Rifle Scopes Is this normal?

[Hondo64d]

I have recently started wearing glasses. Sometimes I shoot with them, sometimes without, and I focus the reticle accordingly.

Most of the time when focusing the reticle, I pick a neutral background like the sky or a white wall to look at while focusing the reticle.

For whatever reason, as I was refocusing to shoot with my glasses the other day, I focused the reticle while my rifle was on the front and rear bags, so the rifle was not moving as I was turning the ocular focus knob. The strange thing was, as I was turning the knob, the reticle was moving across the target in about a .3 mil elliptical pattern. Has anyone ever noticed whether or not their reticle moves in relation to the target as they are focusing the reticle? I suspect you would have to have the gun in a firm, steady position to be able to detect this if present.

If anyone would care to try this out and report back here, I would appreciate hearing their results.

John

 

[kl3309]

It's not the reticle moving, it's the eyepiece wiggling around on its threads as you're turning it. Nothing to worry yourself about.

 

[Hondo64d]

I'm just wondering that if the rifle is not moving, and the reticle appears to be moving, isn't the POI going to change?

John

 

[randy geneske]

I wonder if the ocular lens might be mounted slightly cocked/untrue/not parallel with the ocular housing? Don't have time to check right now, wifey thinks I am in the shower getting ready to go out for evening...

 

[waveslayer]

I have recently started wearing glasses. Sometimes I shoot with them, sometimes without, and I focus the reticle accordingly.

Most of the time when focusing the reticle, I pick a neutral background like the sky or a white wall to look at while focusing the reticle.

For whatever reason, as I was refocusing to shoot with my glasses the other day, I focused the reticle while my rifle was on the front and rear bags, so the rifle was not moving as I was turning the ocular focus knob. The strange thing was, as I was turning the knob, the reticle was moving across the target in about a .3 mil elliptical pattern. Has anyone ever noticed whether or not their reticle moves in relation to the target as they are focusing the reticle? I suspect you would have to have the gun in a firm, steady position to be able to detect this if present.

If anyone would care to try this out and report back here, I would appreciate hearing their results.

John

It is just loose, tighten it up and you should see the movement stop.

 

[Hondo64d]

Someone on another forum suggested it might have been the entire image moving, to include the reticle. I didn't think that's how I saw it, but now I'm second guessing myself. I'll have another look.

John

 

[kl3309]

Well, since you are going to worry about it...

The reticle is mounted somewhere under your adjustment turrets not directly behind the eyepiece. Turning the eyepiece has no effect on the physical alignment of the reticle.
The optical center of the eyepiece may or may not actually be in the physical center of the eyepiece or it is centered but the tolerances of the eyepiece threads allow the eyepiece to tilt or wobble if it's not locked down. Make your adjustments and lock the eyepiece down (I'm assuming that your eyepiece has a lock ring).

 

[Hondo64d]

I will focus to shoot with my glasses on and leave it. No lock ring though.

John