Parallax Adjustment...reticle keeps shifting

[stanley52]

So I have a new Sako 85 Finnlight. Great rifle, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a Razor HD LH 3-15x42 mounted on it with Sako's Optilok mounting system. Everything was threadlocked, torqued to spec, and etc.

I have shot this rifle on 5-6 occasions, and this last time I went out, I could not adjust the parallax for a 300 yard target (range limits). I was doing a little load development, and I could adjust the parallax at 100yds to have no reticle shift, but at 300yds, the reticle would flex about 2-3MOA no matter what I did. I'm located in Georgia and it was 85 degrees, 70% relative humidity, and 4mph 1/2 value wind.

Previous to this, most of my shooting has been done with heavy, premium tactical scopes, and have never had this parallax issue. Is this common with the minimalist (light) hunting scopes? If not, what is the cause?

 

[WildRose]

So I have a new Sako 85 Finnlight. Great rifle, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a Razor HD LH 3-15x42 mounted on it with Sako's Optilok mounting system. Everything was threadlocked, torqued to spec, and etc.

I have shot this rifle on 5-6 occasions, and this last time I went out, I could not adjust the parallax for a 300 yard target (range limits). I was doing a little load development, and I could adjust the parallax at 100yds to have no reticle shift, but at 300yds, the reticle would flex about 2-3MOA no matter what I did. I'm located in Georgia and it was 85 degrees, 70% relative humidity, and 4mph 1/2 value wind.

Previous to this, most of my shooting has been done with heavy, premium tactical scopes, and have never had this parallax issue. Is this common with the minimalist (light) hunting scopes? If not, what is the cause?

Something is wrong with your scope.

The biggest reason to try and get the parallax right is because if it's not there's going to be an error between POA and POI but this sounds like a busted scope or perhaps rings cranked down so hard they are interfering.

 

[Gord0]

I think what he may be saying is that there is still parallax in the scope at 300 if he dials the setting to 300. Is that correct OP? If so I would say that the markings on the scope are off. I would read in the optics section, the stickied article about adjusting parallax. If that's not the case then there's probably something wrong with your scope.

 

[dfanonymous]

reticle swim. if you are using the yard indicators on the side of the paralax, dont. Just move your head side to side until the reticle swim stops. if it doesnt, then that is a problem.

 

[Wedgy]

I assume you have the eyepiece adjusted correctly
(turn to 15x, parallax to infinity, etc.) ??
Do you have the issue only at 15x or at 10, 12x too ?
Try turning the eyepiece to see if it goes away.
Call Vortex if all else fails.
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/parallax-vs-focus.1988/
On a side not how do you like that scope other than this issue ?
I looked at getting one but went with a VX6

 

[dfanonymous]

I assume you have the eyepiece adjusted correctly
(turn to 15x, parallax to infinity, etc.) ??
Do you have the issue only at 15x or at 10, 12x too ?
Try turning the eyepiece to see if it goes away.
Call Vortex if all else fails.
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/parallax-vs-focus.1988/
On a side not how do you like that scope other than this issue ?
I looked at getting one but went with a VX6

if the reticle is easily visible then I don't see why the rear focus has anything to do with anything. I don't know why magnification would effect parallax either. It shouldn't matter as long as you adjust that parallax knob till there is no swim. If the parallax is able to be zero'd out it helps, but it's not going to be perfect on the markers

 

[Wedgy]

if the reticle is easily visible then I don't see why the rear focus has anything to do with anything. I don't know why magnification would effect parallax either. It shouldn't matter as long as you adjust that parallax knob till there is no swim. If the parallax is able to be zero'd out it helps, but it's not going to be perfect on the markers

If the eyepiece isn't adjusted correctly you won't be able to have the focus and parallax adjusted properly. The image can be in focus but not parallax free, or the image is parallax free but blurry. Some scopes are very finicky about this for example NF ATACR and some NXS, there are threads about the issue.
"I don't know why magnification would effect parallax either" ??
The 3-15x is what causes the parallax, scopes with less zoom/power(3-9x) typically don't have a side focus/parallax adjustment because they don't need it. The image plane moves and is not on the same plane as the reticle as you change power, so in effect you have 2 sights(sort of like lining up iron sights) instead of a scope crosshair.(not exactly but you get my simple explanation)

 

[dfanonymous]

If the eyepiece isn't adjusted correctly you won't be able to have the focus and parallax adjusted properly. The image can be in focus but not parallax free, or the image is parallax free but blurry. Some scopes are very finicky about this for example NF ATACR and some NXS, there are threads about the issue.
"I don't know why magnification would effect parallax either" ??
The 3-15x is what causes the parallax, scopes with less zoom/power(3-9x) typically don't have a side focus/parallax adjustment because they don't need it. The image plane moves and is not on the same plane as the reticle as you change power, so in effect you have 2 sights(sort of like lining up iron sights) instead of a scope crosshair.(not exactly but you get my simple explanation)

