Heat waves...

mjott

January 13, 2003 16:39

Hi,
I have a high power scope and after some shooting, it starts to get blurry. Are these heat waves I'm seeing, coming from the barrel of my rifle...??? Any help is appreciated...

Thanks in advance...

Jason[?][?][?]

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  .280 freak

  January 13, 2003 17:07

  I gave this one a try where you posted over in General Discussion.

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  Rafter-S

  January 13, 2003 17:23

  I didn't see the replies in General Discussion, but I'll venture a comment anyway.
  
  If your barrel is hot (not warm) to the touch, and the wind is not blowing (to blow the heat away from in front of the scope), then it "could" be heat waves.
  
  If it is heat waves, you will be able to see them by looking close down the side of your barrel. They will be visible to the naked eye.
  
  Respectfully,
  Rafter-S
  
  "What is truth? No wonder jesting Pilate turned away. The truth, it has a thousand faces -- show only one of them, and the whole truth flies away! But how to show the whole? That is the question."
  --Thomas Wolfe, "You Can't Go Home Again" (1934)

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  mark christian

  January 13, 2003 17:46

  In the world of high powered match rifles (where I waste a lot of my time) this is called "mirage" and can play all kinds of havoc on your aim through the tiny apperatures in the diopter sights we use in that sport. Nearly everone uses what is called a "mirage band" and it is a simple elastic strap the runs from the front sight to the front of the receiver and shades the entire top of the barrel. I use a Steyr CISM Match Rifle so my band reads STEYR MANNLICHER, is 2" wide and 21" long. This band prevents the heat from rising into the sighting plane and distorting your aim. An old suspender would give the same results at FAR less cost than the over priced factory Steyr mirage band- but who wants to be seen using a scrap piece of elastic on a $4000 rifle? Use your imagination for a way to attach it.
  
  Mark T. Christian

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  JustC

  January 14, 2003 04:42

  mark
  christian,... hit it in the x-ring. You are seeing mirage from the heat. It will also rise form the earth or field that you are shooting across, if you live somewhere where it gets good and hot in the summer. The better the optics, the more mirage you will see, however, the better optics also provide the means to focus through the majority of the mirage. The best scopes to focus through it are the target style scopes with side focus adjustments (IMHO). Also, the higher the power, the more it will magnify the mirage and distort your sight picture. Even with a 12-42x nightforce, you can't shoot it on a very hot day, or over a hot barrel, in any more than a power that is back in the 20X range. The reduction of the power will reduce the magnification of the heat, and although giving a smaller sight picture, will be less distorted. HTH
  
  That is a large part of what you pay for when you spend $1000-$1600 for a scope. It is also why you see sunshades for all brands of optics.
  
  I'm a man,....but I can change,.....If I have to,......I guess.

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