Adjustable Objective Scope Calibration

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PCPBarry

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Feb 21, 2024
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Oakley, CA
Do you guys calibrate your AO Scope dials? I was shooting at 30 yards today with my Hawk Vantage Side Focus AO Scope set at 30 yards. I was using my Caldwell Lead Sled for target practice at my normal squirrel target range. The reason I ask this is that with my Airgun in the lead sled with the scope set at the proper yardage, I noticed that moving my eye around, the crosshairs moved on the target significantly. When I adjusted the AO dial to 50, my crosshairs moved only slightly. Do I need to consider moving or calibrating my AO dial?
Barry
 
I just did a scope comparison of 17 different scopes,I found many of the less expensive scopes are off on their yardage range,not to worry ,it is easy enough to adjust them for the range you are shooting.Do not forget to adjust your eyepiece as well .Actually it may be a good idea to calibrate you scope for true yardage.
 
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PCPBarry said:
Do you guys calibrate your AO Scope dials? I was shooting at 30 yards today with my Hawk Vantage Side Focus AO Scope set at 30 yards. I was using my Caldwell Lead Sled for target practice at my normal squirrel target range. The reason I ask this is that with my Airgun in the lead sled with the scope set at the proper yardage, I noticed that moving my eye around, the crosshairs moved on the target significantly. When I adjusted the AO dial to 50, my crosshairs moved only slightly. Do I need to consider moving or calibrating my AO dial?
Barry
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Almost all of my scopes are FFP with an adjustable parallax. I turn them and put them in focus at every yardage I shoot at. What is most important to to be consistent with your cheek weld and centered eye placement, so even if not perfectly adjusted you're still directly behind the scope and everything is aligned.
 
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PCPBarry said:
Do you guys calibrate your AO Scope dials? I was shooting at 30 yards today with my Hawk Vantage Side Focus AO Scope set at 30 yards. I was using my Caldwell Lead Sled for target practice at my normal squirrel target range. The reason I ask this is that with my Airgun in the lead sled with the scope set at the proper yardage, I noticed that moving my eye around, the crosshairs moved on the target significantly. When I adjusted the AO dial to 50, my crosshairs moved only slightly. Do I need to consider moving or calibrating my AO dial?
Barry
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It looks like the competitive shooters calibrate their parallax wheels or objectives. They put tape with hash marks and the measured distances where the wheel/objective is correct.
I don't do that, but I can't shoot well enough for it to make a difference anyway. My parallax error is less than spazallax. I just focus the reticle and objective and ignore the numbers. To measure distance I use a tape measure, calculate with mil-dots or guesstimate.
 
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Berserkeley Mike said:
It looks like the competitive shooters calibrate their parallax wheels or objectives. They put tape with hash marks and the measured distances where the wheel/objective is correct.
I don't do that, but I can't shoot well enough for it to make a difference anyway. My parallax error is less than spazallax. I just focus the reticle and objective and ignore the numbers. To measure distance I use a tape measure, calculate with mil-dots or guesstimate.
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IMG_7280.jpeg
 
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PCPBarry said:
Do you guys calibrate your AO Scope dials? I was shooting at 30 yards today with my Hawk Vantage Side Focus AO Scope set at 30 yards. I was using my Caldwell Lead Sled for target practice at my normal squirrel target range. The reason I ask this is that with my Airgun in the lead sled with the scope set at the proper yardage, I noticed that moving my eye around, the crosshairs moved on the target significantly. When I adjusted the AO dial to 50, my crosshairs moved only slightly. Do I need to consider moving or calibrating my AO dial?
Barry
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I will assume you have the eyepiece focused correctly ? you only have to do this one time .
 
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PCPBarry said:
Thank you all for your replies. Yes I have adjusted my eyepiece. So when calibrating, it doesn't seem like focus alone is accurate enough. Should I clamp the gun and put a tape measure at the distance and adjust for minimum cross hair movement at that distance?
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once you focus the eyepiece and you focus parallax for yardage (target), the cross hair and the POA should not move if you bob your head a little .
the yards markings on the scope usually are not exactly correct, even on $1500 $$ scopes . I have never played with a $4000.+ scope , but maybe in the near future i will .
Stan in KY .
 
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John spysir Blount said:
Oh yes. The dials/wheels are marked just in general, 20/20 vision ... even if it was perfect (haha) any ocular lens adjustment would change it.
Tape measure for distance and make your own wheel making. Lot's of people used to like "scope works" knobs/wheel printing program.

John
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On a similar note, if using a dedicated range finder for hunting or ranging targets then the wheel should be calibrated to the range finder. (Or know if the range finder is calibrated correctly to exact yardages). Otherwise if it is off by even a half a yard at say 48 yards or something, then it may be a clean miss of the bullseye.
 
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