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Eye relief with scopes
- Thread starter Hunter 08
- Start date
Was thinking either Big Shots or DE Guns in Lincoln. Both places are kind of small but should have more knowledgeable people and who are willing to have me check everything before I leave.
Tooling is something that I will eventually get. I've got tool to work on vehicles, do it for a living. So I know what it's like using the right tool for the job vs the wrong tool.
In theory that tool should work.One piece scope mounts on an AR are probably the easiest to set up.
I've used business cards between the mount and the bottom of the scope to get it level.
I picked up a scope level kit a while ago though and it works well.
Gone up a bit since I got one.
Optic Leveler Combo
The Optic Leveler is an inexpensive, easy-to-use tool for leveling scopes mounted in rings or one-piece mounts.arisakadefense.com
As far as bore sighting.
I just use a small target at 5 yards or so, look down the bore and center the target in it.
Then dial in the windage and set the elevation to whatever the bore height is, about 1.5" - 2" high.
If mechanically zeroed it should be really close.
However it assumes the crosshairs are square to the turret body.
And that the turret body bottom is a "master flat".
Got one (Arisaka) and tried it a couple of times, close but no cigar.
Its been in my Plano box o' rings since.
Level a rifle in a cradle and shine flashlight back through scope to paper on wall with a perfectly vertical line.
More hassle but seems to work.
.308 Norma
Member
Eye Relief: Everything You Need to Know
This article discusses eye relief, the different kinds of eye relief, and why it is important to get your eye relief correct when setting your gun up to hunt.
www.bushnell.com
Now you're on the right track.
Yep. However, you really don't need any special tools for mounting rifle scopes - a few right-fitting screwdrivers, an Allen wrench or two, and sometimes the right size Torx wrench.
A vise to hold the rifles in is convenient, but not absolutely necessary - I've gotten by without a vise for mounting rifle scopes for about a half-century now.
BTW, that crack I made earlier about having Sportsman's Warehouse people mount your rifle scope was unnecessary. I've bought rifles and scopes at Sportman's. And just like where you bought your rifle - Sportsman's has mounted scopes for me for free. I (or my wife if it was her rifle) has always been part of the process though. We have to be - the eye relief will never be right otherwise.
I'm not going to drunk on Scheels, they might have some knowledgeable people there that would do it. I might have gotten the one guy that didn't want me to be around to check. Cabela's did a pretty good job back in 2017 mounting my scope to my Marlin 336 and that had plenty of eye relief. I was at work when the 336 got mounted. My dad took it down there to have it done for me, since it was White Tail opener weekend.
Besides this one, there's a lot more "free" sources of info about eye relief on the internet. And IMO, some of them are better than the Bushnell one - at least they're easier for me to understand.Eye Relief: Everything You Need to Know
This article discusses eye relief, the different kinds of eye relief, and why it is important to get your eye relief correct when setting your gun up to hunt.
Now you're on the right track.
Yep. However, you really don't need any special tools for mounting rifle scopes - a few right-fitting screwdrivers, an Allen wrench or two, and sometimes the right size Torx wrench.
A vise to hold the rifles in is convenient, but not absolutely necessary - I've gotten by without a vise for mounting rifle scopes for about a half-century now.
BTW, that crack I made earlier about having Sportsman's Warehouse people mount your rifle scope was unnecessary. I've bought rifles and scopes at Sportman's. And just like where you bought your rifle - Sportsman's has mounted scopes for me for free. I (or my wife if it was her rifle) has always been part of the process though. We have to be - the eye relief will never be right otherwise.
The vise would only be so I can keep it level. Kitchen floor being over a century old is nowhere close to being level, so I want to keep every variable to be favorable if I did it myself. The torque wrenches are high on my list to get since the lowest my 3/8" drive goes is 25in/lbs and most mounts require no more than 15in/lbs if my memory is serving me right.
LiveLife
Member
You can put some weight on string/rope and hang from a ladder to align with vertical reticle line.
I use Tekton 1/4" torque wrench which goes down to 10 in lb - https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-TRQ21101-4-Inch-Dual-Direction-1-1-16-9/dp/B01M12284X?th=1
BTW, scope rings are usually torqued to 15-18 in lb and mounts around 35-45 in lb - https://vortexoptics.com/blog/how-to-properly-mount-a-riflescope.html
This is the mount I'm planning on going with for the Venom. https://midwestindustriesinc.com/mi-34mm-qd-scope-mount/
I use that mount on my .308 with a 1.93" center line.
