What's the latest scoop on electronic trainers, such as Noptel, SCATT, RIKA,...?

Which seems to be the preferred system these days?  I haven't bothered with them for a long time but am considering one.

I don’t know about the others, but a used SCATT usb was some of the best money I ever spent.

SCATT is still the favorite. There is a version that can do dry and live fire.

Regarding SCATT, do you know if the wireless version preferred or is the wired version 100%?

Other than wired/wireless, the differences between the SCATT models seem to be just software features.

I don't know much about them.

There are basic dry fire only wired systems and all the way up to wired and wireless live/dry fire systems.

They are all shown on their web site.

The MX-W2 is the higher system because it is live fire capable and also wireless. It is more capable than the basic systems and isn’t limited to short distance simulations. It also costs a grand more than the basic.

https://scattusa.com/collections/scatt-systems

I saw that.  It was that which prompted the question - what's needed, what is overkill, what features are important and which are not.

I have the wireless WS1 system and it's perfect for at-home dry-fire use of rifle and pistol.  For a live-fire system, I ordered a ShotMarker.

I had some time tonight.  I found some reviews on YouTube and was watching those.  I am getting a better sense of exactly what these do.  

I need to watch more, though, because I do nor yet understand the model differences.

For example, the SCATT photos of the wireless model show the unit be used with a USB cable attached.  What the heck was that all about?

The wireless model does not require a cable on the sensor (transmitter). If you saw a cable, it was likely being charged.

I also have a Shot Marker for use at the range.  Finding holes in the black is too difficult, even at 300 yards and certainly when shooting longer.

The only difference I can find between the wired Basic ($800) and the more expensive models (up to $2k) is the software they use.  There really isn't a lot of information available differentiating the various models.

I’m a little late to this thread, so you probably already figured out everything you wanted to know.  It not, here are some differences to consider:

USB-based SCATT models transmit infrared light from the rifle end that is picked up at the target end.  You have a little target frame with IR sensors that you shoot at.  There is a USB cable that runs from the rifle attachment to your computer, and another Iong cable that runs from the Computer to the target.  

The MX models (and I believe also the Basic) are camera based.  The part that mounts on the rifle is the camera, and it looks for the target that you tell it took for.  If you are shooting on the 1000-yard NRA target scaled for 25 feet, it will be looking for that specific target size, and will disregard other stuff.  The MX also has a Mac-native software package (SCATT Expert), which is very nice if you happen to use a Apple computer.  The MX-02 (which is what I’ve been using since 2014) and Basic has a cable that runs from the Rifle-mounted camera to the computer, but that’s all.  I think the MX-W2 is completely wireless (except for charging), but I have not personally used one.  

When I was shopping for these, I planned on just buying the USB version, as it does all of the same stuff for half the price.  I borrowed one from our state association for a few weeks, and found that in my particular application, it had some problems from the prone position.  The issue is that the place in my house where I can set up the SCATT has shiny hardwood floors, and that caused enough IR reflection to cause the target to not work right.  I could get it to *mostly* work by putting down rugs, etc in between myself and the target, but it never worked perfectly.  Since this was around the time that I was transition to pretty much all prone shooting, this just wasn’t going to work.   I begrudgingly went with the MX-02 to avoid these issues, and it’s worked great ever since.  I’m also a Mac user, so not having to run windows on the Mac just for this is a big plus for me.  

The basic is mostly the same system, but with a very stripped-down software package.  A friend of mine bought one, then sold it 6 months later and bought the MX.  The main problem is that there are hardly any targets to choose from with the Basic package.  If you just want something to shoot on and aren’t picky, it will work.  If you want to train for some specific event and use the targets you’ll be shooting in real life, you may be out of luck.  He ended up training on the 50m ISSF target.  It’s a brutally hard target and definitely won’t hurt anyone to train with it (I shoot a winter international postal league that is put on by some of the Australian Palma Team members that uses that target), but it’s not easy to compare scores shot on it to the giant NRA targets.  If I recall correctly, there are no NRA targets whatsoever on the Basic software.  

A SCATT is a powerful training tool.  If you are serious about shooting and want to progress in your discipline, it’s some of the best money you can spend.

Thank you, erud, that was great.

I haven't yet purchased one but have managed to deselect the USB models that have a powered target down range.

I am concerned about the cable hanging off the rifle.  Has that been an issue or does it just "disappear".

