Rifle Scopes Picatinny rail questions

[jetech]

I am looking at rail mounts and have a few questions. First, the rifle is a Rem 700 SPS in 300WM. I am looking at the Vortex PST, SWFA SS and Athlon Argos and Midas for glass.
I am trying to determine which would be best between the 0 MOA and 20 MOA rail mounts. The rifle will be used for target and possibly hunting.
As far as range, my local range goes out to around 800 yds. My personal range is only 100 yds. I would like to shoot both places.
My plan is when the sporter barrel is shot out to move to a heavier barrel so I would like to know if it is best to get a 20 MOA now or wait until I change barrels or will I be dealing with issues with a 20 MOA, sporter barrel, shorter ranges and one of the optics listed.

From what I am reading a 0 MOA should be fine out to around 500 yds and a 20 MOA 500 to 1000. That is why I am asking.

Also, any drawbacks to an aluminum rail? What about with standard vs heavy duty. I am assuming I should go with heavy duty if using aluminum.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Jack's Dad]

I like 20 moa rails. Sure your head is in a slightly different place than 0 moa but I doubt you'll notice. You'll be able to get a lot more out of your scope in terms of adjustment range doing this. Go with heavy duty rails, steel, and good scope rings as well. 300WM has good recoil, make sure your shit is secure. It's dumb to have a nice rifle/scope and then miss a shot because something is loose or broken. THE SWFA 3-15 has been really good for me.

 

[jetech]

Thanks for the reply and comment on the SWFA.

 

[wade2big]

You definitely do not need a canted rail to shoot 800 yds with a .300wm.

In fact you don’t need a canted rail to shoot 800 yds even with a 24” .308 and factory ammo although using a genii pst it would be really close to maxed out at sea level as they have a small adjustment range.

Their really isn’t a downside to using a canted rail anyhow. The only rifles that I don’t is the guns I strictly use for hunting.

I will also add the SWFA 3-15x42 is a fantastic scope and I like it as much as scopes I own that cost a whole lot more. I also like the genii pst scopes as well especially the 3-15 model.

 

[Cfshooter]

I went 20moa rail on my sporter barreled 700 and haven’t had any issues sighting in and shooting at 100 yards.

I find PB’s comment interesting though as I had a hard time getting comfortable behind the Athlon Argos that’s on it. I though maybe the rail put the scope a little higher than I am used to, but maybe the angle of the rail had something to do with it, it is my first 20moa rail.

 

[spife7980]

There is zero downside to a 20moa canted scope rail with today’s equipment.

Your scope has 60 moa of elevation adjustment travel (for a conservative example, the more travelnit has the less this matters). That’s 30 moa up and 30 moa down. All a canted rail does is shift where your zero point is within that range with a result of taking downward adjustment and converting it to up.
So a 20 moa rail would shift you up travel from 30 up to 50 up and your down travel from 30 down to 10 down.

Now, too much of anything is bad. A 40 moa rail would put you at 70 up and -10 down. You would bottom out before you could dial low enough for a 100 yard zero.

Obviously everything is not perfect, perhaps your scope doesn’t zero in the middle of its range normally, a 20 moa rail is generally low enough that you can still deal with the deflections from ideal.

 

[wade2big]

There is zero downside to a 20moa canted scope rail with today’s equipment.

Your scope has 60 moa of elevation adjustment travel (for a conservative example, the more travelnit has the less this matters). That’s 30 moa up and 30 moa down. All a canted rail does is shift where your zero point is within that range with a result of taking downward adjustment and converting it to up.
So a 20 moa rail would shift you up travel from 30 up to 50 up and your down travel from 30 down to 10 down.

Now, too much of anything is bad. A 40 moa rail would put you at 70 up and -10 down. You would bottom out before you could dial low enough for a 100 yard zero.

Obviously everything is not perfect, perhaps your scope doesn’t zero in the middle of its range normally, a 20 moa rail is generally low enough that you can still deal with the deflections from ideal.

One downside of any one piece rail with a Remington 700 or any other rifle that is top loaded is the base makes it a pain in the ass to top load. I like top loaded Remington 700s as they do have certain advantages. I would recommend a two piece base or no base at all (direct mount). There are companies that make a one piece mount that is turned down in the center. I have no experience with these but it could be the best of both worlds.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Every rifle I own has a 20MOA Picatinny rail on it. You will not NEED a 20MOA rail to shoot to 800 w. .300WM. But when 800 gets easy, and you want to go to 1000, then 1200, then 1500....you might need the 20MOA when you get there.

I shoot to 1500-1800 regularly. From 6CM to .300RUM. The lighter loads need more elevation when you stretch them out.

I have never once had an issue single loading any R700 with a full rail on the rifle. So don't sweat that.

 

[wade2big]

Every rifle I own has a 20MOA Picatinny rail on it. You will not NEED a 20MOA rail to shoot to 800 w. .300WM. But when 800 gets easy, and you want to go to 1000, then 1200, then 1500....you might need the 20MOA when you get there.

I shoot to 1500-1800 regularly. From 6CM to .300RUM. The lighter loads need more elevation when you stretch them out.

I have never once had an issue single loading any R700 with a full rail on the rifle. So don't sweat that.

Hell shooting is easy with bags if you can walk it in. I can take someone who has little experience and have them hitting a 12” plate at 750 in just a few shots. The hard part to me is making cold bore first round shots at a given distance. That is what seperates the men from boys in my opinion.

As far as single loading with a one-piece being a non-issue I agree completely. I was mainly referring that loading the internal magazine is a little more difficult. That may or may not matter depending on how the OP shoots.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Hell shooting is easy with bags if you can walk it in. I can take someone who has little experience and have them hitting a 12” plate at 750 in just a few shots. The hard part to me is making cold bore first round shots at a given distance. That is what separates the men from boys in my opinion.

As far as single loading with a one-piece being a non-issue I agree completely. I was mainly referring that loading the internal magazine is a little more difficult. That may or may not matter depending on how the OP shoots.

I agree 100%.

1st round hit @ 1020 w. my 6CM pushing a 105 Hybrid @ 3101fps.


1st round hit at 1500. I blame Coreolis for the low hit. Shooting due west and a 2.5 sec TOF.....damn science....

 

[jetech]

Thanks for the advice. I bought a Magpul hunter that I just finished painting. Waiting to pick the rifle up from the machinist with a new brake. Rail, rings and glass are next.