Need internet expert help - parallaxed scope???

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Meanee00

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I need some help from any of the internet experts out there.

My friend and I are having an arguement about adjusting a scopes turrets, for example my bushnell elite 4200. When we are shooting and I adjsut the turrets for windage or elevation depending on wind and yardage, he claims that I risk F*ing up my scope. He says that over adjusting the windage or elevation turrets can mess up the reticle resulting in a "parallaxed scope". I say bullsh*t if that was the case there would be alot of unhappy long range shooters and snipers around the world. He claims that the reticle turrets are only to be used for a couple of clicks and any major adjustments should be done using shims or left right screws on the mounts. we've both got into the hot and heavy of parallax and adjustable parallax and blah blah blah. Any help guys?
 
I suppose anything mechanical that is subject to wear and tear will eventually crap out the more you use it. Maybe your buddy means it is better to shim it if you are shooting constantly at a known distance. I've read that scopes are perhaps more accurate when the wind/elevation is centered....who knows. I would just turn them to your hearts content.:)

Just one guys opinion...it's worth what you paid for it.:)
 
Of course over adjustment can cause internal damage to the scope (i.e. stretched spring, bent inner tube), which could result in parallax. That's why Bushnell even publishes a guide on how and when to shim: http://www.bushnell.com/customer_service/manuals/riflescopes/shim_guide_2.pdf One does not ideally want internals of the scope to be too far off center - its strongest and most stable point because of spring position.
 
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Makes sense-shim to a known range, adjust turrets a couple clicks to be right on, then use mil-dots for diff. ranges.
 
Quality scopes (that would include a Bushnell 4200), expecially those with target turrets, are meant to be adjusted many times in the field. If the initial mount of the scope causes the use of most of the elevation or windage adjustment then either a canted base or adjustable rings or base should be used to rectify this problem before the use of the windage or elevation knobs. This is so that when you are out in the field you have enough available ajustment left over to sight in your scope to your inital distance. A 4200 would be able to re adjust hundreds of times without any problems or undue wear to the scope mechanism.. Parallax is a function of the reticle and the image you are lookig at not being at the same position or plane in the scope causing the reticle to move agaist the image when you move your head side to side or up and down. That is why higher magnification scopes have adjustable parallax either via the objective lens (adjustable objective) or the third knob in the left side of the scope(side parallax). Phil.
 
P of PDent said:
Quality scopes (that would include a Bushnell 4200), expecially those with target turrets, are meant to be adjusted many times in the field. If the initial mount of the scope causes the use of most of the elevation or windage adjustment then either a canted base or adjustable rings or base should be used to rectify this problem before the use of the windage or elevation knobs. This is so that when you are out in the field you have enough available ajustment left over to sight in your scope to your inital distance. A 4200 would be able to re adjust hundreds of times without any problems or undue wear to the scope mechanism.. Parallax is a function of the reticle and the image you are lookig at not being at the same position or plane in the scope causing the reticle to move agaist the image when you move your head side to side or up and down. That is why higher magnification scopes have adjustable parallax either via the objective lens (adjustable objective) or the third knob in the left side of the scope(side parallax). Phil.
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What about scopes that don't have the big target turrets? Say a standard 3-9x40. I wouldn't be cranking the turrets frequently or very far. What do you think? Shim or crank away?
 
Meanee00 said:
you may need more hold over than the five or so mils you can get out of your reticle, thats where the turrets come into play.
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Agreed, but you're talking abut a high end target scope. I'm interested more in your average joe-blow scope, not something you'd have to mortgage your house for!:)
 
Adjust As Many Times As Required

At my gunsmiths a few months back, he's got a scope in hand, and is twisting the crap out of the turrets, first one way, then reverse. Same for the elevation.
I say, "Bill what you doin'?" He says, "new scope that client wants mounted, I'm breaking in the turrets and moving the reticules as far as they can go. You should always do this a half dozen times when you have a new scope. It breaks in the turrets, ensures you don't have a defective reticule, and once you set it up and bore sight it, then you're good to go with a scope that is good to go".

Go figure! He's been a smith for 40 years.

Anyway, I've been shooting for many years and have cranked scopes up, down and sideways, cheap scopes, expensive scopes, and never had a problem with the reticules. My 2 cents.
 
Phil makes a good point. If the scope is high quality and made to be cranked over far, and often, more than likely no problems will arise. A scope for < $200 would probably have inferior, weak springs and inner tubing, which will bend, stretch, etc. and cause image issues. Kind of comparable to driving a Ferrari engine at 9k RPM versus doing the same with a Kia - one is intended for the "abuse" and one is just for getting you to work (or shooting chipmunks, in the case of a scope). It all comes down to intended purpose and durability/cost. The moral of this: Lister probably buys cheap scopes.
 
I think one of the only problems that you'll run into with cranking the turrets is you run out of windage sooner if your scope is not aligned properly. I think this is more the case if the scope is cheap. Scopes like NF will have a huge range for windage. I've run out of windage on a few cheap scopes that wouldn't crank over any more.
 
If turning target turrets is going to screw up your scope, you should turn them immediately, break it and get something decent. They are designed to adjust, and if anything work better the more you turn em. What's next, don't turn your door-knob or you'll wear it out?:p
 
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