Parallax wheel markings

[Ucsdryder]

I've never understood why some scopes don't have yardages on the parallax wheel. I get that it might very from person to person and eyeball to eyeball, but it seems like every scope that has market yardages on the parallax knob is "close enough".

Assuming your scope has marks and not yardages, do you add tape and write in yardages? What's your method for marking?

 

[Laelkhunter]

I have several scopes with adjustable parallax and all of them have yardage markings. They aren't accurate for my eyesight though, when I'm shooting at 100 yards (at targets), they always seem to be a little out of focus if I set them at the 100 yard mark on the dial. Usually they become most clear at around 110 or so. Possibly due to my astigmatism??

 

[JungleShooter]

Well, it depends....:

(1)
If I'd shoot certain competitive disciplines where the ranges are not published, and where rangefinders are prohibited, the markings on the parallax turret become crucial for accurate adjustment of the trajectory....

So, that's when shooters get creative and create huge "side wheels" to mount on their parallax turrets — to allow for more space to write range numbers and to adjust the parallax more precisely. They make their own parallax markings on a "range tape" often exact to a yard.



Here are a couple of examples — for super precise "parallax ranging":

 

[JungleShooter]

(2)
But if I hunt and use a range finder, or shoot at published ranges, I usually don't need the markings on the parallax turret.... I focus the scope image with the parallax turret — get me range with the LRF — and dial my turrets.


(3)
There have been a few instances when I was hunting known territory I had spotted quarry at a certain familiar spot.
I knew the range and set up my parallax and elevation to that range. Then I approached under cover.
When I popped up from cover I had only a couple of seconds to take my shot, because the quarry was so close.
That's when the ranges on the parallax turret came in handy.


Matthias


PS: Most often, the ranges on the parallax turret are rather imprecise....

 

[Ucsdryder]

(2)
But if I use a range finder, or shoot a published ranges, I usually don't need the markings on the parallax turret....


(3)
There have been a few instances when hunting known territory I had spotted quarry at a certain spot. I knew the range and set up my parallax and elevation to that range.
When I popped up from cover I had only a couple of seconds to take my shot, because the spot of the quarry was so close.
That's when the ranges on the parallax turret came in handy.


Matthias


PS: Most often, the ranges on the parallax turret are rather imprecise....

Good point. I'm talking about hunting only so I have no desire to "play with dial" while prepping for a shot. I want to dial and shoot.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Good point. I'm talking about hunting only so I have no desire to "play with dial" while prepping for a shot. I want to dial and shoot.

In my experience, if you don't have time to adjust parallax, you probably don't have time to make a shot that requires parallax correction.

 

[Ucsdryder]

In my experience, if you don't have time to adjust parallax, you probably don't have time to make a shot that requires parallax correction.

When you have a big bull standing at 500ish yards the less I have to do the better!

 

[WeiserBucks]

If you miss an elk at 500 it won't be due to parallax.

 

[Ucsdryder]

If you miss an elk at 500 it won't be due to parallax.

You're right, It'll be due to messing with all the dang knobs!

 

[Greyfox]

Not all parallax systems(scopes) are created equal. I like parallax controls that have faster ratio's, yardage markings, and are "in focus at the parallax correction". Not all are! The yardage marking should only be considered an estimation as temperature will effect the exact setting. My S&B, March, and ZCO's are calibrated to match up pretty close at 55-60F. I will generally keep my parallax set at 200-250 yards at 10x for carry…..Fine tune for the higher power/longer-range technical shots.

 

[BillLarson]

For me those parallax marking are only a reference number.....I always adjust according to MY eyes.....
Everyone's eyes are different.....