After being 99% sure I’d get an A22R pro varmint 22LR as my first rifle in 15 years, I end up coming home with a Lithgow LA101! Very happy with the rifle, however the new scope I acquired through the family is the Zerotech 4.5-18x40, I noticed right away that it was very very difficult to get a picture through the scope, it is extremely sensitive to head movements from the cheek weld. At a guess there is 10mm zone for eye relief and even more sensitive to horizontal and vertical movements, maybe 5mm! Then the picture goes black.
I tried 3 other scopes to compare, albeit with lesser zoom, they were far less sensitive to movements.
I briefly tried adjusting the focus on the zerotech, however I’m thinking now that I should have continued twiddling the dual.
Sounds like an eye relief problem - I thought the focus was more for how sharp or blurry the picture is.
Tbh, now that I think on it though, on my scoped rifles, there’s always a specific spot where the picture is best in terms of eye relief. I think it’s gonna come down to getting used to practice with getting the right cheek weld and looking down the scope right.
Edit: Though maybe I’m a spaz, and I’ve been doing something wrong the whole time.
What you are seeing is a function of the zoom, as you found. Wind down the magnification if you want the scope to be a little more forgiving until you get it adjusted to the correct position and you have a good feel for the rifle. After a while your head should come to the same position each time you get behind it.
The cheaper scopes can also be a bit more finiky but it is not always just the cheaper scopes. I have found a few March scopes to be very particular on eye relief.
Being a SFP scope, it needs to be on full power to use the holdovers and turrets too I guess?
Depends on what the manual says. Usually they’ll specify the zoom which the reticle markings are correct for in terms of MOA. If they don’t say anything, it’s usually full power.
For the turrets, they’ll shift your reticle by a fixed amount of angle every time regardless of zoom (Usually 1/4 MOA per click).
See if you can find someone to help you set it up.
TBH, most of the issue is probably in the name (zero tech went into the scope). Derrisive jokes aside, back the scope to about mid range. Loosen your mount screws so they hold the scope but allow for some movement fore and aft. Get comfy in your most common shooting position with the rifle, then get your friend to slowly adjust the scope back and forth in the mount until you are happy with the picture. Level the scope and set the screws on the mount. Repeat process with occular focal ring till everything is as clear as possible.
You are now ready to sight the rifle in and save for a better scope that isnt so goddamn finikky!
No offence, but a cheap 18x scope using 4x mag like the Zerotech is going to be just like how you describe in many if not most instances.
Pick up a base model Leupold in 6-18x40 and compare the two. Chalk and cheese, huge field of view and tonnes of eye relief of course. The good news is the Zerotech also has a lifetime warranty so maybe you can take it back?
@mts247 is really like to hear some feedback on the scope, if you have a baseline to compare it against. @JizzFlinger - same question. Maybe post in great review…
I got both, and if I had to pick one, I’d go with LA101. You’ve made the right choice Plus magazines are easy to get and 15 rounders are out for it too. I do like A22R, but Lithgow outclasses it in most ways. And I don’t even like bolt action 22s.
For clarification I’ve run 5 and 10 rds lithgow plastic mags , 5 and 10 round CZ plastic mags and 5 and 10 rd CZ steel mags as well as some aftermarket mags (in a model 2 Brno).
The 10 rd CZ steel mag is the pick of the bunch.
Plus magazines are easy to get and 15 rounders are out for it too. I do like A22R, but Lithgow outclasses it in most ways. And I don’t even like bolt action 22s.