Swfa 3-9 diopter adjustment

[HighUintas]

I just started shooting a swfa 3-9 a bit ago and noticed that I have to screw the diopter way out to get an immediately clear reticle, which is much different than other Scopes I've used. I usually have them screwed most of the way in. It wouldn't be an issue, but I noticed that having the diopter so far out to make the reticle clear makes a target at 300yds very fuzzy. If I screw the diopter in further, I can focus on the target and make it clear or focus on the reticle and make it clear. I had it screwed out to have a clear reticle today and had to kind of guess at where the bull mark was. That sucked.

I'm not sure which way to go here.... suggestions? Comments?

 

[260madman]

Since it’s not your first rodeo you’re looking away and then back at the reticle while focusing, correct?

 

[CoStick]

I had the same issue with numerous of swfa 3-9. Could still get a clear picture but had to have it almost fully unscrewed.

 

[texasbbq]

Diopter for reticle, parralax for target?

 

[HighUintas]

Since it’s not your first rodeo you’re looking away and then back at the reticle while focusing, correct?

Yup. I look away, then take a look for a second and adjust, then repeat. I've done this on max mag and in the middle. Doesn't make much difference.

I can get it where the reticle is crystal clear all the time no problem, but I noticed the target at 300 was very out of focus, which was odd.

I had the same issue with numerous of swfa 3-9. Could still get a clear picture but had to have it almost fully unscrewed.

Did you have any of the 3-9 where it was mostly screwed in (like mine is normally on other scopes) or were they all that way? Wondering if I should give swfa CS a call to ask about it

Diopter for reticle, parralax for target?

Fixed parallax

 

[CoStick]

All 3 were the same, required to be pretty far out. Functional was totally fine

 

[HighUintas]

All 3 were the same, required to be pretty far out. Functional was totally fine

I see. Maybe they just have a wider adjustment than others.

I ended up calling their tech support and explained that the target looked really blurry at 300 even though the reticle was clear and the guy said that it doesn't sound right and recommended sending it in after hunting season.

It seems to function just fine as is, so no biggie. I'll send it in late fall.

 

[CoStick]

I see. Maybe they just have a wider adjustment than others.

I ended up calling their tech support and explained that the target looked really blurry at 300 even though the reticle was clear and the guy said that it doesn't sound right and recommended sending it in after hunting season.

It seems to function just fine as is, so no biggie. I'll send it in late fall.

Only downside of sending in, is that you have no idea when you might get it back.

 

[260madman]

I’m pretty sure I have mine backed out quite a bit. I’ve had to adjust all my scopes since LASIK. If I remember I can take a pic and post it. I’d hate to have you send it in for nothing.

 

[HighUintas]

I’m pretty sure I have mine backed out quite a bit. I’ve had to adjust all my scopes since LASIK. If I remember I can take a pic and post it. I’d hate to have you send it in for nothing.

The service tech said that wasn't an issue.

He did say it isn't correct that when the diopter is adjusted correctly that the target is blurry at distance (~300) but can be made clear by screwing the diopter in at which point makes the reticle blurry if I don't focus on it.

With the diopter screwed in, I can bounce back and forth between target and reticle being clear but not both at same time.

Screwed out, reticle stays clear, target gets blurry.

 

[Scoony]

I am actually having the same issue. I was shooting it side by side with the SWFA 3-15 and had no issues with the 3-15. Also have a 6x and a 10x and no issues those either. I will be calling them this week. Drives me bonkers trying to focus on the reticle on the target dot.

 

[HighUintas]

I am actually having the same issue. I was shooting it side by side with the SWFA 3-15 and had no issues with the 3-15. Also have a 6x and a 10x and no issues those either. I will be calling them this week. Drives me bonkers trying to focus on the reticle on the target dot.

That's good to hear I'm not crazy! Not good to hear there's more than one of these cases out there.

If course, it's still shot just fine but would limit aiming accuracy way out there.

 

[HighUintas]

@Formidilosus , have you ever experienced a swfa 3-9 that had this strange issue with the target being blurry at 300 when the diopter is set correctly and the reticle is clear? Could the parallax be mistakenly set way off of where it should be?

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus , have you ever experienced a swfa 3-9 that had this strange issue with the target being blurry at 300 when the diopter is set correctly and the reticle is clear? Could the parallax be mistakenly set way off of where it should be?

Not like you are describing. FFP with non quick focus eye pieces can be a bit more touchy to find the correct adjustment, but noting with the target truly blurry.

I’d be happy to look at it and compare with the ones I have on hand if you want?

 

[dingle]

@Tock-O @Scoony
Was there a resolution to this?

 

[HighUintas]

I played around with the adjustment a bit more and improved it enough to where I didn't feel the need to send it in at the moment. I've been not been shooting since late September and have had some eye issues so haven't worried about it.

I'll probably look into it a bit more at some point

 

[rayporter]

i have had this happen with other scope brands. the last was a 40x valdada and it had the side paralax. i could never get both target and x hairs to be clear. it has also happened with two other scope brands.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Same exact thing with the 3 I own. Two fixed 6’s and one 3-9. Never seen scopes that need the reticle focused worked on so much.

Take your time and get it right. Won’t be an issue hunting.

 

[BBob]

i have had this happen with other scope brands. the last was a 40x valdada and it had the side paralax. i could never get both target and x hairs to be clear. it has also happened with two other scope brands.

FFP scopes parallax and diopter interact with each other. FFP are much more sensitive to setup than SFP. Set to max power, set parallax to infinity, adjust ocular (diopter) all the way in, adjust diopter, point at distant object, adjust parallax, if focus isn’t perfectly clear adjust diopter slightly one way or the other, bounce back and forth between parallax and diopter and I’ll bet you can get reticle, focus and parallax all correlated together.

Edit: ^^^ specifically for adjustable parallax FFP scopes. Can’t say how diopter will affect focus on a fixed parallax like the SWFA 3x9. I’ll mess with one and see.

 

[rayporter]

several years ago when Wally Siebert was still alive i called him about a scope that would not focus and he said the same thing. Wally rebuilt scopes for target shooters for a long time.
i should have sent him that scope to show him it was possible. that scope had been through 3 people. 3 people could not get it to focus no matter how many times you went back and forth from parallax to focus diopter.

i bought the Valada from a rimfire shooter that could not focus it and i sold it to a centerfire shooter that could not focus it.

adjust the diopter for clarity and when parallax is adjusted it needs readjusted. so adjust the diopter and parallax is needing adjusted - fix that and xhair is fuzzy again.