rifle vs pistol scopes

[TomC]

I recently bought an Encore frame and have not bought a barrel as yet.  Being new to TC's this will sound stupid, but I have seen several photo's of Encore pistols with rifle scopes mounted on the barrel.  Is this really a piratical setup or just a quick way to a black eye (or worse)?

[Ladobe]

Depends on the individual - depends on what the barrel is chambered for.

I personally prefer rifle scopes on rifles - pistol scopes on pistols, but many people do use rifle scopes on the "mild" chambered barrels that will be shot off a rest or taco at IHMSA.    Higher magnification is available on "R" scopes than on the short tube scopes is one reason - already on hand might be another - price another.

So one of you guys want to shoot any of my handcannons with a rifle scope mounted?   Didn't think so.   :wink:

Ladobe  :bye:

[xphunter]

Ladobe,
Well, there are some nuts like me runnng around that throws a 6.5-20 Leupold (set on 20 power) rifle scope on a 284 Win XP with 140 grain NBT's with a MV of 2750 and goes dog shooting with it.  Put over 100 rounds thru it with the Leupold scope.  Closest thing I have to a handcannon is my 7.82 Patriot XP-100.  Yes I would shoot it on 20 power w/my Patriot.  I'm more afraid of tearing up the scope than I am getting hurt.
Having said all that, I really wouldn't advise it on the big boomers.  There is a natural tendency to creep up to get a full field on the scope--then smack!
You could get worse than a black eye if you got to close with a heavy recoiler.

[Ladobe]

Well, I've known you for some time Ernie and you seem to operate pretty good with both eyes still working, so I won't let you put your Leupold on my Contender 375 or 411 JDJ's and bang away anyway - might not be to good on the 358 or 6.5 Super Bower either.    Same with an Encore 416 Rigby.    :wink:
Yeah, I've shot the big boomers for a very long time and am so very comfortable with all of them I usually shoot one handed even when on a bench.   Should also qualify me as a certifiable nut, or at least as one of those "no brain-no pain" types!    But 2"-3" of eye relief just ain't smart with these bigger thumpers on a 4.5 to 5.5 pound pistol.  
All of mine wear from 2-7X up variables and up to 10X fixed pistol scopes, and all of my heavier (weight wise) XP's wear the Burris 10X target pistol scopes, although the 221,  223 and 7BR would all be Ok with a rifle scope off a bench I think.   Regardless, my Leupold LR's stay on the rifles where they belong (IMHO).
We are kind of getting out in left field xphunter, but don't want the new guy to get in over his head as a new user of TC's.
Larry  :bye:

[KYODE]

i use riflescopes on a couple barrels, and do fine with it. got a 4x16 on my 14" 22lr match barrel, and a 4x12 on my 14" .223.
the .223 is a little tricky, and WILL NOT work for me with full power factory loads. i whacked my nose a couple times!  but......now i'm loading blue dot powder with 40gr nosler bt's for reduced recoil....and muzzle blast. love the load!....very accurate also.
i can shoot the .223 from the bench, or offhand with the riflescope, and still get a full wide view. i personally wouldn't want to shoot the riflescope on a larger caliber. :? but.....i reckon if you're practiced enuff...go for it :wink:

[Thomas Krupinski]

I recently bought an Encore frame and have not bought a barrel as yet.  Being new to TC's this will sound stupid, but I have seen several photo's of Encore pistols with rifle scopes mounted on the barrel.  Is this really a piratical setup or just a quick way to a black eye (or worse)?

Tom,  Which barrel are you leaning towards?

[Lone Star]

What many shooters are doing with the rifle scopes on their pistols is still shooting them at arm's length.  The field of view is very small, but the magnificaiton can be higher and for varmint shooting they work great.  I first saw this years ago when Field Pistol was new in IHMSA; guys were using high-powered rifle scopes held at arm's length offhand, and for shooting the little steel targets it worked great too.  Shooting a heavy hitter with the scope's eyepiece just 4" from my eye wouldn't work for me!

[TomC]

Thanks to all for the help.  I am looking at getting a .17 HMR barrel so it sounds like a rifle scope might work.

[Thomas Krupinski]

Thanks to all for the help.  I am looking at getting a .17 HMR barrel so it sounds like a rifle scope might work.

Tom,  there is something about Contender and Encore barrels that is kind of like that Lays potato chip slogan that goes something like "you can't eat only one".  

You might want to consider that in the future you may be acquiring additional barrels and they may have a lot more recoil.  So if you want to just dedicate that scope to low to no recoil barrels you will loose some scope sharing functionality.  Consider that it's nice to be able to use a single scope between a few barrels.

[Lefty Behind]

I don't personally like rifle scopes on pistols.  Seems contrived and awkward.  Also, you lose some of the pistols utility with a short eye relief scope, imo.
I use rifle scopes on rifles and pistol scopes on pistols.

[xphunter]

Tom,
It sounds like for your application a rifle scope would work fine.  Just take one off a existing rifle or a spare you have laying around and try it.  If it doesn't work like you want, all you have wasted is some time, and at least learned that for this specific situation a rifle scope wasn't what you wanted.  But you may end up loving it.

[Lefty Behind]

cknight98,
The utility lost is the ability to comfortably shoot from field positons.  A person looks like a turtle half out of its shell when contorted to shoot a short eye relief (rifle) scope on a pistol.  I find it much easier to hit game from field positions with a pistol scope.  
I'm not trying to step on anyones idea of a good time, but  I personally think if a person wants a rifle they should use one.    A handgun isn't designed to be used 3 inches from your face.

[Bullseye]

It all depends on personal preference.  I tried it a 22 lr barrel and did not like it.  I never really got comfortable at the bench and never developed any good shooting form in the field.  Who knows, maybe I just did not give it enough time.  All I can say is try it with a cheap scope if you must purchase one or a scope that you have, you might like it.

[DropTheHammer]

For accuracy testing with a rimfire or other light recoiling barrels, this seems like a great idea.  I have a couple of Burris compact 6X's laying around that I plan on putting to use in this manner.

[wheelgun]

I had one on my 22 hornet and it worked well I just never was comfortable with it.I also had  a rifle scope on my 6.5 tcu for a while because it was all I had at the time.I never got hit but it was always on my mind.

[bowhunterrt2]

Hi guys let me tell you what i found to be best hunting set up. I use a simmons 4x shot gun scope. It gives me more eye relief than a rlfle scope an a better field of view than a pistol scope.I use it on a 243 encore 15''barrel. I can shoot 1'' groups at 100 yds with 85gr bthp. An the white tails here in Wv wish i never found this set up. I have used this set up for 3years scopes held up just fine.