Scope distance to eye

[fasteddie]

What is the correct / ideal / whatever distance from the scope on a rifle to your eye ? 3" ? 4" ?

Better yet , what is the safest effective distance ?

[nyslowhand]

Won't even pretent I understand the human eye or the optics within a rifle scope!!!!

What you are refering to is called eye relief. Scopes advertise a certain eye relief.

This is not a constant for all manufactures, scopes or shooters.

A rifle & scope setup for you may not work for me depending on how we shoulder the rifle.

Check this out, a decent explaination of what you are asking.

http://www.gunsandammo.com/content/the-essentials-of-eye-relief

[Doc]

For me, more is better. I have known a few people who wound up with a little half-moon cut over their eye with a little trickle of blood running down. I've even seen it with Jim Shockey.

I think eye relief requirements might be quite individual. What kind of recoil do you expect? certainly, with a .22, eye relief should be no consideration. But with my nasty old 12 guage, I put a nice long eye-relief leupold on that critter. There is also a consideration as to how your body reacts to recoil. I have a fairly loose reaction and my shoulder tends to ride a long way back when absorbing recoil. So I pay a lot of attention to eye-relief. That's why I say that it seems to me that each individual and each gun has its own requirements.

[Karpteach]

What Doc said. I had the half moon happen around seven years ago. Had trouble with my right eye for a while. Now I use a Burris with a very long eye relief.

[WNYBuckHunter]

The proper amount of eye relief depends on the scope. Look at the specs for the scope, it will tell you what the eye relief is for it.

[fasteddie]

Thanks for the replies . I havn't really measured the distance from eye to scope and I have had the scope on the rifle for a few years . I don't have a full field of view with the scope unless I lean way forward to see better which is not the proper way to shoot . I have to make some changes .

[WNYBuckHunter]

Yep, sounds like you dont have it sitting far back enough.

[fasteddie]

I found the material that came with the scope and it didn't mention the distance other than before mounting hold it approximately 3" from your eye . I move it back about 1/2" and that made a big difference . Now I have to make a trip to the range next week to check it out .

[WNYBuckHunter]

Sounds like it has @ a 3 inch eye relief. The Vortex I bought earlier this year gave me a range to have it mounted to. I cant remember what it is off hand. Glad to hear you got it set better.

[Doc]

Setting the eye relief on a scope-

The scope has the ability to move or adjust in a fore and aft position within the mounting rings. So how do you know where the right location should be ...... exactly.

With the gun empty, close your eyes and pull the gun to your shoulder with your face in your natural position relative to the stock, as if getting ready to shoot. Open your eyes and see if you have just the right full sight picture without adjusting your head position back and forth to accomodate the scope's position. If it's not right, slide the scope fore or aft and repeat the procedure until finally it comes up with exactly the proper sight picture. Tighten down the rings.

I just got done watching the whole thing explained on "Gun Nuts" on TV just a few minutes ago. Quite a coincidence .... eh?

Doc

[Gthphtm]

That is no fun you want to do it with a live round in the chamber,when you get a red ring on or above your eye lid you know it is set too close.  

[Doc]

That is no fun you want to do it with a live round in the chamber,when you get a red ring on or above your eye lid you know it is set too close.

Well ............. That's another way ..... lol.

[Gthphtm]

As WNYBH said you should buy a scope with the eye relief for the firearm you are going to use, as a pistol you would want a long eye relief and a 22 rifle you might want a shorter eye relief as 2 - 1/2" to 3". 

[Doc]

Take a steel 6" scale and stick one end of it in your eye and have someone read the distance to the lens of the scope. It's a bit painful, but it will tell you if you are the recommended distance from the scope.

[WNYBuckHunter]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[fasteddie]

I moved the scope back and then moved the front scope ring and moved it back farther . Took the rifle over to the range and zeroed it in ......http://www.downsouthhuntingforums.com/images/smiles/thumbup.gif[/img]

[jkzfixme]

Thats why I only use 50mm bells now .... I got spoiled by the eye relief.