How important is parallax?

[minutemen1776]

I'm in the process of switching out scopes on a few of my rifles. I'm planning to replace the 2-7x32 Bushnell Legend that's now on my Rem 700 with a slightly larger 3-9x40 model. At the same time, I'm planning to scope my .22LR Marlin 60. It seems to me that the 2-7x32 Legend would be a good fit on a rimfire and would give much better quality of glass versus most of the rimfire scopes that are available. But the parallax issue gives me pause. My Legend is parallax-free at 100 yards, and almost all my rimfire shooting will be done at 50 yards or less. Is this a big deal for a rifle that will mainly be used as a plinker? Or would I do better to sell the 2-7x32 Legend and get something that's made to go on a rimfire?

 

[10X]

I think you will find the parallax an issue at long range. With a 50 yard 22 plinker I doubt you will notice any problem.

 

[hksw]

IMO, if you are considering serious target shooting with the .22, the parallax very significant at 50 yds.

I have an older IOR Valdada 6X42 (1") that is parallax free at, IIRC, 100 yds. Putting the scope on a .22, the amount of parallax was very noticable and was the reason I was getting some pretty big groups from the gun it was on. While shooting at a USBR bull at 50 yds and the gun stationary, I had moved my head from one side of the occular bell to the other and noted the shift in zero once the image was present at one side to when it was not at the other side. The shift in zero cover the majority of the bull, about 2.50"-2.75". When you are trying to shoot 0.50" groups, this is pretty big.

You can do two things. Either get a scope that is nearly parallax free at the range you will be shooting at most of the time and/or make sure you place your face at the exact same spot every time you shoulder the rifle.

 

[ArmedBear]

You already have the scope.

Try it and see what you find.

Depends on the kind of shooting you're doing. You called it "plinking." Parallax won't be more than Minute of Beercan.

 

[joneb]

Place the scope on a stationary surface and observe a object at 50yds, without touching the scope move your head around a bit and see if the cross hairs move on the target. Now try it at 75 and a 100 yrds depending on the scope there could be a little or a lot of parallax. I have adjusted for parallax on cheap scopes by screwing the objective in or out.

 

[ojibweindian]

I've got a Legend 3-9x40 on a Marlin Model 60.

No problems with paralax.

It does exist, but consistent shooting technique takes care of it.