Rifle Scopes mirage question

[pj68]

Guys,
Ok i feel like an idiot for asking this but here goes. I had a buddy ask me this. For the life of me i can't remember.
How does one go about adjusting for mirage? Adjust the magnification? Adjust the paralax? Thanks for the help.

SOTA
p.s.: hope i don't get nailed to hard on this one.

 

[CanPopper]

Re: mirage question

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=47283&d=1148763554
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=47282&d=1148763545

As you see from these two pictures, the lines on the mirage image moves. The bull's eye even changes position.

Assuming no wind, I would watch the target for a while watching how my aimming points move and shooting the average of its various positions, assuming no wind. Wouldn't want to shoot a bull's eye that isn't there!

Or you can memorize the aimming points when the mirage is gone thanks to a drifting cloud cover (like on the second picture) and shoot from memory. Backing off on the magnification does make the image clearer but the mirage is still there.

 

[Grump]

Re: mirage question

An up-boiling mirage can displace the target image up by as much as 1 MOA. A lot will depend on temperature and distance and such.

There is no substitute for experience.

IME, lateral displacement of the target image is not nearly as important as the WIND direction(s) and speed(s) the mirage will reveal.

There is no substitute for experience.

Go out and shoot, but for Heaven's sake, TAKE NOTES.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: mirage question

If you are trying to focus on mirage, you adjust the parallax and keep the scope on relatively high magnification.

Once you get a read on the mirage, don't forget to adjust the parallax back to your target range.

I just use the spotting scope.