Parallax adjustment

[Warrior27]

I took my new rifle to the range yesterday. I have a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50 scope on top of a Fierce Edge. I am having issues with a blurry and floating reticle. I did a bunch of google searches and have tried a few different things. I put the magnification on 15 and looked thru the scope against the sky. I adjusted the eye piece diopter to where the reticle looked clear as can be and spun the locking ring down. Once I put the reticle on a target (100 yds) I started adjusting the side focus, which I started on infinity. I haven't got it cleared up quite yet but my biggest question is changing the magnification ring. When the locking ring in spun down the eye piece rotates with the magnification dial. Will my diopter need to be adjusted every time I change the power magnification? I hope I explained my question good enough. Thanks and happy shooting.

 

[zr600]

When you set your diopter what power did you have it on? Should have it maxed and only look behind the scope for a second then look again. If you look long enough your eyes will adjust to it too. Once you get your diopter set then I set my parallax to the clearest picture then I fine tune form there by looking through the scope and moving your head around and get the reticle to not move on you.

 

[Warrior27]

When you set your diopter what power did you have it on? Should have it maxed and only look behind the scope for a second then look again. If you look long enough your eyes will adjust to it too. Once you get your diopter set then I set my parallax to the clearest picture then I fine tune form there by looking through the scope and moving your head around and get the reticle to not move on you.

I had it on max power, 15.

 

[7magcreedmoor]

The way Nightforce anchors the ocular it rotates with the mag ring but that does not affect your diopter after you have tightened the locking ring as you said. When setting the diopter, be sure to look away to allow your eye to relax between settings, as your eye muscles are constantly trying to improve the picture you see. This is very important with a fine thread ocular adjustment. The so-called "fast-focus" eyepieces (coarse thread instead of fine) were created to help with this. Also make sure you have the parallax set to infinity to adjust diopter.

 

[Warrior27]

zr600/7magcreedmoor,

Thanks for the input, I hope to get back to the range this weekend and mess with it again.

 

[Wedgy]

No, the diopter will not change when you change the power. Nightforce has an issue with some scopes not being in focus when then are set to be parallax free. As mentioned, give your eye a rest while tuning in the diopter. This is a good read;

Parallax vs Focus

I hear the terms Focus and Parallax quite often when talking about rifle scopes. There is often some confusion about they these mean and what they do. Generally there is a mechanism to adjust focus and another mechanism to adjust parallax. To make the confusion worse, adjusting the parallax...

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[Warrior27]

No, the diopter will not change when you change the power. Nightforce has an issue with some scopes not being in focus when then are set to be parallax free. As mentioned, give your eye a rest while tuning in the diopter. This is a good read;

Parallax vs Focus

I hear the terms Focus and Parallax quite often when talking about rifle scopes. There is often some confusion about they these mean and what they do. Generally there is a mechanism to adjust focus and another mechanism to adjust parallax. To make the confusion worse, adjusting the parallax...

www.longrangehunting.com

Thank you, much appreciated.

 

[brentc]

This is what NF has to say about it. The video essentially says that if your image is clear and you still have parallax, go back and revisit your diopter setting to refocus the reticle. Seems to me that if you follow what this video is saying, you could remove parallax error, then adjust your diopter until the reticle and image are in focus.

That said, if your NXS is anything like a couple I've had, no amount of diopter fiddling will correct it.

It's worth a try though.

 

[Wedgy]

This is what NF has to say about it. The video essentially says that if your image is clear and you still have parallax, go back and revisit your diopter setting to refocus the reticle. Seems to me that if you follow what this video is saying, you could remove parallax error, then adjust your diopter until the reticle and image are in focus.

That said, if your NXS is anything like a couple I've had, no amount of diopter fiddling will correct it.

It's worth a try though.

Exactly my experience, I still have 2 Nightforce that work and the two I couldn't get to adjust i got rid of.

 

[dfanonymous]

You're diopter is going to set the reticle clarity. I like to use the sky by putting the rifle on the outside table facing slightly upward and getting the most crisp image possible. However, parallax and focus are two different things, even though it's on one knob. It's very possible to have focus be off with no parallax or to get rid of parallax and lose focus. Move your head without disturbing the rifle up down and side to side while setting parallax OR be very consistent on cheek position.

 

[Warrior27]

This is what NF has to say about it. The video essentially says that if your image is clear and you still have parallax, go back and revisit your diopter setting to refocus the reticle. Seems to me that if you follow what this video is saying, you could remove parallax error, then adjust your diopter until the reticle and image are in focus.

That said, if your NXS is anything like a couple I've had, no amount of diopter fiddling will correct it.

It's worth a try though.

Thank you, that is one of the videos I watched. I'm hoping I can get things worked out this weekend.

 

[Warrior27]

You're diopter is going to set the reticle clarity. I like to use the sky by putting the rifle on the outside table facing slightly upward and getting the most crisp image possible. However, parallax and focus are two different things, even though it's on one knob. It's very possible to have focus be off with no parallax or to get rid of parallax and lose focus. Move your head without disturbing the rifle up down and side to side while setting parallax OR be very consistent on cheek position.

Thank you. I will work on that. In the end, this may be telling me to go get my eyes checked. lol.

 

[Wedgy]

Thank you. I will work on that. In the end, this may be telling me to go get my eyes checked. lol.

I am slightly near sighted but I do not have problems with any other scope but Nightforce, and only two of them while the other two are OK. I am at a loss to explain that.

 

[dfanonymous]

Astigmatism COULD be a factor but highly unlikely is the whole issue, it doesn't help.

It's more than likely a set up issue. Night forces are pretty touchy in their parallax and diopeter setup, and what appears to be the best set up using the diopeter doesn't always a seem to balance well with focus. It's happened to me with the atacr and it's happened to others but it's not the only scope, and it depends since I always have tired eyes. Best thing to do as I said is look up at the sky get the best image in the reticle with the diopeter, then let your eyes relax for awhile and check it again and fine tune from there. Using the sky is to avoid any scale reference for eye to inadvertently focus on. If you want to scale it with the parallax knob, actually use the moon, and set the parallax/focus to that. Thats a way to fine a true infinite on the knob but I would wait till the following day to set the diopeter Since light refraction has a lot to do with some of these differences. In my experience.