Rifle Scopes Scope eye relief question

[Meat Hunter]

I have mounted dozens of scopes in my lifetime and have pretty much done it the same way everytime. Mount the rings loosely, set the scope in and close my eyes. Shoulder the rifle and open my eyes. Move the scope until when I open my eyes I am looking through the scope.

Now with that said I have seen pics of a lot of AR rifles that had the scope mounted quite a ways forward. Most had the eyepiece a little forward of the charging handle. When I mounted the NF to my LR308 the eyepiece was behind the charging handle when I got correct eye relief. Enough so that I had to get a tac latch to be able to charge the rifle in any kind of efficient manor. The rifles I have seen with the scope mounted forward all had one piece mounts like the LaRue or the NF Unimount.

My question is how can you guys see through these forward mounted scopes? I mean it looks to me like you would have to have a scope with 6 or 7 inches of eye relief to be able to see through it properly. I know the scopes I have seen do not have long eye relief so obviously I am missing something. Please enlighten me so I can get it right when I mount my new scope to my MWS. I was told by a sponsor vendor when I ordered my scope that I needed a Unimount instead of rings to mount the scope. He was a great guy but not articulate enough to get the "why" through my thick skull.

 

[gtriever]

Re: Scope eye relief question

A lot of guys (me included) shoot ARs with a nose to charging handle cheek weld. In this case, the scope forward of the CH does give proper eye relief. In short, mount the scope whichever way you feel most comfortable.

 

[cjgemm]

Re: Scope eye relief question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GTriever</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A lot of guys (me included) shoot ARs with a nose to charging handle cheek weld. In this case, the scope forward of the CH does give proper eye relief. In short, mount the scope whichever way you feel most comfortable. </div></div>

+1

 

[Meat Hunter]

Re: Scope eye relief question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GTriever</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A lot of guys (me included) shoot ARs with a nose to charging handle cheek weld. In this case, the scope forward of the CH does give proper eye relief. In short, mount the scope whichever way you feel most comfortable. </div></div>

How can this nose to charging handle weld be accomplished with say an A2 stock? I pull my rifle tight to my shoulder and still need to have the scope behind the charging handle to get scope view right. Are you guys using collapsible stocks closed all the way up?

 

[cjgemm]

Re: Scope eye relief question

(6) Cheek-to-Stock Weld. The stock weld should provide a natural line of sight through the center of the rear sight aperture to the front sight post and on to the target. The firer's neck should be relaxed, allowing his cheek to fall naturally onto the stock. Through dry-fire training, the soldier practices this position until he assumes the same cheek-to-stock weld each time he assumes a given position, which provides consistency in aiming. Proper eye relief is obtained when a soldier establishes a good cheek-to-stock weld. A small change in eye relief normally occurs each time that the firer assumes a different firing position. The soldier should begin by trying to touch the charging handle with his nose when assuming a firing position. This will aid the soldier in maintaining the same cheek-to-stock weld hold each time the weapon is aimed. The soldier should be mindful of how the nose touches the charging handle and should be consistent when doing so. This should be critiqued and reinforced during dry-fire training.

FM3-22.9 Chapter 4

Its all about consistency. The "eyebox" on Iron sights isn't forgiving at all.

Now that doesn't mean you have to shoot a scoped AR the same way, but I do.

 

[OpticsPlanet]

Re: Scope eye relief question

Most of the shooters that have their scopes mounted that far forward might be former military. In Army basic training and infantry school they taught us the above mentioned method for maintaining a good/consistent sight picture. As we all know, this is essential when shooting with iron sight. By the time we put an M68 on our A4s, the nose to the charging handle was instinct. IT was automatic for me whenever i raised my weapon to fire. I don't want to erase that mussel memory by shifting my optics around, so i keep my optics forward as well.

Chase B.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: Scope eye relief question

Or they just have jacked up necks like me. My neck has no bend, so I have no clue how folks can have their heads back by their shoulders.


I'm actually worried about the Surgeon 591 I'm putting together because I realized after I got it that all my scope bases are extended forward of the receiver. I hope I don't have to turn around and trade off the rifle-I just got everything else exactly how I want it!

 

[cyrekzz]

Re: Scope eye relief question

For me i guess it depends how you mount your cheek. I have to have my leupold mark 4 mounted forward of the charging handle to get the proper eye relief at 4.5. Then when zoomed, i have to move my head a little bit forward. I suppose it may also depend on length of arm/reach, neck etc... When i had my falcon on it, it was about even or even a little in back of the charging handle.

 

[prplhaz72]

Re: Scope eye relief question

Also it depends upon your firing position. If you lean into the rifle at the waist so your balance is slightly forward it is much easier to get the nose to charging handle.

Another is how you mount the stock to your shoulder. Some mount the rifle low and out on the shoulder so you have to bend and tip your neck and head into the rifle stock. Others mount the bottom tip of the stock high on the shoulder in tight in the little pocket under the collar bone. (most of the stock actually has no contact with the shoulder) This way requires no movement of the head and puts the sightline righ inline with your eye. It will actually put the whole rifle a little father back towards your eye. So it is easier to get close to the scope.

I took a few rifle classes and I was taught the second method. It was a little awkward at first, but now that is how I shoot all my long guns. I had to come home and move all my scopes way forward on all my long guns to fit this new technique. Personally I think it works a lot better. It is faster as the only movement is the rifle coming up to the shoulder/eye. No need to bend your neck at all to get into the sights. It is easier to get the same exact position each time because of that single movement. Which also ends up adding speed.

 

[prplhaz72]

Re: Scope eye relief question

This guy is in the high and tight position.

This guy is shooting from a lower postion. You can see how much neck he has to bend.

 

[Meat Hunter]

Re: Scope eye relief question

I reckon you guys are a helluva lot tougher than me. I wouldn't dream of touching my nose to the charging handle of my .308
Recoil is not that bad but more than my nose could take.

 

[hk dave]

Re: Scope eye relief question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Meat Hunter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I reckon you guys are a helluva lot tougher than me. I wouldn't dream of touching my nose to the charging handle of my .308
Recoil is not that bad but more than my nose could take.</div></div>

+1

 

[Amric]

Re: Scope eye relief question

I have found the main difference is how square you are to the target. The shorter of a stock you will want, and you will need to move the scope forward. It is easier to shoot on the move when squared to the target.