Scope question

[Mungler]

Just got my scope from LV (ta very much) it's a Zeiss Conquest, 4.5-14 x 50 MC Target, reticule 20 (z-plex).

 

Marvellous stuff. I have Googled for parallax and get the gist.

 

Not entirely certain though how it's likely to affect anything I aim at.

 

So, would the boffins please tell all using small words and pictures if available.

[Oly]

When viewing targets at different distance and power settings the cross hairs can be blurred for one and not the other. Decent parallax adjustment allows you to adjust the 'focus' of the crosshairs so that they are clear and don't move when you move slightly to adjust the position of you eye/head.

 

Best way is to get it out and look at an object as close as possible, then try the same on an object a long distance away.

 

Very basic description

[Floating Chamber]

Parallax is the ability to perceive 'depth' I think! My mate has one eye and he can't.

[Mungler]

Is then when you get really drunk, you get "parallaxed"

[JohnGalway]

My understand is this;

 

Say you want to set parallax for 200 yards (for arguments sake). Point your rifle, unloaded naturally, at something you know is 200 yards away (I use a bipod and something under the rifle butt) and if you can look through the scope without touching the rifle or scope and move your head slightly up/down and left/right without the crosshairs moving in relation to the object you've aimed at, then you're good to go for 200 yards. If the crosshairs does move slightly against the object you need to fiddle with it a bit more.

 

It's easy to see if you've got it wrong, having the rifle supported away from your body rules out body movements playing tricks on ya.

 

Clear as mud? Good.

 

I could be wrong about the above but that's my understanding anyway.

[berettaman1]

Spot on John, I could not of explained it better

[dusk2dawn]

I have found that using the Parallax ring also helps to determine the approx range you are shooting at, ie to take a shot at 100yds when the scope is set at 75yds from the last shot and now is blurred slightly, it is gradually twisted until the target becomes crystal clear then the approx range can be read off. ie 100yds. Then elevation adjustments can be factored in depending upon the ammo being used, especially if it is subsonic.

 

I bought a scope from a prof stalker and he had marked the parallax ring down to 10yd increments and it seems to work for me.

 

Once you start to experiment or go out with someone experienced then its no longer a mystery, but trying to get the info from a book can be a bit bewildering.

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

D2D

[Oly]

I have found that using the Parallax ring also helps to determine approx range

 

Spot on - good enough for shooting range estimating anyway - who needs a laser jiggy job thingy!

[tulkyuk]

i'll put a little vid up for you when i come in from shooting - to show you how parallax works if you want Andy.

 

ill just put my gun/scope looking at an object say 100mts away and turn the parallax to show how it works

[Mungler]

Cheers fellas for the replies.

 

Video (and pictures) most welcome indeed.

[Dunkield]

John's description is the correct.

 

The thing to remember is that unless you use the scope at it's mag it has very little affect.

I only ever touch it on my 4-16 when it is at 16x, and I only ever use that on the range to help out people who can't see bullet holes through their 'spotting scopes'

[Oly]

The thing to remember is that unless you use the scope at it's mag it has very little affect.

 

You should dial in the parallax every time you adjust the power, even if it seems to have very little affect as otherwise you aim could be off. Also remember that there are many scopes out there that have 'parallax' adjustment but are simply rubbish - this can be quickly ascertained by looking to see if it makes either loads or very little difference will be seen between min & max powers at close and far range.

[tulkyuk]

Hi Andy,

This site i found might help you ut a little -- http://www.zeiss.com/C1256BCF0020BE5F/Cont...5256BCF0061320D

 

Click on the hunting tab and then on riflescope school

[fortune]

Hi Andy,

This site i found might help you ut a little -- http://www.zeiss.com/C1256BCF0020BE5F/Cont...5256BCF0061320D

 

Click on the hunting tab and then on riflescope school

 

OK followed link + the hunting tab but I can't see anything about riflescope school.

