Telescopic sights

4 posts

We need a forum in here to discuss sights. So many people are ignorant of the real requirements of a scope for their particular needs. Some scopes appear to be good value, but mysteriously bad groups appear. Anyone got points or questions? I'm not trying to be smart in here, but someone in the business would be good for some input. We need to know about Parralax, Objective and Ocular lenses, reticule mounting, spring recoil effects on reticules - which scopes can handle double recoil etc. Come on in guys!

I'll start us off with parallax. The adjustable ring at the front of your scope if you've got one.

It has nothing to do with focus as some people quite innocently think. Parallax is the elimination of reticule movement on the target. At different ranges all scope will have a time when the reticule isn't adjusted to the range.



To test yours (especially if it is non adjustable), place your scope or gun with scope on, on a level table or support. Line it up with a target about 30 yards away for an airgun or 100 yards away for an FAC gun. Without touching the gun look through the sight and move your head from side to side slightly.

Whatever your crosshairs are lined up with should stay in the crosshairs. If the hairs move on the target or whatever your looking at, then your parallax is out - and your accuracy at that range is affected, because your head is never exactly in the same place every time.

Now lets hear from you.

From U.K, 17 posts

This is a greta idea, but really, I think it should go in the'Air Rifles' section. People who look at this section will presume that it's about £2000 guns and £600 scopes.


P.S. thanks for the help on Paralex adjustment

4 posts

I discussed this with the site managers before this section was posted. We felt that a category of its own would be best in the long run.

As you will know, genuine soring airgun sights have a protected reticule (for the unique double recoil effect), and are either Parralax adjustable or preset to a realistic airgun range.

Sadly, many suppliers are selling centerfire rifle scopes on mass to airgun owners, who are in the main unaware that the parralax is preset for 100 yards or more.

Getting a discussion forum up and running will hopefully bring this to the attention of the unwary or inexperienced owner, which will bring about a demend for the right scopes to be in the right market. Thanks for your input, we need to start the ball rolling here. Plus, "telescopic sights" is a known search for people in search engines, which will bring this section up.

From G.B., 13 posts

To adjust a scope for parrallex the front of the scope must be removed without removing the lens.
The "Bell" may be stubborn so use a firm grip.
Once off, place it on a level surface and look through it at the range you need, if the scope was set for 50 yards or greater and you wish to set it for ten yards for target shooting or 35 yards for hunting do the following.
When you look at the lens you will see its held by a ring which has two slots opposite from each other, screw this out a little and the lens should move with it, place it on your bench while looking at your target and move your eye slightly from side to side, if the crosshair appears to move on the target you must move it out a little more, repeat this until the crosshair does not move on the target, it is now parralex free for that range and you may replace the Bell.
Be aware that by adjusting if not careful you may allow the inert gas to escape and you may or may not void your warranty so it would be safer to contact the company and have them do it for you usually at no cost except for postage, which for an expensive scope I suggest you do.

6 posts

I'm not an expert about parallax. Most
of my short range scopes are adjustable
objective for the purpose of obtaining
clearer focus at higher magnification than I could otherwise. Parallax distance settings mean, I think, that one can theoretically use any power setting without changing the point of impact from "zero". That is why scope
instructions clearly tell one to sight in using the highest power setting, so
that as you reduce magnification, you
won't notice the difference in impact,
(or parallax) as much because you can't
see as closely (or exactly) anyway, and because most shooting takes place at unknown distances. If you're using a variable hunting scope at a fixed close distance and you are really concerned about parallax, simply sight the scope in as if it was a fixed power at the highest/most ideal magnification that you can clearly focus in the target with and parallax should become less of an issue. The less you are changing power, the less you will affect the point of zero. As a general rule a scope is always sighted in for a specific ammo at a specific distance, and unless a scope's parallax is "perfectly" adjustable (by having an exactly labeled & calibrated A.O. dial), for a specific power setting.

4 posts

We do a lot of shooting, and my ears are always open for new knowledge. We have a friend who was trained as a sniper in the Army. His advice is firstly to point the scope skyward, and focus the reticle. Then when you use the Parralax ring/wheel on your scope you turn it until your target comes into focus - the reading on your ring will be the distance to the target and the point of impact will be correct for the range.

6 posts

I've encountered problems with several
pump air rifles that are wearing cheap 3/4 inch scopes. At times, the scopes seem really touchy about how they need to be looked through when shooting with them. For example, after I first sighted them in off a bench rest and then went to shoot them offhand, in each case the scope had to be resighted in in order to return the zero to the center of the bulls eye. Much like Olympic style peep sights, every little cant of the rifle, change in head position or where the rifle is placed on the shoulder seems to affect where the pellet will impact more so than I ever expected. But they do work
and are more rewarding to me than regular open sights. They also help to
reveal my shooting errors in follow
through and technique by revealing my
movements. As long as the pellet stays well within the black of the targets I'm shooting at, then I feel that the 3/4 inch scopes have done their job. When the pellet doesn't hit its mark, I wonder if it's me, the scope, the gun, the pellet or all of the above! Supposedly there is an advantage to 3/4 inch scopes besides their price. The fact that they can be mounted lower and closer to the bore line than 1 inch or larger scopes means that they can often be sighted in to more closely match the small arm
projectile's trajectory over a relatively longer distance. Also the lower mounting may help the shooter make better cheek contact with the comb/buttstock thus aiding comfort and promoting accuracy. My conclusion is that 3/4 inch scopes can be a mixed bag, and that if one can learn to shoot a gun with one of these scopes well, then that person has in all likelihood truly learned how to shoot.

From G.B., 13 posts

The post about looking to the sky to obtain a sharp image of the cross hair is correct for a scope with an adjustable objective or a.o.
The post where I wrote on how to adjust the objective was for a scope that did not have an adjustable objective lens and to sight it in for a hunting or set range for an air gun as most scopes for a cartridge arm are set for 50 to 100 yards.
It is always best to match the scope to the type of rifle one is using if possible.

6 posts

I think it would be nice to help people learn just how easy it is to make their reticle(s) sharp. It works for just about any scope that has an adjustable rear eyepiece, including A.O.'s & 3/4 inch diameter scopes. On the rear of the scope, there is a locking ring that needs to be loosened. Once loosened, the rear eyepiece can be turned on the exposed threads until both lines of the reticle are at their absolute clearest. It helps to look at a bright background like the sky or a lamp to highlight the clarity of the black reticle. The rear eyepiece may wobble a little until you relock it by turning the locking ring until it makes firm contact with the eyepiece again. The reticle should now be set for clear viewing suited to the individual's tastes and sight requirements. If the locking ring is cheap plastic like on some 3/4 inch scopes, it could crack or be stripped if overtightened. Lastly, some scopes omit the locking ring altogether and have nothing more than a thin raised ring which turns an internal lens housing which accomplishes the same task with ease.

From Coniston, Cumbria, 3 posts

" To adjust a scope for parrallex the front of the scope must be removed without removing the lens.
The "Bell" may be stubborn so use a firm grip.
Once off, place it on a level surface and look through it at the range you need, if the scope was set for 50 yards or greater and you wish to set it for ten yards for target shooting or 35 yards for hunting do the following."

I know this is an old post but will it be applicable for me. I have a Burris 8-32 scope which isnt RA its minimum focal distance on 32 is 45yrds 10 yards is only achievable with the 8x. As you progress up the mag so does the focal point. can this be adjusted using your method or am I barking up the wrong tree?

martin