scope travel and bore sighting

[mainecoon]

Does it make any sense to bring the elevation and windage settings back to "neutral" when mounting a scope on a new rifle?

 

[earlthegoat2]

It makes sense to neutral the windage if you have adjustable windage scope bases/rings.

 

[Switchblade7.62x51]

What you are referring to is called 'slipping the scales'. Once your scope is sighted in and zeroed, your scales are now far off from zero. You simply loosen the knob hardware, slightly lift to disengage the erector, and move the scale to reflect ZERO. Now you can move from range line to range line and set your data for each known range, as in 100m Zero, 200m 1 up, 500m, 10 up etc.
Want to go back to the 100m line, simply return to zero.
If you are OCD yeah, you might want to do this. If you are Zulu foxtrot, well, I've wasted your time.

 

[Varminterror]

I always start centered. I get an idea of the eye relief on the rifle, level the optic in the rings in a fixture before bolting to the rifle. Then dial off the scope height and 100 drop, boresight to confirm, and send one at 50yrds. Dial if needed, send one at 100, dial if needed, shoot a group.

 

[SageRatSafaris]

If the rifle is easy to bore sight, I don't bother to reset to mechanical center. After scope is mounted, proceed directly to bore sighting. Remember to account for sight height over bore (center-to-center) when bore sighting indoors. Example: desired zero = 300 feet, muzzle-to-wall = 10 feet, sight-height = 2". Make two marks on the wall, the top mark represents the 100 yard zero, bottom mark = expected 10 foot POI for a 100 yard zero. Bottom mark is 2" * (1 - 10/300) = 1.9" below top mark. Line up bore to bottom mark, the adjust optic to top mark. It's important that rifle and marks are both plumb.

If the rifle can't be bore sighted (e.g., AR15 and I have no bore sight laser), reset to optic to mechanical center, then dial one MOA up for each inch of sight height over bore (for a 100 yard zero). Half that for 200 yard zero, double for 50 yard zero.

At the range, just to make sure I'm on paper, I'll set up paper as close as possible, let's say 50 yards. Example: desired zero = 100 yards, muzzle-to-target = 50 yards, sight-height = 3 inches. I make two marks, the top mark represents the 100 yard zero, bottom mark = expected 50 yard POI for a 100 yard zero. Bottom mark is 3" * (1 - 50/100) = 1.5" below top mark. Aim at the top mark, adjust until POI is on the bottom mark. When you move target out to 100 yards, POI should be just a few clicks lower than POA (whatever the gravity drop is at your zero range).

 

[cdb1]

I make sure every scope I mount is mechanically zeroed. Instead of counting clicks I use a mirror, takes just a few seconds.

 

[Jim Rau]

I always start centered. I get an idea of the eye relief on the rifle, level the optic in the rings in a fixture before bolting to the rifle. Then dial off the scope height and 100 drop, boresight to confirm, and send one at 50yrds. Dial if needed, send one at 100, dial if needed, shoot a group.

I do basically the same, but I shoot my first shot at 25 yds. To answer your question, no, it is not necessary to return your scope settings to 'neutral' if you are bore sighting. If you are not bore sighting just fire your first shot a 25 yds and make adjustments for there. But remember that a 25 yds the changes require 4 times the 'clicks' as at 100 yds to get the desired change.

 

[taliv]

Dang you guys are making this so complicated I can’t understand half of what you wrote.

scope doesn’t need to me mechanically centered but it doesn’t hurt.
Put it on the rifle. Bag the rifle. Look through the bore at the target, and adjust the scope Til they’re both looking at same spot. Start shooting and go from there.

ar15 are very easy to boresight. No laser required. Remove the upper If necessary but I usually just open it just enough to remove the BCG so I can look down the bore.

I’ve never heard the wind and elevation turrets referred to as scales.

 

[Walkalong]

cope doesn’t need to me mechanically centered but it doesn’t hurt.
Put it on the rifle. Bag the rifle. Look through the bore at the target, and adjust the scope Til they’re both looking at same spot. Start shooting and go from there.

Pretty much.

The only caveat is if you are using windage adjustable bases, then it is a good idea to start centered on windage and use the base to get very close before adjusting the windage on the scope.

 

[rbernie]

Put it on the rifle. Bag the rifle. Look through the bore at the target, and adjust the scope Til they’re both looking at same spot. Start shooting and go from there.

Around here, we call that the 'redneck boresight' - no tools needed. It's proven to be easier to get on paper at 100yds this way than using the Leupold or Bushnell boresighter.

 

[Walkalong]

An old timer taught it to me, and now I am getting to be one.

 

[Legionnaire]

I make sure every scope I mount is mechanically zeroed. Instead of counting clicks I use a mirror, takes just a few seconds.

Tell me how that works. Don’t know the mirror trick.

 

[cdb1]

Put the scope up to mirror, look through it. You’ll see the actual reticle and the reflection of the reticle in the mirror. Unless the scope is already centered the reflection of the reticle and the reticle won’t be lined up. Adjust the turrets until the reticle and reticle image become one. I’m not good at explaining things, I’ll see if I can find something on the internet that explains it better.

 

[cdb1]

 

[taliv]

<insert hathcock/marky mark through the scope sniper shot jokes>

 

[cdb1]

<insert hathcock/marky mark through the scope sniper shot jokes>

I must be an idiot because I have no idea what you mean.

 

[Legionnaire]

The mirror trick is pretty slick. I'm going to have to try it on one of my scopes this evening. Of course as some have pointed out, it is only important to mechanically center a scope if you have windage-adjustable rings/bases, but still cool. Thanks.

 

[cdb1]

The mirror trick is pretty slick. I'm going to have to try it on one of my scopes this evening. Of course as some have pointed out, it is only important to mechanically center a scope if you have windage-adjustable rings/bases, but still cool. Thanks.

I tend to disagree. Not being centered can disguise a problem or make it seem like there is a problem when there isn’t.

 

[taliv]

if your base is way off left or right, you're right. that's suboptimal. it can be a real problem if, for example, you have one of the cheaper 1" scopes that don't have much range to begin with, and you use most of it getting zero'd.

however, expect it to be off on elevation, especially when you have a 20moa or more base. right?

but i think the point was that it doesn't need to be returned to mechanical zero prior to installation.

 

[jmr40]

You're just wasting time unless you're using windage adjustable mounts. Then it is necessary.