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im a little confused about scopes
varian
Member Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭✭
i recently bought a burris droptine scope and did not notice the word "rimfire" in the ad. literature with the scope states it is focused at 50yds. i can see for about 200yds from my backdoor. looking thru the scope everything to that range seems to focus quite well, so does anyone have an idea of what exactly they are referring to for the 50yd focus.
Comments
Be easier on you if you would just do the on-search. Lots of info about such.
You will notice notice any parallax or focus difference in that scope and a regular rifle scope unless you are looking at 200 yards or so and checking parallax.
I really like the rimfire type 50 yards adjusted scopes for Black powder also.
Put it on a rifle and set the rifle on a bench rest and look and move your eye around and see if you see any parallax.
Most likely you will not see any parallax, it being a Burris.
Bench rest 22 rimfire shooters prefer the 50 yard scope for finer detail when shooting inside 100 yards.
If you always look through the center of the scope you will not have any problems with a 50 yard parallax setting. I've been using a "rimfire" scope on a short range deer carbine for years w/o any noticeable issues.
ya'll have me slightly more confused. i did go to the burris web site and they specifically stated focus for 50 yds. i thought focus and parallax were two different things.
What caliber gun are you going to use the scope and for what purpose? Like 300 mag and hunting long range deer at 350 yards or maybe a 30/30 at 200 yards and less or as Mobuck says short range gun? If short range less than 200 yards you will not have any problems with your scope.
You can call or email Burris about you ?'s also and if a new scope they might even offer you a upgrade trade, etc. they are good CS people and techs.
Some people, even some manu's says focus when it's actually parallax, so yes it's confusing.
Like Mobuck says keep your eye straight behind the scope. If you move your eye/head around and the reticle changes position on the target that is parallax, not focus.
Now place the gun on a benchrest and look at a target and if variable power scope start changing the power say from 3x towards 9x and at same time move your eye/head slightly up/down/sideways and if the target changes position in the scope that is parallax.
Adjusting the focus will not correct such. The focus should be adjusted while looking at say towards a blue sky and adjusting the EYEPIECE for a sharp clear reticle. You can then slightly adjust the FOCUS when looking at a stationery target from a bench rest.
Some scopes and I've seen quite a few, usually, Simmon, Tasco, and some Bushnell usually in the 3x-10x power range that the parallax and focus would both be off above about 6x at 100 yards and out. This is a bad scope and I've seen NEW scopes with this issue. (and usually you have to exchange the scope for a completely different Model if it has a warranty, if no warranty sell on ebay.
Here is little bit of reading material about Focus and Parallax. (this might confuse you even further though)
Scopes For Beginners: Parallax Adjustment - The Truth About Guns
Here's an example of a parallax issue: When my Granddaughter began practicing prior to her first deer hunt, her hits were all over the target w/o any consistent grouping. After several sessions, this wasn't improving but I began to notice something. Being small, she was not getting any sort of "cheekweld" and no solid reference for centering her eye in the scope's plane.
Even with a centerfire scope with parallax pre-set for 100+ yards, the extreme and inconsistent off center positioning of her eye was causing a 2 MOA rifle/scope combination to throw a 12+" group. Parallax is a mechanical adjustment but can't compensate for such extremes in off-center eye alignment. FWIW, a 6" length of "pool noodle" split and taped to the stock comb fixed this issue immediately.
Re: the "focus"
That's obviously misleading and incorrect language in the manufacturer's info. Focus has nothing to do with parallax and is a personal fitment sort of thing.
What Mobuck stated about parallax.
I glass bed, reload and accurize hunting rifles for my son and I. Been doing so for years.
One of the first things that I check when a rifle is placed on the bench rest for testing accuracy of the rifle and reloads is a test of the scopes parallax by purposely moving the eye off center of the scope and see if the reticle changes position on the target at usually 100 yards.
Also normally on a good name brand scope you will not notice any appreciable difference in a scopes parallax if the scope's parallax is factory adjusted for 50 yards or 100 yards, but do attempt to keep your eye centered in the objective lens when shooting.
