Parallax adjustment at shorter distances

[Areoflyer09]

I have the opportunity to purchase a higher end scope than what I’ve typically bought. I’ve been looking at the Prostaff 5/7, Monarch 3 & refurb. Vortex Vipers type of scope. Really not looking into anything crazy power wise, I currently have 3-9s so was thinking maybe 4-12 or a 4-16 just to have something a bit different. I’m a bit lost on the whole parallax thing though.

Pretty much everything I’ve looked at has adjustable parallax from 50 yards to infinity. My indoor ranes time is limited to 25 yards and most of my outdoor limits will be 50-75 yards. The occasional 100 yard may occur when at an outdoor range, instead of family property. 100% target use, possibility of trying rimfire competitions.

My question is how important is the ability to adjust parallax down to 25 yards? Is it worth looking at different options that can do that? Should ignore the parallax all together and buy the best that I’m willing to pay for?

I’ve bought scopes so far under the belief that glass quality is priority number 1, with other features coming behind that dependent on use & budget.

 

[Gabriel]

I would find an optic with parallax that adjusts down to the distance you will shoot it most of the time. I had a similar issue looking for an optic for my latest 22. Finding one that adjusts down to 25 yards or less limited the options, but there are a lot of them out there.

The Vortex PST Gen IIs will focus down below 25 yards (which is what I ended up with). Sightron SIII was also on my list and will focus down that close.

 

[Areoflyer09]

While I would love to be able to go with a PST or the SIII, they are a bit outside the price range and would not go over very well. Lol

But that is why I’m trying to figure things out. While I’d like to be able to just go crazy and buy exactly what I want, the budget has limitations. None the scopes I currently have are adjustable for parallax (Nikon Prostaff Rinfire, Vortex Crossfire II & Leupold VX-1), so I’ve just learned to live with them as they are. If I have to scarifice an option (quality, magnification or parallax adj), is parallax the best choice?

 

[Hawkeye7br]

The reality that you will mostly shoot at 50 yards and sometimes 100 is pretty telling. Unless you have a S2000 rifle, I would go with a Bushnell Banner for $100 or something like that. It will focus down to 10 yards, is fairly clear, etc. You don't need a $400 twilight optic to shoot 25 yards indoors.

 

[Areoflyer09]

The reality that you will mostly shoot at 50 yards and sometimes 100 is pretty telling. Unless you have a S2000 rifle, I would go with a Bushnell Banner for $100 or something like that. It will focus down to 10 yards, is fairly clear, etc. You don't need a $400 twilight optic to shoot 25 yards indoors.

I take them you’d say sacrifice quality & brightness for the ability to adjust parallax further down?

 

[Hawkeye7br]

I take them you’d say sacrifice quality & brightness for the ability to adjust parallax further down?

Correct. For me, High quality clarity and brightness at your stated distance (25-75y) is less important than clear focus and no parallax.

Sometimes you don't get what you would assume to be standard. I think My Nikon Inline XR with BDC has parallax out to about 75 yards. A bigger problem with it is that it won't focus clearly below 40 yards, but hey, a little blurry at 30y is still dead deer. I don't think any of my Leupolds will focus down to 25 yards, so I don't put them on my 10/22 play guns. OTOH, my Bushnell Custom 6-18x ($110) and Simmons 6-24x50 AO are both budget scopes that will focus to 10 yards or less. They're good when shooting miniature marshmallows at 25 yards, but not golf balls at 250. Purchasing a high end scope that won't focus or adjust parallax at your stated distances would leave me less than satisfied.

Gabriel's advise sounds spot on.

 

[Areoflyer09]

I don’t consider this particular rifle a “play gun”. I expected a scope that can do what I’d like would be 40-60% of the rifle. Was just hoping it’s be closer to 40% than to 60%, but I don’t think that will be case and check the boxes.

I got to play with some scopes tonight. Mostly looking at the image quality/brightness relative to what I’m used to when viewed in the same store. Doesn’t give an exact answer, but a decent relative one.

Tried a fancy Bushnell, was not impressed with the brightness or the quality of the image.

Monarch 3/Prostaff 7 - Bright & clear. They fit the budget best, but they don’t adjust down as far

Vortex Razor/Viper - Again bright and clear, found one eof each that could adjust to at least 25 yards but some 15% over budget

 

[Areoflyer09]

Had a great conversation with Nick at Vortex today. We went over the Diamondback HP 4-16, Strike Eagle 3-18 & Razor HD LH 3-15. The basics worked down the to the Diamondback falls a bit short on parallax w/good quality optics and is budget friendly. The Strike Eagle has more magnification, the needed parallax adjustment, good quality optics and bit more budget friendly. The Razor has excellent optics, the parallax adjustment but refurbs are a bit over budget and a bit less magnification.

He recommended the Strike Eagle as the better option for value per feature or the refurb Razor as the best value for optical quality while still doing what it needs. Given my preference for optical quality, he recommended the Razor as the better choice.

 

[Areoflyer09]

To wrap things up, I ended up with the Razor HD LH 3-15x42. Parallax is aduaatable from 20 yards to infinity and it’s crystal clear.

Went back up to Cabela’s to look at it again and spoke with a much, much better employee tonight than I did last night. We talked about my uses and needs and he agreed the Razor would fit the bill, a bonus I thought this was a refurbished unit due to the 599.99 price but it turned out it was a new unit and just on sale!

 

[Gabriel]

Nice.