# SCOPE PARLLAX How much can they be off .



## Mikedgates (Nov 22, 2008)

WEll I try this post on here, I call leupold 2 times and got two differnt awnsers..

I can get a deal on a 4.5-14mmx40mm vx-lll scope , but it does not have a parllax adujustment. Sitting onto a .270 wsm How far off could this move my shot at differnt yardage. 300,400 and 500 . I thinking out to 300 there will be no effect.

Leupold said as much as 3" the first call and the second call said 1 1/2 " and it would not matter.

Being this is very costly scope I want to make sure I make the right choice.

I can get it in silver Like I want without the parllax adjustment, but to get the same scope with it I would have to go to a LR model or adj.obj. You cant get eather in silver, I would have to go matte.
I rather have silver but do not want to compermise accurcey.

HELP :-?


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

I can't tell you how much it might be off. I will tell you that if you practice a ton and have a consistent cheek weld, it shouldn't be a problem. The parallax happens when you move your head around, so if you practice to have a consistent cheek weld you would have your eye lined up in the same place from shot to shot.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

If you really want a certain scope that badly go with the custom shop option. I have done that with a few of my scopes. It is a bit more spendy, but you get exactly what you want. I really like silver or gunmetal scopes on my stainless rifles and I also like the 30mm tubes with 40mm objectives so I will be using the custom shop again to put a scope on my new Encore 6mm barrel.

As far as the paralax goes I guess I was under the impression that it was just like focus on a camera or binos. If the paralax is set at 150yds and the object you are looking at is at 300 adjusting the paralax makes the image clear. I didn't think that was supposed to affect your point of aim or point of impact, but I could very easily be wrong


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

It is an adjustment for the clearness but effects the point of aim too. Next time you are at the range adjust your focus all the way down to 50yds and aim at a target at like 100 or 150yds. Then make sure your rifle isn't moving and move your head up and down a bit while looking through the scope. The crosshairs will seem to move even tho the rifle and scope remained stationary. Next keep moving your head and adjust your sf or ao until the crosshairs quit moving.

I have one scope with ao and one with sf. I have to have one set at 140yds and one at 80 yds so the crosshairs don't move when I'm looking at a 100yd target.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

> I have one scope with ao and one with sf. I have to have one set at 140yds and one at 80 yds so the crosshairs don't move when I'm looking at a 100yd target.


Not trying to be rude, but wouldn't that mean some thing is wrong with your scopes? Shouldn't they be set at 100yds for a 100yd target?

Next time I am out at the range I am going to have to turn the paralax to min and aim at a target, then slowly turn it up and see if the POA shifts. I guess I have never tried it.


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## Mikedgates (Nov 22, 2008)

ok I guys I got the numbers from a computer at leupold I have to assume there right . I have no way of checking.

200 yards 1/4"

400 yards 1.3"

500 yards 1.84

Not allot buy at 500 yards with humen air involved this could change the impact more than I will to allow. so The silver scope is out and I paid a little more to go with the long range scope .That has the adjustment on the side. also has 30mm tube , not sure if thats any gain or not.


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

Mike, sounds like you should be happy with your new scope. Let us know how you like it after you get it.



laite319 said:


> Not trying to be rude, but wouldn't that mean some thing is wrong with your scopes? Shouldn't they be set at 100yds for a 100yd target?


From what I've read, the manufacturers all set them a little different. It also depends upon the users vision too. Its kinda like if I handed you my binoculars and yo would have to adjust them to focus for your eyes. Or if I took off my glasses and looked through those same scopes, I would have to adjust the focus on them to be clear. The marks on the scopes are just kinda a reference and are probably close for most people, but still may need to be adjusted.

I just thought of a good example of this after reading Plainsmans post. Have you ever looked through a 1x scope on a muzzleloader in a store and noticed how at close ranges the crosshairs move all over the place when you move your head.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Image shifting is very bad in some brands and models, and not as noticeable in others. Most shotgun scopes have parallax set at 50 yards. Most 3X9 rifle scopes will have a 200 yard parallax. Once you pass that 9 to 10 power range most have an adjustable parallax. Some are on the front of the scope and some are a side parallax adjustment. If your old like me and shoot prone you will have a huge preference for the side parallax. Come to think of it even if your young and shoot prone I think you will like the side parallax.

I think you made the right scope choice hands down. I have moved away from the shiny silver scopes and now have flat on all my rifles no matter what their finish is. Function over beauty any day.


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

I completely agree with Plainsman. Having both the ao and sf adjusments, I don't think I'll ever buy another ao scope unless I get a steal of a deal on it.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Isn't paralax problems more when shooting at an animal such as a fox that is laying in the snow? Or any other dark animal laying in white snow? It is like shooting into water, where there is an optical illusion. Correct? In most cases shooting at an animal it won't really be in issue, it is more of an issue when shooting at an animal that is 5 inches tall.... KILL ZONE, that has most of its body under the snow, and the reflection is up to 5 inches. Thus you will miss by a foot.

But this is the reason you shoot low on them buggers!

Plainsman.... your thoughts?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Actually I have looked through scopes that will shift four or five inches left and right at 100 yards as you shift your head left and right. Often when your trying to use a laser bore sighter you will really notice it because you can not set parallax that close. You have to be very careful when using a laser bore sighter for that reason. I often do a two or three day clinic, including bore sighting at a local sport shop a week or two before deer season. In the store I set up at 12.5 yards. That way I can multiply everything by 8 for 100 yard adjustments. As you move your head at that distance the little 1/4 inch dot that you want to get the crosshair on moves all over. Parallax adjustment makes up for poor consistency in head placement behind your scope.
I can't explain the exact science behind it, but it has to do with alignment of image on internal lenses in relation to head placement and target distance.
It's not as important on hunting large game as it is small animals or targets. A rifle that is shooting 1/2 inch benchrest isn't very good, and the rifle may be capable of under 1/4 with a different scope or more consistent head placement. It's easy to test if you have an adjustable objective and set your rifle in sandbags. The crosshairs will move around the bullseye as you move your head. It happens in lower power scopes, but not as much, and it isn't as obvious, so they are just factory set for the distance they think will be most useful.


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## gunattic (Jan 9, 2005)

a good trick to eliminating parallax in a scope that doesn't have an adjustable objective is to back away from the scope so that the field of view becomes very small.. it's easier then to center the cross hairs in the small field of view and you can tell very easily if your head is not positioned the same each time... this can really help if you're trying to bench a rifle with a somewhat lousy bench scope.


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

google is such a wonderful thing.

Best explanation I can find without spending a lot of time on it. Complete with pictures for the crayon challenged...

Plainsman, you are so right on the money with your last post.

http://www.6mmbr.com/parallax.html


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks for the great info every one!! I learned a heck of a lot in the few short minutes it took to read through this. I guess there is a lot more to it than just clearing up a fuzzy image.

That side focus really helped this summer on my first PD shoot. All the prone shooting would have made it tough to adjust with an AO type scope. I don't think I will be buying any that don't have the SF from now on.


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## Mikedgates (Nov 22, 2008)

Great info I learned some stuff. looking for ward for my new scope


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