CR2 Solutions

Spotting scopes or binoculars?

It’s a question that comes up over and over again, and you could see both being used throughout Mammoth II.

Not too long ago, binoculars weren’t even part of the conversation. But with the integration of laser rangefinders and reticles, they’ve become a mainstream tool for long range shooters.

That doesn’t mean the spotting scope has lost its place.

There’s still something to be said for the optical quality of a good spotter and the increased magnification it provides. Reading mirage, confirming impacts, and identifying small details at distance are all areas where a spotting scope still excels.

Binoculars, on the other hand, offer a wider field of view, faster target detection, and better overall situational awareness.

The question isn’t which one is better.

The question is which one best supports your workflow.

Skylined targets.

These can be some of the most difficult targets to range accurately.

The problem isn’t always the target. The problem is what isn’t behind it.

Laser rangefinders work best when they have a solid surface to return from. Targets like the silhouette on the berm are usually manageable because you can simply range the berm itself and confirm the distance.

But what about the circular target?

From the shooter’s perspective, there’s very little visual separation between the target and the terrain behind it. Add in beam divergence, where the laser beam grows wider as distance increases, and things get even more complicated. At longer distances, the beam can be several times wider than the target itself, making it difficult to know exactly what the rangefinder is returning from.

This is where understanding your equipment becomes critical.

First, Best, and Last Target modes can help. Multiple ranging attempts can help. Confirming with a second device can help.

But sometimes there simply isn’t a perfect answer.

The question becomes: how would you solve the problem? Would you range nearby terrain features? Build a range card? Use multiple reference points?

We’ll dive deeper into techniques for handling targets with little or no backdrop in a future post.

LongRangeShooting PrecisionRifle TrainRealistic Rifleman

One thing that stood out at Mammoth II was how many teams chose to shoot this stage standing off a tripod.

No prop.Tall grass in front of the firing line.Standing seemed like the obvious answer.

And to be fair, tripod shooting has come a long way over the years. Equipment has improved, stability has improved, and if you practice it regularly, it can absolutely be effective.

But here’s the question:Just because you can shoot standing… should you?

Position selection still matters.

At this stage, faster wasn’t always better. From where I was standing, there weren’t a lot of impacts happening. A more stable position may have taken longer to build, but stability usually pays off once the shooting starts.

One of the biggest mistakes shooters make is choosing the fastest position instead of the most effective one.

I started Mammoth II this year sitting in my truck for a few hours while thunderstorms rolled through the area. It made me think back to shooting an NRL Hunter match where the rain was coming in sideways.

Luckily, while teams were competing this year, it never got quite that bad. But it was still wet, miserable at times, and forced people to work through conditions they normally avoid.

How many times have you looked outside, saw rain, and decided not to go to the range?

I’m not one of the people who thinks rain is going to magically deflect a bullet, but environmental conditions absolutely matter. Laser rangefinders struggle. Optics get soaked or fog up. Gear fails. Tents leak. Small problems become big problems quickly.

Bad weather exposes weak gear, weak preparation, and weak habits fast. That’s part of the value in training through it.