Not the lightest mount in the world but the scope isn't lightweight either, 3 pounds scope and mount.
All of my scopes are centered in the mount and the eye piece is over the charging handle, plenty of room to move it front or back if needed.
I use a bipod with rear bag or tripod to level the rifle.
I have a small level but this isn't much and fits in the pic rail.
I use the Wheeler Fat wrench as well on mounts and such, I use it at work more than on gun stuff though.
I have a plumb line on the wall of my bench that I use to verify it's level.
Using a bipod and a rear bag to level it I place the butt against the wall behind the line and shine a light down the front, adjust the diopter to focus the reticle and see if it lines up.
Then I just move the upper to a tripod, readjust the diopter and do a quick through the barrel bore sight.
Not the lightest mount in the world but the scope isn't lightweight either, 3 pounds scope and mount.
All of my scopes are centered in the mount and the eye piece is over the charging handle, plenty of room to move it front or back if needed.
I use a bipod with rear bag or tripod to level the rifle.
I have a small level but this isn't much and fits in the pic rail.
I have a plumb line on the wall of my bench that I use to verify it's level.
Using a bipod and a rear bag to level it I place the butt against the wall behind the line and shine a light down the front, adjust the diopter to focus the reticle and see if it lines up.
Then I just move the upper to a tripod, readjust the diopter and do a quick through the barrel bore sight.
Can't tell from the picture but almost looks like you have the slightly elevated mount. That Wheeler set I've been eyeballing. Missed out on the sale they had, so might wait until theh have a sale again with a TGC code.I use that mount on my .308 with a 1.93" center line.
Not the lightest mount in the world but the scope isn't lightweight either, 3 pounds scope and mount.
All of my scopes are centered in the mount and the eye piece is over the charging handle, plenty of room to move it front or back if needed.
I use a bipod with rear bag or tripod to level the rifle.
I have a small level but this isn't much and fits in the pic rail.
I use the Wheeler Fat wrench as well on mounts and such, I use it at work more than on gun stuff though.
I have a plumb line on the wall of my bench that I use to verify it's level.
Using a bipod and a rear bag to level it I place the butt against the wall behind the line and shine a light down the front, adjust the diopter to focus the reticle and see if it lines up.
Then I just move the upper to a tripod, readjust the diopter and do a quick through the barrel bore sight.
It's a 1.93" tall mount.
All of my mounts are 1.93" now.
Just finished installing a Warne a few days ago, about 1/2 an hour to do.
A bit lighter with it not being QD, but it's quick enough to move around, finger tight and 90 degrees comes out to 60 in lbs, 65 is max.
All of my mounts are 1.93" now.
Just finished installing a Warne a few days ago, about 1/2 an hour to do.
A bit lighter with it not being QD, but it's quick enough to move around, finger tight and 90 degrees comes out to 60 in lbs, 65 is max.
The reason why I went with cantilever in the first place was so I could have BUIS and of course they didn't even leave me enough pic rail at the scope the mount rear ones if I wanted to. So I'll have to get those before I get the Venom mounted so then I'll for sure have enough room. I think the scope tube is long enough to allow for enough eye relief with cantilever and back up irons.
.308 Norma
Member
Never mind.
.308 Norma
Member
Keep what level??? You don't need a vise to keep anything level - neither the scope nor the rifle.
Ks5shooter
Contributing Member
Mounting a scope
1) set magnification to middle setting in example (4-12 set a 8) This sets eye relief in middle as as you magnify you will need to move forward same works for lowering you need to back off.
2)put gun to shoulder multiple times with eyes closed.Open eyes and set scope so that when you open them you see the whole circle in the scope.You have set eye relief for your scope.
3)Level the reticle and torque to specs,being carefull to rotate tightening so the scope does not rotate.
You always need to be present when someone mounts a scope for you.
www.wheelertools.com
Do your due diligance for price,Amazon etc.
1) set magnification to middle setting in example (4-12 set a 8) This sets eye relief in middle as as you magnify you will need to move forward same works for lowering you need to back off.
