Nightforce Problem?

F

Frank B

Member
Nightforce Problem Solved

I have only had my Nightforce a couple weeks now. It tracks fine and the adjustments are right on. I have been shooting out to 600 without a problem. Tried 1000 today. I couldn't get on the target. I noticed that after I adjusted the parallax the numbers were lined up with 300 yard mark. They are aligned at approximately 85 when I am shooting at 100 yards. Is this a problem? Thanks. Frank
 
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I doubt that parallax is the cause of not being able to hit a target at 1,000y when you've been able to hit targets at 600y. In fact, I would expect the parallax adjustment to be just about the same for those distances, i.e. dial parallax to the far end of the adjustment and leave it there.

Getting on target at 1,000y requires elevation adjustment, and ideally somebody to spot your hits or lack thereof. Do you know your come-ups for 1,000y? You'd probably be amazed at how much more elevation you need to dial in between 600 and 1,000y, if you're new to this.
 
I assume it's a BR model? They 40 min. of elevation so if you go back to your 100 yd zero you should have the max. 20 min. to use, it takes me 23-4 min. with a dasher. Parallax has nothing to do with that and the numbers don't mean anything, just a reference point. I think you need a 20min. base or rings... jim
 
jim1K said:
I assume it's a BR model? They 40 min. of elevation so if you go back to your 100 yd zero you should have the max. 20 min. to use, it takes me 23-4 min. with a dasher. Parallax has nothing to do with that and the numbers don't mean anything, just a reference point. I think you need a 20min. base or rings... jim
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Thanks for the replies Jim and Bill. I have shot a few times at 1000 with a different scope. I am shooting a 6BRX with the Berger 105 Hybrids at 3005 fps. I have a 12X42 BR model with a 20 MOA base. Not getting on target was probably driver error. I do have 1000 settings but they may be a little low. I need to run my loads over the crongraph to see if they are still doing 3000.
Since I posted earlier I have been looking at highway signs out to 1200 yards. Even at that range if I turn the scope to infinity it is out of focus big time. When I get it focused it is just a little past 400 on the dial. This was my main concern. Just different that my past scopes. Thanks. Frank
 
The numbers never line up for me.

Frank B said:
Since I posted earlier I have been looking at highway signs out to 1200 yards. Even at that range if I turn the scope to infinity it is out of focus big time. When I get it focused it is just a little past 400 on the dial. This was my main concern. Just different that my past scopes. Thanks. Frank
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That little past 400 is probly about right. I always tell people those numbers dont represent yardage they are just a reference point. Look at the side focus Leupold scopes, they just have lines and no numbers.

Ive heard people say "I spent all this money on a N/F and the yardage is just as far off as my ole cheap scope, I expected this N/F to be right on".

I figure thats why Leupold took the numbers off the parallax knob.
 
Frank, The BRX and the Dasher is a wash i use the 105 H also. I have simple method i zero at a hundred dead on and set the scope at zero. When i go to 1K, i add 23 min. over my hundred yd. zero and it will be there....... jim
 
I have a target I set at 100 that I use to crank in my full 600 or 1000 elevations. It didn't work today. I will try your method next time. Thanks. Frank
 
There are a couple ballistics trajectory programs that work very well, if you have a 100 yard zero, know the scope height, the muzzle velocity, and the bullet's ballistic coefficient.

The two links I'm going to give use the same core program, but the first uses a bullet chart to reference the drag coefficient (B.C.) If your bullet's on his list, it's dirt simple to use.

http://bisonballistics.com/point_mass_calculations/new

If your bullet is not on his list, the JBM calculator will do the job, as long as you've got the B.C., or a very close approximation,

http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

More than once I've gone to a 1,000 yard match having set up at 100 yards using these programs. The first shot was on the paper.

Another edit: Guess I should have added: set the program for a 1,000 yard zero. That's what the chart should show. Now glance up the chart to see how high your bullet strike will print at 100 yards

The only problem with Jim 1K's "23 inches high at 100 yards" is he doesn't have the scope height -- I guess that's it. I've a small 6mm, and with the bullets I use (106 Clinch River), I'm about 27 inches high at 100 for a 1,000 yard zero. I use 3,025 fps with a B.C. of .520 & a scope height of 4 inches -- that is unusually high, I know.

The recommendation to shoot at something in the dirt nearby is a good one. It takes over a second for the bullet to go to 1,000 yards. Plenty of time to get back on the target through your scope & see the splash. Now put your scope back on the original aiming point, and without moving the rifle, turn the adjustment knobs until the crosshairs center on that splash. Next shot should be better than "on target."

