ETCHED, NON-ETCHED and PARALLAX in SCOPES EXPLAINED

[TacticalTedcom]

OK, here goes.

An etched reticle is simply on that is cut into the lens. A non-etched reticle was made of spider web (no joke) or steel wire. Perhaps the greatest advantage of an etched reticle is that it cannot brake the way a free standing reticle can. It is also easier to make an etched reticle with more detail/features.

Parallax is not so easy to explain. A scope that doesn't have a parallax adjustment comes with it's parallax set at the factory. In a rimfire scope the parallax is usually set for 50 yds., while centerfire rifle scopes are set for 100 or 150 yds. At those ranges, you can have your eye not perfectly centered behind the scope and still expect your shot to be on target. A shot at a target closer or father than where the parallax is set will be affected if your eye is not centered (improper cheek weld). You can see this if you put your rifle on a rest and while viewing the target move your head. If the target is not at the range where the parallax is set, the reticle will seem to move. This movement shows how your shot placement would move if you fired without the proper cheek weld. At the range where the paralex is set, the reticle should not appear to move. At normal hunting ranges, the parallax is small enough not to matter, but as ranges increase, proper parallax adjustment becomes increasingly more important and this is why long distance scopes have a parallax that can be adjusted by the shooter.

Ted

[jdonovan]

and parallax error is generally small, at reasonable range, relatively speaking.

A normal 100 yd hunting scope, used at 500 yards generally will exhibit less than 2" of parallax error from center to the extreme edge. Which for most hunters is less error than the rest, or shooters ability will introduce into the shot.

However for the long range target shooter, 4-5" of error at 1000 yards, is the difference between going home at the end of round 1 or making it to the final stage.

Also greater the distance between objective lense and ocular (eye piece) the more pronounced the effect of parallax. So your 6" long 1-4 tactical scope has much less parallax than the 18" match rifle scope when set for the same zero parallax point, and used at another distance.

[jdonovan]

on coated lenses.

The other thing about light, is not all colors of the spectrum bend at the same angle as they pass through the lense. If you've ever looked an optic, and seen purple 'fringe' around an object, thats due to this un-equal bending of light.

Better glass, and better coatings can do a much better job controlling this, and can render a sharper image.

[Taggure]

So thanks for the run down.
on another note (De-Railed again) should have called this Scope Talk (Rick sounds like a good Sub Category)
I am setting my remington 700 up to take a 3 day class on long range shooting and I have just purched the Redfield Battlezone 3x9 scope and a 20MOA scope base for it. The scope has 70 MOA total so that means that it has 35 MOA up and down. With this scope base I expect to add 20 MOA to both ends giving me a total of 55 MOA adjustment up and down. Are my assumptions correct?
Oh and the scope is a Fully Multi-coated Lens System

Scope document
http://www.redfield.com/_media/download ... 9x42mm.pdf

Scope Base
http://xtremehardcoregear.com/tru_level_pic_rail.html

[0ne5hot]

So thanks for the run down.
on another note (De-Railed again) should have called this Scope Talk (Rick sounds like a good Sub Category)
I am setting my remington 700 up to take a 3 day class on long range shooting and I have just purched the Redfield Battlezone 3x9 scope and a 20MOA scope base for it. The scope has 70 MOA total so that means that it has 35 MOA up and down. With this scope base I expect to add 20 MOA to both ends giving me a total of 55 MOA adjustment up and down. Are my assumptions correct?
Oh and the scope is a Fully Multi-coated Lens System

Scope document
http://www.redfield.com/_media/download ... 9x42mm.pdf

Scope Base
http://xtremehardcoregear.com/tru_level_pic_rail.html

That scope base is probably the best intgration of a bubble level I have seen yet. Also I have become a big fan of the redfield line of scopes, Leupold has set them up as a great bang for your buck line of optics.

[Taggure]

Yep I was impressed when I looked through it now I just need to find the rings that I want to use and then I will be ready for the range. These rings are in the top running for now because I like the 2 cross slot bolts that attach to the scope base and the 6 torx bolts on the top. Bit pricey at $145 a set but still nice.

http://xtremehardcoregear.com/rangerscoperings.html

[jdonovan]

With this scope base I expect to add 20 MOA to both ends giving me a total of 55 MOA adjustment up and down. Are my assumptions correct?

not quite.

Your scope used to adjust from +35 to -35, now with the +20 base, your scope adjusts from +55 to -15. The base doesn't change the 'range' your scope can adjust it changes the center point of the range of adjustment.

[Taggure]

With this scope base I expect to add 20 MOA to both ends giving me a total of 55 MOA adjustment up and down. Are my assumptions correct?

not quite.

Your scope used to adjust from +35 to -35, now with the +20 base, your scope adjusts from +55 to -15. The base doesn't change the 'range' your scope can adjust it changes the center point of the range of adjustment.

Okay that makes sense to me. but what I understand what it it does for me now is when I am looking at a target past my normal view with the scope say 700 yards it is letting me see/adjust out to that 1000 yard target instead of stopping me at 700 yards right? Of course I need to make the adjustment to compensate for the 20 MOA on my scope
So 15 MOA is now my new center at 100 yards

[jdonovan]

but what I understand what it it does for me now is when I am looking at a target past my normal view with the scope say 700 yards it is letting me see/adjust out to that 1000 yard target instead of stopping me at 700 yards right?

Exactly.

Of course I need to make the adjustment to compensate for the 20 MOA on my scope. So 15 MOA is now my new center at 100 yards

The center point on your scope when the elevation is mid way between min/max is +20 MOA up. To return the scope to a 'neutral' position, you will need to dial 20 moa down.

The base gave you 20moa more elevation, at the expense of 20 moa less depression. Most people don't set a scope to have the projectile impact above the point of aim, so most of the time the 'down' on the scope does not get used.

Its not uncommon in the long-range world to see 30, 40 and even sometimes 50 MOA bases. Depends how far 'long' is, and how flat shooting a cartridge you have. 20 is a good place to start, and see if you enjoy longer range work. Long range becomes a lot about judging wind... most everything else can be measured, and compensated for... wind is a guessing game.

[Taggure]

Thanks for the info that was a lot of help. I guess the next thing is to get the rings and then mount the scope. Then get out where I can stretch out for some distance. I can get out to 200 yards easy but getting a place to shoot past that is an bit hard to find without driving a ways.