In my back yard, I usually shoot a full course match in dry fire mode with reloads and a spotting scope,... just for practice placing and manipulating all the gear.  So I want convenience across the four positions.

At the same time, honestly, the $2k price tag has me balking at the wireless model.

The cable hanging off the rifle is not a big deal.  Just strap it along the barrel & handguard with some of your wife’s elastic hair bands.  My palma rifle always has a mirage band on it, so I just run the cable through the hair bands that hold it on, it takes 10 seconds to do this.  Honestly, the cable running down the hallway with the USB model is not a big deal either, you just roll it back up when you are done shooting and put it away.  I like the MX-02 a lot, but the nice little features it has over the USB aren’t really things that are worth any extra money to me.  I definitely would have gone with the USB if not for the specific issue that my floors caused.  There’s really no performance difference at all, and it’s half the cost.  I see used ones sell in the $700 neighborhood fairly often on The Target Talk forum.  There is a SCATT Basic listed there right now for $600:

http://www.targettalk.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=62650

Oh, also the MX line can supposedly be used for live fire.  I have never tried this, and don’t know how well it works.

My plan is to use it outdoors, so the USB model won't work for me.

I just got the Scatt Basic and as previously stated the limiting factor is the software targets. The latest version of the software has a lot more targets but none are based on HP. With practicing indoor, you will need a good, non flickering light source.

I thought I'd come and close out this thread.

I need/want to use it outdoors, so that limits the models which work for me.

IMO, $2k is just too much for this "toy".  

I decided against making the purchase.

In an era of $1 per round for ammunition, perhaps $2k isn't too much.  

It has been a year since I last posted in this thread.  

I still have a hankering for the wireless unit for back yard training.  

Does anyone have any new experience with these units?

I just sold my MX-02 last week for $1150.

Did you use it much?

Was the wire any issue?

I used it extensively for 7 years.  The wire is not an issue, I don’t see what tangible value having the transmitter be wireless (in the WX-02) would add.  I have one friend who owns a WX model who has had some intermittent issues with with Bluetooth connectivity with it.

About 1 year ago, I posted saying "At a dollar a round, maybe $2k isn't too much."

Well, it's a year later and ammo is now up in the $2-3/round range IF you can find it.  That's a BIG if, too.

I have several shooting-related things I want to buy but a SCATT MX-02 or even an MX-W2 is on the list.

I bought a SCATT MX-W2 in summer of 2020 when I was getting into high power.

Between ammo costs and the range being a couple hours away it paid off in spades. I probably had over 500 trigger pulls on it a month from August to December 2020.

I liked that it didn't require a target stand or cable. I was on a long TDY living in a hotel room. I taped 3 scaled bullseye targets to the door at each position's height and used a flashlight to illuminate the target paper. I stood on the other side of the room and it worked well.

When I bought it the wireless connection went to my laptop, a few months after they released an android app which is even more convenient.

I found the device most useful for off hand practice. My prone position is pretty good and I can feel my trigger squeeze well enough to intuitively know if I fucked up. With off hand it helped to see how I entered and exited the target and what my wobble looked like. A couple months of practice brought my off hand scores up almost 50%, granted some of this was newbie gains.

Thank you for that great info.

Do you still use it?

For me, the ability to go in the back yard and "shoot" is the reason I want one.  It will save hours of driving, gas money and ammo costs.  It means I can "go shooting" in an hour or two rather than needing a full day.  It is only glorified dry fire but you do get real feedback, so you do not learn/train poorly.  Well, that's my rationale.

I haven't used it in a while. After my TDY I got thrown into the tail end of a busy training cycle and then deployed to Korea.

I'll be getting some good use out of it next spring when I get back, hopefully get back up to speed and manage to make it to the National Matches next summer.

With ammo at approximately $1/round and gas at $7/gal, a day at the range is starting to get costly.  

Those prices are beginning to make the $2k for the wireless trainer look less extreme.


The local indoor range closed for business due to the forced restrictions during "the pandemic".  The closest other indoor range is half way, time-wise, to my rifle range.  

Neither indoor range was set up for anything other than offhand rimfire rifle shooting.


A day at the range gets me a day of fresh air and sunshine in the mountains.  Typically, I have the whole place to myself.  I won't get that shooting a trainer in my back yard.  

Like everything else, it's a trade off.