interesting fight between two bucks.

Ray

[TripleF]

WOW! Pretty cool Ray!
Thanks for sharing!

[orvet]

Great video!
Even the looser was a nice buck!

[1967redrider]

Would some of you shooters and hunters take a look at this item and tell me what you think?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190770967974?ss ... 1438.l2649

I'm not a shooter nor a hunter and don't really understand what they're talking about when it comes to optics. I wear bifocals and can either see the target or the front sight, but not both at the same time, so I was thinking of the addition of a scope on the Mini-14 I bought a little while ago. Would appreciatie the critique.

tj, the last picture in the ad looks like you get a military style reticle for distance applications. Good to have where you're out past 100 yards. It factors in the bullet drop of a .223 for you, probably comes with instructions. By the way, a Mini 14 or 30 Range Rifle is one sweet Ruger to own.

Nice boat, cutty!

[tjmurphy]

Thank you for your comments guys, but can anyone tell me, in layman's terms, what all this means?

3-9X40 DUAL ILL. COMPACT SCOPE MAGNIFICATION: 3X-9X TUBE DIAMETER: 1" OBJECTIVE: 40 MM LENGTH: 7.8" N.W.(OZ): 12.1 EYE RELIEF: 3" EXIT PUPIL: 13.3-4.4 MM FOV (FEET AT 100 YARDS): 37.5-12.4 M.O.A: 1/2 RETICLE: P4 SNIPER FINISH: MATTE BLACK LENS COATING: GREEN

OH, are the red dots laser sights?

Jerry, the Eye Pal looks interesting too.

[1967redrider]

I can tell you that 3-9X40 is the magnification, I have a 3-9X50 on my AR and it puts you up close and personal at 100 yards. Then you have the measurements of the scope followed by optical improvements such as the green tint. I've heard that green is a better optic than red. Sniper finish is just fancy talk for non-reflective. I might add, when it comes to scopes you get what you pay for. It depends on what you want to do with it and durability. Think about the pounding it's taking every time you pull the trigger. Hope this helps.

[tjmurphy]

The scope would be for plinking, nothing serious. But the main objective would be to be able to see what I'm plinking at.

[Old Hunter]

TJ, The Red Dot scope I have on my Browning pump action turkey shotgun is a Bushnell Trophy that I bought at Gander Mountain a couple of years ago for $59.99 (it was on sale at the time). It is an optical device, the red dot is not a laser - it is a light that is projected in the tube and powered by a battery (you turn it on/off) and you can adjust the brightness of the dot (at dawn I use a level 1 or 2, as the sun intensifies I turn it up). There is no "dot" projected on the target as with a laser sight - the cool thing is there is no sight alignment once you zero the firearm to the Red Dot scope. As long as the dot is on the target the bullet (or shot charge) will be on the target, even if your head is raised or tilted (but don't try that with a turkey round!) OH

[zp4ja]

Hey TJ,

Is the Mini 14 you have a ranch rifle model? They way you can tell is how it ejects the empty shell. Not sure it is marked on the rifle. have to check mine to see. I think the non ranch model eject straight up instead of line drive to the right on the ranch model. hence the non ranch is not well suited for a scope application is my understanding as the shell will bounce off the scope. I could be wrong, never seen one but that is my understanding.

You may need special mounts on a ranch depending on the length of the scope and the stock you have. I have an aftermarket stock with a ventilated hand handguard over the barrel, the length of the stock. my scope was hitting this guard when I tried to mount mine. Will come back to that task/idea at some point.

Jerry

[tjmurphy]

Hey Jerry, mine is definately a "Ranch Rifle", and it surely does throw the brass, about 10-20 yards to my right. Made in 2011.

Another reason that I am thinking scope is that after a couple of rounds, the rear sight is jarred loose.

[zp4ja]

Nice Boat Cutty!!!

Hey TJ, I thought I remembered it was marked as such. The only thing I don't like about the MINI 14 related to using hi cap aftermarhet mags. There is a knack to getting the mag in that takes some practice and muscle memory, unless it is just me or the mags I am using. Sometimes it does not engage and lock in.

Yea, don't stand to the right of someone shooting the 14 Ranch. Once I got a .223 diameter bloody circle in the side of my forehead when I was inadvertantly stand 5 feet from my son. Did not know he was going to fire.

That area just forward of the reciever where the pin or screw is (in your 3rd pic) and the polymer around it sticks up is where my scope was hitting. Not sure why your iron sight would shake loose. If it is not a sight adjustment screw maybe some "Lock-Tight" is in order. My sight seems different but I got the rifle about 10 years ago.

As far as the scope for plinking, probably don't need to get high end but a 30 dollars scope wont last long as John said. Who knows though. Depends on how you use it and how much it gets banged around.

Some guys will spend more or as much for the scope as the do the rifle. Mainly long range shooting though. Looking to drop about 4 or 5 hundred on one soon for some 400 to 600 yard shooting. Never done it but it sure sound challenging and fun. As John said, you get what you pay for but for plinking you should be able to find a good one for much less.

Please let us know how it pans out.

Regards, Jerry

[tjmurphy]

Never had a problem with the 30-round mag, shot through the mag flawlessly. Only problem I encountered was on the initial lock-and-load, it failed to pick up the round and caused a hang up, but this happened with the original 5-rounder also. I'm attributing it to operator malfunction. I'll probably try the $50 scope in my OP, if they still have one after Christmas.

[TripleF]

Took my grandsons to the park this morning.
After some hot chocolate we walked and wandered.
At one point the boyz were pulling small downed trees around.....I said, Let's make a fort.....so we did.

Hard to capture all 3 of us in one pic, but here we are eating some mission snacks!

[zp4ja]

Very Cool Scott! What memories with the little men you will always have.

Regards, Jerry

[TripleF]

Sooooo,sooooooooo true Jerry! I hope they are enjoying it HALF as much as I am!!

[Cutty]

Very cool Scott.

[junebug]

SOOOOOO COOL,SCOTT

[1967redrider]

Looks like a fun outing, Scott. I spent part of today in the snow country of Southwestern PA helping my Dad pick up processed beef from the butcher with 3" of snow on the ground and gusty winds. Needless to say there was no chance of the meat thawing today. Looks like you guys had great weather where you were.



tj, sweet rifle.

[Old Hunter]

Cool Scott - building a fort! A man NEEDS grandsons - wish I had one. OH

[zp4ja]

Maybe slightly off topic but I am sure my fellow Outdoorsman can appreciate these. I have been eyeballing my Mother in Law's arrowhead collection for a while. She finds them out here in the desert in Nevada. She put this together for me for Christmas from some more she found, not from her collection, after she saw how I admired hers.
Mostly made from obsidian but there are a few I am not sure what the stone is. The object in the center that looks like Kimba the White Lion is actually a vertebrae from a cow spine. She threw in an old button that she found in the desert too.

Hope you all had a great Christmas. Jerry