scope eye box

[rondog]

I shot yesterday my new vortex strike eagle in a 3g match sighted at 200yd zero. 5 targets 2@125 2@200 and 1@300 yards, 3 different positions. I know i couldve been much faster in time wise if i could have found the eyebox eaiser. I was running the scope on about 5 power to be able to see the long shot. My question is, how do i find the proper eye relief to stop being blacked out as i aquire the next target? Is there a easy, I know nothing is easy, way to set this up with some consistency or just go to the back yard and start dryfiring and learn where to place the cheek weld?

[Garmil]

What I do is set the scope power at 1x and mount the scope as close to my eye as I can and still have a good sight picture. That will put you In a better position for the higher magnification settings.

[TonytheTiger]

It sounds like your not maintaining the correct cheek weld while transitioning. If that's the case it's not really the scopes fault (although other scopes may be more forgiving), your just going to have to find where to position the scope so that it has the widest operational window based on your stance. For what it's worth, I gave up trying to set it up perfect for prone or other positions when I realized 90%+ of my shooting is offhand under 100yds. I set it to be perfect for that, I make it work for the other 10% of shots.

[kurtm]

Exit pupil diameter is the term you are trying to use...."eye box" sounds so tawdry. Find out the diameter on 1x and on your highest x for your given optic. (Usually you can get this from the manufacturer). Next look at the recommended eye relief and set your scope at the far end of this value. Next move the scope back towards your eye the amount of the greatest exit pupil diameter. You are now at the optimal placement for the optic, for that given cheek weld.....which does have to be rather consistent.

[Alan550]

Exit pupil diameter is the term you are trying to use...."eye box" sounds so tawdry. Find out the diameter on 1x and on your highest x for your given optic. (Usually you can get this from the manufacturer). Next look at the recommended eye relief and set your scope at the far end of this value. Next move the scope back towards your eye the amount of the greatest exit pupil diameter. You are now at the optimal placement for the optic, for that given cheek weld.....which does have to be rather consistent.

Exit pupil is determined by this formula......

Objective (front) lens diameter (in millimeters) divided by the power = exit pupil diameter in millimeters.

Ex. 50mm objective divided by 9 (highest power on a 3-9x) = 5.56mm exit pupil. As the power increases, exit pupil shrinks.

[jkrispies]

I put a piece of rubber on my stock that gives me a tactile reference point for consistent cheekweld. I'm not entirely sure that I feel it or not when in the heat of things, but I do tend to notice if it's NOT there. (FWIW, I use an ACE stock and have a piece of bicycle inner tube wrapped around the tube that also does double duty as a holder to keep my rolled up single point sling out of the way if I decide to keep it on the gun.) Use the scope adjustment techniques mentioned above first and foremost, but then you might want to back it up with something like the tactile marker.

Edited May 16, 2016 by jkrispies

[Joefischetti]

Exit pupil is a fixed dimension based on your optic's objective lense as compared to the magnification.

Eye relief , which is also referred to as eye box , is how much distance/space you can have behind the focal commalation of the reticle.

The more eye relief the more forgiving is your placement/cheek weld behind the optic. You should set up your optic to offer you the best "eye box" across your shooting spectrum. Everyone's eyes will be different as compared to the scopes specs as folk!s pupils dialte different. As we age our pupils cannot dialte as wide and our "eye box" contracts.

Mounting the gun consistently, you should not have problems with the eye box if you have set the scope at the correct distance forward/reward.

[Snopczynski]

I typically set the gun up in the sitting or prone position. Cheek it with your eyes closed, then open them and move the scope as necessary to get the thin black ring around the edges. You may have to adjust your cheek weld of your getting any vinyetting on the top or bottom.

[rondog]

So do I make these adjustments that y'all are talking about on 1x or 6x or somewhere in between.

[jkrispies]

I do it on 1x, as that is more speed dependent. When on higher magnification, I generally have more time to make positional adjustments.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I put a piece of rubber on my stock that gives me a tactile reference point for consistent cheekweld.

:bow: Great idea - thanks for sharing. :bow:

[Steve RA]

I'd have to suggest setting the scope location at the highest power as this is the one with the least leeway - so if you get the best position at the highest power it will automatically be the best for the lower powers.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I'd have to suggest setting the scope location at the highest power as this is the one with the least leeway - so if you get the best position at the highest power it will automatically be the best for the lower powers.

Makes a lot of sense. :bow:

[T Bacus]

I'd have to suggest setting the scope location at the highest power as this is the one with the least leeway - so if you get the best position at the highest power it will automatically be the best for the lower powers.

This is how I do it.

[JBaron]

Yes I would definitely recommend setting up on the highest power. As suggested this is the setting where your eye relief is most critical and has the least leeway. If it works fast and natural at 6x it will definitely work at 1x. I like to use prone for position as again, you have the least ability to shift your head around in this position. Typically if it works there it should work fairly naturally in the standing position as well.

[Dan Sierpina]

I set it up for the highest magnification in prone. My head can move much easier when standing than when in prone. I also have Luth adjustable stocks on 2 rifles, and raised up the "cheek rest" on another using bicycle handle bar wrap instead of the foam tube normally used.