Just wondering if any Hide members do this. I’m thinking of trying it with my Optika 6 on 2/3 rifles. I have a Kestrel where I can save different Rifle profiles. Any thoughts, tips, or pointers would be appreciated.
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Rifle Scopes One Scope On Multiple Rifles
- Thread starter SCGunner84
- Start date
That’s kind of what I was thinking. Might just end up getting another scope then.
What magnification do you already like? What power do you typically shoot with? Style of shooting? Use for the rifle?
In the ballpark of 3-18 or 5-25 plus or minus depending on manufacturers would be my choice regardless.
I really like my Optika6 3-18 because I can use it to hunt or reach out. I’m looking to get into long range shooting this year but also still want all my rifles to be capable deer rifles as well. I have my 3-18 on a 6.5 prc, built on a TL3 and Bartlein barrel in a KRG Bravo chassis. What I’m building now is a 25 creed on a Terminus Zeus and Hawk Hill barrel. Probably going to go with the MDT XRS for this build.
I have 3 zco for a pool of 5 rifles. It’s not a big deal.
Bit 1 for several can get old. And if it breaks down, you’re out of action. I’d suggest 2 optics minimum.
Bit 1 for several can get old. And if it breaks down, you’re out of action. I’d suggest 2 optics minimum.
That makes a lot of sense. Now I’m just thinking do I want another 3-18 or 4.5-5 base mag scope.
Could always go for the bigger Optika6 since you like what you have. Based on the components it sounds like you might have a decent budget for the rifle and there are some deals to be had in the PX on some high end premium offerings. A 4.5-27 G2 Razor, k624i, or 5-25 ATACR would be good options on the high side of magnification and attainable in the sub to low 2k mark. 4-16 ATACR is a damn good scope as is the 3-18 Razor. Never tried a Leupold but maybe a Mk5HD would interest you.
Yea I have liked what I’ve read about the MK5 since they rolled out but that probably something for down the road not an immediate scope for my set up.
If it applies I’d apply for their mil / vet program. Makes them pretty attractive. For down the road.
So this is what I'm currently doing for cost reasons. I'm running a pst2 5-25 on swfa rings, good scope bases and have followed the general advice of swapping it always to the same slot and using a torque wrench...
The only way that makes sense for me is to have one gun be the master, and dial the adjustments for everything else and just hold off the reticle for them. Otherwise you have to wonder, oh that's 2 mils of wind, but I'm already .7 left for my zero, and 1.2 down... not fun.
I'll also say it's a chronic pain in the dick. If you want to shoot only one gun at a time and swap at home it's not bad. But if you want to shoot several rifles in one range trip it just sucks.
For me the gun I shoot most, and has to be dialed the most for is my .22, so it's the master. It's also a lot more insocaistsnt in zero swapping between ammo types, lots, etc. So if you change your zero at all to account for that? Better hope you wrote it down, and remember which way that corresponds to on the other guns. Otherwise everything else is no longer zeroed.
Also, when you swap it back and forth it USUALY stays zeroed.... until it just sometimes mysteriously doesnt. Really cant explain that, it's good gear, doing the same thing but sometimes it's just off. Maybe I'm putting the scope in the wrong slot or something but the reality is, every time I swap the scope I have to confirm my zero.
So taking the scope off the .22, going to the .308, and taking the gun to hunt without checking is out of the question.
See? Pain in the dick. Its doable, but I would only want to do it for as long as it took me to buy a second decent scope.
The only way that makes sense for me is to have one gun be the master, and dial the adjustments for everything else and just hold off the reticle for them. Otherwise you have to wonder, oh that's 2 mils of wind, but I'm already .7 left for my zero, and 1.2 down... not fun.
I'll also say it's a chronic pain in the dick. If you want to shoot only one gun at a time and swap at home it's not bad. But if you want to shoot several rifles in one range trip it just sucks.
For me the gun I shoot most, and has to be dialed the most for is my .22, so it's the master. It's also a lot more insocaistsnt in zero swapping between ammo types, lots, etc. So if you change your zero at all to account for that? Better hope you wrote it down, and remember which way that corresponds to on the other guns. Otherwise everything else is no longer zeroed.
Also, when you swap it back and forth it USUALY stays zeroed.... until it just sometimes mysteriously doesnt. Really cant explain that, it's good gear, doing the same thing but sometimes it's just off. Maybe I'm putting the scope in the wrong slot or something but the reality is, every time I swap the scope I have to confirm my zero.
So taking the scope off the .22, going to the .308, and taking the gun to hunt without checking is out of the question.
See? Pain in the dick. Its doable, but I would only want to do it for as long as it took me to buy a second decent scope.
I had a buddy that ran one optic between his .223 trainer and his 6.5 competition gun. He figured instead of buying two $1000 scopes he would buy one $2000 scope that would be that much better, and he can only shoot one gun at a time. He also had it setup in a QD mount that he swapped between both rifles. After swapping and redialing his scope to the new rifle he was usually pretty close to his zero but it was still a time consuming process.
Sure, I get the same results using the wrench. The issue is "usualy" and "pretty close". If I'm futzing around at the range it's no problem, other than being a pain. But doing it this way means that only the rifle that was confirmed last to be on will be for sure zeroed.
