Strut&Rut

How important, and financially intelligent, is an extra inch of eye relief to the guy that shoulders his gun for a limited number of rounds---say---for turkey and deer season?

I see quite a few guys on here touting the "extra" eye relief from either Leupolds or compact scopes, but that "extra" eye relief is in actuality only 1 to 1.5 inches.

At higher power on variable power scopes, the "extra" eye relief may be 2.5 inches, but to me---a guy who uses his scopes to hunt---the "extra" eye relief is not noticeable.

I just topped my shotgun with a 3-9X40 Burris, with 3.1-3.8" of eye relief, and I'm shooting it great. The 3.5 inches of eye relief are more than adequate, even on a 12 gauge.

So unless you're shooting 1) extremely long shots at higher powers, 2) a real cannon with a serious kick, or 3) lots of rounds (target or otherwise)...is the "extra" eye relief really worth the extra buck?

S&R

stubblejumper

I shoot the ultramags and 3.5" of eye relief is enough for me.What I do like however is constant eye relief throughout the magnification range.My leupold vxiii 6.5x20x40efr is really frustating in just how much the eye relief changes as you vary the magnification settings.

TerryM

Very few centerfire rifles would kick as much or more than a 12 gauge shotgun. If you can shoot that setup without getting hit by the scope then I would say you are good to go. Shooting from a bench, you realize is not like shooting in the field where you might have to snap off a shot or are hanging from a tree. Extra eye releif is never a bad thing as it speeds up target aquisition in my opinion. Also important is how critical the sight picture/eye relief is. A leupold just snaps up and gives you a full picture and "BANG" your done. If you have to adjust your head while trying to aim then I don't want that scope on a big game rifle.

slugman

I was at the range today and the guy next to me was shooting a knight ML ....I look over and he was holding a dime size flap of skin on his nose closed and dripping with blood. I bet he wishes he had an extra 1-1 1/2 in of eye relief !

stubblejumper

Unfortunately some people don't know how to properly mount scopes and don't get the proper eye relief even if the scope has plenty.Others crawl up the stock even with the scope has enough eye relief and is mounted properly.The problem may be a scope with inadequate eye relief but not necessarily.

TerryM

OUCH!!!!!!!!

mistahmojoryan

I've got a B&L Elite 3000 on my 300 Win Mag. I've had the scope bounce off my shooting glasses a number of times at the range. It's got a soft rubber ring but I know if I'm not careful it'll be ugly! I would appreciate (and will spend some cash on) that extra inch of relief.

It happens to the best of us. Even a properly set up scope can induce "magnum eyebrow" after an awkwardly positioned field shot. Just gotta be careful.

stubblejumper

It also helps when the scope has a nice thick rubber ring on the eyepiece just in case.However some manufacturers still insist on a thin metal eyepiece that will cut you much more easily.

bigcountry

For the 270, 308 shooters, it doesn't help you as you say. If you shoot a 300Win mag, maybe a RUM, you buy for eye relief.

bigcountry

Another thing is I don't really buy a scope for a gun. Alot of my scopes have been on two or three different gun some with moderate recoil, others with alot. I buy a scope for life. And tend to shoot the other out, rebarrel rechamber, trade off, whatever. But the scope could be on several different guns. For example my Vari X III 1.5-5 has been on a friends 458 lott, my 870 slug gun and now rests on my Knight elite disc. Where will it end up next? Who knows. But whatever it ends up on is probably a gun meant to shoot under 100 yards and probably kicks hard. I have a 4.5-14, and its been on a 270, a 6mm target gun, on one of my RUM's and now rests on my 300RUM I had built.

So if you buy a scope with the eye relief already built in, it makes is more versitile for the future. Especially if like shooting rifles alot like myself.

Another thing, you can't tell about the future. I used to be a one box of shells a year guy, and just got caught up with shooting and reloading. I know several individuals like yourself that never thought they would get into the shooting sports very heavy, but now are hardcores.