Scope for an older shooter

[Mulligan]

Question,
My Dad decided he wanted to start shooting F-Open after shooting my panda dasher

He took my suggestion and bought a Nightforce 15-55 comp scope. When the power is above 30 the bouncing of the target that sometimes happens gives him vertigo. Dad is 79, he has just started f-class and I do not want to see this vertigo shut him down.

Is there a scope that would be better for him or is the answer to just keep the power setting on the low end?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
CW

 

[JohnKielly]

It's likely that bouncing is mirage. It won't go away with another scope or using lower magnification, but at lower magnification, the image will appear to be smaller & likely be more acceptable to him. That would be the same if the bouncing he see is his own movement magnified.

 

[243Mendoza]

Another possible source of bouncing is the pulse transmitted through your cheek resting on the cheekpiece. Not touching the cheekpiece may help.

 

[FatBoy]

I agree with both statements above. Try turning the power down to 15x and gradually moving up if needed. Since it's a light recoiling rifle, get a pact pad or something else that may cut down on pulse being transmitted to the rifle, then he can just barely touch and thumb/index pinch the trigger. You may have him bring his right knee up to alive ate the pressure on the diaphragm as well.

I know several shooters in their 50s who no longer shoot scopes due to 1) getting motion sickness and 2) stubborness.

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Question,
My Dad decided he wanted to start shooting F-Open after shooting my panda dasher

He took my suggestion and bought a Nightforce 15-55 comp scope. When the power is above 30 the bouncing of the target that sometimes happens gives him vertigo. Dad is 79, he has just started f-class and I do not want to see this vertigo shut him down.

Is there a scope that would be better for him or is the answer to just keep the power setting on the low end?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
CW

It depends on what you mean by "bouncing of the target." If it's due to his body movement, that's one thing, if it's heat distortion that's something else. We have to know what we are trying to cure here.

 

[R.Morehouse]

Does the cross hair have a dot in the middle? I know i use and need a scope with out a dot. With the heat moving the target around in the scope the dot for me was like following the bouncing ball. A regular cross hair works better for my aging eyes. Vision issues while looking through a scope weather you are evaluating the quality of the glass or screwing with mirage can be very subjective to the individual. Best of luck helping your Dad out. I wish my Son was interested in my shooting enough to share it with me.....

 

[Mulligan]

Does the cross hair have a dot in the middle? I know i use and need a scope with out a dot. With the heat moving the target around in the scope the dot for me was like following the bouncing ball. A regular cross hair works better for my aging eyes. Vision issues while looking through a scope weather you are evaluating the quality of the glass or screwing with mirage can be very subjective to the individual. Best of luck helping your Dad out. I wish my Son was interested in my shooting enough to share it with me.....

I will try a variety of crosshairs, he is using a double dot retical now.
Thank you
CW

 

[Mulligan]

It depends on what you mean by "bouncing of the target." If it's due to his body movement, that's one thing, if it's heat distortion that's something else. We have to know what we are trying to cure here.

I believe it's the heat distortion.
CW

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Heat distortion is enhanced in a riflescope depending on the depth of field and the distance to the target. If he wanted to reduce the effect of the mirage, he could always set the focus beyond the target to reduce the depth of field in front of the target. The problem he will run into parallax issues if he's not perfectly behind the riflescope.

Depth of field is a function of magnification, distance and aperture setting. We do not have control over the aperture in a riflescope, but if we did we would make it as big as possible, lowest f-number. I have been using more magnification, not less, as magnification reduces depth of field. The problem with that is reduced angle of view and increased vibrations due to body tremors.

It also depends on where the heat distortion (mirage) occurs on the way to the target. And of course, how he's affected by this.

You might also try a medium yellow filter which could show the mirage more clearly and that may lessen the effect of vertigo. Maybe a circular polarizer could help, but I've not played with on a riflescope. Have you talked to an ophthalmologist about this?