Different cheek weld for scoped rifles?

[Pond, James Pond]

On both my bolts I have a scope and I have fitted cheek pads.

I'm looking at fitting an air rifle scope to my .177 cal Hatsan so that I can plink out to 50 meters and beyond, but at €150 for the rifle my budget shooting alternative is gonna get expensive if I add a further €60 for a scope and rings, and then need to add a cheek pad on top of that.

So is there a an alternative cheek weld that will give me the support and consistency I need to make the most of a scope?

[Art Eatman]

Since money is a concern, me, I'd take an old towel and duct tape and make a pad.

[TJB101]

I had an old golfers elbow wrap that included a gel insert ... wrapped that around my stock and added some other padding under it ... works ok for range plinking.

[Mobuck]

Use lower scope rings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SBH]

Mobuck, it must be the farmer in you that makes you practical.

[Pond, James Pond]

All good so far. May save yet more money and try my spare crossbow scope!!

[Blindstitch]

I'd be mounting up a budget scope and call it good till there's more money. When I got several of my current rifles I slowly put better scopes on them and took off some basic 4x32's (bushnell, tasco, simmons...) of who knows what age. Eventually those scopes ended up on .22's or given away.

Someones bound to have a budget scope sitting around that can be used as a bandaid till a later date.

[Mobuck]

"Mobuck, it must be the farmer in you that makes you practical."

Thanks, I take that as a very lofty compliment.

[emcon5]

Have you tried shooting it as is? It may not be perfect, but it is probably workable.

I shoot an original WW2 Soviet PU Mosin Nagant sniper rifle, which has the scope pretty high. I use what can only be described as a “chin weld”, and it works fine. As long as you are consistent, it will work, especially at .22LR ranges.

[RC20]

Use lower scope rings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unless JP went nuts he likely got medium rings and you have to clear the bell still.

I don't know cheek pads are that bad cost but its that or a make do setup.

[HiBC]

I'll tell you my preference/opinion.

I don't know the design of the rifle you are scoping,or the scope. Sometimes rifle or scope design makes it difficult to achieve the ideal.

When you lean or twist your head to an unnatural position,you tilt your inner ears.Thats your balance mechanism.You will shoot better standing with your head in a natural,erect position.

If you have to hunt around with your eyeball to find the scope field of view,its slow ,awkward,and you will not shoot so well.

While on some military rifles,the point of stock design seems to be a handle for a bayonet, ideally,the stock design should be an ergonomic interface between the barreled action,the shooter's line of sight,and the shooter's body(shouder,mostly)

Whether scope or iron sights,when you mount the rifle in shooting position with your eyes closed,when you open your eyes,you should have your iron sight picture or full scope field looking through the reticle.

Lower rings,if possible,are a start. This is part of my objection to objective lenses much over 40 mm.A 56 mm astronomical telescope on a hunting rifle will require high rings. Unless the stock is designed for the high line of sight,the shooter is handicapping himself/herself.

How do you get there? I've milled the top of the comb flat ,glued on a block of wood,shaped it,and painted the stock black.

You can get (or make) adjustable comb hardware.That CAN be as simple as drilling two vertical screw holes at the top of the comb,then carefully slicing the comb off with a thin kerf saw. Try shims till you get your height.Shape to blend together,and screw it on.Look at adjustable comb kits or rifles to get an idea of how to cut.

Another way,typical for AR adjustable combs,would be to protect the stock with plastic film and lay up a wrap-over false comb over the top of what you have(fiberglass).You could form Kydex in similar fashion. Carry it down the sides of the stock. Horizontal clamping screws and slots will give you adjustments.

Come up with a low mounted scope system

Maybe a thick leather (saddle skirting) patch "Monte Carlo" style would be enough.

You could cake on very thick makeup,I suppose...But imo,the rifle/sights have to fit the shooter.Or its a serious compromise.


I have purchased two Gru-Bee Wolf Pup scopes for my Grandchildren.I may buy another for myself. They are a copy of the 1970's "Baby Redfield" 22 scope. I'm favorably impressed with them. About $140 USD. with rings/tipoff mounts(3/8 grooved receiver) Gru-Bee has a website.


Spring air guns have an impulse that may be destructive to scopes not designed for it.

[Pond, James Pond]

Spring air guns have an impulse that may be destructive to scopes not designed for it.

This is a piston gun but in any case I'm looking at air rifle scopes or I may use my spare crossbow scope for the time being.

I looked at a scope yesterday. Hawke Vantage 4 x 32.
It was very nice but that at the rings already bumps up the price to about €100 and the rifle was only meant to be a cheap plinking practice tool.

If I use the crossbow scope all I need to fork out on is a short weaver rail to bolt on.

It my sit a bit high but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

[Blindstitch]

Crossbow scopes are a different beast. They take recoil in a different way so you might just destroy it or not if you use it. But a spare scope is a spare scope.

[Pond, James Pond]

Crossbow scopes are a different beast. They take recoil in a different way so you might just destroy it or not if you use it. But a spare scope is a spare scope.

Really?

I read that crossbows have the same "forward" impulse as air rifles and so they can be used. Is that not the case?

[Pond, James Pond]

Well, I went in to a hunting store to buy some 22LR which I did but also holding a Nikko Stirling air rifle scope complete with rings selling at €45.

Not the world’s most rated brand but for a fixed mag 4x32 it seems fine and fitted to my little break action it is still useable with only a minor adjustment to my head’s position.

So all fixed without the need spend more or opt for additional add one!

Nice!

[rsnell]

Google "improvised cheek rest". This has worked well for me.

Bob