To make this question short and sweet - if your scope is adjusted to be parallax free at a specific range, does (and if so - how) an inconsistent cheek weld affect accuracy? Answers do not need to be short and sweet. Thank you.
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Parallax and cheek weld
- Thread starter jhegg
- Start date
If it is truly parallax free at the distance you are shooting, then cheek weld won't affect difference in POA and POI
Of cousre, it can still affect all the other variables, but as to what your eye sees as the POA and what the bullet does as the POI won't be off.
Of cousre, it can still affect all the other variables, but as to what your eye sees as the POA and what the bullet does as the POI won't be off.
If you do not have consistant NPA, Cheek weld, sight picture, sight radius, then you will never know if the problem is parallax or not.
NPA - natural point of aim. Basically, where are you looking and where is the rifle aimed if you close your eyes, hold the rifle in position, and get comfortable? If it is on target and you can see the sights/scope properly, you are good to go.
Sight radius is only for irons - it is the distance between your eye, the rear sight, and the front sight. All else equal, a longer sight radius (ie, a longer barrel) will allow more precise aiming and adjustment.
both work in concert (parallax & cheek weld)
if either are off at any time at any distance, you will not be consistent, especially with a centerfire for recoil control for follow up shots or follow through. no need to build a bad habit with the rimfire, this is where the value of practicing fundamentals as the rifle is being addressed, at the time of the shot, and after the trigger is squeezed.
any caliber, any rifle, any pistol, any bow, etc. needs consistency to produce accuracy, or shall we say, a predictable outcome.
if either are off at any time at any distance, you will not be consistent, especially with a centerfire for recoil control for follow up shots or follow through. no need to build a bad habit with the rimfire, this is where the value of practicing fundamentals as the rifle is being addressed, at the time of the shot, and after the trigger is squeezed.
any caliber, any rifle, any pistol, any bow, etc. needs consistency to produce accuracy, or shall we say, a predictable outcome.
I agree about your definition of sight radius, but I could not think of the term so the scope does not "ghost" or black out on the edges.
Parallax adjustable scope or not, cheek weld makes a difference.
I'll never forget my first Appleseed. I had my M1A with an old Bushnell 4X12 scope with the ring set to 25 yds. I remember that instructor saying, "Hey, nice groups. Any idea why they aren't where you want them to be?" And no, he never told me either. I went to the RBC a few months later in Feb. 2007 and got it figured out there. Consistency in cheek weld makes all the difference in the world.
What was getting me was the transition from one target to another as we moved through the stages and had to change POA in the last three stages. The cross hairs where on the target, but the groups weren't always there. One target would be good, the next it might be low right, high right, etc. Nice group, just not on the target.
That scope is on a low mount on that M1A, but still up there higher than on a bolt action rifle. It took a stock pad to give me a consistent place to poke me between the canine tooth and the molar behind it so my eye was in the same place behind the scope every shot. I even shot rifleman scores while sitting on the last two stages (which you know are both prone stages if you've been to an Appleseed, or RBC). You've got to have everything straight to shoot good scores sitting on stages 3 and 4. That pad made the difference for me (along with effort from the instructors and me finally catching on.)
I'll never forget my first Appleseed. I had my M1A with an old Bushnell 4X12 scope with the ring set to 25 yds. I remember that instructor saying, "Hey, nice groups. Any idea why they aren't where you want them to be?" And no, he never told me either. I went to the RBC a few months later in Feb. 2007 and got it figured out there. Consistency in cheek weld makes all the difference in the world.
What was getting me was the transition from one target to another as we moved through the stages and had to change POA in the last three stages. The cross hairs where on the target, but the groups weren't always there. One target would be good, the next it might be low right, high right, etc. Nice group, just not on the target.
That scope is on a low mount on that M1A, but still up there higher than on a bolt action rifle. It took a stock pad to give me a consistent place to poke me between the canine tooth and the molar behind it so my eye was in the same place behind the scope every shot. I even shot rifleman scores while sitting on the last two stages (which you know are both prone stages if you've been to an Appleseed, or RBC). You've got to have everything straight to shoot good scores sitting on stages 3 and 4. That pad made the difference for me (along with effort from the instructors and me finally catching on.)
That would be proper eye relief. Your pupil is 3-7mm in diameter depending on ambient light. Your scope needs to put out an exit view of that size or larger at the spot your eye is in relation to the scope (think cone shape). If the diameter of the scope image is smaller than your pupil, you get the wobbly black circle. To see what the scope can produce, divide objective lens diameter in mm by magnification. IE, a 6.5-20x50 scope will have 50/6.5mm exit image (just over 7.5mm) or as small as 2.5mm.
Head pressure affects the way the gun recoils while the bullet is still moving down the barrel. Varying head pressure due to an inconsistent cheek weld will cause the point of impact to move around seemingly inexplicably. Shooting with a bipod, I find head pressure to be most noticeable on elevation.
It's all especially apparent shooting .22's because the bullets are moving so slowly. They are in the barrel roughly 3X as long as with a centerfire cartridge, so errors in your technique are magnified.
It's all especially apparent shooting .22's because the bullets are moving so slowly. They are in the barrel roughly 3X as long as with a centerfire cartridge, so errors in your technique are magnified.
All of the above and add finer pressure, part of the trigger with the most pressure on it (must be absolutely consistent), breathing.
