Is there a precision scope with RDS-like eye relief?

I had a frustrating experience at the range this weekend. Granted, part of the problem is that the benches they set up at the public range are awkward and uncomfortable at best. Add to that my ear pro kept me from getting a good cheek weld. To compound things worse, it's been about twenty years since I used a real scope and I've gotten so used to RDS's and reflex sights that I'm spoiled rotten. But probably the worst thing is that I've lost some vision in my right eye so I've had to relearn everything from a left-hander standpoint and it's not as easy as transitioning to a red dot was.

I was using a Leupold Model AR scope that someone gave me. Now I see why they didn't like it. Every time I touched off a round I lost my sight picture. The experience as so bad I decided to yank the Leupold off and put the Meprolight back on for good.

Before I give up completely, though, is there a precision scope that a person could use that is more forgiving of head position and other things that you just don't experience with a red dot or a reflex sight? Or am I just going to have to practice a lot having switched to my left eye?

I thought of trying a scout scope but someone told me you have to mount it so far forward on an AR that it's not worth the trouble.

Should I just abandon the thought of a putting a scope on an AR and just stick to an RDS or reflex sight?

What magnification range is your scope? What mag range are touclooking for?
My “outdated” vxr patrol 1.25-4 has a huge eyebox on the low-end.
It tightens up as you zoom.

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Originally Posted by MegademiC

What magnification range is your scope? What mag range are touclooking for?
My “outdated” vxr patrol 1.25-4 has a huge eyebox on the low-end.
It tightens up as you zoom.

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Frankly, I'm kind of lost. Earlier this year I was diagnosed with glaucoma in my right eye, so I'm basically starting over as a left-handed shooter. I've had no trouble with irons or red dots or my Meprolight M21, but precision crosshair scopes are just kicking my ass right now.

I literally couldn't get a good sight picture from the bench with the 1.5-4 Leupold model AR.

I was just wondering if I'm screwed. Maybe I just can't use a regular scope with my left eye.

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Originally Posted by Doc Glockster

Before I give up completely, though, is there a precision scope that a person could use that is more forgiving of head position and other things that you just don't experience with a red dot or a reflex sight? Or am I just going to have to practice a lot having switched to my left eye?

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In reality, parallax is present in your red dots, but most either don't have a system that overshadows the minor differences or they themselves are not capable enough. Regarding your ear pro issue, I have shot precision guns for years in matches, classes and for work with Peltors and Howard Leights and never had a cheek weld issue.

So you're going to have to read and pay attention to reviews when people talk about "eye box" for magnified optics. Kahles 1-6's have some of the best eyebox and FOV's in a LPVO that I have seen. I suspect you Leupold AR scope does not have a generous eye box.

A scout scope is not the answer. LPVO's have evolved and made the scout pretty much a relic; plus, you don't want to mount that sucker on your fore end rail.

I'm the polar opposite of you in that I've run magnifieds almost exclusively on AR's since I picked them up and was an early adopter of the Short Dot's in the mid-late 2000's but have used Aimpoints along the way. There's always a learning curve for guys coming from RDS's to variable optics on AR's...many purely just give up before realizing the full potential of a good LPVO.

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Originally Posted by pointblank4445

There's always a learning curve for guys coming from RDS's to variable optics on AR's...many purely just give up before realizing the full potential of a good LPVO.

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Before my glaucoma I used to be able to shoot a dime-sized group at 100 yards with a Remington 700 and a decent scope. Now I suffer from CDS with anything but a red dot or reflex sight when having to use my left eye.

Do you (or anybody) have suggestions as far as a precision scope with a really generous eye box?

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Originally Posted by Doc Glockster

Do you (or anybody) have suggestions as far as a precision scope with a really generous eye box?

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In what price and magnification range?

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Originally Posted by pointblank4445

In what price and magnification range?

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I prefer 1-4. There doesn't seem to be a need for anything more powerful that that. Before this last weekend's fiasco, I was lusting after a Trijicon TR24, but now I think I'd have to try one out first.

The Mark AR 1.5-3, while not the best scope on the market, does actually have pretty decent eye relief. I suspect that "eye relief" is not your problem, but rather "eye box" which is a function of the exit pupil. Typically speaking, the lower the number on the magnification the better the exit pupil will be....as a guide. For most 1-4 optics I don't even look for what their light transmission is or exit pupil. I'm curious about quoted eye relief, field of view, and glass quality. The scope you fired, on 1x has an eye relief of 4.10", and 3.70" on 4x. That's pretty good.
Really, instead of shopping for another scope, you'd be better off spending more time with this one and working on your form. Especially since you mentioned that you're now shooting left handed, and haven't touched a scope in years, it sounds like you're starting from scratch.
I took a friend out shooting this year that had literally never touched a gun, and watching him trying to get situated behind my scoped AR was very illuminating. He didn't know where to put the stock, couldn't get a cheekweld, kept dealing with scope shadow because he wasn't staying in the eye box etc. But when I sat in the same spot behind the same gun, with the same over the ear protection, I could drill round after round in to the steel gong without losing my cheek weld. Same stuff, different shooter. Now, ask me to do that left handed and yeah, it's not as straight forward for me, but I practice enough that I can get by.
Get some foam ear plugs, spend some time practicing around the house. Get comfortable finding your cheek weld and getting a good tuck on the stock, and then go back out and try again.
This isn't going to get fixed by buying a more expensive scope.

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Originally Posted by sevin8nin

The Mark AR 1.5-3, while not the best scope on the market, does actually have pretty decent eye relief. I suspect that "eye relief" is not your problem, but rather "eye box" which is a function of the exit pupil. Typically speaking, the lower the number on the magnification the better the exit pupil will be....as a guide. For most 1-4 optics I don't even look for what their light transmission is or exit pupil. I'm curious about quoted eye relief, field of view, and glass quality. The scope you fired, on 1x has an eye relief of 4.10", and 3.70" on 4x. That's pretty good.
Really, instead of shopping for another scope, you'd be better off spending more time with this one and working on your form. Especially since you mentioned that you're now shooting left handed, and haven't touched a scope in years, it sounds like you're starting from scratch.
I took a friend out shooting this year that had literally never touched a gun, and watching him trying to get situated behind my scoped AR was very illuminating. He didn't know where to put the stock, couldn't get a cheekweld, kept dealing with scope shadow because he wasn't staying in the eye box etc. But when I sat in the same spot behind the same gun, with the same over the ear protection, I could drill round after round in to the steel gong without losing my cheek weld. Same stuff, different shooter. Now, ask me to do that left handed and yeah, it's not as straight forward for me, but I practice enough that I can get by.
Get some foam ear plugs, spend some time practicing around the house. Get comfortable finding your cheek weld and getting a good tuck on the stock, and then go back out and try again.
This isn't going to get fixed by buying a more expensive scope.

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And I think you're right. I was hoping you weren't.

Im going to second dry practice at home.
Its like going to an rds on a pistol- you need to be able to see the sight on demand without fishing for it.

20 minutes a day for a week of bringing the gun up, starting slow should do it.
Bring it up slow until you get it perfect 3 times in a row, then increase speed 10%(ish). Just a guidline that seems to work for me. Ymmv.