AO is off...should I be concerned - Page 2

bamaranger · March 16, 2014, 02:40 AM

Well, I was wrong. The focus at 100 yds and out varies with the power setting. What is in focus at 100 at 6x, is not in focus at 9x and requires a change in the bell. When it does clear up, at 9x/100 +, the scale is not anywhere near the correct yardage. Pretty much back where I started. I have not experimented with groups and POI at various power settings, all my zeroing and groups were at 9x, which worked fine. I'm suspect now that the rifle will shoot to different points depending on the power setting.

I think the old scope may go back in the cabinet.

Bart B. · March 16, 2014, 08:09 AM

If the scope's eyepiece is not set right to make the reticule appear sharp and clear, it's possible that a target may appear a bit fuzzy if the AO is set at the target's range.

I suggest you set the scope's AO to a close range value, then look at a target that's exactly that range away. Then adjust the scope's eyepiece until both the target and reticule appear sharp. If this can't be done, then I suspect the scope's got some mechanical issues.

Bart B. · March 16, 2014, 08:40 AM

For those interested in one company's correct use and purpose of setting that side knob on their rifle scopes, check out the following:

http://www.vortexoptics.com/uploads/...n2_ffp-13a.pdf

wogpotter · March 16, 2014, 09:30 AM

Ideally yo should set the AO at the highest setting & it should then be good for all lower settings at the same distance.
If you set it at lower power you might just be seeing the increase in magnification making it go "soft".
Its beginning to sound like there is something other than the scale being off happening here.
Try this & see what happens.

Rest the rifle so it can stay in place without holding.
Set the highest power for magnification.
Put a plain sheet of white paper in front of the front lens to reflect light into the scope. (usually a 45 degree angle works best.)
Briefly look into the scope & see if the reticule is immediately sharp.
If it isn't adjust the eyepiece focus until it looks sharp & then look away for a few seconds.
Go back to a quick look.
Repeat the quick look~adjust~look away~look back until it snaps into clear sharp focus when you first look in the eyepiece.
Remove the paper reflector.
Set a target up at a known distance. Visually focus the front eyepiece in the same look in~look away technique as you used before for the eyepiece.
Now slightly bob your eye up & down (or left right, either works) till the reticule doesn't "track" (move) in relation to the target.
Reduce the power setting.
do the eye bob again.

If the parallax changes as the power is reduced then there is something wrong in addition to the AO scale.

SteelChickenShooter · March 16, 2014, 01:01 PM

I've never been concerned about how accurate AO markings may or may not be. I just turn the adjustment until I see the best image. And it matters not to me if the reading on the dial is close to the target distance.

bamaranger · March 23, 2014, 01:01 AM

I put the 6x Leupold back on the rifle. The old AO Weaver seemed OK, but there were so many peculiarities in the set up that I bailed on the whole idea.

Dang scope was likely to big on the rifle (size/weight) anyhow. The click adjustments were great, very responsive and the bullet holes moved around on target very gratifyingly, but the in focus/out of focus, what if...... just got to me.

March 16, 2014, 02:40 AM	#26
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	wrong Well, I was wrong. The focus at 100 yds and out varies with the power setting. What is in focus at 100 at 6x, is not in focus at 9x and requires a change in the bell. When it does clear up, at 9x/100 +, the scale is not anywhere near the correct yardage. Pretty much back where I started. I have not experimented with groups and POI at various power settings, all my zeroing and groups were at 9x, which worked fine. I'm suspect now that the rifle will shoot to different points depending on the power setting. I think the old scope may go back in the cabinet.

March 16, 2014, 08:40 AM	#28
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	For those interested in one company's correct use and purpose of setting that side knob on their rifle scopes, check out the following: http://www.vortexoptics.com/uploads/...n2_ffp-13a.pdf Last edited by Bart B.; March 16, 2014 at 08:50 AM.

March 16, 2014, 09:30 AM	#29
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Ideally yo should set the AO at the highest setting & it should then be good for all lower settings at the same distance. If you set it at lower power you might just be seeing the increase in magnification making it go "soft". Its beginning to sound like there is something other than the scale being off happening here. Try this & see what happens. Rest the rifle so it can stay in place without holding. Set the highest power for magnification. Put a plain sheet of white paper in front of the front lens to reflect light into the scope. (usually a 45 degree angle works best.) Briefly look into the scope & see if the reticule is immediately sharp. If it isn't adjust the eyepiece focus until it looks sharp & then look away for a few seconds. Go back to a quick look. Repeat the quick look~adjust~look away~look back until it snaps into clear sharp focus when you first look in the eyepiece. Remove the paper reflector. Set a target up at a known distance. Visually focus the front eyepiece in the same look in~look away technique as you used before for the eyepiece. Now slightly bob your eye up & down (or left right, either works) till the reticule doesn't "track" (move) in relation to the target. Reduce the power setting. do the eye bob again. If the parallax changes as the power is reduced then there is something wrong in addition to the AO scale. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

March 23, 2014, 01:01 AM	#31
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	quits I put the 6x Leupold back on the rifle. The old AO Weaver seemed OK, but there were so many peculiarities in the set up that I bailed on the whole idea. Dang scope was likely to big on the rifle (size/weight) anyhow. The click adjustments were great, very responsive and the bullet holes moved around on target very gratifyingly, but the in focus/out of focus, what if...... just got to me.

March 16, 2014, 08:09 AM	#27
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	If the scope's eyepiece is not set right to make the reticule appear sharp and clear, it's possible that a target may appear a bit fuzzy if the AO is set at the target's range. I suggest you set the scope's AO to a close range value, then look at a target that's exactly that range away. Then adjust the scope's eyepiece until both the target and reticule appear sharp. If this can't be done, then I suspect the scope's got some mechanical issues.

March 16, 2014, 01:01 PM	#30
SteelChickenShooter Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Posts: 863	I've never been concerned about how accurate AO markings may or may not be. I just turn the adjustment until I see the best image. And it matters not to me if the reading on the dial is close to the target distance.