Thought some of the guys here might like to see this. The 1st 2 videos are basically instructional types, but the last 3 are the longer range stuff. Sure had a lot of fun that lucky day--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1m7qCk1sUg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-c-JoKq0Fw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNafED1Rv7k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whC3fwmOk5c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpmOHBgh29o

Here's a pic of the "finger adjustable" turret that's commonly seen on the cheaper optics. Interestingly it can be zeroed by pulling the black rectangular plastic piece off and spinning the graduated disc to the "0" mark, and with this system you have 15 or 30 MOA of up adustment per revolution depending on whether it's a .25 or .5 MOA click. This Barska is .5 MOA--



Even more interesting is that the 5 or 10 MOA marks are at the ends of the arrow, suggesting that the turret may even have been designed to be used like this.

Great Job with the 22 Steve--If I remember right you had one of those 3X boosters-- you could add that for a little more powder on the scope

Thks. H2O. Actually 2x's Ok with this little rig. But this experience caused me to buy another 22 and scope--a 7" barrelled Browning Buckmark with a PFI 1-4x Rapid Reticle for screwing around at these longer ranges.

Steve,

Awesome shooting - turreting with the Barska, wow!

Thks, SC. Never even thought of using these finger-adjustable turrets this way, but the more i looked at it, the more it looked like it might just work. And whe it returned to 0 almost perfectly, i was just ecstatic! I mean it's a decent optic (at least for low-recoiling cartridges), it has a nicely fine plex reticle, with a turret that seems to be working. What'd really be nice is to see if Stoney Point would make an aftermarket turret for this. Seems like it'd be a very simple modification. Heck they do it for the coin-operated ones. May have to call them on this.

Awesome ingenuity!!! LOL

The shooting is even better!

Thks. Tex.

Steve is always thinking outside the box when it comes to scopes & reticles

NIce work!! That was neat!

Alright Steve, I have a Bushnell with that style turret and now ya got me thinkin'

This should be fun ;-)

Very cool videos. Sometimes it is fun to go to the range and plink, sometimes it is more fun to bring out all of the hardware and electronics. Not sure if you are a smart phone fan, but if so there are some real neat programs that will crunch the numbers. Might be time to drill and tap for a cleaner bipod attachment, and go find some prairie dogs ;^) Thoroughly enjoyed all of the videos.

Craig

Thks. guys--'preciate the comments.

Here's 425 believe it or not. Buddy Mitch actually made a 1st-shot connection on the basketball-sized bush we were shooting at, but of course we didn't get it on video. Cranked in 90 MOA turret adustment [3 revolutions on the turret], and proceeded to shoot a 4-ft. group.....

There were actually 2 groups it seemed like with this el cheapo Wal-Mart Fed, bulk pack, right at the tgt. and ~3ft lower.

After that we cranked down to 25 MOA and came within inches of a little 200-yd. bush on a sidehill, then back down to "0" and nailed the 50-yd. tgt. just where it was supposed to be zeroed at. Couldn't believe the repeatability of this optic--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nAlhdi_hB0

One suggestion i do have for anybody that wants to play with this stuff is that Norm Johnson's article on cheaper optics in the latest Varmint HUnter magazine was the motivation to try it really. He suggests to run the clicks back and forth throughout the range of adjustment to "iron out" the inconsistencies in the turret mechanisms. I believe he's right about this. When i 1st put the optic on this rig the turret seemed sluggish in spots and inconsistent along the grid of a Bushnell Bore Sighter, but after about 30 back and forths it seemed to run true and repeatable along the grid. Seems to be working for this el cheapo that's for sure. I was truly amazed at it's performance.

Craig, that's a good idea, but i think i'm gonna wait till i get the Buckmark in--trying to get a Varmint model if i can find one...?

Steve,

I enjoy Norm's articles. Kinda nice to have a guy write who obviously understands the old budgetary constraints. Really nice to have someone with his ability and EXPERIENCE have a way to outlet the information. Have had to let most of my mag subscriptions go, but never the VHA.

Craig

Here's to that sir!!

Just chronoed the 5.5" Mk. III with the Fed. bulk advertised at 1260, i think. The 1 round that i sent thru the screens came out at 1190.