Ocular lens adjustment on riflescopes
Over the last six months there has been a discussion on the ocular lens adjustment going on at Rifles Only.
Students are arriving and they are under the impression that the ocular adjustment is a function of eye relief.
Let me be very clear:
Eye relief is adjusted first by where the scope sits in the scope rings. Secondarily, it is adjusted by where the rings sit on the scope base.
The fact that the ocular lens rotates has nothing to do with eye relief.
The rotational adjustment is for focusing the reticle only. It is exactly the same adjustment as setting a diopter for your particular eyesight.
I will state this again:
Eye relief is adjusted by where the scope sits in the rings and where the rings sit on the base.
Eye relief issues can be identified by not having a clear side-to-side image. Poor eye relief will make itself known by shadowing all around the edges of the sight picture. Correct this by either moving the scope in the rings, or moving the rings on the base. Do not turn the ocular lens to attempt to solve this problem.
This false so-called “fact” is getting play. Where it is coming from will remain nameless. If this is information you are being given, know that it is incorrect.
There has never been a scope made that adjusts eye relief with the ocular rotational adjustment.
Think about this:
When you pick up a pair of binoculars do you rotate the eyepiece focus to adjust eye relief?
No, you don’t. You adjust how far the binos are from your eyeball to get a clear side-to-side picture. Stated another way, that is your full field of view. It is obtained by how far your eyeball is from the ocular lens itself.
If you are dead set on trying this you will see that your reticle goes out of focus when the ocular lens is rotated
Over the last six months there has been a discussion on the ocular lens adjustment going on at Rifles Only.
Students are arriving and they are under the impression that the ocular adjustment is a function of eye relief.
Let me be very clear:
Eye relief is adjusted first by where the scope sits in the scope rings. Secondarily, it is adjusted by where the rings sit on the scope base.
The fact that the ocular lens rotates has nothing to do with eye relief.
The rotational adjustment is for focusing the reticle only. It is exactly the same adjustment as setting a diopter for your particular eyesight.
I will state this again:
Eye relief is adjusted by where the scope sits in the rings and where the rings sit on the base.
Eye relief issues can be identified by not having a clear side-to-side image. Poor eye relief will make itself known by shadowing all around the edges of the sight picture. Correct this by either moving the scope in the rings, or moving the rings on the base. Do not turn the ocular lens to attempt to solve this problem.
This false so-called “fact” is getting play. Where it is coming from will remain nameless. If this is information you are being given, know that it is incorrect.
There has never been a scope made that adjusts eye relief with the ocular rotational adjustment.
Think about this:
When you pick up a pair of binoculars do you rotate the eyepiece focus to adjust eye relief?
No, you don’t. You adjust how far the binos are from your eyeball to get a clear side-to-side picture. Stated another way, that is your full field of view. It is obtained by how far your eyeball is from the ocular lens itself.
If you are dead set on trying this you will see that your reticle goes out of focus when the ocular lens is rotated
