Rifle Scopes How Close Is Too Close?

[CASDB]

If you get close enough (<span style="font-style: italic">extremely</span> close) you can see daylight between the edge of my base and scope, but it's on the razors edge as far as clearance. How close is too close when it comes to this gap?

This picture is as good as my point and shoot camera would get, to get any closer only blurred the photo.

 

[L3IRQ]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

I would imagine that if you have that thing on anything more substantial than a 223 it's going to start eating into your scope pretty brutally.

 

[P Henry]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: L3IRQ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would imagine that if you have that thing on anything more substantial than a 223 it's going to start eating into your scope pretty brutally. </div></div>

+1.

If that is where your scope "needs to be" on that mount, take a grinder to the end of that mount and then touch it up.

 

[CASDB]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

Wilco. It's a .308, and I'll dremel it down this weekend.

 

[ShadowsEye]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

Is the eye-relief really that critical? I just installed the same scope on my SPS Tac. last night, I found I liked it close, but could easily back it off a mm with no difference in sight picture.

 

[ShadowsEye]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

For example, this is a profile shot of my rifle, it looks micrometers close.

But if you look at it from a different angle, you see that the scope is actually in the channel of the base, and there is ample clearance all around.

 

[Temp9]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

ShadowsEye,

I would never compromise proper eye relief to avoid grinding a bit of aluminum. But your scope isn't that close. I would leave it alone.

 

[L3IRQ]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

Could always remove a little material from the rail.

 

[tofst4u2no]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

I would definitely take a dremel or grinder to that just to be on the safe side. I ended up taking the whole first lug off my Seekins base so I could get proper eye relief for my Leupold MK4.

 

[ShadowsEye]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

Let me clarify, I totally agree that eye relief shouldn't be compromised for the base. What I was trying to say is, with 4 inches of eye relief on that optic, I was able to set it further up by a tiny amount without gaining any blurriness around the edge of the sight picture.

 

[z71rat]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of clearance with my scope. I cut off the first lug, filed it smooth, and painted it. Still looks good, still functions perfectly, and I have no worries at all of my scope ever making contact.

It honestly isn't worth the risk to me. I would much rather cut a base, vs. damaging a $750 scope... PERIOD!!

DK

 

[samnev]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: z71rat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of clearance with my scope. I cut off the first lug, filed it smooth, and painted it. Still looks good, still functions perfectly, and I have no worries at all of my scope ever making contact.

It honestly isn't worth the risk to me. I would much rather cut a base, vs. damaging a $750 scope... PERIOD!!

DK </div></div>

+1

 

[CASDB]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: z71rat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of clearance with my scope. I cut off the first lug, filed it smooth, and painted it. Still looks good, still functions perfectly, and I have no worries at all of my scope ever making contact.

It honestly isn't worth the risk to me. I would much rather cut a base, vs. damaging a $750 scope... PERIOD!!

DK </div></div>

Simpler than I thought it'd be. Didn't get it as smooth as I'd hoped, but I didn't pull it (the rail) off the rifle to do it so I'm satisfied having not nicked my barrel.

I feel like I've misaligned my scope while remounting it, but I was more meticulous mounting this time than the first (plumb line drawn on a piece of paper/taped to the wall and a deck of cards under the scope). Just feels a little "off", maybe an ever so slight lean to the left..hell, maybe the scope was off before.

I guess I'll figure it out next time I head out to the range.

 

[CASDB]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ShadowsEye</div><div class="ubbcode-body">For example, this is a profile shot of my rifle, it looks micrometers close.

But if you look at it from a different angle, you see that the scope is actually in the channel of the base, and there is ample clearance all around.

</div></div>

My rail doesn't have that center gap.

 

[Graham]

Re: How Close Is Too Close?