A rifle scope is a vital component of a rifle. When this crucial bit is blurry, then it will negatively affect your experience and performance. It can be very frustrating to work with a blurry scope. So, you must be wondering, why is my rifle scope blurry?
There are various reasons why a rifle scope gets blurry.
If you want to understand the causes behind a blurry rifle scope and find out ways to fix it, then keep on reading!
Reason Behind a Rifle Scope Being Blurry
The riflescope situated at the top of the rifle is used to zoom in on your target at hand.
Hence, a blurry scope can hinder your performance significantly as it will be difficult for you to hit the target and make a perfect shot.
There are many reasons for your scope to become blurry. We have listed five such causes for you to pinpoint the problem and get it fixed.
#1. The Lens or Scope Is Dirty
To avoid a hazy image, check if your scope or scope lens is clean. To prevent getting the scope dirty, you should properly maintain the rifle and keep all the components clean.
Your rifle scope can be blurry if the lens has dirt particles or insects stuck to the lens. Clean the lens carefully to remove the dirt.
You should be gentle and mindful when cleaning the lens, or the lens will have scratches that will negatively affect your performance when using the scope.
We would suggest you invest in a waterproof lens to prevent water from entering the scope and damaging the quality of the image.
Moreover, water can cause rust build-up, and restoring it can take a long time. You might have to replace the whole thing too!
#2. The Reticle Is Blurry
The scope can be blurry because of a foggy reticle. For the reticle to produce a clear image, it needs a focal point.
Simply recalibrating the scope will fix the problem at hand. When you focus the rifle scope correctly, the object will become more evident.
When calibrating the scope, make sure to do so against a plain backdrop like the sky, water, or even a blank space.
Remember not to spend a lot of time looking through the scope.
Quickly calibrate and let your eyes rest by moving away from the component. It is done so that your eyes are not the ones adjusting; your scope is.
Don’t try to calibrate while looking at a target because your eyes will try to adapt and focus, which will hinder the calibration process.
Moreover, if you share or borrow your rifle, you should consider refocusing the scope as vision differs from one person to another.
#3. High Magnification Can Cause Blurriness
When you turn to high magnification, you can observe some blurriness. This is because the rifle scopes struggle to focus at such high magnification settings.
Moreover, magnification and distance correlate as well. For instance, when your target is closer to you, zooming in will make the image appear blurry.
An inexpensive scope is probably not assembled with the highest quality parts.
As a result, they cannot support the scope when it is operating at high magnification. That’s why the image often appears to be blurry.
#4. Troubles with the Parallax
When you are working with a rifle with a multitude of features, it also means more factors can cause blurriness and impact image quality. If you have a side turret and an adjustable lens, ill-calibrating either of them can cause blurriness.
When your target and reticle are not aligned, then there is a problem with your parallax. You can observe these problems when your rifle is set at a higher magnification level.
To receive a sharp image, you have to take a trial and error approach. If you want to adjust your parallax, gauge the distance between the target and set your adjustable lens accordingly.
After that, change your magnification until you have a clear view. If you have a side focus scope, you have to apply the highest setting while estimating the distance between the targets.
When you have an estimation of the space, lower the side focus settings until the blurriness subsides.
#5. Hindrances with Mirage
Mirage is an environmental factor, and it can materialize in short or long distances. It does not discriminate!
You will often notice that your scope produced a clear image at the start of the day. However, you will detect blurriness in your scope after taking a few shots later the very same day.
Mirages can happen when your rifle becomes too hot, primarily resulting from firing too many shots at a time with little to no break.
Apart from that, external factors such as the environment also play a part in forming a mirage. Mirages occur when the weather is warm and humid.
To eliminate mirage distortions, you should let your rifle breathe in between shots to let it cool off.
Besides that, you can tune the magnification setting and set the magnification setting to low to fix the mirage problem.
Furthermore, to eliminate the issue at hand, you can invest in an anti-mirage shield that will provide you with a permanent solution.
How to Fix Blurry Scope?
Here’s how you can fix the issue.
#1. Clean Dirty Lens and Scope
To remove any dust, you should acquire a soft bristle brush or a lens pen and gently remove the dust particles from the lens.
You can purchase a cover for your lens so that dust does not collect in the lens. Lens pens are also a lifesaver as just tapping the lens pen over the lens can remove the dust.
If you spot any smudges, use a soft, wet, and clean microfiber cloth to remove the marks. You can also use a tissue to remove the streaks.
Once you are done cleaning the lens, wipe off the excess water with another dry microfiber cloth or tissue.
You can use a gun liquid to clean the frame of the scope. Apply some gun liquid in tissue and run it around the structure of the component.
Proper maintenance is vital for the longevity of the rifle scope!
#2. Remove Water from Your Scope
Water is the number one enemy of the scope as it can cause rust. Hence, it would be best never to let water sit on the surface.
Otherwise, rust can form on its parameters.
If you want to remove water, you should detach the eyepiece and run a hairdryer to dry off the water. Make sure that the hairdryer is set to cool so that you can avoid overheating the tube.
After that, put some petroleum jelly around the threads of the eyepiece.
After that, lock the items in a plastic bag filled with gas that is used in paintball. This is done to ensure further that all the moisture is removed from both objects.
#3. Refocus Your Reticle and Magnification
You should keep adjusting your reticle and magnification setting through the trial-and-error method until you find a point that you are happy with.
Consulting with a doctor and checking your sight can help as improper optic health impacts your performance and experience while operating a rifle.
The quality of magnification and reticle depends on how much you invest in it. A premium-built scope will be easier to use and will provide a clearer image.
When you adjust the scope, you should wear glasses and ensure that your optic health is good.
#4. Properly Adjust the Parallax
To resolve the parallax error, you have to be familiar with the features of your scope. Only then can you properly navigate the fires and use your device.
Furthermore, to avoid parallax, always make sure that the target is parallel to the reticle. Then you can have a still and good image.
#5. Change Your Device
If you have checked your eyesight and adjusted all the features, but the blurriness of the riflescope is yet to subside, you should get it checked by a professional. They can investigate and pinpoint the problems and disclose the severity.
If there are severe problems and some parts need to be replaced, you can buy them and get them fixed.
However, repairing it will be expensive and might not be worth it. It is better to purchase a new rifle that has a warranty.
When looking for a rifle, make sure that it is well built, manufactured with quality materials, and comes with a functioning optical system.
Conclusion
Your rifle scope should not be hazy if you want to have a good experience while operating your rifle.
To understand why your scope is blurry and to fix the blurriness, you must know the rifle ins and outs and its scope. So, spend some time to understand the features.
You can quickly eliminate the blurriness by maintaining and caring for your rifle and adjusting the magnification position.
Remember to avoid parallax and mirages.
Now that you know the answer to the question, why is my rifle scope blurry; what are you waiting for? Take that rifle out for a spin!