Preferably scope, but both if you would like to share.red dot or scope?
So you run your scope back? I think that's what I read. Back=fuller FOV and forward=more target focus?With a scope, it's all about the eye relief for me. I want the fullest, clearest field of view without having to move my head around to find it. Same with a red dot to some degree, but there seems to be more lee-way with the dot.
Depends on the scope, the rifle, the cheek weld I can get on the rifle. In general, that's true, but it varies depending on the combination of those factors. And then of course there's scout scopes (long eye relief), like these.So you run your scope back? I think that's what I read. Back=fuller FOV and forward=more target focus?
For a scope, prism sight, or magnifier for a red dot, there's not really "target oriented" vs "full field of view". There's what's called an "eye box". When your eye is in the box, the image/FOV fills the lens. If your eye is out of the box, you'll see a black border around the image.
Scout scopes are the same, they just have the eye-box much farther back so they can be mounted farther forward. More expensive scopes will have a larger eye box and/or a wider eyebox. Cheap scopes will have a narrow eyebox close to the scope (bad on hard-recoiling rifles).
First you find your natural cheek position on the rifle, then you position the scope so the eyebox matches where your eye is. Rule of thumb/starting point if the LOP of the gun matches you is to put the lens just above your main hand thumb or above the charging handle for ARs.
The only time there's a "target oriented" to positioning the scope is if you're punching paper competitively and want to make sure you're centered on the lens, you can back off from the eyebox and let the black ring narrow down to the center of the crosshair.
With a normal red dot (not prisms), there's no focal "eye box" to worry about. You can mount it as far or near as you like. The closer the dot is to you, the larger the dot will appear (hence why rifle dots are often 1-3moa and pistol dots are usually 3-8moa (I've heard of them as big as 16!). Farther away will block less of your field of view and be more precise (because the dot's smaller). I usually mount the dot on my ARs on the front edge of the receiver because the handguard can depart from true to the barrel.
I'll have to get a scope, so I understand the FOV, eye box, etc.What russc2542 said...
It's hard to find the right balance of info and brevity when you aren't sure of the audience.I'll have to get a scope, so I understand the FOV, eye box, etc.
It's hard to follow, without a an aid in hand. I learn best, by having whatever I'm learning at hand, and following along with instruction.
The hands on approach, if you will.
A picture's worth a thousand words, good find!pict showing proper eye relief through a magnified scope, from the following site how to mount a scope
View attachment 226291
How to Mount a Rifle Scope - Lucky Gunner Lounge
This is just about everything the average shooter could possibly want to know about mounting a scope including the "why" behind each step.www.luckygunner.com
Glass is a deep rabbit hole. I remember the day my Leupold showed up... I'd been shooting a $300 6-24 ACME scope through 2 matches in a row (oof) and had a headache from the eyestrain. Got home and oh look there's a box with my name on the porch. opened it up, looked through that $1300 3-15 and OMG I CAN SEE EVERYTHING! (Also, a 7mm mag shook the innards apart on the ACME in 3 shots. I'm pushing 100 in my .375H&H with the Leupold)All the advice above is excellent, the only thing I might add is to make sure and check out different scopes. My LGS has a stock just for shoulder different scopes.
This gives you an opportunity to see different eye reliefs. Generally a scope with great eye relief will cost more money, and IMO a scope with less eye relief is handicapping you.
I never dreamed I’d buy a $1200 scope. Until the guy said here, look through this. The eye relief was great, and the housing just disappeared like no other.
So be careful, but don’t shortchange yourself.