2)put gun to shoulder multiple times with eyes closed.Open eyes and set scope so that when you open them you see the whole circle in the scope.You have set eye relief for your scope.
3)Level the reticle and torque to specs,being carefull to rotate tightening so the scope does not rotate.
You always need to be present when someone mounts a scope for you.
Professional Scope Reticle Leveling System | Wheeler
Professional Reticle Leveling System
www.wheelertools.com
Do your due diligance for price,Amazon etc.
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.308 Norma
Member
What is "better" eye relief? Do handgun scopes have "better" eye relief because handgun scopes have a lot more eye relief than rifle scopes?
"Plenty" of eye relief???
What is "better" eye relief? Do handgun scopes have "better" eye relief because handgun scopes have a lot more eye relief than rifle scopes?
"Plenty" of eye relief???
Diamondback has 3.1" of eye relief, the Venom has 3.7" of eye relief, about 3/4" of a difference. I'm just stating, didn't know I was going to get the 4th degree.
.308 Norma
Member
Sorry. I was being a bit snarky.
The fact is a scope that's going on a hard recoiling rifle can be "better" if it has a little more eye relief. It might prevent a case of "scope-eye" (catching the scope in your eye when the rifle recoils).
Not if the shooter gets too close to the scope anyway though. I once saw my father-in-law put his eye right up against the scope on my 30-06. When I noticed what he was doing, it was too late - the gun went off just as I hollered, "DAD!"
It was my fault. I should have been paying closer attention because I knew full well my father-in-law knew very little about guns and shooting. Yet I asked him if he wanted to shoot my 30-06 anyway. Then I just loaded the rifle and handed it to him. Luckily, the half-moon cut above his eyebrow wasn't too deep.
Here is a list of links for the "tooling" needed to properly mount your scope.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Empire-5-5-8-in-Line-Levels-Set-2-Pack-83038/100169030
Quikrete 60 lb. Tube Sand 115960 - The Home Depot
Quikrete 60 lb. Tube Sand is designed to provide weight for tire traction during snowy conditions. It can be placed on wheel wells or in the trunk or the bed of a truck to provide additional weight for
www.homedepot.com
Total cost is $10.62 + tax.
LiveLife
Member
Actually Diamondback 4-12x40 has 3.9" of eye relief - https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-diamondback-tactical-4-12x40-riflescope.html
And Venom 3-15x44 has 3.7" of eye relief - https://vortexoptics.com/riflescope-venom-3-15x44-ffp+reticle-EBR-7C~MOA
But I think we maybe getting things mixed up.
Eye relief is distance between lens to eye when focused and you want longer eye relief for greater recoiling rifle. Most "standard eye relief" scopes are 3.5" to 4" and "Long eye relief" scopes are 4.5" - https://www.bushnell.com/through-the-lens/bu-blog-eye-relief-everything-you-need-to-know.html
As @LoonWulf and I mentioned, I think we maybe getting "eye box" mixed up with "eye relief" and two are not the same.
"Eye box" is distance within "eye relief" that allows full field-of-view despite some front to back, left to right and up and down movement of eye/pupil. Some scopes that are often lower cost have tighter "eye box" and some scopes that are higher cost have more generous "eye box".
For scope that is going to be used on bench rifle with consistent head position, tighter "eye box" maybe OK; but scope that is going to be used in the field for hunting rifle, more generous "eye box" maybe desired as head/eye position may not be ideal depending on the shooting positions that are available.
That's the tactical Diamondback, I have the basic one.
I don't remember if that was in stock at the time or if it was and I just didn't want to spend the extra money since I had just gotten the rifle not too long before hand.
I'm not sure if the Venom is still on sale, but it was $299, which holy crap is a steal for a FFP.
I'm not sure if the Venom is still on sale, but it was $299, which holy crap is a steal for a FFP.
LiveLife
Member
I stand corrected.
Wow ... 3.1" eye relief ... I think that's like the shortest one I have seen - https://vortexoptics.com/diamondback-4-12x40-dead-hold-bdc-moa.html
LiveLife
Member
Would you consider Athlon Argos BTR Gen II 6-24x50 FFP MOA with illuminated reticle at $328? https://www.amazon.com/Athlon-Optics-Argos-6-24X50-Riflescopes/dp/B082972C5G?th=1
I have Argos Gen II 10-40x56 and like it.
