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Snipers

No_Aim

Member
Jan 7, 2006
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Now I don't know much about sniper rifles but it seems in every FPS they only have 1-3 zooms and the RO mod only having 1. I think the mosin nagant had optical sights so therefore the magnification is fixed (?) but being able to adjust the magnification on some rifles would make the sniper role much more interesting IMO. I know alot of people probably wouldnt like the idea because it may seem to make the role easier but i think if its done right it would make the role more challenging. You would actually have to hide damn good and focus more on finding targets.
 
No, rifle scopes for WW2 were not zoomable. (I think the technical term is variable magnification). Most german scopes were fixed at 4x magnification. The ZF-41 long relief scope had 1.5x (it's the one that mounted on the rear sight on mausers). I beleive it's the same for Russian, 4x magnification. They don't have focus knobs either. The knobs on rifle scopes are only to adjust for windage and elevation.

Even today's snipers, I believe, don't use variable scopes. Other than for long distances, it's not really practical I think.
 
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Sniper scopes were zero'd to their maximum effective range. Minor adjustments were not made immediatly (or whilst your cross-hair was 'filled') before engaging a target. If you missed the first time, you made adjustments through elavation of the rifle.

Even today, the ability to change magnification by pressing a magic button on the scope, is all hollywood clap-trap :eek:

These types of scopes are MEGA expensive as well ;)
 
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No_Aim said:
but being able to adjust the magnification on some rifles would make the sniper role much more interesting IMO. I know alot of people probably wouldnt like the idea because it may seem to make the role easier but i think if its done right it would make the role more challenging. You would actually have to hide damn good and focus more on finding targets.
From the overview:
Key Features
{Choose from 28 authentic infantry weapons } I'm not trying to sound like a jerk but this isn't Far Cry or (insert any other fantasy FPS here) RO is what you play when you're tired of unrealistic FPS.
 
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ShadowbaneX said:
but I think the huge scope displayed on the k98k was a x6.
Nope. 4x.

I couldn't tell you the why's or the hows, but rifle scopes don't have a focus. You just focus with your eyes. Maybe the focus on binocs has something to do with looking with both eyes.

What does happen sometimes, and it might be cose I have a cheapie scope, is that you focus on the target and the crosshairs get blurry. And vice versa, when you focus on the crosshairs your target gets blurry. Your suppost to keep the crosshairs in focus, though, not necessarily your target.

Oh. BTW, there are variable scopes. I would say most commercial scopes nowdays are variable magnification. Mine for example is 4x to 8x. But this is more of a conveniance, and not really necessary. I believe professional snipers don't use variable scopes. Long distance snipers, like with the .50 cal, might, though. I'm not sure.
 
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Hmm... pity I have yet to see a single game where depth of field was used properly (other than having the whole screen blurred, or just the edges...) than that would make the sniper rifle an interesting beast to use... having to focus properly through the scope...

Ofcourse... this very well might lead to people getting motion sickness in game, having the eyes try to focus on what they see in game being out of focus... blahh... I'm off topic...

Though personnaly, I still prefer a bolt over a sniper rifle... at least in the mod, I could not hit crap with it...

Shadehunter
 
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ShadowbaneX said:
Internet sources aren't the greatest, but there's this. I've also seen references to it being a 5x scope. Anyone know for sure what scopes were available to german snipers?
Oh, my bad then. Your probably right about higher magnification existing then. I was basing my previous post on a book I have that shows various types of German scoped rifles and they're all 4x. 4 seems to be the most common, though.
 
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Well, like I said, internet sources aren't the best. I mean they list no sources, no proof or where they got their information from. That's the problem with the internet, you've got no way to back up what they claim. It could be that there are 6x scopes, but then again, it's completely possible that the 'interview' above is completely bogus. We don't know. I'm wondering if anyone out there knows for sure.

Also wondering if Enemy at the Gates was also correct when they cited the 3.5x scope for the Russians and further if the TW guys would be willing to have the different magnifications for the scopes, or if they would consider that unbalancing.
 
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ShadowbaneX said:
Well, like I said, internet sources aren't the best. I mean they list no sources, no proof or where they got their information from. That's the problem with the internet, you've got no way to back up what they claim. It could be that there are 6x scopes, but then again, it's completely possible that the 'interview' above is completely bogus. We don't know. I'm wondering if anyone out there knows for sure.

Also wondering if Enemy at the Gates was also correct when they cited the 3.5x scope for the Russians and further if the TW guys would be willing to have the different magnifications for the scopes, or if they would consider that unbalancing.
Aye.

Higher magnification scopes were more than probably in production at the time. The thing to see was what was the standard army issue. It may be possible that some used non-standard or private purchase scopes. I really don't know much about the subject.

I just found this article. Very interesting. Mentions the Russian scopes. Yup, 3.5x:

http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/HistoricSniperScopes.asp


The article about the German scope deals with the g-43 4x scope. Still, very interesting.
 
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Anyone know what the magnification is on the rifle in this really old sig of mine?
ROsig.jpg

I swear I could see to the moon in that thing.
 
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Zell said:
Anyone know what the magnification is on the rifle in this really old sig of mine?
ROsig.jpg

I swear I could see to the moon in that thing.
That's a Unertl 8x scope mounted on a Springfield 1903A1 used by the USMC in the Pacific.


It's also one of the innacuracies in Saving Private Ryan. You see the scope in the movie, but it was only issued by the USMC and never used in Europe. It's also shown in the movie used on the army's 1903A4 version of the Springfield, and with the wrong scope mounts.
 
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