But I did find it here.

http://www.zeiss.com/c1256bcf0020be5f/Cont...5256bcf00613210

[casts_by_fly]

As said, paralax is basically depth perception. Every lens has a depth of focus whether you are talking rifle scopes or cameras. If you have ever used a nice camera with an SLR lens, you'll see that while your main image will be in focus, more distant objects will be out of focus. In a rifle scope, the front lens projects an image on the rear lens which your eye views. At the same time the cross hairs are seen in the back lens. If the focus point of the cross hairs and the focus point of the front image are to far apart, they get blurry. The paralax (adjustable objective or side focus) adjustment changes the focal point of the front lens image.

 

paralax isn't terribly important to adjust every time unless you are going for high accuracy at longer ranges. Many scopes are fixed to be paralax free at 100 yd. They shoot fine out beyond ranges normally encountered and even when you start to notice paralax at shorter ranges the target is large enough that it doesn't matter. It is more prevalent at higher magnification settings as the focal point is finer and the depth of field is shallower. Where you can have a problem is when you are shooting very small objects at very close AND very distant ranges (relatively). A scope set parallax free at 100 yd, isn't the best choice if you are shooting rats under 15 yd. And, if you set your scope to be paralax free a 15 yd, it will start to blur a little bit beyond 100 yd. The main times that an adjustable focus scope are long range shooting of small objects (varmint hunting) and close range shooting of small objects like rats, rabbits, and squirrels under 50 yd. Even then, you can get by with a fixed paralax scope if it is set for a 50 yd paralax.

 

A nice feature is that many high quality scopes have marker paralax adjsutments. Some are so close that you can use them for range finding. My bushnell is marked out to 500 yd I think and it is on the money +/- a 2-4 yards out to 200. Close enough for rabbit head shots.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Dunkield]

You should dial in the parallax every time you adjust the power, even if it seems to have very little affect as otherwise you aim could be off.

Maybe for shooting a great range, but it is has very little affect at hunting ranges, and in a hunting situation you don't want to be, or normally won't have time to fidling with rings. Luckily most hunting scopes don't have or need parallax adjustment.

I see you did some reading up and edited you original post then Oly

[JohnGalway]

I've never changed parallax at night being honest about it. Any fox I've zoomed up on I've hit and killed, but then again, I limit my range intentionally. What Stuart says I find to be correct, in most hunting situations you simply won't have the time to do it.

 

In a hunting situation there is give and take, I set my scope at what I think is best for the ranges I shoot at then make the choice to shoot or let pass when I'm out.

[Oly]

I see you did some reading up and edited you original post then Oly

 

Nope, just corrected my spelling. Besides, why would I need to read up on it, I use it nearly daily!!

 

I certainly find it worthwhile adjusting my parallax, it only takes a second and improves accuarcy ~0.25" - 0.5" at hunting ranges - but maybe that's just the perfectionist in me!

[Dunkield]

Nope, just corrected my spelling. Besides, why would I need to read up on it, I use it nearly daily!!

Oh OK I thought you said it was to correct the focus on the cross hairs? Lucky it never got quoted eh?

It is range that affects parallax, not magnification, as John has said not much use in hunting unless you are shooting very small targets a long ranges

[casts_by_fly]

Nope, just corrected my spelling. Besides, why would I need to read up on it, I use it nearly daily!!

Oh OK I thought you said it was to correct the focus on the cross hairs? Lucky it never got quoted eh?

It is range that affects parallax, not magnification, as John has said not much use in hunting unless you are shooting very small targets a long ranges

 

 

stuart,

 

Yes, it is range that is the cause of paralax, but higher magnification increases the effect. The more magnification you use, the less room for error you have on paralax. A scope that won't work cranked up to 16x becase of the paralax will be within reason to shoot at 4X.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Dunkield]

Agreed Rick, I kind of said that further up but no so succinctly

My point was that parallax rings or dials have distance graduations marked on them, so they are tied to range as opposed to magnification.

But, as you say the higher the mag the more obvious the affect, I can only notice it on my 4-16 when it is at 16x and my 3-12 doesn't even have paralax adjustment.

[mosa]

out lamping last night with the hmr with my 10-50x56 dmp scope. when im out with rimmy with a 3-9x50 on i just lift it up and shoot etc with no problems visually, its a very clear picture. Last night every time i wanted to do this i had to **** on with the paralax until it came clear thus letting the object get away. what am i doing wrong or what setting s do you think i should use so make like my night eye scope cheers