Saturday at the Movies: Ryan Cleckner Optics Video Series
Ryan Cleckner is a former U.S. Army sniper instructor, and a highly respected outdoor journalist and firearms industry attorney with GunUniversity.com. Cleckner is also the author of the outstanding Long Range Shooting Handbook resource. A skilled shooter, and a very effective communicator, Ryan Cleckner is the host of a great 2023 series of NSSF videos about rifle optics.
There are 14 videos in the Cleckner NSSF Optics series, all worth watching. Among the 14 Ryan Cleckner Optics videos, here are our “pick six” of the most informative and helpful videos, which range in length from one to fifteen minutes. Key topics covered include: First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane, Parallax Correction, Ocular (eyepiece) Focus, and Reticle Options.
First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane Scopes
With a First Focal Plane (FFP) scope, the reticle grows and shrinks as magnification is adjusted up and down. This means that hash marks on the FFP reticle always cover the same angular scale (in MOA or Mils). That’s useful for PRS/NRL shooters and hunters who must shoot at multiple distances and quickly calculate hold-offs and hold-overs. With a Second Focal plane scope, the reticle is always the same size/thickness in the field of view no matter what the magnification. SFP Reticle hash marks define a particular defined angular division (such as 2 MOA), at one specific magnification level (such as 25X). At high magnifications, a SFP scope is less “busy” and so is generally preferred by target and benchrest shooters, who take a string of shots at a specific distance.
Parallax Explained and How to Use Parallax Controls
Parallax occurs when the target and reticle are on different planes within the scope. It is detectable when you move your head or eye around while looking through the scope, and the reticle appears to move or swim around the object at which you are aiming. To correct for parallax, you want to adjust the parallax control, commonly located on the left side of the scope. CLICK HERE for Nightforce tips on how to avoid parallax errors.
Understanding the Features of Modern Riflescopes
Modern riflescopes have multiple controls that alter focus, magnification, and reticle placement relative to the viewed target. Typically on top is an elevation control knob with clicks in 0.1 Mils or one-eighth or one-quarter MOA. On the right side (from shooter’s perspective), is a windage control, again with MIL or MOA-segmented clicks. On most current scopes, there will be a parallax control on the left side. In the rear, on zoom scopes, there will be a magnification control. Finally, many scopes will have a rotating eyepiece section for ocular focus.
Scope Reticle Types for FFP and SFP Optics
There are a wide variety of reticle types for both FFP and SFP scopes and for different applications (short range, long range, hunting, benchrest, F-Class, PRS/NRL, handguns). A 3-9x40mm hunting scope may have a very simple reticle with medium thickness lines and a couple vertical hold-over marks. By contrast, a 45X optic for short-range benchrest may have razor-thin lines and a very small, central target dot.
At the other end of the spectrum a modern FFP PRS/NRL optic may have a very complex reticle that looks like a Christmas tree — check out the Horus H425 reticle at right. This will have multiple hold-over and windage marks for multiple distances. That helps a shooter nail a 500m target just seconds after engaging a plate at 100m.
How to Adjust Eyepiece to Optimize Ocular Focus
Ocular focus refers to the sharpness of the reticle image you see through the eyepiece. Typically you’ll see a plus/minus marking near the rear part of the scope. This allows the eyepiece section to rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise. The purpose of this ocular focus is to help tailor the scope optimally for the particular shooter’s vision. March Scopes explains: “By adjusting the eyepiece, you will be setting the right diopter value which differs by person. The goal of adjusting the eyepiece to the proper diopter setting, is to see the reticle clearly and crisply.” For March scopes: “If you are near-sighted, rotate the eyepiece body counter-clockwise. If you are far-sighted, rotate the eyepiece body in the + direction, clockwise.”
Scope Mounting: Basics, Components, Tools, Trouble-Shooting
Four of the 14 Ryan Cleckner optics videos cover scope mounting. Above is the main video of the four. This major 15-minute video covers the basics of scope mounting, including ring placement, fastener torque control, and reticle alignment. The additional three Cleckner scope mounting videos are:
Part 1: How to Mount a Scope — Components
Part 2: How to Mount a Scope — Tools
Part 4: How to Mount a Scope — Trouble Shooting
You have to admire someone with serious do-it-yourself skills. Not just hammer and nail skills, but formidable design and fabrication skills. Well Forum Member Dave D. (aka “AKShooter”) has a DIY skill set that might put some trained machinists to shame. You see, “DIY Dave” crafted his own pedestal front rest from scratch, using his own design and about $100.00 in materials (not counting the Edgewood front bag). Dave estimates he put 20 hours of labor into the project, but the end result was worth it: “This Do-It-Yourself rest drives like a dream. I’ve played with the Caldwell and a Sinclair, they have nothing on this one.”