Yeah your right, sorry i read it differently on no sleep.

the part between 6 and 7, the eye piece, will only adjust the reticle. You look off into the sky and have the scope also facing the sky and you adjust until the reticle becomes crisp and clear. Then you look back to the sky with your naked eyes and wait for them to adjust and then go back to the scope and do it again. Side note, if you shoot a lot, best way to not get headaches
.
#8, the paralax knob, controls the parallax adjustments (obviously), a situation where the focal plane of the object in the scope is offset from the reticle. If you have parallax, you have an optical illusion. Hence why said reticle is moving around as you move your gaze into the scope.

I misspoke about the magnification. I was saying, if it has magnification, its all the same. 1x mag, no paralax. I believe it parallax starts about 6x. 6-infinityx=parallax. 6 being less, 30 being more, so I agree with that. Parallax free scope, doesn't exist. Not really. The ones that are sold as paralax free....lets just say no one is going to hang up the nightforce or steiners that have paralax adjustment for a parallax free scope.

If anyone wants to do a experiment to see how being on the same plane works as far as distance and power in regards to parallax, then try this.
Put your thumb up, arm straight out in front of you. Close one eye and pretend your thumb is a sight. Move your head from side to side while still looking at your "thumb sight." It should move.
Now relax.
Go find a wall, repeat the last procedure, but this time do it with your thumb touching the wall. You sight is now on the same plane as the target.

 

[Wedgy]

Yeah your right, sorry i read it differently on no sleep.

the part between 6 and 7, the eye piece, will only adjust the reticle. You look off into the sky and have the scope also facing the sky and you adjust until the reticle becomes crisp and clear. Then you look back to the sky with your naked eyes and wait for them to adjust and then go back to the scope and do it again. Side note, if you shoot a lot, best way to not get headaches
.
#8, the paralax knob, controls the parallax adjustments (obviously), a situation where the focal plane of the object in the scope is offset from the reticle. If you have parallax, you have an optical illusion. Hence why said reticle is moving around as you move your gaze into the scope.

I misspoke about the magnification. I was saying, if it has magnification, its all the same. 1x mag, no paralax. I believe it parallax starts about 6x. 6-infinityx=parallax. 6 being less, 30 being more, so I agree with that. Parallax free scope, doesn't exist. Not really. The ones that are sold as paralax free....lets just say no one is going to hang up the nightforce or steiners that have paralax adjustment for a parallax free scope.

If anyone wants to do a experiment to see how being on the same plane works as far as distance and power in regards to parallax, then try this.
Put your thumb up, arm straight out in front of you. Close one eye and pretend your thumb is a sight. Move your head from side to side while still looking at your "thumb site." It should move.
Now relax.
Go find a wall, repeat the last procedure, but this time do it with your thumb touching the wall. You site is now on the same plane as the target.

Sounds like you have a better grip on it than me ! Here is one of the NF threads I was talking about;
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/parallax-issue-with-nightforce-scopes.3884634/

 

[midnightmalloy]

I had a similar issue this spring and Jimmy at Vortex said to torque the scope rings to 16 inch pounds. Once I did this it has not had a problem since. My rings said to torque to 25 inch pounds but changing it to 16 did the trick. Try it and let us know.

 

[stanley52]

reticle swim. if you are using the yard indicators on the side of the paralax, dont. Just move your head side to side until the reticle swim stops. if it doesnt, then that is a problem.

I know this is a long time last, but I have been absent. I was not using the yard marks on the scope. I was checking for reticle swum, and no matter where the dial was set, there was still 4-5 inches of shift.

 

[stanley52]

I had a similar issue this spring and Jimmy at Vortex said to torque the scope rings to 16 inch pounds. Once I did this it has not had a problem since. My rings said to torque to 25 inch pounds but changing it to 16 did the trick. Try it and let us know.

I'll have to try this and see. Maybe this is the issue? 2 people have mentioned now that torquing the rings down too tight can cause this.

 

[stanley52]

I think what he may be saying is that there is still parallax in the scope at 300 if he dials the setting to 300. Is that correct OP? If so I would say that the markings on the scope are off. I would read in the optics section, the stickied article about adjusting parallax. If that's not the case then there's probably something wrong with your scope.

Yes, you are correct. Although, I am not using the yardage. I was checking for reticle swim through all positions of the dial - not just at 300. No matter where I turned the dial, there was still 4-5 inches of "swim". I could not adjust the parallax to a satisfactory level.