I just picked up a Vortex PST Gen II 5-20x50 mil/mil ffp that I'm going to mount on one of my M1As. Since I use a Bassett Machine Low Pic Mount, it is a quick change mount and, having swapped a Viper PST Gen I moa/moa between two of my M1As before, I expect it will require only minor changes to zero it. The Vortexes will allow me to easily reset the zero stop so this idea seems practical. If we're ever allowed out again, I'll look forward to testing my theory.
Harry
Harry
I did it for a while on "easy mode".
One 5-25 mounted in an American Defense QD mount that I bounced between a 6.5 Grendel, a 6.5 Creedmoor, and a 308 SASS. All AR platforms so it was.... well.... easy mode. No leveling or wrenching.
Out of necessity I would do rings and scope between bolt guns. But I would be for buying more optics as soon as possible.
Its actually nice to be flush with optics these days with 3 or 4 in reserve.
One 5-25 mounted in an American Defense QD mount that I bounced between a 6.5 Grendel, a 6.5 Creedmoor, and a 308 SASS. All AR platforms so it was.... well.... easy mode. No leveling or wrenching.
Out of necessity I would do rings and scope between bolt guns. But I would be for buying more optics as soon as possible.
Its actually nice to be flush with optics these days with 3 or 4 in reserve.
I would rather have 3 swfa 10x then swap one NF between three rifles. Yeah. It sucks that much.
Edit: if you don’t get out to shoot very often then it’s not as big a pain. If you shoot often or plan on shooting often then it is a pain.
Edit: if you don’t get out to shoot very often then it’s not as big a pain. If you shoot often or plan on shooting often then it is a pain.
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If it’s in your budget, look at the new vortex. The few people I’ve heard with one seem to like it for an~$700 scope
Out of budget. I have a PST II 5-25 for the main rig, and a 1-6 on my ar. I just need something functional and of minimal price to get my .308 running
If it is for plinking, find a SWFA 10x or 12x. Solid scopes and you should be able to pick up a used in excellent condition model for $200 shipped to you from the exchange. Solid scopes and there is nothing that can compete at that price or even double that price.
Yeah some plinking and some hunting. The rifle is a remington 783, so I dont think it really warrants a high dollar scope anyhow.
A fixed 10x42will get a little dark on you quick in poor light. That would be the main drawback for hunting. There is a fixed 6 that may be better although I have never owned the 6x just so you know. Hell a $200 Leopold or similar 3x9 may fit the bill better for that rifle. Sight in with a 200 yd zero and learn your holdovers for casual plinking and hunting.
I am living this "dream" currently, moving a ZCO in a spuhr QD from a 16.5in bbl to a 24in bbl (both in 6.5).
It is doable, but it does add just enough more time to range sessions to make it noticeable "annoying" for me personally. Especially if I am shooting indoors and I am on a 60 minute time limit, it makes me feel rushed if I have other data/things to flush out. If it is just me on an outdoor range, zero problems then.
In the end, first world problems, right? I am still in the early phases to making it more efficient and repeatable.
It is doable, but it does add just enough more time to range sessions to make it noticeable "annoying" for me personally. Especially if I am shooting indoors and I am on a 60 minute time limit, it makes me feel rushed if I have other data/things to flush out. If it is just me on an outdoor range, zero problems then.
In the end, first world problems, right? I am still in the early phases to making it more efficient and repeatable.
That's like having one set of wheels and tires for multiple vehicles.
What ring/mount do you use?
I'd imagine a one piece (spuhr etc) would be more reliable than rings.
ARC rings. I think with quality rings, it’s a myth that a 1 piece base will be more repeatable.
So, you have your rings clamped down onto your optic tube. What would cause them to shift that a one piece mount wouldn’t? You’re taking them off a rifle, then either putting them on another, or sitting them on a bench for a while.
There’s literally no force exerted on the optic or rings enough to defeat the clamping forces.
The only thing I can see is if your picatinny rails across different rifles are a different specs and the recoil lug on rings don’t interact. Thus far, in custom actions, I haven’t noticed a problem.
As you said differences in rails would be my only concern.
Good to hear it works well for you.
Do you have a master rifle and just use the elevation offset in your ballistic data but dial in windage then just hold for wind?
I don’t. But a master rifle wouldn’t be a bad idea.
I don’t go out with intention of shooting say 5 rifles on the same day with only 3 optics. What I do is decide “so, I’m Shooting’s the vudoo and the AI at a match/s this week or month,” and I know roughly how many mils I should have in travel when zero’d. So I make sure I have that amount of travel on that rifle/optic. Then zero the rifle. Usually doesn’t take too many shots to tweak it.
For my .22, my dope is spot on every single time. So I just zero and go.
For centerfire, a couple things I’ve noticed,
1: even though it’s closely repeatable, sometimes I’m stuck between a click one way or another I wasn’t last time
2: see the “group size” thread going on. I might have a zero group last time at 11:30 from POA and this time it’s 12:30. Not a wandering zero, just over time the aggregate size is just larger.
So, before any serious shooting or a match with centerfire, I zero and dope it. Then I don’t touch it at all until the match starts. I don’t want to be second guessing my zero and the dope I have is for that.
