Scope Mounting and tracking

[jps2486]

I was shooting 100 yard BR competition at Trenier Outdoors. The scope I had mounted on my Impact 30 cal was a high quality scope highly rated by our friend Joe Rhea, but I could barely see the white EBR target and blew a few shots by guessing where the cross hairs met. I subsequently shot another target with my other rifle that had a Sightron SIII MOA scope. No guesseing there! That scope is still tops on my list. I took the scope off this morning and the only one I had laying around was a Mueller 8-32 Target Dot. Not a high end scope but has worked well for me with other rifles. I have Burris Tactical Signature rings mounted on the Impact and installed a minus 20 insert on the front ring and plus 20 on the rear. I centered the elevation and windage knobs and put the scope on. BTW, I did all this in my basement. I put a laser in the muzzle and at 10 yards the cross hairs were quite low and left. I played with the knobs and could get it fairly close but kinda at the end of the travel. Changing them showed that tracking really sucked. My first reaction was that Joe R. is right and cheap scopes don't track well.

I figured since I have the ability to change the scope droop and cant with the plastic inserts in the rings, I changed the rear one to plus 10 and rotated the front set about an eighth turn to the left to bring the windage back to the middle. It worked! Then I tried the tracking and the laser followed the cross hairs up and down and left and right. So, my inexpensive scope wasn't so bad after all, Joe. This whole exercise pointed out the benefits of Burris rings and why it's important to carefully mount your scope.

 

[Metalmaniac]

Jps2486 I’m pretty sure it was you I bought a FX Crown ,25 synthetic with a Mueller 8-32 mil dot scope on it. You told me it was zeroed for 55 yards, I pulled it out of the box and shot it 55 yards at a target standing on my deck propped on my hand on a bbq grill and shot a dime sized group and never touched an adjustment one. It has been one tack driver. Thanks for the set up! MM

 

[Yo]

SO what was that mystery high end scope that DID NOT WORK for you?

 

[jps2486]

SO what was that mystery high end scope that DID NOT WORK for you?

I couldn't see the target at 27X

 

[Yo]

Was that the BUSHNELL FORGE 4.5-27x50 selling for half price at Natchez for $460? I would have thought it would be clear enough especially for its near $1000 regular price. 

 

[jps2486]

Was that the BUSHNELL FORGE 4.5-27x50 selling for half price at Natchez for $460? I would have thought it would be clear enough especially for its near $1000 regular price.

Yup. The scope was bright and clear enough, but not enough magnification to see a 5 inch target at 100 yd. The target was all white with rings, but no black dot in the center. The reticle is a bit too thick for my liking too. My Sightron at 35X was perfect. MOA reticle is just about the right thickness for my old eyes. BTW, my cheap Mueller is pretty bright up to 30X, but gets a tad darker when turn up to 32. Still usable though.