Rifle Scopes Seeing a Marble?

[califflash]

I have shot my friend's 300WM on a few occasions and noticed when looking through his Bushnell 6500 variable power that if I'm not perfectly lined up straight to the scope and the exact relief distance that I see what I describe as a clear glass marble. This is the only 'quality' variable power that I have used so please forgive my ignorance.

I do not see this affect at all on my 10x and it is really quite forgiving when it comes sighting the target. The marble effect is kind of dazzling and really frustrating for me.

Question is: Is this typical of all variable powers or just a certain level of quality?

I would like a variable power sometime in the not too distant future, after I improve my long range marksmanship. But if they are all like this I would probably stay with fixed powers.

 

[dbsinh2o]

Re: Seeing a Marble?

Are you referring to how the image gets dark around the edges from improper eye relief, or are you seeing pincushion distortion (like a fisheye lens)?

 

[vman]

Re: Seeing a Marble?

Was your friends Bushnell zoomed in on a high magnification?

Lower the magnification the more forgiving the sight picture. The higher the mag the harder it is to achieve a full sight picture.

On higher mags it is also easy to wander off from a complete sight picture with the slightest head movements.

The are differences in eye relief between different scopes, and even some high quality scopes can have shorter eye reliefs. It is all relative to the dimensions of the build and positioning of the lenses.

 

[notquiteright]

Re: Seeing a Marble?

The use of a high mag rifle scope is a bit more involved than a relatively low powered one.

The unforgiving eye relief at high power isnt all bad, makes you use a much more precise cheekweld. kind of an important out at distance.

You dont need more than 10X for long range, ahhhh depending on the target and what counts as a good hit. Minute of man I like 14X, but I also appreciate 3.5X at the low end for poor light bucks.

F-Class 1000 yards likes highend scopes that go to 30 something with the ability to dial down in heavy mirage.

Good luck

 

[califflash]

Re: Seeing a Marble?

I'm not referring to dark ring. Every scope I've looked through has that. I notice it the most if I'm not at the right relief distance but also notice it some if I'm a little off center. At this point I don't notice any dark ring. The whole aperture is full of like with a little color in the center and bright white edges. I say marble effect because if you took a tube, stuck a clear glass marble in it, held it to your eye and looked at a bright light you would be seeing what I do.

I understand the benefit of this showing improper cheek weld and I do spend a bit of time making sure I'm looking properly through my scope. It is more of an aesthetic problem than anything else. I just REALLY don't like it.

Just trying to pick the brains around here