Last night I mounted my new Falcon on my recently purchased GAP Cursader, 15 in/lbs, 55in/lbs, level etc. The scope mounting went great. My question is diopter and exit pupil. It was rather late and getting dark, but I wasn't getting a clear reticle. I've read other diopter forums and believe I can fix that issue. 2nd issue - Exit pupil: eye relief was good, but shadowing on the edges seemed to creep in with very minimal head movement. Is this normal? Is there and adjustment to remedy this? Again, it was getting dark by the time I got the scope mounted. After work today I plan to get the diopter adjusted and go over it with a fine tooth comb. Thanks in advance for any advice. Can't wait to go shoot.
Rifle Scopes Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
- Thread starter Lowe Left
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Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
Turn your power down. Try again in normal daylight/evening, not dark. Good scope, GREAT rifle. Eye relief sensitivity is a common occurrence and is more pronounced in some scopes over others. Your exit pupil diameter goes down as your power increases. You normally get the largest with the lowest power and smallest with highest power. Best thing to adjust for it is lots of practice running the power ring while you are on the rifle to find the ideal spot for cheek weld. For adjusting the diopter I normally set to lowest power, pick object to look at through scope, adjust objective focus for that distance. Set up on rifle, close eyes. Open shooting eye adjust rear focus till picture is clear. Close and open eye again to see if it stays the same. I do this because eyes can adjust through crappy focus. It'll work for short durations but your eye will fatigue earlier than it should. I may be doing it all wrong, but that's what works for me.
Turn your power down. Try again in normal daylight/evening, not dark. Good scope, GREAT rifle. Eye relief sensitivity is a common occurrence and is more pronounced in some scopes over others. Your exit pupil diameter goes down as your power increases. You normally get the largest with the lowest power and smallest with highest power. Best thing to adjust for it is lots of practice running the power ring while you are on the rifle to find the ideal spot for cheek weld. For adjusting the diopter I normally set to lowest power, pick object to look at through scope, adjust objective focus for that distance. Set up on rifle, close eyes. Open shooting eye adjust rear focus till picture is clear. Close and open eye again to see if it stays the same. I do this because eyes can adjust through crappy focus. It'll work for short durations but your eye will fatigue earlier than it should. I may be doing it all wrong, but that's what works for me.
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
It's my only complaint with mine. It took some time of moving it back and forth and adjusting power setting to find a good spot. I am courious what others have done myself. Or if there is a problem with mine too.
It's my only complaint with mine. It took some time of moving it back and forth and adjusting power setting to find a good spot. I am courious what others have done myself. Or if there is a problem with mine too.
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
I think you will be happy with that optic.
I run one on my .22lr trainer for almost a year and have been pleased.
(My personal opinion is that is the only real choice for a variable power FFP "Tactical" optic under $500.)
As for adjusting the focus on the eyepiece:
Turn the parallax adjustment to infinity
Aim up at the sky and find an area without any clouds
Adjust the focus ring until the reticle is clear and sharp
Now lock it down and forget about it.
That was some simple guidance someone gave me a few years ago and has proved to me priceless.
I think you will be happy with that optic.
I run one on my .22lr trainer for almost a year and have been pleased.
(My personal opinion is that is the only real choice for a variable power FFP "Tactical" optic under $500.)
As for adjusting the focus on the eyepiece:
Turn the parallax adjustment to infinity
Aim up at the sky and find an area without any clouds
Adjust the focus ring until the reticle is clear and sharp
Now lock it down and forget about it.
That was some simple guidance someone gave me a few years ago and has proved to me priceless.
