Rifle Scopes Setting Up New Optic - Eye Position to Ocular Distance Changes?

[Monk Medic]

Situation: Setting up a new optic, usually shoot prone but I’d like to start working and learning alternate shooting positions.

Question: How does the distance between the eye and ocular change with shooting position? Prone, braced kneeling, and bench, etc.

In what position is the eye closest and which further away?

Thanks!

 

[Sharpened Graphite]

For me, closest to farthest:
Bench, prone, kneel, stand.

If I have an eye relief set up for bench, I find when I pick it up to shoot standing, I have to tuck it in real hard to get closer. It mostly depends on your body shape and habits. Ergonomics is always a case-by-case basis.

 

[Monk Medic]

For me, closest to farthest:
Bench, prone, kneel, stand.

If I have an eye relief set up for bench, I find when I pick it up to shoot standing, I have to tuck it in real hard to get closer. It mostly depends on your body shape and habits. Ergonomics is always a case-by-case basis.

Perfect, that seems to be sort of what I found and observed, but was not sure, it's not just the distance between the eye (or I measured eyebrow) and the ocular, but also the angle in which the eye sees the lens.

My goal was to mark off adjustments (if needed) for each position.

Thanks much @Sharpened Graphite!

 

[Glassaholic]

If I remember correctly Frank did numerous tests on this on a thread at the old Scout site, the conclusion was that if you have proper hold and cheek-weld the distance from your eye to the ocular should not change regardless of position. I see very little difference when I'm shooting off the bench, vs. when I'm shooting prone vs. when I'm shooting from a standing position. It comes down to the fundamentals of getting the proper hold (seated in the right place of your shoulder pocket and cheek-weld) every time, regardless of position. If you're finding that your eye relief is too far or too close causing a tunneling effect when you change position you may want to work on getting your proper hold in that position, it could also be that you have a very finicky scope (tight eyebox) which causes eye relief issues with even the slightest position off. This is often what is referred to as a very forgiving eyebox which you'll hear about mostly from the alpha class scopes.

 

[Monk Medic]

If I remember correctly Frank did numerous tests on this on a thread at the old Scout site, the conclusion was that if you have proper hold and cheek-weld the distance from your eye to the ocular should not change regardless of position. I see very little difference when I'm shooting off the bench, vs. when I'm shooting prone vs. when I'm shooting from a standing position. It comes down to the fundamentals of getting the proper hold (seated in the right place of your shoulder pocket and cheek-weld) every time, regardless of position. If you're finding that your eye relief is too far or too close causing a tunneling effect when you change position you may want to work on getting your proper hold in that position, it could also be that you have a very finicky scope (tight eyebox) which causes eye relief issues with even the slightest position off. This is often what is referred to as a very forgiving eyebox which you'll hear about mostly from the alpha class scopes.

All good info, well thought out and detailed.
In understand just what you said, it does help clarify the answer. I did some searching before asking here, primarily on a “composite zero” developed from each of the positions.

As you mentioned, as long as cheek placement is consistent, doesn’t matter. I don’t place the rifle buttock in my “shoulder pocket” but rather inboard on on pec muscle, right next to my cheek.


Optic is Nightforce 7-35x56 F1, pretty forgiving eyebox.