How I determined scope height. Bad idea ??

[Trucker3573]

I have tried just measuring with calipers, eyeballing it. Gets somewhat close but never quite accurate when you put it into a bc calculator. This is what I did recently. I figured that if I shot at very close range(10-15 yards) the parameter that would really matter the most in ballistic calculation would be scope height. I zeroed at 30 yards. Then moved target in to like 15 yards. Shot and figured out what the exact mil hold under was to hit center. I then entered all the info into a ballistics calculator and manipulated sight height until it spit out the hold under that matched my results. Used that scope height in the calculator and it seems to have worked pretty well at other ranges. Again I figure at 15 yards bc, speed, etc weren’t going to have much of an effect but the height of your scope will be huge. Many of the other methods I’ve read about to get scope height seem like a PIA and this was pretty easy. What do you guys think ?

 

[Jay308]

Seems solid too me. If the data was off some, I have changed the scope height and got the calcs to match real world data also. ie, measured was 1.75, adjusted 1.65.

 

[Trucker3573]

Seems solid too me. If the data was off some, I have changed the scope height and got the calcs to match real world data also. ie, measured was 1.75, adjusted 1.65.

Mine was way off but afterwards I realized I measured from mid scope tube to top of rail not middle of barrel.

 

[JimD]

To get a decent estimate I use my digital calipers to measure the barrel OD, Objective lens OD and the distance between the Objective lens and the barrel using blocks of various thicknesses. That gets me close. But then I shoot at different distances, like the OP, and that is my final "data". I only have 35 yards at home but I will test at 10-35 yards and make sure the POIs match an adjusted ballistics program. I have also gone to a local range to test at longer distances.