I have never had a canted scope base. Getting a Seekins Havak PH2 that comes with a 20 MOA base on it mounted with 5, #8 screws. My question is if I dial 20 MOA (approx) down when sighting in at 100 yards, my scope will start there, not optically centered. My scope is a Nightforce 4-32 x 50 SFP. It has 90 MOA vertical travel range. Which means I will be using 20 of 45 (half of 90) MOA to get it sighted in. I should have 65 MOA of up travel left for elevation adjustments. I don’t really need a 20 MOA base as my shots won’t exceed 600 yards, more likely 400 yards. I don’t have the scope yet but have ordered it. I have always assumed if a scope was able to be adjusted within a range, the optical clarity should be the same within that range. I have read a scope performs best when optically centered. I’m not sure if that is true. For you guys that routinely dial for long shots, do you notice any degraded optical clarity when looking through your scope compared to it being optically centered? Will my scope still be as clear when viewing through it with 20 MOA dialed in all the time as a starting point? If it’s a problem I can try to get a 0 MOA base. Given it has 5 screws it would probably need to come from Seekins. Most of the REM 700 bases I see have 4 screws. I’m not sure they make them but probably do.
Will 20 MOA scope base affect optical clarity of scope if sighted in at 100 yards?
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Your scope will not be at mechanical center when zeroed at any distance even with a 0 moa base.
Not that I recall. And, I own about a half-dozen long range scopes of different prices. Some are mounted with 20 moa bases, and some are mounted with 0 moa bases.
OP,
If you have concerns about this, you can test it for yourself (and see that 308Pirate is correct) if it affects or degrades your optic.
Set your optic on something stable, look at an object like a license plate a couple hundred yards away and then dial down 20moa and compare it.
If you have concerns about this, you can test it for yourself (and see that 308Pirate is correct) if it affects or degrades your optic.
Set your optic on something stable, look at an object like a license plate a couple hundred yards away and then dial down 20moa and compare it.
Only the low end scopes would sometimes cause a noticable issue.
Now, we need to talk about why you ordered a sfp Nightforce and decided we were the ones to ask your questions to.
Now, we need to talk about why you ordered a sfp Nightforce and decided we were the ones to ask your questions to.
I hate to be the one to share this news, but the several nx8 scopes I had all had this issue that you are worried about. They were the 1-8 (X2 different scopes) and the 2.5-20.
They would turn into fishbowls with the clarity on the edge falling apart. I haven't seen this issue with S&Bs, multiple Mk5s, or several Bushnell's.
I don't think 20 MOA is going to make the difference, it's frankly going to do it even if you dial if the scope is like mine. Your mileage may vary. But I wouldn't be worried about a base making any difference.
They would turn into fishbowls with the clarity on the edge falling apart. I haven't seen this issue with S&Bs, multiple Mk5s, or several Bushnell's.
I don't think 20 MOA is going to make the difference, it's frankly going to do it even if you dial if the scope is like mine. Your mileage may vary. But I wouldn't be worried about a base making any difference.
Really? Hmm…I will dial mine (2.5-20, SFP) up 20 MOA and see if I see anything similar. I called Nightforce and they said the image clarity should be normal within its adjustment range. With 110 MOA total vertical range (55 from center), I would hope to not see any adverse effects with 20 MOA dialed in. I just dialed in up 20 MOA and didn’t see any adverse effects in my 2.5-20 x50, SFP NX8.
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Well I have been impressed with NF scopes friends have. My hunting shots are usually less than 400 yards. I don’t ever dial , I always holdover using the vertical reticle tic marks. The concern Imhave would apply to any scope because it is just basic optical principles. But I don’t understand the optical physics in how scopes are put together internally. I prefer SFP over FFP because I mainly hunt. The reticle on FFP can be hard to see on low magnification. Especially with dark background.
Cool, so you're handicapping yourself because now your holds don't work except on 1 magnification.
Makes zero sense, but you do you.
You'll never be able to see the difference in a quality scope on wherever you end up in the travel.
I hear you. I mainly hunt. I think the SFP reticle is better for hunting. FFP is not great on low magnification or dark backgrounds. If I shot PRS I would definitely get FFP. I’m good at the math for MOA holds at various magnifications. The Nightforce 4-32 MOAR CF2D SFP reticle indicates subtensions at both 32X and 16X. On 32X it resolves to 1/2 MOA tic marks. That’s pretty cool making holdovers even less of a guess.
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Or you could just turn that giant dial on top?
But you haven't discovered mills and base 10 yet either.
Moa is dumb for 99% of stuff. Just makes the numbers bigger and the math harder.
Let me know how it goes when you take the shot on that trophy buck at 500 yards (and miss) then you realize you forgot to change your magnification to the appropriate mark. Of course, if you plan to dial it doesn't matter much, but the benefit of those hash marks is in case you don't dial and just want to hold, that is the deficit of the SFP scope. FFP you never have to worry about that. If you're really concerned about close up shots then piggyback an RDS. There is always a trade off, with SFP your trading the convenience of having a good reticle at bottom magnification with the danger of forgetting to set your mag exactly and do your math correctly (if not at the calibrated magnification) under stress. FFP trade off is not having a decent reticle at bottom mag (hopefully this will change in 2025). To me the benefits of FFP outweigh the shortcomings especially as reticles and illumination improve.
If I was on an Elk hunt (never have been but want to) I would definitely dial for elevation and use the center of reticle. I have not really had that many long shots. The farthest shot I have made on deer is 360 yds. If time permitted, I realize dialing is the way to go. Is something being offered in 2025 regarding a better FFP reticle at lower magnification?
Different strokes.
This is why you need to use the scope turret as designed and practice with it. Trust me-having hunted elk, you won’t have time for fooling with a new idea you haven’t practiced, plus take into account that you will get “buck fever” and clear thinking gets muddied.
The purpose of a sloped base is to move the zero lower in adjustment range giving more elevation adjustment up. There isn't really a purpose to use one if you're not dialing.
To the OP I agree with the general consensus that you're worrying about nothing. You picked some great optics in NF so I wouldn't worry about any moa rail choice that uses the elev/ wind range. On my SWFA 10X I have a 50 moa rail and the clarity is fine for the scope. And the SWFA isn't near the scope of any NF. As a matter of fact I hunt out passed 600 yards easy with scopes like a 2.5-8 or even fixed 6X. On my fixed 10X I've shot badgers out to 659 yards so far. And barely missed a yote at a mile. So I'd look at lower powered scopes for out to 600 yard hunting. You'll generally get a better field of view and light gathering ability. Which is why I've been lusting for a 4-16 ATACR, possibly a F1 with a MIL-R. I dial for elevation and hold over for windage. In a pinch I'll use holdovers for both when in a rush and train for both.
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