P.S. I too don't think the problem is with parallax.

Remember too that if this is a match, the paper of the IBS 1,000 yard target is 42 inches square. You can hold at the top of the paper (repeatable aiming point) and get another 24 inches of paper to print on. Then there is the top of the frame, another repeatable aiming point...

Edit:

Remember also that "parallax" can be thought of as mis-positioning your head. If you pull your eye back so you're not using much of the scope -- you cut any effect of parallax by the same amount. Even a blur shouldn't hurt too much, far as getting on paper. In fact, over half my IBS points came from a time when everything was a blur. "The center of a blur is still the center," I use to quip... Real old man glasses helped with that.
 
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I have been using the JBM calculator for quite awhile with good success. This is only the second time I couldn't get on. The only difference is the new scope and it is mounted higher than my old setup. The conditions weren't too good today. A different wind directions at
each end of the range and overcast skies. I was shooting across a wet stubble field. I had my target cam set up but it was no help.

I have a big problem where I live in northern Utah. No matches here and no other shooters to shoot and compare notes with. I had my gun built and gathered the knowledge to shoot from the forum members here and over on Accurate Shooter. Things will get better with the addition of the Nightforce. Thanks to all. Later! Frank
 
Tremonton, Utah...

Wow, two nights in a row with a blast from the past. Last night it was Northern California, Lassen & esp. Burney; tonight Northern Utah.

When I was a boy -- 11, 12 years old, Carnation Company bought a plant in Logan. My dad, who was a chemist, use to have to go there in the summers & work. My mom & I would go along, and we'd camp in Logan Canyon. We would fish & roam around whilst dad worked. Now I can't say Logan Canyon is prettier than northern California, but wouldn't argue against anyone did...

Prettiest for me was always the Wind River Range, in Wyoming. Wonder if that's tomorrow night?
 
Camped and fished up and down Logan canyon before I discovered the Salmon River in southern Idaho. Later! Frank
 
Charles, I do use the scope height and i used jbm and i do know the velocity. The main point is this is a real world figures and it does get you on paper and i click it on i don't shoot 23 min. high at a hundred. 2.1 is my scope height and Frank uses the same bullet. This should get you on paper or clay birds to see the impact and you the conditions can change everything a lot and i feel my knowledge of the Dasher is at least equal to yours and from the match reports maybe better.....jim
 
Frank B said:
Since I posted earlier I have been looking at highway signs out to 1200 yards. Even at that range if I turn the scope to infinity it is out of focus big time. When I get it focused it is just a little past 400 on the dial. This was my main concern. Just different that my past scopes. Thanks. Frank
Click to expand...

My BR NF's used to be about right on the parallax adjustment at infinity for 1000yds. I sent them back to NF during the off season one year to be checked out. When they came back, I noticed at the first match, the parallax was just a little past 400 when adjusted properly for 1000yds. Bill Shehane told me that NF was doing that for people they knew were shooting 1000yds to give them some more adjustment. You say you just got yours, if it is used, maybe this has already been done ? If it's new, maybe they are doing it to all of them now ?

-----------Jeff
 
Mine is new Jeff. I have been on a couple sniper forums. Several guys mentioned the 400 mark. I am done worrying now. Time to shoot. The weather is unseasonably warm here. Supposed to be 50+ tomorrow. Later! Frank
 
Frank: There just numbers to further confuse you, your in the ball park. Nightforce is going to get rid of the number just like the side focus. Anyhow if you are on at 600 yards come up one full turn on your elevation knob crank your scope down on 20 power and you should be able to watch your shot though the scope impact on the bank. I always tell people back of on the power you'll be able to see your shots with more field of view when first sighting in!

Joe Salt
 
Went out to try 1K again. Forty degrees, sunny and only a slight 7 to 1 o'clock breeze. I had three loads with different bullets to test. All running a hair over 3000. This story just gets better all the time. Using the JBM calculator I set the elevation at 26.3" @ 100 for the 105 Amax. First shot was on my 4Hx5L target although it was 20" low and 18" right. go figure. There is quite a difference between the JMB and Bison programs. Bison says 29.2. I have some detailed notes for the next outing. Just one question today. Is the right wind-edge the
result of barrel twist at 1K? Later! Frank
 
It could be your reticle is canted right a little, a little becomes a lot at 1000yd. How much is a slight 7:00 to 1:00 breeze?
Joe I forgot the NXS doesn't have numbers till you mentioned it in your post. Where did you hear N/F is eliminating the numbers on their BR models?
 
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