Cross Hair Focus, Target Focus, and Correct Parallax

Who builds a rifle scope that acheives all three correctly? I've been using Nightforce NXS and ATACR for my builds but none of these accomplish all three. I posted a parallax and focus question last week and seems like quite a few people have this problem with Nightforce. I'm looking for alternatives to recommend to my clients. Any scopes comparable in performance to NXS 5.5x22x50 and 7x35-56 ATACR. Thanks

I hate to say this.....sounds like user set up error. Or your eyes are totally out of whack. Do you wear eyeglasses?

Just about every scope I have ever owned (north of the $800 mark) have been fine. Of course, target focus/glass clarity is not as good as a true Alpha level scope of course. Take that into consideration.

You have to get the diopter set correctly FIRST. Sharpen up that reticle crystal clear before you do anything else. Might take a while (I had a first run Steiner T5Xi that was a PITA to get set). Set it while on max magnification and max infinity parallax setting against a white wall or clear blue sky. Close your eye, and let it relax. When you open it and the reticle is crystal clear as soon as you do, it is set.

Then, being parallax-free and target focus should be at the same setting.

As for scopes that absolutely should not do that: Premier, S&B, Tangent Theta, Kahles, Minox, ZCO, Swarovski...…..etc.

CwM-RHG said:

Who builds a rifle scope that acheives all three correctly? I've been using Nightforce NXS and ATACR for my builds but none of these accomplish all three. I posted a parallax and focus question last week and seems like quite a few people have this problem with Nightforce. I'm looking for alternatives to recommend to my clients. Any scopes comparable in performance to NXS 5.5x22x50 and 7x35-56 ATACR. Thanks

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About all of them but NF. March, Kahles, Vortex Razor are a few off the top of my head that are crystal clear with no parallax.

lancetkenyon said:

I hate to say this.....sounds like user set up error. Or your eyes are totally out of whack. Do you wear eyeglasses?

Just about every scope I have ever owned (north of the $800 mark) have been fine. Of course, target focus/glass clarity is not as good as a true Alpha level scope of course. Take that into consideration.

You have to get the diopter set correctly FIRST. Sharpen up that reticle crystal clear before you do anything else. Might take a while (I had a first run Steiner T5Xi that was a PITA to get set). Set it while on max magnification and max infinity parallax setting against a white wall or clear blue sky. Close your eye, and let it relax. When you open it and the reticle is crystal clear as soon as you do, it is set.

Then, being parallax-free and target focus should be at the same setting.

As for scopes that absolutely should not do that: Premier, S&B, Tangent Theta, Kahles, Minox, ZCO, Swarovski...…..etc.

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This is what I did. This is off of my other post. My eyes are really good and I dont wear glasses. If you look at that other post, there's quite a few with the same issues with NF as myself. See below....

I went out this weekend to use everyone's ideas (greatly appreciated). Here's what I did. I adjusted the eyepiece all the way clockwise until it stopped. Cross hairs were out of focus. I then turned the eyepiece counterclockwise until I the cross hairs were in focus. I then went out and set up the gun looking at a target at 1000 yds. I adjusted the side focus/parallax knob until the parallax was set as good as the scope would allow-still a little movement-could have used a little more turn) This was at infinity (bottomed out-no more adjustment). Target was out of focus. I had to back the the knob up about a 1/4 turn to get in focus, but of course parallax was way out. I then adjusted the knob back to infinity which set the parallax again. I then started turning the eyepiece focus counterclockwise until the cross hairs started getting out of focus. This was about 4 complete turns of the eyepiece. I then turned it back (clockwise) a full turn. I then adjusted the side focus and found that I was way closer to being in focus and parallax set. Focus and parallax were pretty close now. I then focused on a target at 100yds and found the focus and parallax fairly close as well. Parallax set and acceptably in focus. Note though-the parallax at 1000yds was never perfectly achieved in my opinion. Thanks everyone!!!!!

The only thing I would add is to do just what you did, then you need to stop and close your eyes for a bit (30 seconds or more imo) and let your eyes relax. If you don't do that your eye is straining to focus the crosshair when it's out of focus so when you turn it back until it's in focus, your focusing the crosshair to a strained eye, which will not be in perfect focus when your eye is relaxed. Sorry for saying focus so much....focus

You may be cross dominant with your eyes which is why you're struggling with the focus?

Canhunter35 said:

You may be cross dominant with your eyes which is why you're struggling with the focus?

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Ah, yes I am right handed and shoot right handed using my right eye but I am left eye dominant. Patch the other eye, focus on the reticle against the blue sky, Close/relax your eye as mentioned and adjust the focus, do it several times until no adjustment is needed. Then deal with front focus if your scope has it it but do not adjust the eyepiece. You are doing two things: focusing the eye on the fixed reticle in the scope and then moving the focal plane with the front focus to place it in the same plane as the reticle. In any scope with front focus or not, the eye must focus on the reticle.

I agree with lancetkenyon - ocular adjustment is imperative. If the ocular is set wrong, side parallax will never be correct.

I set up in my most-used shooting position, and drape a white tissue over the front lens with a bright light source in front (usually do this in my home). Start with the diopter badly out of focus. Then take short peeks, and adjust towards clarity. No longer that a couple of seconds because the iris will adapt itself to the poor focus and fool you. Keep taking flash looks, adjust, rest the eye, repeat. Go past clear and then back to it.

The eye is also the first thing affected by oxygen depravation...if gassed, take some deep breaths.

No problems with my NF BEAST or ATACR 4x16, both with TReMoR.

All of the above is good advice.

My understanding of the optics science involved is you can have two of the three or all three only at one distance.

Priority is reticle in sharp focus as described. Then adjust so no parallax and then live with a slightly fuzzy target. That has been my experience with all my high-end scopes.

All this info has really helped me, Thanks

CwM-RHG said:

Who builds a rifle scope that acheives all three correctly? I've been using Nightforce NXS and ATACR for my builds but none of these accomplish all three. I posted a parallax and focus question last week and seems like quite a few people have this problem with Nightforce. I'm looking for alternatives to recommend to my clients. Any scopes comparable in performance to NXS 5.5x22x50 and 7x35-56 ATACR. Thanks

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Call Nightforce and they will tell you exactly how to fix this....

Not sure if I misread it, but as I understand it, parallax is not how you focus the scope. It is simply getting the focused image in the right place in the scope so if you move your eye slightly, it is still looking at the focused image, and the target and reticle are not moving independently of each other.

brentc said:

About all of them but NF. March, Kahles, Vortex Razor are a few off the top of my head that are crystal clear with no parallax.

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I would add the newer NF-F1, S&B's, and Huskemaw to your list.

Greyfox said:

I would add the newer NF-F1, S&B's, and Huskemaw to your list.

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That was a really good question! Thanks to all for their thoughts. Very helpful indeed!