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SofaKing</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Last night I mounted my new Falcon on my recently purchased GAP Cursader, 15 in/lbs, 55in/lbs, level etc. The scope mounting went great. My question is diopter and exit pupil. It was rather late and getting dark, but I wasn't getting a clear reticle. I've read other diopter forums and believe I can fix that issue. 2nd issue - Exit pupil: eye relief was good, but shadowing on the edges seemed to creep in with very minimal head movement. Is this normal? Is there and adjustment to remedy this? Again, it was getting dark by the time I got the scope mounted. After work today I plan to get the diopter adjusted and go over it with a fine tooth comb. Thanks in advance for any advice. Can't wait to go shoot. </div></div>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Scope positioning and optimum Eye relief:</span>
In order to position your scope for optimum eye relief you need to have your head position and cheek weld be consistent and comfortable. Optimally, you should be able to shoulder your rifle and have your eye aligned with the reticle and have a "full scope". The first step here is to ensure that your rifle's LOP (Length-of-Pull) is right for your arm length. A rough rule-of-thumb is to measure from the crook of your elbow to the "pad" of your index finger while your elbow is bent and your index finger is bent as if you are pulling the trigger.
Once the LOP is set you are ready to go about positioning the the scope on the rifle. Please note that depending upon your scope's dimensions and location of saddle/block controls you may have to remove and reposition the rings on the rail a couple of times in order to get the right range of forward-aft travel required for proper positioning.
Although some scopes are more forgiving than others, magnification has an effect on eye relief on all scopes (the higher the magnification the less eye relief you will have), so it is generally best to set the scope for best eye relief while the scope is in the middle of the magnification range, unless you favor the low or high range a lot.
<span style="font-weight: bold">To determine optimum scope positioning:</span>
(1) Close your eyes and shoulder your rifle. Do this several times - your head should be comfortable on the cheekpiece, returning to the same spot everytime you shoulder the rifle (of course, your head position will shift a bit between prone, bench, and offhand shooting). Place a piece of tape on the cheekpiece to mark your cheek position.
(2) Turn the magnification ring to somewhere in the middle range of of the scope's power - don't worry about adjusting the objective or diopter adjustments right now. Place the scope on a table or other stationary object, then look through the scope, keeping a "full scope" picture. Use your thumb and middle finger to span the distance between the eyepiece and your eye. Note this distance.
(3) Using the tape on the cheekpiece and the eyepiece-to-eye dimension as a reference, mount the rings and the scope on the rifle, tightening the ringtops just enough to keep the scope from sliding back and forth too easy.
(4) Close your eyes and shoulder your rifle. Open your eye, and without changing your cheekweld slide the scope forward or aft until you get a "full scope" picture. Now take your head off the cheekpiece and then re-shoulder the rifle. Do you have a full scope? If not, adjust the scope position until you can pick up the rifle, shoulder it, and have a full scope picture.
Torque the ring clamps to the manufacturer's specs, level the reticle, then torque the ring caps to manufacturer specs and you are ready to adjust the diopter.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Eyepiece (Diopter) adjustment:</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">NOTE: This is the correct procedure for Diopter (Eyepiece/Ocular) adjustment for both fixed and variable power scopes. The procedure is the same regardless of scope manufacturer, or whether the objective/parallax focus is on the objective ring or is a side focus type.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">NOTE:</span> If the scope is a fixed power unit skip steps 1 and 2 as they do not apply.
(1) Turn the magnification ring to maximum (highest power).
(2) Turn the Parallax focus to "Infinity" (the symbol for Infinity looks like a figure eight). <span style="font-weight: bold">NOTE:</span> Most non-side focus scopes use a ring on the objective bell to adjust parallax, and the distances are usually numbered. Side focus parallax adjustment knobs may or may not have distances marked.
(3) Turn the ocular bell/eyepiece all the way in.
(4) Aim the scope at a cloudless section of the sky (you don't want anything except sky in the view, or else your eye will naturally attempt to focus on the object in the view beyond the reticle.
