[carrigan]

Do you guys use a scope/sight? Would you recommend it to a beginner? Also which one would you recommend? I'm considering http://www.buypbl-paintball.com/cgi-...quipement=3070

I'm using a X7 w/ HPA and 16" progressive smart parts barrel.

Main reason why I'm thinking of it is to give me a general guide of where it's going to go since I'm still a beginner and also to zoom in a bit so I can see where they're coming from or where they are.

[Albert 93]

No scopes are useless, paintball guns dont shoot far enough for scopes to be effective. Plus you can't really see through them while wearing a mask.

[Wango_Tango]

haha...a scope in paintball

[bigfatdanman]

why dont people every post this stuff in the newbie forum?

[Fubarius]

I find scopes useful on some fields (namely large scenario fields) as spotting scopes. A good big game or scenario game can get a bit hectic, with no discernible front line. And sometimes it's hard to see those arm bands. A quick peek through a scope can help make sure those players you're about to start lobbing paint on are not on your team (believe me, spending 20 minutes in a firefight with your own teammates is rather embarrassing). Of course at the range you'd need the scope to see the arm bands you'd be lobbing the paint too much to actually aim through it.

Now for more medium range stuff (under say 100 feet), you can aim through a scope if the magnification is low enough since the ball drop isn't too extreme yet. 2x is about as strong as I'd ever go for actual aiming. Any stronger and the amount of area you see through the scope at that close of range is too small to cover the ball drop. If the ball drops 5 feet from aim point at a certain range, you better be able to see an area 10 feet accross in the scope. Plus you'd have to know approximately how much that ball will drop at that range so you know to aim that much higher. You don't want to be dropping shots at their feet. A lot of calculations have to be done, which is why more simple Red Dot sights are a bit more useful. Most have pretty extreme amounts of adjustment as well.

As for mask clearance, you need to buy the right kind of scope. Those cheap .22 rimfire or airgun scopes won't work. They have to be closer to your eye (that distance it called eye relief) to work, so they just bump into your mask. Now most rifle scopes have a big enough eye relief, but are too big (large targets), and too high of magnification. Now many big box stores will sell some scopes as "shotgun" scopes, or "black powder" scopes, designed for slug guns and muzzle loaders. They're usually smaller bodied, have a large eye relief (for the big recoil on those guns), and have low magnifications. These work rather well. Some assault rifle scopes made these days fit the bill as well. There's a couple I've been looking at that actually adjust down to 1x magnification, so they're basically glorified red dots, but can be cranked up to higher magnifications for checking arm bands.

Also always remember anything that goes on a paintball field WILL get hit. No point in blowing a lot of money on something so you'd be worrying about it getting damaged by a hit. Plus you won't be using it for every shot, those quick snap shots and high lob shots have to be done the old fashioned way. Start cheap, if you find you enjoy using a sight/scope (and since we're all out there to have fun that's the only point) then maybe think about getting a slightly better model. If you don't like it, then no big deal.

[murf4747]

Originally Posted by bigfatdanman

why dont people every post this stuff in the newbie forum?

hes not a noob, he has a smart parts progressive barrel

[Dye_Pb_Master]

Your a scrub yourself so ya shh. Fubarious wasted way to much time. Scopes are useless, if youve shot a paintball gun then it should be common sense.

[Fubarius]

Originally Posted by Dye_Pb_Master

Your a scrub yourself so ya shh. Fubarious wasted way to much time. Scopes are useless, if youve shot a paintball gun then it should be common sense.

Not 'useless', just limited in use. There's a BIG differance. I personally find absolutly no use for headbands in paintball for example, but it doesn't bother me if someone else uses one. The problem most people have with sights/scopes is that they either get the wrong setup, or have unrealisted expectations. Now some people enjoy their use once they have realistic use goals, and that's all that is important, enjoyment. It's a game silly, have fun.

Now personally I rarely use a sight or scope, except under certain situations, but I totally understand the desire for one. I find scopes 'useful' for spotting on large woodsball fields (and keep a 2-8x adjustable scope in my gearbag for when the desire strikes me), and for target shooting. Red dots I find 'useful' on pump guns. I switch between guns too often, and it's hard to re-learn a gun in a short time. There's also the mil-sim aspect, where you're trying to recreate a specific setup.

[jonotwist]

Originally Posted by Fubarius

Not 'useless', just limited in use. There's a BIG differance. I personally find absolutly no use for headbands in paintball for example, but it doesn't bother me if someone else uses one. The problem most people have with sights/scopes is that they either get the wrong setup, or have unrealisted expectations. Now some people enjoy their use once they have realistic use goals, and that's all that is important, enjoyment. It's a game silly, have fun.

Now personally I rarely use a sight or scope, except under certain situations, but I totally understand the desire for one. I find scopes 'useful' for spotting on large woodsball fields (and keep a 2-8x adjustable scope in my gearbag for when the desire strikes me), and for target shooting. Red dots I find 'useful' on pump guns. I switch between guns too often, and it's hard to re-learn a gun in a short time. There's also the mil-sim aspect, where you're trying to recreate a specific setup.

agreed.