Rifle Scopes Not sure my PST is tracking right EDIT: It is!!!

DernHumpus

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 3, 2008
103
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Iowa
I have a 2.5-10x mil/mil PST on a R700 SPSTactical. It is zerod at 50 yards and the scope height is 2.1 inches.

I shot today at 650 yards and had to go up 5 mils. This is not correct from any of the ballistic tables I have found. I had some 168 smks and 175 smks loaded up and both were impacting at about the same height at this distance.

If I do a box test at 100 yards, each mil should be 3.375 inches apart?
 
Re: Not sure my PST is tracking right

If you think your scope has gone south, call Vortex. I just had problems, bought one of the Hide. It got damaged in shipment, called them they said "send it in we will repair or give you a new one". They did not even question me? Just had me send it in and they sent me a new one! All in one week. Best customer service I have seen in a long time!!!
 
Re: Not sure my PST is tracking right

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DernHumpus</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a 2.5-10x mil/mil PST on a R700 SPSTactical. It is zerod at 50 yards and the scope height is 2.1 inches.

I shot today at 650 yards and had to go up 5 mils. This is not correct from any of the ballistic tables I have found. I had some 168 smks and 175 smks loaded up and both were impacting at about the same height at this distance.

If I do a box test at 100 yards, each mil should be 3.375 inches apart? </div></div>

Hmmm, what do you mean exactly by "this is not correct form any of the ballistics tables I have found"? Are you just looking at ballistics tables with those rounds, and trying to say that you should have a certain amount of drop, or did you actually run the numbers for your own load? You mention you had some rounds loaded up, which might suggest handloads. So have you chronographed how fast these rounds are actually going, or are you just taking a S.W.A.G at their velocity? The velocity of the load makes a big difference. I mean you're shooting a rifle with a 20" barrel, so you may be losing a bit of velocity there. Then I don't know what kind of temperatures and elevation you're shooting in. At this time of year, it's quite probable that you're shooting in colder temperature than standard conditions, so you'll have some difference there. Then there's a chance that you aren't getting the velocity that the tables are using, or that you have a temperature sensitive powder and it's not putting out the velocity in colder temps.

Part of the other problem is that you're using a 50 yard zero. Do you have a particular reason that you zeroed at that yardage? Most of the tables that you're looking at probably have 100 yard zeroes or further. This will also have an effect.I just quickly threw together some quick numbers for normal loads using a .308 and the 168 or 175 SMK, at standard temp and pressure, running those bullets around 2,550-2,600 fps, I was getting something like 4.1-4.3 mils at 650 yards with a 50 yards zero. If you weren't quite pushing that kind of velocity, had different temps, or air density values, I can see how you could easily get in the neighborhood of around 5 mils.

So the question again, did you just look up some tables, or did you run the ACTUAL numbers for your load and see what they should be.
 
Re: Not sure my PST is tracking right

I'm with Tomcat, you have far too many unknowns. Remove all the variables and test it optically.

Fairly easy way:
Set up dots a along a straight line at 3.6 inch intervals -- set up at exactly 100 yards. Bag of the rifle good and hold it steady, and have somebody carefully dial your elevation for you (carefully as not to disturb the rifle). Assuming you measure correctly, and you're at exactly 100 yards, each mil you dial should move the crosshair up exactly one dot.

You can check your reticle subtensions this way too.

Should really this (or something like it) with every new scope.
 
Re: Not sure my PST is tracking right

I chronographed the 168s at 2750, 168 smk with 46 gr of varget behind them. I had to tweak velocity (to like 3000+fps) in order to get the pejsa ballistic spreadsheet to work with this gun. However, the spreasheet works perfect for my AR with same scope.

I like the pejsa ballistics because its free and I can use it on my phone. Is this reputable? I believe I have compared it in the past to others and they matched.

I'll go check the elevation adjustment on both guns and get back.

Thanks for the help!
 
Re: Not sure my PST is tracking right

If you can find Bryan Litz's BC for the bullet's you are using,find out the density alt and do a 100Y zero instead(less chance of error),you can determine the velocity accurately using holdovers vs dialing.If the holdovers don't coincide with the turrets it's send back the scope time.
 
Re: Not sure my PST is tracking right

I just checked it out and it seems all is well. I put marks 3.6" apart on a box at 100 yards and shot a few rounds with the scope adjusted to hit each. The impacts checked out and were also verified with the reticle. It looks all is well, I did a bit more looking with my chart and it seems that it's possible that 5 mils at 650 yards is reasonable. I need to get some lower rings for the gun and will revisit once they are installed.

Thanks for the help.

What low rings do I need for this thing? My Burris mediums are too high, I strain my damn neck looking through it.
 
Re: Not sure my PST is tracking right

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DernHumpus</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just checked it out and it seems all is well. I put marks 3.6" apart on a box at 100 yards and shot a few rounds with the scope adjusted to hit each. The impacts checked out and were also verified with the reticle. It looks all is well, I did a bit more looking with my chart and it seems that it's possible that 5 mils at 650 yards is reasonable. I need to get some lower rings for the gun and will revisit once they are installed.

Thanks for the help.

What low rings do I need for this thing? My Burris mediums are too high, I strain my damn neck looking through it. </div></div>

I have an EGW 20 MOA base on my Savage, and I was using Burris low XTR's. The scope was a Crossfire 8-32x50, and it fit perfect IMO.

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