(5) Look at something nearby, but not too close, then look through the scope at the reticle. If the reticle is out-of-focus turn it a bit to begin to focusing the reticle, but look away from the scope. Never look at the reticle for more than a couple of seconds when adjusting the eyepiece (if you look at the reticle for more than a second or two your eye will naturally begin to adjust to bring the reticle into focus - and you don't want this to happen. <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">You want to be able to look through the scope and see a sharply focused reticle immediately with your eye relaxed</span></span>). This cannot be achieved by continuously looking through the scope and turning the eyepiece into focus in one continous motion because your eye will have already begun to adjust.
Remember, look away every few seconds and make small adjustments to dial-in the Ocular/Eyepiece focus. Once you have achieved this, you should not adjust the eyepiece at all, except to maintain proper focus as your vision changes over time <span style="font-style: italic">(it always does).</span> You may want to put a pen mark on the eyepiece indexed to the index dot on the scope tube - if the tube doesn't have an index mark use a pencil. That way, if someone else shoots your rifle and adjusts the Ocular you know where to return the adjustment to.
Keith
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SofaKing</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Last night I mounted my new Falcon on my recently purchased GAP Cursader, 15 in/lbs, 55in/lbs, level etc. The scope mounting went great. My question is diopter and exit pupil. It was rather late and getting dark, but I wasn't getting a clear reticle. I've read other diopter forums and believe I can fix that issue. 2nd issue - Exit pupil: eye relief was good, but shadowing on the edges seemed to creep in with very minimal head movement. Is this normal? Is there and adjustment to remedy this? Again, it was getting dark by the time I got the scope mounted. After work today I plan to get the diopter adjusted and go over it with a fine tooth comb. Thanks in advance for any advice. Can't wait to go shoot. </div></div>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Scope positioning and optimum Eye relief:</span>
In order to position your scope for optimum eye relief you need to have your head position and cheek weld be consistent and comfortable. Optimally, you should be able to shoulder your rifle and have your eye aligned with the reticle and have a "full scope". The first step here is to ensure that your rifle's LOP (Length-of-Pull) is right for your arm length. A rough rule-of-thumb is to measure from the crook of your elbow to the "pad" of your index finger while your elbow is bent and your index finger is bent as if you are pulling the trigger.
Once the LOP is set you are ready to go about positioning the the scope on the rifle. Please note that depending upon your scope's dimensions and location of saddle/block controls you may have to remove and reposition the rings on the rail a couple of times in order to get the right range of forward-aft travel required for proper positioning.
Although some scopes are more forgiving than others, magnification has an effect on eye relief on all scopes (the higher the magnification the less eye relief you will have), so it is generally best to set the scope for best eye relief while the scope is in the middle of the magnification range, unless you favor the low or high range a lot.
<span style="font-weight: bold">To determine optimum scope positioning:</span>
(1) Close your eyes and shoulder your rifle. Do this several times - your head should be comfortable on the cheekpiece, returning to the same spot everytime you shoulder the rifle (of course, your head position will shift a bit between prone, bench, and offhand shooting). Place a piece of tape on the cheekpiece to mark your cheek position.
(2) Turn the magnification ring to somewhere in the middle range of of the scope's power - don't worry about adjusting the objective or diopter adjustments right now. Place the scope on a table or other stationary object, then look through the scope, keeping a "full scope" picture. Use your thumb and middle finger to span the distance between the eyepiece and your eye. Note this distance.
(3) Using the tape on the cheekpiece and the eyepiece-to-eye dimension as a reference, mount the rings and the scope on the rifle, tightening the ringtops just enough to keep the scope from sliding back and forth too easy.
(4) Close your eyes and shoulder your rifle. Open your eye, and without changing your cheekweld slide the scope forward or aft until you get a "full scope" picture. Now take your head off the cheekpiece and then re-shoulder the rifle. Do you have a full scope? If not, adjust the scope position until you can pick up the rifle, shoulder it, and have a full scope picture.
