Parallax Adjustment

How important do you feel a parallax adjustment is in a scope? I just bought a new scope and am wondering if I should have bought one with it.

Depending on the magnification, it can be very important. Up to about 10X, parallax has negligible effect on the shot. Higher magnification almost always benefits from PA.

Distance is where you'll notice the effects the most, but can even be seen in group size at 100 yards if parallax is off.

How important to you are sub moa groups past 300 yards?

Prairie dog sized targets and such.

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Well, I'd love to get sub moa past 300 yds, can't say I'd ever done that. This is for a deer/antelope hunting gun.

I got a good deal on a very nice 3.5x10 scope without parallax adjustment. I was thinking of returning it and trying out this scope with exposed turrets -http://www.vortexoptics.com/product...nge-riflescope-with-dead-hold-bdc-moa-reticle

My max range would probably be 500 yards.

My opinion is simpler the better for a hunting rifle you're going to carry. If you set up at known ranges in a blind or tree stand or the like, the big AO and open turrets might be nice though.

I guess if I were you, and wanted to learn to use a tactical style scope w/adj. turrets to dial for bullet drop, and use a laser range finder along with a range card, or a phone app. Then go for it! This will allow you to make more precise bullet placement then a BDC reticle, and allow you to see the distance POI was off (if you saw in the first place, on a target it's easy).

Or use a standard reticle and make the most use of max point blank range by setting a 200, or 300 yard zero.

Head shots on Prairie Dog size targets at over 300 yards takes some precision, and to do it with regularity (90%).

I use the front parallel scopes on my 22LR target rifle.
Will adjust both parallax and rear ocular for
the best sight picture at whatever distance we are shooting (i.e. 25, 50 or 100 yds).
When hunting its set for 50 yards and left there.

I don't hunt farther than 300 yds with CF rifles.
Most have scopes w/o a parallax adjustments.
The ones that do have scopes set to 100 yards
and are set to the lowest power for hunting.

the only hesitation I have is the straight 3.5x10 scope that I'd return to get the Vortex hunting/tactical is the nicest scope I've ever (briefly) had and I got a smoking deal on it!

If you're super happy with what you bought Bob then run with it! Decades ago I used nothing but duplex or a Leupold Dot scope and made perfectly placed long range hits on deer sized game. If you can place the reticle and hit your point of aim, just move up the crosshairs on the shoulder the amount of the bullet drop.

I just used the distance of the back line to the belly on the animal and modified my hold for point of entry. You'll do fine with what you have I'm sure.

The 3.5-10x Leupold is a fine scope. I bought one for my son, to put on his 6mm Rem years ago. He's used it on varmints, mule deer & whitetail. As when using other general-purpose hunting scopes, we've never missed the adjustable parallax.

I only have those on a few scopes, intended for longer range, precision shooting.

Guy

Have one scope with Parallax adjustment and never (don't really understand how to....?) use it. On a 22Mag I set it at 100 and forget it. Some times I think playing around with it improves the clarity of the target, sometimes I cant tell. Not so much that I can say it improved my shooting. The one experience I can say I have had was When a Leupold VX-II took a hard knock and knocked the internal tube out of alignment. Then I had a visible inch of cross hair movement on a 100 yard target when my head moved behind the scope. Very hard to shoot small groups that way. Leupold repaired it.
I prefer my hunting equipment simple, but then I cant hit much beyond 250 yards anyway :wink:
CL