Tracking Point scopes

[publius]

Gimmick or revolutionary? Don't know how many have seen this but it is a scope eith a rangefinder built in. It is supposed to allow you to consistently make hite up to 1000 yards even without holding perfectly on the target. I would like to have a conversation about this. Do a search for tracking Point. Maybe some engineers on here can explain exactly how it works (if it does).

[AllenJ]

I'm not an engineer and after watching a 4 minute YouTube video I'm certainly no expert but I'll vote "Gimmick" for this gadget. It won't track targets moving faster than 10 MPH and if I understood him correctly the gun fires itself after the shooter has marked the target? That raises more problems than it solves in my opinion.

[allaroundhunter]

It is supposed to allow you to consistently make hite up to 1000 yards even without holding perfectly on the target.

False. You still must hold directly where the scopes algorithms say you need to in order for the shot to be made (and thus the hit). The scope does not guide the bullet, it merely does not allow the rifle to be fired until it is in the correct firing position for a hit. And 2nd, it allows for hits at greater than 1,000 yards.


I *virtually* tested one of these at the NRA convention this year. Is it a gimmick? Well, that depends on your definition. Does it work? Yes. Will many people be able to afford it? No.

You cannot just buy the scope. It is connected to and only works with one of their rifles so you are purchasing a package. You also must use their ammo because it is what the scope is calibrated for (and no, you can't recalibrate it for your own handloads or other factory ammo).

It won't track targets moving faster than 10 MPH and if I understood him correctly the gun fires itself after the shooter has marked the target? That raises more problems than it solves in my opinion.

I'm not sure about the 10 mph figure, but I would bet that it can track a target faster than that. And no, the gun does not automatically fire itself after the shooter marks his or her target. The shooter must enter the wind, then tag the target. At that point the target uses a built in laser rangefinder to range the target and automatically adjusts the scope accordingly. After this, the user is able to pull and hold the trigger (and they are HEAVY triggers) whenever he or she is ready to shoot. While holding the trigger, the shooter guides the crosshairs back to the "tag" and once the two line up the gun will fire. If the shooter is not holding the trigger down then the gun will not fire.

[big al hunter]

My understanding is that it uses tracking and firing technology from fighter jets. Once you mark the target it shoots when the gun is correctly positioned on target. Thats not marksmanship, and it would be no fun at all after the first couple shots.

E.T.A ^^^better answer than mine. Thanks for the specifics. Still don't want one.

[publius]

False. You still must hold directly where the scopes algorithms say you need to in order for the shot to be made (and thus the hit). The scope does not guide the bullet, it merely does not allow the rifle to be fired until it is in the correct firing position for a hit. And 2nd, it allows for hits at greater than 1,000 yards.


That's really what I meant but I sometimes type things incorrectly after the 6th Knob Creek:o.

[AllenJ]

While holding the trigger, the shooter guides the crosshairs back to the "tag" and once the two line up the gun will fire. If the shooter is not holding the trigger down then the gun will not fire.

That makes more sense and after watching the video a again I could see he was holding the trigger down.

It looks like a really cool system but I'm still voting gimmick. Of course I thought that about keyless entry on vehicles too but now that I own one....it's pretty nice:D

[TXAZ]

Trackingpoint Is an evolution, not revolutionary system, and is not a guided bullet. DARPA and at least 1 small company I'm familar with have shown some success using a pulsed laser to actually guide the bullet to within about 1" of the aim point out to long distances.
I don't believe Tracking Point works on moving targets.
But it's the next step down the line.

[Double Naught Spy]

My understanding is that it uses tracking and firing technology from fighter jets. Once you mark the target it shoots when the gun is correctly positioned on target. Thats not marksmanship, and it would be no fun at all after the first couple shots.

Oooh, fighter jet technology! Isn't that sexy. Yeah, I heard that as well. Notice that they don't say what the fighter jet technology is? I have a radar detector in my car that has fighter jet technology, LOL.

I still haven't seen any videos where the dot on the screen actually tracks moving targets. Instead, the "tracking system" appears to lase a spot and keeps track of where the spot is relative to the scope, but if the object spotted actually moves, the spot does not.

In looking at the video here, it looks like the unit definitely does NOT take motion into account. At about 38 seconds, a 'target' is identified that looks like a hog and the shooter 'tags' the target with the red dot, squeezes and holds the trigger until the crosshairs cross the tag again for the rifle to fire. The only problem is that the tag was put on the shoulder of the hog and the hog moved and the tag mark covered the side of the belly forward of the rear leg. So the tag not only does not track the target that is tagged (but apparently tags a digital location in the FOV of the scope itself), but will not follow the moving target. So if the bullet is going to the tagged point which is what is explained, then the good shoulder shot turns out to be a gut shot on the hog.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9df_1354237550&comments=1

Here are more hunting examples. Note that all the targets are stationary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu2EqO1qbrQ

The point here illustrates that it really does track a point and does NOT track a target. Fighter jets track targets, at least what I know of their combat systems (versus bombing systems).