Torque the ring clamps to the manufacturer's specs, level the reticle, then torque the ring caps to manufacturer specs and you are ready to adjust the diopter.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Eyepiece (Diopter) adjustment:</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">NOTE: This is the correct procedure for Diopter (Eyepiece/Ocular) adjustment for both fixed and variable power scopes. The procedure is the same regardless of scope manufacturer, or whether the objective/parallax focus is on the objective ring or is a side focus type.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">NOTE:</span> If the scope is a fixed power unit skip steps 1 and 2 as they do not apply.
(1) Turn the magnification ring to maximum (highest power).
(2) Turn the Parallax focus to "Infinity" (the symbol for Infinity looks like a figure eight). <span style="font-weight: bold">NOTE:</span> Most non-side focus scopes use a ring on the objective bell to adjust parallax, and the distances are usually numbered. Side focus parallax adjustment knobs may or may not have distances marked.
(3) Turn the ocular bell/eyepiece all the way in.
(4) Aim the scope at a cloudless section of the sky (you don't want anything except sky in the view, or else your eye will naturally attempt to focus on the object in the view beyond the reticle.
(5) Look at something nearby, but not too close, then look through the scope at the reticle. If the reticle is out-of-focus turn it a bit to begin to focusing the reticle, but look away from the scope. Never look at the reticle for more than a couple of seconds when adjusting the eyepiece (if you look at the reticle for more than a second or two your eye will naturally begin to adjust to bring the reticle into focus - and you don't want this to happen. <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">You want to be able to look through the scope and see a sharply focused reticle immediately with your eye relaxed</span></span>). This cannot be achieved by continuously looking through the scope and turning the eyepiece into focus in one continous motion because your eye will have already begun to adjust.
Remember, look away every few seconds and make small adjustments to dial-in the Ocular/Eyepiece focus. Once you have achieved this, you should not adjust the eyepiece at all, except to maintain proper focus as your vision changes over time <span style="font-style: italic">(it always does).</span> You may want to put a pen mark on the eyepiece indexed to the index dot on the scope tube - if the tube doesn't have an index mark use a pencil. That way, if someone else shoots your rifle and adjusts the Ocular you know where to return the adjustment to.
Keith
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
My scope is now crisp and clear thanks to all the advice. Scope is still not very forgiving, if you tilt/cant/move your head at all, shadowing begins immediately. I'm pleased with the scopes clarity and since I won't be making snap-shots nor doing any room clearing with this stick - I'm GTG. Zeroing and shooting tomorrow I'll report back what my GAP Crusader covered in Falcon Menace can produce.
-=SofaKing=-
My scope is now crisp and clear thanks to all the advice. Scope is still not very forgiving, if you tilt/cant/move your head at all, shadowing begins immediately. I'm pleased with the scopes clarity and since I won't be making snap-shots nor doing any room clearing with this stick - I'm GTG. Zeroing and shooting tomorrow I'll report back what my GAP Crusader covered in Falcon Menace can produce.
-=SofaKing=-
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
hey wee todd id,
That Crusader should do great!
Once you get it dialed in you need to come out and play at our local matches!
hey wee todd id,
That Crusader should do great!
Once you get it dialed in you need to come out and play at our local matches!
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
sobrbiker883,
I'm new at this precision shooting gig and I have much to learn. I'd hate to embarrass myself, but once I get a dope card made up and get some consistency, I would like to do that. You're in Gilbert huh?
The scope:
I was able to zero the GAP @100 yds with 4 rounds using the mil reticle on the Falcon. it held zero at 4 and 14 power. Eyeballing the best 5 shot group I shot at Rio Salado Range, using American Ballistics 175 factory ammo, was somewhere in the .6 inch range. The range was busy and I had an AK on one side and an AR on the other bench. There were AR platforms all over the range, the blast noise sounded like we were retaking Omaha Beach. I was not prone during my zeroing and shooting, and I wasn't completely comfortable with my set up, I know I am making excuses, but my first go with this rifle shooting .6 at 100 and 10 for 10 on the 10 inch plate at 300 gave me hope that I can get better in a more stable environment.
