Rifle Scopes ATACR F1 5-25x56 Parallax Struggles

[Carole Baskins]

Hello,

I have two of these scopes. I've struggled to obtain consistent parallax from them. I understand that the yardage markings on the knob may or may not be accurate, but mine aren't even close. That said, some days while doing load development or checking zero, I have to adjust the parallax to 75 yards. Other days, I need to adjust it to about 150 yards to get parallax-free. I'm also starting to suspect the POI change I observe may be scope related too.

All of the adjustment on these scopes occurs from about 50 yards to 200 yards on the dial. Any additional adjustment doesn't change anything. I've called Nightforce and after an enlightening conversation....the CS rep and myself both concluded I was retarded and couldn't effectively setup my scope. I've walked through the occular adjustment countless times with no noted improvement.

Is this a me-issue or a scope issue? I had assumed it was a me-issue until recently reading up on some NF CS stories that seem to point consistently to user-error regardless of the issue identified. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Junco Grande]

I've seen the same thing with mine. Numbers seem more of a reference point, I'll dial and let my eye tell me what's right. This past weekend deer hunting - 225 yd shot and dial was on 150. Although the numbers appear to be off on mine, they do have a linear consistency.

 

[longshot2000]

Yeah, the numbers are a rough starting point, but find it hard to imagine that you had trouble getting parallax focus at 75 yards. That said, the 7-35x ATACR is a big improvement in close-in parallax.

 

[nn8734]

My only ATACR experience has been with the 4-16x42. Never had an issue with getting the parallax to function at any distance beyond 50 yards but the numbers were usually off by a lot and it varied day to day. That’s true of most of my scopes so I stopped paying attention to whether they matched with the actual distance or not. As long as the reticle and target are sharp, I’m good.

However, what you’re describing does sound like it might be a scope problem.

How does it work when viewing targets at distance, say 500-1000 yards?

 

[M8541Reaper]

I have the 5-25 F1 and don’t use the numbers for anything but a reference point (as others have stated). Ignore the numbers and, if it bothers you a lot, just pop on a piece of tape and make your own reference points/numbers. Boom. Custom parallax turret.

That said, no issues with resolving parallax with it or my 4-16 F1.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

It's about the same with my ATACR, lighting and different conditions can also affect where parallax free falls along the scale but I can get parallax free at all distances it just may not line up with the numbers. There's been times when getting parallax free at 100 was almost as you described and getting parallax free at 700 meant the dial was closer to 350 or so. As long as I could get parallax free I didn't worry about it and covered the numbers with vinyl decal tape from the auto parts store.

I have the 4-16 F1 also and gave it the same vinyl job.

 

[Olen_4504]

Same with my 5-25

all over the place depending on conditions. It’s really my only gripe with the scope

 

[CodeMonkey]

On at least 2 of my scopes I have noted that parallax setting seems to shift with temperature and/or other unidentified conditions. I tried to do the custom tape job for the parallax knob on one and found out that when the temperature dropped significantly my carefully marked numbers were no longer correct. Neither of the scopes I've noticed it with are NF, and I suspect it's probably there in my other scopes as well but I just haven't noticed yet.

 

[stewarmy01]

Make sure you have properly adjusted the diopter. There are some posts on it.
1) Set to Max Power
2) Parallax set to Infinity (this is very important)
3) Point it at a solid, light background like a white wall or blue sky. You don't want anything except a solid, light color to look at.
4) Start from the diopter all the way into the occular and rotate out.

Make sure the reticle is sharp from edge to edge and you are done.

Hope that helps.

 

[phlegm]

Parallax shifts in different lighting, temperature, and humidity conditions will happen in all scopes. Carefully setting up a scope diopter is integral to proper parallax error elimination in all scopes.

Proper shooting technique is imperative to maximize accuracy, even with properly adjusted diopters and properly executed parallax correction.

Think through the system carefully and don't take shortcuts.

 

[Olen_4504]

I’ve set my diopter and checked it multiple times on my NF.
Parallax is still finicky

 

[flyright]

After owning and using several ATACR's along with several shooting friends, I'd say what you're experiencing is completely normal. I believe my/our pseudo BR pursuit of groups at 100 yards was/is hindered by the parallax issue. Diopter set as perfectly as possible, not withstanding. However, I've found that once you start shooting at 250 yds + it completely goes away. In fact, once I have it parallax free at 250+, I really don't have to F with it until past 600 or so and then it's very obvious.

I've struggled with 3/4 moa at 100 and then (same load) shot 1/3 moa at 300/600 and further and verified multiple times for myself and many of my friends using the ATACR. We've all heard the bullet stabilization, aim small BS but none of us subscribe to that. I simply believe these scopes are not optimized for 100 yard group shooting. Not to say that I can't occasionally lay down a .1 or .2 at 100 yds but seemingly not repeatable day to day. My friends agree. Now, my 300 yard groups seem to be pretty easily repeatable (certainly within reason) day to day. 300 is what I use for load verification these days. Just my .03...

 

[Carole Baskins]

Thanks for the input all. It’s seems what I’m experiencing isn’t that abnormal.

 

[JB.IC]

I’ve owned 5 ATACRs. Still have three 7-35x. The parallax with them are all over the place.
Parallax is calibrated for a zero dipoter at the factory. Meaning if you have bad eyes then the numbers aren’t going to be close because the diopter changes the parallax setting.

My eyes are 20/15. My diopter is set to around zero. The markings on the parallax aren’t even close enough to call them reference points. NF has the most sensitive parallax I’ve ever used. I’ve owned 7 gen2 razors and their parallax isn’t even remotely that sensitive compared to the ATACRs. My PM2s weren’t sensitive either. I don’t recall my old k624i being sensitive either.

every scope has some sort of negative and the only one I can tell with my ATACRs is the parallax.