Rifle Scopes Need help or suggestions

[pcrage]

To all:

I have a swarov a line 4-12x50 BR scope that I have dialed the elevation almost all the way down and am still shooting slightly high at 200yds. I had thought the elevation "range" of some 48+ inches would have given me enough flexibility but apparently not.

Is there anything I can do to help this situation or is it possible I have a defective scope?

Many thanks

Peter

 

[jasonk]

Re: Need help or suggestions

How how are you at 200?

What mounts and base are you using? Flat or canted base?

 

[FARGO]

Re: Need help or suggestions

Sounds like you need a 20 moa base.

 

[NaHa]

Re: Need help or suggestions

Negatory on the 20 MOA base. In fact, the O/P's scope is already tilted too far forward.

Peter, what you want is a flat base, or a less tilted base, to enable you to get your short range zero.

 

[pcrage]

Re: Need help or suggestions

So I want to get a base that tilts down or tapers at the front? Makes sense. Are these common? I have a TC Pro Hunter and I am shooting a .270 win.



Thanks

 

[pcrage]

Re: Need help or suggestions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How how are you at 200?

What mounts and base are you using? Flat or canted base? </div></div>


I am about 4" high at 200....an inch or two low at 300

Not sure on the base...I assume flat...just bought the recommended base and rings for the barrel.

I will have to look into it but it sounds like I need one that tapers at the front........thanks

 

[Doug Shooter]

Re: Need help or suggestions

I would try the 20MOA base. I know some of you guys don't agree but its sounds to me like that is the answer. If it doesn't work you can always take it back and get your money back. Just don't tell them you mounted it!

 

[NaHa]

Re: Need help or suggestions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pjcrage</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So I want to get a base that tilts down or tapers at the front? Makes sense. Are these common? I have a TC Pro Hunter and I am shooting a .270 win.

</div></div>

NO, YOU DO NOT WANT A FORWARD TILTED BASE.

The problem is that your scope is already too far tilted downward. You want a flat base, or a base with LESS forward tilt than you already have.

When you cannot dial down far enough in the adjustment range to achieve a short range zero, it is because your scope is tilted down, as would be the case with a 20 MOA base, and only worse so with a 30 MOA or 40 MOA taper.

The original poster needs to have his scope pointed more up, NOT DOWN.

 

[NaHa]

Re: Need help or suggestions

Original poster, I re-read your first message, and it says "...have dialed the elevation almost all the way down...".

How much more downward adjustment is there? It could very well be that if you dial down, you WILL be able to achieve a 200y, or hopefully a 100y zero. The adjustment knobs are there for a reason. Dial the elevation adjustment ALL the way down, and figure out how many more MOA you have available before you change mounts.

Regardless, you do NOT want a base with more forward tilt than you already have. Going with more forward tilt will only make your problem WORSE.

 

[remaction]

Re: Need help or suggestions

What bases and rings are you using?
One piece base or two piece?
If two piece, hHave you measured the front and rear base depth to make sure they are the same (some weird packaging or production issue)?
Does the scope fit true (flush, flat) on the bottom of the rings?

Something sounds weird, unless your bases are 20 MOA or more bases.

If they are level bases, you could try using a scope shim or two under the front base, but would need to lap the rings before installing the scope.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Need help or suggestions

peter, need more info. when you say recommended base, do you mean 2 piece or one full piece?
when you say downward adjustment, are you talking about the down adjustment on the turret or the
down movement of the crosshair (which would be up on the turret) if your talking about the down movement of the cross hair, you need a tapered
moa base, usually a one piece.

if your talking about the down adjustment of your turret or knob, then it does sound as if your scope may be tilted
too far upward in the front as it sounds if your hitting the end of the adjustment range of the scope. (usually it's the other
way around.

whether you have a one piece or two piece, make sure whether they are tapered or not. when you say recommended, they are
probably basic weavers or the like which are not tapered, look for a number on them (as you probably threw the packaging away)
and look on the chart to see exactly what they are. maybe somehow you got tapered ones and somehow put the it on backwards to
give you that upward tilt rather than the downward one (not that hard to do installing in a hurry with a 4 hole, equal distant apart tapped
barrel).

a scope of that quality rarely craps out on you, and usually has major adjustment range in mind, but it's not impossible the scope
went south. if i'm understanding you correctly, with the 48" of adjustment (probably at 100 yards) means 96" inches at 200yards.
a .22 rimfire doesn't need that much, so something is fishy.

need more info

 

[pcrage]

Re: Need help or suggestions

I have a standard leupold single piece base with 4 screws. Using leupold high profile rings as it is a 50mm objective lens and need clearance. I believe the base is alloy.

I have dialed the top turret to allow the scope to shoot as low as possible, meaning the crosshair should be at its highest position in the scope. I now understand that the scope may be tilted to far down (the crosshiar must come up higher relative to the barrel) to allow me to shoot lower at 200 yds.....

If I tilt the scope higher at the front with the use of a shim I suspect the problem should abate. Do you agree? The only questions I now have is how much of a shim do I need. If this does not stop the problem I must assume that the scope is bad.

 

[remaction]

Re: Need help or suggestions

I would start there. I have not seen a pro-hunter, is the top of the receiver flat (i.e. parallel to the bore of the barrel)?

You should not need to lap the rings as mentioned earlier since you have a one piece base (although I typically do anyhow). You may need to shim under the front part of the rear base attachment point so as not to torque the base too bad when re-attaching it to the receiver. If this ends up working (using a shim under the front of the base, you may want to bed the rear base so as to have a trued bedding surface so that the base lays flat on it.

 

[pcrage]

Re: Need help or suggestions

interesting point....the top of the barrel is not flat it is convex and tapers down at the front of the scope base where the bullet seats and rifling starts inside the barrel.

maybe the top of the barrel construction is the culprit...so possibly the pro hunter is not all it is cracked up to be.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Need help or suggestions

THIS MAYBE TAKEN FOR GRANTED BUT WITH THAT BIG OBJECTIVE, IS IT RUBBING AGAINST THE BARREL CAUSING THE SCOPE TO TILT UP IN THE FRONT?
AFTER ALL THAT $ YOU PUT INTO THE T/C AND SCOPE AND STUFF, I HATE TO USE A SHIM, JUST A PERSONAL OPION. KINDA LIKE PUTTING MUDER TIRES ON A FERRARI.
YOU CAN TRY A SHIM, OR EVEN THE REDNECK WAY OF PUTTING A SMALL PIECE OF ELECTRICAL TAPE UNDER THE FRONT OR BACK OF THE BASE TO GIVE YOU A "HOMEMADE" SHIM,
BUT AT LEAST THAT'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT TO BUY AND WHERE TO PUT IT. PERHAPS A TRIP TO THE GUNSMITH THAT HAS A CLUE IS IN ORDER.

 

[pcrage]

Re: Need help or suggestions

Did bring it to a good reputable gunsmith and he recommends a shim. He will craft one himself out of alloy and make it look professional.

He did say that although the TC pro hunters are great black powder and slug tossers, he is not all that impressed with the centerfire barrel's ability to take a scope properly. He thinks money would be better spent on bolt actions with "tried and true" receivers made for attaching high quality glass.

I am beginning to believe him. This has been an exercise in wasted time and frustration....beware the "do everything gun".

ps there is adequate clearance between the objective and barrel....