Lots of hunters/outdoors people do not know about scope Parallax or care, but they will notice bad focus. Also If their scoped gun is not shooting consistently accurate they just crank on the scopes adjustments constantly. (might possibly be bad scope parallax)
How ever much the reticle changes on the target is the least amount of accuracy one can expect from that gun at that range and I do not continue testing that gun with that scope if I see parallax.
I've seen some scopes in the $300 area that would have as much as 2 inches of parallax at 100 yards or 4 inches plus and minus and could make the reticle circle the intended target by moving the eye position behind the scope and I've seen bad parallax inherently in certain makes and models of scopes (seems strange that bad parallax scopes being made by a factory, but it happens. (usually foreign made scopes)
I've never seen a Leupold or Burris scope with a parallax issue. (but parallax should always be tested from a benchrest if you expect a rifle to be consistently accurate)
If a gun is not shooting accurate do not overlook a scopes parallax.
and again parallax is not focus.
okay then its not just me confused if even the manuf. misuses the terms focus and parallax. but seriously thank you guys for your explanations of parallax, i feel i now have a much better understanding of the issue.
Here is a link that is also a good read about scopes and terms.
How to Adjust a Rifle Scope: A Complete Guide (Updated 2021) (shootingmystery.com)
Just more confusion. On some scopes that have a adjustable parallax the term is AO for Adjustable Objective, up on the front (objective end) of the scope to fine tune the parallax, BUT now days some scopes have a AO located in the middle of the scope tube by the windage and elevation turrets and it's termed SF for Side Focus and it's not actually a focus it's a AO. It;s also usually the best to FOCUS the eyepiece of the scope before doing a parallax adjust if it has a AO or SF.
Manu's now days like to use terms that sound good to people, like for example a 6.5 Creedmore. 6.5 rifles have been made for years, 264 Winchester magnum, 260, etc, but would not sell. With the name Creedmore Americans went wild buying such because they like that name, thinking it's really new thing.
I'm thinking about stamping Creedmore on the barrels of my OLD Six and One Half MM guns so as to make them SEEM they are better and to jack up the price and I can then say I have a 6.5 Creedmore rifle.
Summary: Just keep a heads up about a scope that has bad parallax. It's not a good thing.
and more confusion about parallax and focus by Bushnell. They should be ashamed of themselves, but if you have ever had any experience with Bushnell Customer Service you will find out they never get ashamed of anything, especially blowing smoke and hyping up sales.
here is a copy and paste example of Bushnell specs about Bushnell calling the SF (side focus) on one of their rim scopes focus in one sentence and then side parallax iN another sentence. Note the next to the last sentence, SIDE PARALLAX FOCUS
Product Info for Bushnell Rimfire Optics 3-9x40mm Side Focus Riflescope with 3 BDC Turrets
Your rimfire rifle deserves a riflescope designed to work perfectly with its shooting style, and the Bushnell Rimfire Optics 3-9x40mm Side Focus Riflescope is the ideal option to ensure perfect target acquisition. Great for a wide variety of shooting applications, these Rimfire Rifle Scopes created by Bushnell feature a Multi-X reticle and a versatile power range for an excellent shot time and time again. Three bullet drop compensating turrets ensure top-notch performance every time you enter the field with the Bushnell Rimfire Optics 3-9x40mm Side Focus Scope. When precise shot placement is your end goal, hit your target every time with the Bushnell Rimfire Optics 3-9x40mm Side Focus Riflescope with Multi-X Reticle.
Specifications for Bushnell Rimfire Optics 3-9x40mm Riflescope with 3 BDC Turrets:
Finish:MattePower x Obj. Lens:3-9x 40mmReticle:Multi-XLens Coating:Multi-CoatedTube Diameter:1inParallax Adjustment:SideField of View:31ft@100yds/10.5m@100m @3x / 9.4ft@100yds/3.2m@100m @9xWeight:20.4oz/580gLength:12.2in/310mmEye Relief:3.9in/100mmExit Pupil:13mm@3x / 4.4mm@9xClick Value:.25in@100yds/7mm@100mAdj Range:80in.@100yds/2mm@100mMounting Length:4.8in/127mmFocal Plane:Second
Features of Bushnell Rimfire Optics 3-9x40mm Side Parallax Focus Riflescope:
Alignment with the scope is everything.