trouble with focus and feild of view

[Bernard Anderson 2]

Hi chaps, I've been shooting for a few years now and have managed to overcome most problems i've encountered with careful thought and common sense but this one has stumped me good and proper!

It regards my newest rifle, a Daystate Airwolf .177 fitted with an MTC Viper 4-16x50IRS. With my other main hunting rifles (BSA Ultra and AA s510) once i've set them up, other than the odd zero check, i've never had to touch the scopes i just shoulder them and they are focused and in the correct postion for my eye, however the Daystate combo is a nightmare! every time i look through the lens i have to fiddle about with the focus nob to get a clear view, which means taking my leading hand of this very heavy rifle and basically waving the thing all over the place! and scaring off any self-respecting prey that may have been in range!

The other thing is that my cheek position is constantly moving too, every shot seems to need a different position, i know this as i've tried using markers on the stock to keep my position consistent.

At the momment i'm just using this rifle from a bipod on static shoots (at which it is outstanding!!) but i'd like it to be more versatile as the extra range it allows would be a huge advantage on some of my walk-about perms.

 

The scope is fitted with one of those sun-cover things but it seems to make no difference to my problem wether its on or off. I also bought one of those eye-peice extensions which i havn't tried yet, but i can't see it helping the focus issue.

 

Am i just being thick or is something wrong??

[Daz 7 563]

With Alot of scopes that have parallax objective lens for every different Distance You aim at, You will have to adjust

the Parallax side wheel if fitted like the MTC range on the left hand side or some scopes have them fitted around the front bell

of the scope to bring what you are aiming at into sharp focus. Have to do this on My MTC Viper also the Falcon Menace, just the way their

designed bud.

Some stocks are also not a good fit for the way some people shoot that's why some have adjustable buttpads and adjustable combs on the stock,

So you can get a perfect length, Height to centre of scope.

Hope this helps bud.

 

atvb Daz 7.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Daz 7

[Bernard Anderson 2]

Cheers Daz, that makes sense. there is a focus nob on the left and thats where the problem lies.. adjusting with prey in my site is nigh on impossible. Are those types of scope more suited to target shooting as appose to hunting?

 

i figured the stock wasn't suited to me, thankyou for confirming.

 

I think this babys going to have to stays as a static tool...... oh well i'll just have to buy a huntsman!

[robwelsh 354]

The huntsman is a great walk about/static anything u chuck at it rifle lol, I tend to leave my ao alone now , I zero at 35yrds, get a clear pic an leave it. It's still pretty clear at all distances

[Bernard Anderson 2]

Rob, every other scope i own was set once and and pretty much left alone, as you say there clear at almost all ranges.... its just this bloody 'fancy' one!!! pain in the ass! I've read alot about the hawke panaroma, does it like the huntsman? don't suppose you have a picture? as thats my next combo i think.

[pianoman 3,587]

Hi Bernard.

 

It could be you might have a problem with a poor fit of your rifle and this particular scope to your natural posture.

 

We all have to get along with rifles made off-the-peg that are built to rigid specifications and dimensions. But we are not! Yet, you must have your scope set and mounted so it comes straight onto aim with correct eye relief as you bring the rifle to your shoulder; without having to jerk and fidgit your head about the butt-stock to find it.

 

A 4-16x50 scope by any standard, should not have a problem fitting correctly and thus, operating correctly for your rifle, as it all fits to you.

 

Try taking the scope off the rifle Bernard and simply spend a few hours, spread over in a day, or however longer you want, lifting the unscoped rifle into aim on your shoulder, in the ideal position you shoot most at; Kneeling, Prone, Sitting or, whatever. Your cheek will begin to find a natural resting place on the buttstock cheekpiece and your head into a natural aiming posture as you sight your eye down the action. This is where your most comfortable shooting position will always fall to as you mount the rifle to aim it. And it is crucially important to your shooting accuracy that you keep everything coming together right there.

 

When you are certain that you have a positive feel for where the rifle fits to you as comfortably as can be naturally found. your next operation is to mount the scope with as good a fit of eye-relief as your mounts and scoperail will adjust and fix to. Without any need whatsover for you to move your head about.

 

With the scope properly focused at your prefered zero range, you should now have your combo set up so everything comes nicely to your shoulder, straight into immediate aim and onto a clearly defined and sharp sight-picture. And not a jot of head movement to find it.

 

I'm not strongly familliar with shooting the rifle and scope types you have but, there are times when a certain rifle and a certain scope will just not combine properly. Perhaps because to set, exactly, to your eye properly, the scope might need a longer eye-relief position than can be accomodated from the length of scoperail on the rifle.

 

Any further focusing problem and I'd start looking at the scope itself as defective.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards.

 

Simon

Edited August 16, 2012 by pianoman

[Bernard Anderson 2]

Thanks for that Simon, great advice. i have tried all of the above but it just doesn't help. on this particular set-up i can't find that sweet spot as kneeling, prone or standing all seem to need a different stance/grip.... i think i just have to admit this is not a good gun for me and concentrate on using it on a bi-pod at which it is perfect.

 

Re focus: i thought it would be as easy as setting it to my zeroed range, but its not, anything even a yard in front or behind my 40yrd set point is completly blurred! which is when i have to start adjusting. utter nightmare!

 

as i say i agree with all you've said there, i just wish it was that simple ha ha

 

thanks again.

[pianoman 3,587]

Sorry this didn't work Bernard. I think with some kit, it just doesn't gel so well with some lads, as it does for others. Might be a similar case for you. Sorry to hear it.

 

Regards.

 

Simon

[barrywhite 282]

mybe different height mounts might help

[john e. smoke 2]

Regarding the focus, have you tried reducing the magnification?

For hunting I have my scopes set on x6 and x8 and the parallax set at 25-30 yds

Clear as a bell from 15yds

[pianoman 3,587]

Regarding the focus, have you tried reducing the magnification?

For hunting I have my scopes set on x6 and x8 and the parallax set at 25-30 yds

Clear as a bell from 15yds

That's a great idea Bernard, to try John's suggestion here.

 

8 xmag at a 30-metre zero works beautifully well for me with my HW77 and Simmons Whitetail Classic 4.5-14x40. And it makes holdover/holdunder calculations easy to effect.

 

Sometimes, with all these high-mag scopes we all go for, I think there's still a lot of sense in using a simple, straightforward 3-9x40 AO for hunting.

 

Simon

[robwelsh 354]

My panaroma/huntsman combo is spot on in .177, I love it. For the money I don't think you'll find a better scope

[Bernard Anderson 2]

john, simon. that could well be the issue! its set to full mag (as you do) and to be fair i don't really need to count a rabbits eyelashes before i pop it.

I'm certain this will resolve the issue now i think about it! I knew we'd suss it with all the experience there is on here ... I'll try it tonight and report back. i can live with shuffeling my cheek on the stock if i don't need to mess around taking it off again to focus. thanks chaps!! :thumbs:

 

rob, i'm looking to pick it up at weekend. can't wait! thanks for the feedback pal.

[robwelsh 354]

You won't be disappointed lol I usually use my scope on 6x mag or 9x mag, I don't really like big mag scopes. Good luck.

[Daz 7 563]

i tend to shoot on 6x- 9x but on long range shooting up to 14x Mag, But the higher the Mag more wobbles tend to creep in so mid range seems

to work best for Me.

 

atvb Daz 7.