Mac:
I think what you are talking about is eye relief. I'm a self confessed stock creeper and have the scares between my eye to prove it. I've use Weaver scopes for around 50 years and I really like them on rifles in the lighter calibers below .308. So naturally I ran out a bought two Grand Slams to get a cheaper price. They are very clear and I like the easy eye focus but they just do not have the eye relief to accommodate a hard recoiling rifle (I'm speaking only for myself). I think the eye relief is around 3.3 to 3.5 inches. which in my opinion is a limiting factor. I find the same is true for the Bushnell 3200 and 4200 series. Very clear scopes with limited eye relief. These scopes now sit on .22 long rifles, .223's, .243's 30-30's and do a really nice job for me on these rifles. For the larger calibers and harder kicking rifles I have always used Leupold's since they have one of the longest eye reliefs that I know of. Yes, I agree they may not have as clear a glass, are somewhat pricey, but it sure beats getting wacked between the eyes.