guys i really need some help! parallax

[sparky241]

i bought a new scope to mount on my savage 110e (30/06) well imm having one hell of a time with parallax. i like the scope and cant return it anyway so im stuck with it for now. what can i do to overcome the parallax? i get one or 2 shots almost perfect then i get one way the hell out there. what can i do about this?

can someone explain what it is in easy to follow terms? i just dont fully understand it.

 

[redpitbull44]

Parallax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In your case, the parallax you speak of could be due to two or three things, one being the curvature of the lenses in your scope relative to the distance you are shooting at, another being an inconsistent cheek weld on the rifle. Also, if your scope has a focus (not the power ring, an actual lens focus), it could be improperly adjusted too.

What range are you shooting at?

What most often happens is, your eye is not going back to the exact same place behind the scope each time. Are you flinching?

To easily understand parallax, close your left eye. Take your finger, and hold it up so that it covers a fixed object a short distance away. Something simple, like a light switch or door knob. Then, close your right eye, and open your left. You will see that although your finger has not moved, your perception of said finger shows that it has changed position, because you are viewing it from a different angle. This is because your eyes are next to each other, and not above one another.

The same thing happens when we view a target through a scope. If our cheek weld is inconsistent, then our eye doesn't return to exactly the same position behind the scope, and it can throw off the shot. If the lenses aren't adjustable, and lens curvature is severe (usually the case on cheaper scopes with less lenses), or focus isn't adjusted properly, you will have parallax issues (the reticle seeming to move in relation to the target). You will notice parallax typically decreases with range. Most of the better scopes out there have a side focus to adjust parallax.

 

[gunman41mag]

i bought a new scope to mount on my savage 110e (30/06) well imm having one hell of a time with parallax. i like the scope and cant return it anyway so im stuck with it for now. what can i do to overcome the parallax? i get one or 2 shots almost perfect then i get one way the hell out there. what can i do about this?

can someone explain what it is in easy to follow terms? i just dont fully understand it.

I had the same thing happened to me, I had a skinny barrel SAVAGE 7MM MAGNUM, I thought the problem was that the barrel was too hot, by the third shot & it would warp & throw the shot out

 

[patience0830]

ok

What qualifies as "way the hell out there"? Parallax shouldn't cause you to grow a 100 yd group by more than an inch or so unless you're really not centering up on the scope to an awful degree.
First thing to do to your new scope is adjust the bell at the near end(the ocular) so that your crosshair is in focus. Aim at a white sheet of paper or the sky and look away occasionally so that when you come back to the scope the crosshair is sharply in focus. Then I'd ask the manufacturer what distance the paralllax is set at. Most centerfire scopes are set at 150yds, shotgun scopes around 80 and rimfire closer to 50.

If you rest the rifle securely on bags then look at the target thru the scope, at the distance parallax is set at you can move your eye up and down/side to side and the crosshair will appear to remain still on the target. At that distance parallax is obviously not a problem. Closer or farther away than that particular distance and as you move your eye the cross hair will appear to change its location on the target. Therefore it becomes critical to get a proper cheekweld and attempt to center your eye on the tube the same every time.

I'd shoot it at the distance the scopes parallax is set at and see if its really the problem. I'm guessing that it's another factor if you have the same problem at that range. It doesn't take much driver error to mess up a group at 100 yds. I've had rifles that shot 16 clicks left at the change of ammo. Are you shooting factory ammo? Cheap or match grade? Is the rifle clean? Are all the screws tight on the rings and mounts? Are the action screws tight? Bbl floated or touching? So many things can affect a group.

 

[Wabatuckian]

Hi Sparky,

First, check the mounts. The ring bases should be 30in-lbs and the screws holding the 'scope on should be 15 to 20in-lbs.

If it's an inexpensive 'scope (you don't mention brand..?) it will most likely shift under that much recoil.

Now, if you want to get rid of parallax, do this:

Get yourself a good fitting, clear lens cover for the rear.

Color it all black with a sharpie except for a small hole in the center. Sight through this hole. You will be parallax free at all ranges. (Target shooter's trick).

Josh