I'll second halfmile's recommendation of the Nikon Buckmaster. Have a 6 x 18 on my AR 5.56. I have been very pleased with the quality and flexibility.

Thanks for all your experienced and educated replys. I will take them all into consideration. Dave

The parallax adjustment is just minutely refocusing the image to be in the focal plane of the reticle for your given distance. As others said above, don't worry about it overy much. Regardless of scope, if you keep your eye centered with the crosshair, there is no parallax by definition.

So just for the sake of conversation, let me ask this. Does a cheaper scope have more (greater) parallax than a more expensive one, even if both have no external adjustment options? So if you bench both scopes and move your head side to side behind them, does the cheaper scope's crosshairs move more than the higher quality scope? dju

Yes.

Keep in mind that "barrel distortion" and "pincushion" are often mistaken for parallax. These are bigger problems on cheaper scopes than the parallax issue.

While this site is for telescopes, it has illustrations of barrel distortion and pincushion.

There is also a combination of both distortions called "moustache distortion". This is especially seen in cheap binoculars. They display barrel distortion in the center and pincushion at the edges.

Also, just for the sake of conversation, lower priced scopes have brightness issues, often have multi-part tubes, have significantly less eye relief, less field of view and, on variable power scopes, the point of impact changes significantly as the degree of magnification changes.

I prefer Leupold scopes. They cost more but have a lifetime free service warranty and just perform better in the field. I like to see the little gold ring on the objective lens, it is a touch of class.

If you shop EBAY, there are typically many Leupold's offered for sale. Newer models can be pricy but sometimes you can find a good deal on an older model. Ring marks on the scope tube do not affect the optics. The lifetime Leupold warranty is not limited to the original owner.

An older Leupold 3X9 AO at under $200 is a good deal unless you really need high magnification.

Ed Ward

Before adjusting the objective lens you should adjust the lens nearest your eye to get the crosshairs clear and sharp. That will enable you to get the target image and crosshairs in the same plane. HMB

black ring???? hyour kids are putting shoe polish on your scopes objective lens rings again.

Most guys tend to get a lot more magnification than they really need. The problems of parallax and the 'black ring' (eye relief) increase with magnification.

One of my favorite big game scopes is the Leupold VXIII 1.5x5. This is a great compact scope that is capable of precision work at suprisingly long range. It has a generous range of eye relief so the 'black ring' doesn't come into play in most any shooting position. You won't be able to detect a parallax shift either. But what you do have is crystal clear optics in a very rugged and small package. It works for me out here in the open country of Northern NV and I do shoot extended distances.

Didn't quite understand your black ring reference...do you mean you see a black ring around your field of view? Or are you referring to the black adjustment ring on the scopes objective end???...if you are speaking of the first instance thats more a function of eye relief..if you see a black ring looking through it ..then usually its because you are too far back and need to get the scope closer to your eye...it should then disappear when you find the correct distance...be careful if you have a hard kicker though or its your eye that will be black

For further confusion, here's a bit on eye relief. I was told at a scope seminar that the reason people love Leupy's is they have a very forgiving eye relief. I concur.

He also said that other expensive scopes will have a less forgiving eye relief but a much wider field of view, which may be desirable for long range hunting like antelope and sheep. Apparently the scope, if made for eye relief will have less field of view, and you can't have it both ways.

My deer gun has a Leupy 3x that snaps the picture into view instantly as AI mount the rifle if a deer jumps up. Good.

For Pdogs I use 6-24 Nikons and a Zeiss that I peer through all day with no fatigue. Also good.

You just have to fit the tool to the job.

HM

Couple of points. Regarding the phrase "black ring", I've never heard it before but assume that it refers to the bruise one gets from getting too close to a recoiling scope. In the same vane as the dreaded "M1 thumb"... And I've got to agree, that we are being sold way more magnification than we need or should be using. Too little magnification makes you aim and concentrate a bit harder. Too much makes you miss shots entirely. Try to pick up a running coyotoe with that blasted ring set on 12x instead of 4x, where it should be. Those that think that they need a $1600 24X tactical scope on their .223 need to take an iron sighted M1 Garand to the range and learn what they can really do with no glass whatsoever. dju

The black ring is a visual effect that occurs when your eye relief distance is not correct. HMB

I stand corrected. Thanks. dju

the bruise from a scope is called magnum eyebrow... the high magnification is good on the range so you can see your holes in the target without getting up and walking to the target. Those of you with spotting scopes disregard. low power reduces the shaking. None of my shotguns are scoped. most scopes under 10x do not have parallel adjustment.

My favorite scopes are 2x-7x Leupolds just because they are compact but still bright without an enormous obj. dia....I like them as low to the bore as I can get them..I do have a 1.5x-5x on my 45-70 though..works great too..tons of eye relief for when I shoot those stoked up molar rattlers

Check out Trijicon before you buy. They are very nice for hunting and our troops use a lot of them too.