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Thread: Optically centering ?

  1. #1
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    Optically centering ?

    I recently sold a scope (sidewinder) that I was using with no problems whatsoever on my HMR , I ended up selling the scope when I got a new delta titanium it was taken straight off my HMR and put into the sidewinder box and delivered (well padded and wrapped by one of my works vans that were in the buyers area) I got an e mail from the buyer a couple of weeks or so later telling me he could not sight the scope in at 25yds due to it shooting 5" left and the windage being at max adjustment , I replied that I had been using it sighted in at 60yds with no problems and it may be worth him reversing the mounts , I then got an e mail from paypal telling me the buyer had lodged a not as described claim , then the buyer came back telling me he had tried the mounts and it made no difference and as far as he was concerned the windage adjustment is not working (the buyer now claiming to be a member of a police tactical firearms unit with 30 years experience of setting up scopes ) , after a few more e mails were exchanged paypal upheld the buyers claim and told him to return the scope to me, it just arrived here at my work and as I wont able to test it out till the weekend I tried the "mirror method" of centering the reticle that I read about a few years ago , the ret was quite a way over to the right and the windage turret was at the max setting but I had no problems centering the reticle using the mirror , is it safe to assume that the scope is probably ok ?

  2. #2
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    I would say yes ,its the method I use and proved too be right. trouble with distance selling and paypal. your on a hiding too nothing if the buyers a total nob .I feel for you but its what happens sometimes . sorry.paul.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by billywhizz1 View Post
    I would say yes ,its the method I use and proved too be right. trouble with distance selling and paypal. your on a hiding too nothing if the buyers a total nob .I feel for you but its what happens sometimes . sorry.paul.

    Yes I have got a feeling this is probably just a case of "buyers remorse" or he has got a bent barrel , I have never had a problem with paypal before but as soon as they have refunded the bellend I am going to be closing my account with them.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdk1 View Post
    Yes I have got a feeling this is probably just a case of "buyers remorse" or he has got a bent barrel , I have never had a problem with paypal before but as soon as they have refunded the bellend I am going to be closing my account with them.

    yep confirms my prev suspicions re Pay Pal

  5. #5
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    I would not think anything is wrong with your scope.
    Not everyone can set up a scope properly if it doesn't sight in first go.

  6. #6
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    What is the mirror method?

  7. #7
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    In bright daylight, sit a mirror on the table and sit the scope upright with the objective bell upwards, look down through it and you will see two sets of crosshairs. Adjust the windage and elevation until they are superimposed on one another. Scope is now optically centred.

    I would be poking the buyer about his firearms history, and doing a bit of digging. Nobody likes a walt.
    Donald

  8. #8
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    I find that it helps if you set minimum mag and also put the IR on low if it has this feature.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by thisisdonald View Post
    In bright daylight, sit a mirror on the table and sit the scope upright with the objective bell upwards, look down through it and you will see two sets of crosshairs. Adjust the windage and elevation until they are superimposed on one another. Scope is now optically centred.

    I would be poking the buyer about his firearms history, and doing a bit of digging. Nobody likes a walt.
    Any sales I see him involved in across the forums and I will be sending a warning pm to the other parties.

  10. #10
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    well done I think that's the way too deal with this wally.

  11. #11
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    If this is not the place to ask, forgive me ... optically centering. I believe this is where the reticle image is positioned at the central axis of the scope body and hence hopefully at the centre of the lens system? I can accept that this could be at the point where the adjusters, up/down, side to side are in the mid positions; but that this may not be so.... but should not be far off.
    Now, you optically centre the scope then mount it and proceed to zero it. You do this by twiddling the adjusters up/down, side to side. So you are moving the aim point away from the optical centre. So why could this not be done without the process of optically centreing? Or should you optically centre a scope and then adjust poi by using adjustable mounts.
    Or am I missing the point?? Much as I miss the target?? I have never optically centred a scope ... am I missing out on something?
    I guess I am just being daft but would welcome enlightenment (no pun intended).
    Cheers, Phil

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Russell View Post
    If this is not the place to ask, forgive me ... optically centering. I believe this is where the reticle image is positioned at the central axis of the scope body and hence hopefully at the centre of the lens system? I can accept that this could be at the point where the adjusters, up/down, side to side are in the mid positions; but that this may not be so.... but should not be far off.
    Now, you optically centre the scope then mount it and proceed to zero it. You do this by twiddling the adjusters up/down, side to side. So you are moving the aim point away from the optical centre. So why could this not be done without the process of optically centreing? Or should you optically centre a scope and then adjust poi by using adjustable mounts.
    Or am I missing the point?? Much as I miss the target?? I have never optically centred a scope ... am I missing out on something?
    I guess I am just being daft but would welcome enlightenment (no pun intended).
    Cheers, Phil
    I've been reading this post with interest, you learn something new everyday & I hadn't heard of it before. Sounds handy for a quick check that everything is moving ok & working order before you go through the hassle of mounting a scope or when you get a problem to either confirm or remove the is my scope faulty question.
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  13. #13
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    I like to do it with a known good scope when I get a new gun. You shoot at a big piece of paper and see where the shot lands.
    Assuming your scope is dead on centre with the cylinder/mounts you get an idea of how well centred the barrel is with the cylinder.
    If you are lucky your shot will land somewhere in the vertical plane, meaning your mounts and dovetails are in line with the barrel. If you are unlucky and your shot lands left or right if centre, you can try and track down the problem... it could be your mounts, could be the barrel is bent sideways, could be a few things..
    To me, centering the scope is just removing a variable, thereby exposing others
    Donald

  14. #14
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    Also, if your shot lands pretty close to centre of crosshairs, requiring only a few clicks here and there to get zeroed, some will say that you will get maximum light transmission through the centre of the scope.
    It also helps for folk that like to dial in ranges, rather than use aim points
    Donald

  15. #15
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    Imagine some people don’t use mildots but they dial in instead, Their aimpont is always the middle of the crosshairs. And they keep messing around with their elevation turrets depending on the range to target


    they have to use shims or 10,20,25moa rails to help the scope to look Down without having to over adjust over travel on the elevation. Without shimming or added MOA to rail The outer tube of the scope is aligned/parallel with the action but then you have to point the inner tube the erector tube to follow the pellet trajectory! So the inner tube invisible from outside is pointing down!

    Those who dial prefer many turns clockwise and anti-clockwise without worrying about running out of adjustment one way or the other.

    With airguns for example at close ranges when the scope is high over the barrel you can’t even dial in ever, it is just too much, the pellet goes way under the optical axis as the bore is always lower than the scope vertically. of course low magnification helps.

    Also the how much per click step is also a factor plus different scope allow different adjustment ranges.

    Of course if the bore is not coaxial or the barrel is bent, that’s not going to help lol.
    Last edited by krisko; 11-12-2018 at 09:40 PM.

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