I bought a tikka t3x 270wsm, I have a Burris fullfield E1 that I never used , looking to save money and put it on my tikka , it has the parallax adjustment , 50,100,200 etc yards , I have a somewhat understanding of it but never used it or a scope with it , I’m only looking to hunt with this scope/gun , so my question is , can I zero my rifle at 100 yards with parallax at 100, and then take a shot at 50-200 yards (200 yards is max I’ll ever be able to shoot where I hunt) and never have to adjust the parallax knob ? I’m wondering if I should just buy another scope without parallax , unless I’ll be ok with not adjusting it for shooting 50-200 yards , any help or tips appreciated
How to use scope with parallax adjustment?
- Thread starter Cowboys518
- Start date
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Think of it as a focus knob and it has nothing to do with yardage.
You cannot rely on the graduations to be correct. First adjust the eyepiece to focus the retical until it appears crisp, point it to the sky and it should be crisp instantly-- wait too long and your eye will attempt to focus it- not good. With the rifle on a bench, target at 100 yards , move your eye side to side, up and down, if the retical moves in relation to the bull. you are seeing parallax. Turn parallax adjustment until the retical does not move, and note where the index is on the dial. Repeat at 50, 150, and 200 yards. Now you can see how much aiming error there will be if you shoot with the adjustment on the wrong setting. It's all about keeping your eye centered in the focal plane. Most non-PA scopes are parallax free at 75 yards, I believe. A person could eliminate the parallax error on a non-PA scope by having their eye farther back from the eyepiece which causes "vignetting" (a black ring around the sight picture). By centering the sight picture in the black ring you will eliminate aiming error caused by parallax at that specific distance.
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SSL
Gold $$ Contributor
Dusty's right. And those yardage markings are seldom accurate anyway. Use your eyepiece focus to get a sharp, clear view of the reticle when looking at a blank white surface. Look away often to prevent your eye from making the adjustment instead of your scope. Once the reticle is sharp, lock the eyepiece down. Now, as Dusty says, use the parallax adjustment to focus on the target. Clearest view of the target should eliminate any serious parallax regardless of what the yardage markers on the adjustment say.
I will agree this may suffice for the hunter who's target is boar or deer size, but I have returned many rifle scopes to the factory for warranty repair because the point of removing ALL parallax (rectical movement) and the point of optimum resolution ( done in conditions with minimal to no mirage) did not reconcile. If you want the most performance from your optics, don't assume just because the image is clear that the parallax error has been eliminated.
Yes use it as if it did not have a parallax. Set the parallax adjustment for 150 yards and forget it.
For hunting at the ranges you are, the parallax won't make a difference.
For hunting at the ranges you are, the parallax won't make a difference.
Always was told to start with the eyepiece turned all of the way out. Then turn it in until clear.
FNSafari
Gold $$ Contributor
Marking the 50, 100, 200 yard parallax positions on you dial is just fine, but realize that if you do that in the cool of the morning its likely you will have to adjust parallax when temperatures warm up and the density of the air lowers. Its something you always have to be checking if you are shooting a match that spans much of the day.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
Look at the sky. Adjust rear lens until crosshair is black and sharp. Lock rear lens. Now focus on target with parallel adjustment. Or, read the directions(I hate to do that).
About all it does is focus, as Dusty said. As for sighting in with set at 100 and then just dialing the other distances.. YES it will work just fine.
Personally I'd like a parallax knob with no numbers on it. It is not a range finder. They are not needed.
Now, I can't find it but I read that because of the mechanical design the parallax knob should ( if a change is needed) be either started from one direction or the other. I also can't recall which was correct and since I shoot short bench only they never really are moved.
Maybe someone here knows the correct turning method. Didn't really make sense to me but since I shoot only 100 yards and no nothing of scope mechanics I never worried about it.
Now, I can't find it but I read that because of the mechanical design the parallax knob should ( if a change is needed) be either started from one direction or the other. I also can't recall which was correct and since I shoot short bench only they never really are moved.
Maybe someone here knows the correct turning method. Didn't really make sense to me but since I shoot only 100 yards and no nothing of scope mechanics I never worried about it.
I remember that from the Leupold Competition (LCS) Scopes. I believe the explanation was due to hysteresis from threads. IIRC one was to start from point blank and advance to infinity.
muleman69
USMC -1st marine Div. RVN
I have often wondered about this ,I have adjusted scopes to the clearest I can get them and the reticle will still move while moving my eye side to side and up and down? Is this just in cheap scopes?
Sorry DUsty, I am gonna throw the penalty flag on ya!
i HATE when people use parallax as a focus and call it a focus knob!
they ARE not the same and should not be taught that way IMHO.
focus is solid crisp reticle
Parallax is the focused reticle ON the target not in front of or in back of.
but your method will be fine for hunting at that range.
I just would hope the OP will understand the differences between focus and parallax as they are not the same thing
Focus your reticle at the sky quickly and multiple times.
set a tgt at 100yds and then set parallax, as said ,it may and likely will not be on the number 100. but once focused and parallax set at 100, fire away!
"should" but may not, be the clearest picture at 100yds also.
a tgt at 300yds will "appear" behind the crosshairs and less than 100 closer and rolling your eyes a bit behind scope will allow you to see how far they will be off.
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The confusion is really caused by manufacturers calling the parallax knob a
"Side Focus" . Focus knob is at the ocular end (nearest your eye). A one time adjustment
(one method described above by above by JEFFPPC). Only changed if your eyes have changed.
Parallax changes with distance.
NON adjustable parallax scopes are usually set for 150 yards.
"Side Focus" . Focus knob is at the ocular end (nearest your eye). A one time adjustment
(one method described above by above by JEFFPPC). Only changed if your eyes have changed.
Parallax changes with distance.
NON adjustable parallax scopes are usually set for 150 yards.
absolutely!
like calling a magazine a clip ! GGGGrRRRrrrrrr.......
a clip holds the magazine in place!
ok i feel better, just get 5yds Dusty lol.. not personal at all! i hope i explained myself ok
I have had more then one scooe from the same company and they 're the same model that seem to easily set the parallel and be clear at the same time and others are not at their clearest when set parallel free. These are all top end scopes so I don't believe it is a matter of being a cheaper model. Although I bet it happens more often in cheaper models. I have heard of guys sending them back to get the parallel adjusted so it's more clear when done. Especially 1000 yard shooters have done this. I prefer to have the parallax completely out and the clarity a little less then to have parallax. Any amount of parallax In the scope and the this is the amount you can shoot off your aim if your head is not in the exact same place. This can amount to inches at 100 yards. Matt
Had that problem with 2 Leupold 45x LCS scopes. Sent back and problem was fixed along with one not holding POA. I see it to some degree in VX-III hunting scopes, but the error is usually insignificant for the intended use. I have seen some scopes that had enough parallax to cause hitting varmints at long range a challenge.
For short range BR it is a different story as I am trying to hit a target size of the head of a pin @ 100 yards.
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