Is eye relief on a 1x scope unlimited?

[Greg Koziol]

I've been looking at some of the illuminated low power scopes in the 1x-4x range for my big game rifle... was just wondering if I have it set at 1x does that mean it will work like a red dot.... unlimited eye relief? Or do I still have to get up close to it and worry about getting in the sweet spot? Does anyone know?

 

[WarMachine]

Scopes on 1X will still have issues with eye relief, exit pupil, etc.

They won't have the freedom of a red dot or holosight.

 

[M1key]

A longer RANGE of eye relief...

 

[R.W.Dale]

Is it just me or do 1x scopes seem to make the target look SMALLER. Or at least all the ones I've looked through.

 

[Abel]

Is it just me or do 1x scopes seem to make the target look SMALLER.

I assure you that its not just you.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I do not have any 1x scopes but I do have several in 1.5x. As with any scope, one cannot be too far away, but "too far away" is a long way away. It has been my experience that with this type of scope you can throw the rifle to your shoulder with your eyes closed and, unless there is something horribly wrong with the gun or the way you mount it, you will be looking through the scope as soon as you open your eyes.

 

[rcmodel]

The key word is "Exit Pupil" of the scope.

A 1x-4x x 20mm scope has an exit pupil of 20mm at 1x. The human eye can only use a 7mm exit pupil at most, so 20mm is almost a three times larger place to still see clearly through the scope.

At 4x, the exit pupil would only be 5mm, or less then the eye could use, so centering the eye behind the scope becomes much more critical at the 4x setting.

The Exit Pupil size is determined by dividing the objective lens diameter by the power.

rc

 

[Greg Koziol]

Thanks.... i've been looking at the leatherwood CMR 1x-4x illuminated scope... it looks like a good scope for the price, but i'm just wondering if it will be like my red dot, where I can just throw it up and not spend too much time finding the sweet spot... which will be important in dangerous game encounters or quick shots

 

[Greg Koziol]

The key word is "Exit Pupil" of the scope.

A 1x-4x x 20mm scope has an exit pupil of 20mm at 1x. The human eye can only use a 7mm exit pupil at most, so 20mm is almost a three times larger place to still see clearly through the scope.

At 4x, the exit pupil would only be 5mm, or less then the eye could use, so centering the eye behind the scope becomes much more critical at the 4x setting.

The Exit Pupil size is determined by dividing the objective lens diameter by the power.

rc

thanks... so how come red dots have unlimited eye relief on 1x? and a 1x scope wont be unlimited?

 

[Greg Koziol]

Scopes on 1X will still have issues with eye relief, exit pupil, etc.

They won't have the freedom of a red dot or holosight.

ok thanks, thats what I was looking for. Kind of sucks. I guess the best thing would be to get a magnifier for my red dot but my .45-70 shooting 400 grain loads at 2000fps is too much kick for some of the magnifiers i've seen with 2" eye relief. Aimpoint says it has 2.5-3.5 inches which is a little better

 

[rcmodel]

so how come red dots have unlimited eye relief on 1x? and a 1x scope wont be unlimited?

Scopes must have an erector lens in the middle to make the image rightside up.
Since it has a reticule etched on the erector lens, the image is going to have to go through at least three lens before it gets to your eye.

A red dot doesn't need all that many lens so you are just looking through it.

rc

 

[M1key]

My Burris 1x Short Mag scope "appears" to be a true 1x.

 

[Greg Koziol]

Thanks alot RC I appreciate it

 

[Greg Koziol]

Kinda stinks I was hoping it would be sorta like a red dot so I could throw my gun up quick without worrying about finding the sweet spot... or maybe I can still do that if it has a larger range head movement as Robert wilson mentioned

 

[M1key]

That is exactly what the Short Mag is designed for...a quick target acquistion, generous eye-relief scope for fast handling, heavy-recoiling hunting rifles.

 

[Greg Koziol]

I looked at the short mag, its essentially a red dot, but it doesn't have anything above 1x. What I need is scope thats like a red dot on 1x, but has the ability to zoom in up to 3 or 4x, eye relief at that piont doesn't matter to me. But i need both the ability for snap shooting at charging dangerous game at 1x level, and also ability to get zoom in for targets between 100 and 200 yards. I guess they haven't made something like that. My only option now is to try to get a magnifier and see if it wont hit my eye from my rifle since there all such short eye reliefs. Been looking at some aimpoint knock offs which seem to have really long eye reliefs. Thanks for the advice.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Have you concidered mounting one of the new generation micro reflex sights on a traditional riflescope using one of the new piggyback mounts?