What's a good paintball scope?

[doc_Zox]

I have a real aimpoint on my AR15
and faux ones on my markers

the copies are single brightness on/off
but they are identical in appearance to the real comp M

they need to be shimmed up in the rear 3/8ths to get them in range for a 60 foot zero

they work well for a quick acquisition sight
and they have held up well on my markers

[Russ]

thanks Doc :)

[ThePixelGuru]

Scopes 101

Ok, apparently I'm just realizing there's more to this than I thought. What's 4x32 mean, for example? I'm assuming 4x is magnification (makes stuff four times bigger), but what's 32 mean? Also, do you have to focus a scope like binoculars, or is it fixed focus? I guess I really don't know what I'm looking at in terms of scopes. Fill me in if I've left anything out, and assume I know nothing other than "it lets ya see good." Thanks!

Oh, and yes, I just want to see people in the woods, once I know what the heck I'm looking at I can shoot 'em just fine.

[SR_matt]

scopes on paintball guns

day time -ghost rings, siting tube, 1X red dot type. the only thing it does is knock out the peripheral vision to help you see.

night time- if you can afford it roll and mil spec gen 3 baby ooooo yaaaaaa. but in all seriousness. for night play a high quality NV is great but you have to learn how to play totally different because well, you cant see without the scope.

for me a scope in the day time is pointless, and at night... well i dont like to play at night any more and when i do i try to be in lit areas of the field or with an NV unit on me (the second is not as easy to do cause i dont have the cash to buy my own). i shoot my guns mostly by feel as apposed to sighting especially because paintballs will not travel as regularly as bullets form a modern firearm do.

i digress i digress, just get a larger red dot or heck get a piece of pipe and attach it on your marker in a way that is parallel to the barrel and in a place you can look into it with a mask on easily, feel free to make it as pretty or ghetto as you may like.

-matt

[Spider-TW]

Ok, apparently I'm just realizing there's more to this than I thought. What's 4x32 mean, for example? I'm assuming 4x is magnification (makes stuff four times bigger), but what's 32 mean? Also, do you have to focus a scope like binoculars, or is it fixed focus? I guess I really don't know what I'm looking at in terms of scopes. Fill me in if I've left anything out, and assume I know nothing other than "it lets ya see good." Thanks!

Oh, and yes, I just want to see people in the woods, once I know what the heck I'm looking at I can shoot 'em just fine.

Here's some optics info.

A little monocular doesn't give you much increase in gathered light. 20mm up front will separate wiggly trees from targets in a little light. 100mm lenses at night are really neat to look through at least once, just not real practical. They're like color night vision.

[ThePixelGuru]

Yeah, I'm not looking for a red dot, I've got one. I want something with magnification to help me pick out targets in the woods.

Spider-TW: Thanks for the link, that explained almost everything for me.

One question left, though: Do I focus a scope, or is it a fixed focus? Thanks all!

[Andrewliu6294]

its fixed, up to a certain distance, which is what parallax means, i think. the one i have is parallax at like 250-300 yards, which is much farther than you would need.

[longi]

I used to use a cheap sight and found that it worked just fine. I just found that i didn't have enough time to use it in one on one. Sniping was fun though.

[ThePixelGuru]

its fixed, up to a certain distance, which is what parallax means, i think. the one i have is parallax at like 250-300 yards, which is much farther than you would need.

So does that mean it'd be pretty much useless at 150-200 feet? That's probably the usual range where I find myself unsure of what I'm looking at.

[93civiccpe]

Ok, apparently I'm just realizing there's more to this than I thought. What's 4x32 mean, for example? I'm assuming 4x is magnification (makes stuff four times bigger), but what's 32 mean? Also, do you have to focus a scope like binoculars, or is it fixed focus? I guess I really don't know what I'm looking at in terms of scopes. Fill me in if I've left anything out, and assume I know nothing other than "it lets ya see good." Thanks!

Oh, and yes, I just want to see people in the woods, once I know what the heck I'm looking at I can shoot 'em just fine.

4x32 means 4x magnification and 32mm front objective (how big the front lense on the scope). The bigger that lens, typically the more light comes into the scope. But for paintballing, you don't want a huge target and you don't need more than a 32. If it is an adjustable scope, it would say 4-9x32, which is 4-9x zoom and 32 mm objective. (Sometimes written 4x9x32). The tube size can either be 1inch or 33mm, and that too deals with how much light comes in and what size rings you need. I can almost guarantee that for the cheaper scopes you will be looking at, they will all be 1" tube. Sometimes they have minor front lense adjustment so you can get it clear for your eye, but you don't have to constantly play with it like binoculars.. just set it and look through.

Just a note, if you've never used a scope before it is going to be interesting.. you'll want to spend some time figuring it out. That eye relief is a big thing. You will only see that clear picture if your eye is the right distance from the scope. Too close or too far away you don't see through it.. which is typically frustrating for first timers when using a scope. None-the-less, pick up something in the 4x configuration and you should be good to go. Typically when choosing a hunting scope you never want to go cheap because they aren't a clear and you lose your zero, but seeing as this is a spotting device and NOT an aiming device, just choose something that's cheap enough to try out but not too expensive that you'll cry if a paintball destroys it.. =).

[Andrewliu6294]

So does that mean it'd be pretty much useless at 150-200 feet? That's probably the usual range where I find myself unsure of what I'm looking at.

it'll be focused UP TO 300yds, not out of focus. except for like 10ft, thats much too close

[Freebird]

tru glow makes a 2x scope that is sweet. Ive used one in the past on my 12 gauge for turkey huntin.

[Spider-TW]

So does that mean it'd be pretty much useless at 150-200 feet? That's probably the usual range where I find myself unsure of what I'm looking at.

While parallax can be the result of a poorly focused scope, it refers to the apparent movement of the reticle of the scope as your eye position moves. You look at the target with the scope (and gun) supported and note the location of the crosshairs. Then you move your head (and eye) up and down or side to side a little. If the crosshair seems to change location on the target without moving the scope, that is parallax. At paintball range and ballistics, you won't notice the inaccuracy.

Better $cope$ show less parallax, or may have adjustments so you can get rid of it at the range you are shooting. Even with a cheap scope, you can compensate for (avoid) parallax by keeping a consistent cheek weld on a rifle. With a cheap pistol scope (with inconsistent eye pickup), you're out of luck and are likely to get the full effect.

[Jaan]

some (relatively) cheap shotgun scopes have a generous eye relief.

Quoted For Truth...

You can get ones from Cheaper Than Dirt that have great eye relief for paintball masks. 4x, $15 or so...