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Could someone please explain this to me as it relates to point of aim through a scope?

I realize what the definition of parallax is, but how does an adjustable parallax work and how is the best way to minimize parallax when shooting (besides the obvious-consistent noggin placement on the stock)?

Please keep this on topic. Thanks in advance.



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Thanks. I saw some of those threads via my google fu, and it is great info but doesn't answer my question, though I haven't read them all in depth.
Maybe I haven't explained my question good enough though.

I am wondering how parallax adjustments in a scope work, not necessarily how to adjust for it. I can read how to do that in the first thread in your link. It seems to me keeping your head aligned as precisely as possible through the scope would minimize parallax, so I am unsure why any kind of setting or adjustment to the scope is necessary.

I also see a lot of parallax adjustment discussions pertaining to rimfires at 50 or 100 yards....at that distance what does it really matter?



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As eyes turn to a sleepy little burg in western Montana, anticipating the explaining by the knowledgeable explainer of things.


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If on a bench, trying to shoot groups when parallax isn't perfect, one trick is to move your head back until all you can see is the target with minimal reticle showing.

That forces your head to be in the right place for the shot. Not for a big boomer or heavy kicking rifle.

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Originally Posted by JDinCO
As eyes turn to a sleepy little burg in western Montana, anticipating the explaining by the knowledgeable explainer of things.

laugh

Methinks the dial thingy moves the lens thingy.


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smile


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Originally Posted by T_Inman
Thanks. I saw some of those threads via my google fu, and it is great info but doesn't answer my question, though I haven't read them all in depth.
Maybe I haven't explained my question good enough though.

I am wondering how parallax adjustments in a scope work, not necessarily how to adjust for it. I can read how to do that in the first thread in your link. It seems to me keeping your head aligned as precisely as possible through the scope would minimize parallax, so I am unsure why any kind of setting or adjustment to the scope is necessary.

I also see a lot of parallax adjustment discussions pertaining to rimfires at 50 or 100 yards....at that distance what does it really matter?



The adjustment moves a lens or lenses so the target image and reticle come into focus at the same place. That way you can't "look around the reticle" and see movement of the target.

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Fine, get all technical. whistle


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I knew that "look around the reticle" would be too deep for some. grin

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Originally Posted by mathman
Originally Posted by T_Inman
Thanks. I saw some of those threads via my google fu, and it is great info but doesn't answer my question, though I haven't read them all in depth.
Maybe I haven't explained my question good enough though.

I am wondering how parallax adjustments in a scope work, not necessarily how to adjust for it. I can read how to do that in the first thread in your link. It seems to me keeping your head aligned as precisely as possible through the scope would minimize parallax, so I am unsure why any kind of setting or adjustment to the scope is necessary.

I also see a lot of parallax adjustment discussions pertaining to rimfires at 50 or 100 yards....at that distance what does it really matter?



The adjustment moves a lens or lenses so the target image and reticle come into focus at the same place. That way you can't "look around the reticle" and see movement of the target.


Focus may not be the correct term for it. You can have a clear image (ie focused) but still have parallax, and adjusting the focus affects the parallax to some extent. The Bushnell on my 22 has parallax adjustment and was the only scope I had where the range settings on the parallax adjustment actually matched the range. My eyes have gotten worse with age and I've had to adjust the focus, and now the parallax range setting doesn't correspond with the range. With most of my scopes I have to go for a parallax range setting greater than the actual range - I've got it noted somewhere what settings I have to use (I should mark it on the scopes.)


Originally Posted by mauserand9mm
Originally Posted by mauserand9mm
Originally Posted by Raspy
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That's a bold assertion. Point out where you think I lied.

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Originally Posted by mauserand9mm
Originally Posted by mathman
Originally Posted by T_Inman
Thanks. I saw some of those threads via my google fu, and it is great info but doesn't answer my question, though I haven't read them all in depth.
Maybe I haven't explained my question good enough though.

I am wondering how parallax adjustments in a scope work, not necessarily how to adjust for it. I can read how to do that in the first thread in your link. It seems to me keeping your head aligned as precisely as possible through the scope would minimize parallax, so I am unsure why any kind of setting or adjustment to the scope is necessary.

I also see a lot of parallax adjustment discussions pertaining to rimfires at 50 or 100 yards....at that distance what does it really matter?



The adjustment moves a lens or lenses so the target image and reticle come into focus at the same place. That way you can't "look around the reticle" and see movement of the target.


Focus may not be the correct term for it. You can have a clear image (ie focused) but still have parallax, and adjusting the focus affects the parallax to some extent. The Bushnell on my 22 has parallax adjustment and was the only scope I had where the range settings on the parallax adjustment actually matched the range. My eyes have gotten worse with age and I've had to adjust the focus, and now the parallax range setting doesn't correspond with the range. With most of my scopes I have to go for a parallax range setting greater than the actual range - I've got it noted somewhere what settings I have to use (I should mark it on the scopes.)

The image from the objective falls on the focal plane of the reticle. "Focus" is used in terms of optical systems as well as your eyes. What you're calling "focused" to your eyes doesn't necessarily mean that the objective and reticle lens are focused on the same plane.

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Yeah but the confusion arises when the scopes have both a focus adjustment and a separate parallax adjustment.


Originally Posted by mauserand9mm
Originally Posted by mauserand9mm
Originally Posted by Raspy
Whatever you said...everyone knows you are a lying jerk.

That's a bold assertion. Point out where you think I lied.

Well?
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Ocular focus

And

Parallax focus


Originally Posted by mauserand9mm
Originally Posted by mauserand9mm
Originally Posted by Raspy
Whatever you said...everyone knows you are a lying jerk.

That's a bold assertion. Point out where you think I lied.

Well?
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The ocular is properly focused when the reticle is sharp and clear. Adjusting parallax moves the entire image of everything in view to and fro. When the target of interest is in the same focal plane as the reticle, then the target and the reticle will be in the same plane, all in focus and without apparent parallax.


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Originally Posted by T_Inman


I also see a lot of parallax adjustment discussions pertaining to rimfires at 50 or 100 yards....at that distance what does it really matter?



If you want to play around with some numbers, or set up your own spreadsheet to play around, there is a good technical article here:
http://www.rimfirebenchrest.com/articles/parallax.html

In general, the higher the magnification, the greater the parallax for a given deviation of your eye from the optical centerline. In other words, if your eye is 2 mm off the optical centerline, you will get more parallax at 9x than at 3x.
If a scope is set up to be parallax free at a "far" distance, usually 150 yards for a big game scope, this minimizes parallax at "really far" distances, say 400 yards. But it makes parallax worse "really close", such as 25 yards.

Now, this is relative. It is not difficult to get parallax errors of 1/2" at 25 yards with a typical big game scope at high power. 1/2" is nothing if you are shooting at most critters, even small ones. But if you have a $10 bet with your buddy that you can hit a penny at 25 yards with your .22 rimfire, that 1/2" can cost you some money!
Another way to look at it is that the parallax error is likely greater than the group size of a good .22 at 25 yards.

Yet another way to look at it is with .22's we often shoot at really small stuff pretty close. Even that close, we need some magnification. Now we have a good chance for parallax to give us trouble. So serious rimfire shooters tend to want parallax adjustment on their higher power scopes.


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I have accepted that I will go to my grave with much of parallax remaining a mystery to me.

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Originally Posted by PaulBarnard
I have accepted that I will go to my grave with much of parallax remaining a mystery to me.


Are you saying you don't understand it from the point of view of experiencing it, or the more technical aspects of what causes it and how to get rid of it or mitigate its effects?


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