IMHO the Falcon 4-14x44 FFP is clear and holds zero at all power settings. In respect to tracking, I was able to zero it in 4 rounds reading the reticle and making adjustments on those readings albeit at 100 yards. My complaints are the eye relief issue as discussed above. The power ring was tight, and began to loosen as I used it (thats good), but it began to develop a tight-sticking spot in the adjustment around 7 or 8 power. I'm hoping it works itself out with use. The scope caps are GARBAGE. for $396 + shipping this scope is worth the $$.
SofaKing
sobrbiker883,
I'm new at this precision shooting gig and I have much to learn. I'd hate to embarrass myself, but once I get a dope card made up and get some consistency, I would like to do that. You're in Gilbert huh?
The scope:
I was able to zero the GAP @100 yds with 4 rounds using the mil reticle on the Falcon. it held zero at 4 and 14 power. Eyeballing the best 5 shot group I shot at Rio Salado Range, using American Ballistics 175 factory ammo, was somewhere in the .6 inch range. The range was busy and I had an AK on one side and an AR on the other bench. There were AR platforms all over the range, the blast noise sounded like we were retaking Omaha Beach. I was not prone during my zeroing and shooting, and I wasn't completely comfortable with my set up, I know I am making excuses, but my first go with this rifle shooting .6 at 100 and 10 for 10 on the 10 inch plate at 300 gave me hope that I can get better in a more stable environment.
IMHO the Falcon 4-14x44 FFP is clear and holds zero at all power settings. In respect to tracking, I was able to zero it in 4 rounds reading the reticle and making adjustments on those readings albeit at 100 yards. My complaints are the eye relief issue as discussed above. The power ring was tight, and began to loosen as I used it (thats good), but it began to develop a tight-sticking spot in the adjustment around 7 or 8 power. I'm hoping it works itself out with use. The scope caps are GARBAGE. for $396 + shipping this scope is worth the $$.
SofaKing
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SofaKing</div><div class="ubbcode-body">sobrbiker883,
I'm new at this precision shooting gig and I have much to learn. I'd hate to embarrass myself, but once I get a dope card made up and get some consistency, I would like to do that. You're in Gilbert huh?
</div></div>
Best way to learn is to show up! We all enjoy having new shooters. If you have a 100yd zero there's enough that shoot close enough to your round that we can give you dope to get close! Scottmilk9 (Scott of Specialized Dynamics in Tempe) is a match director and usually posts the upcoming matches in the "Competitions" forum, may want to keep an eye out for them.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SofaKing</div><div class="ubbcode-body">sobrbiker883,
I'm new at this precision shooting gig and I have much to learn. I'd hate to embarrass myself, but once I get a dope card made up and get some consistency, I would like to do that. You're in Gilbert huh?
</div></div>
Best way to learn is to show up! We all enjoy having new shooters. If you have a 100yd zero there's enough that shoot close enough to your round that we can give you dope to get close! Scottmilk9 (Scott of Specialized Dynamics in Tempe) is a match director and usually posts the upcoming matches in the "Competitions" forum, may want to keep an eye out for them.
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
Phoenix Rod and Gun Club, 7th Ave at the base of south mountain (next to the polica academy).
Shots can be anything from 11 yards to 650.
Phoenix Rod and Gun Club, 7th Ave at the base of south mountain (next to the polica academy).
Shots can be anything from 11 yards to 650.
Re: Falcon 4-14x44 Just Mounted it (Newbie)
$10 and access to the public range (100yds) only for non-members. Precision Rifle and SPR matches are open to anyone and are held on the highpower range (match fee is usually abotu $2 more for non-members).
http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/
$10 and access to the public range (100yds) only for non-members. Precision Rifle and SPR matches are open to anyone and are held on the highpower range (match fee is usually abotu $2 more for non-members).
http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/
