So I've been meaning to test this for a while now, been waiting for a variety of reasons but had the time and opportunity to do it yesterday, so despite the bad weather went ahead and ran my test.
Basically wanted to know what the RTZ reliability of removing/installing scopes was going to be if one wanted to use a single scope on multiple rifles, or multiple scopes on a single rifles, or any other combination of musical scopes.
I ran this test on my 22lr Tikka at 30m, twas a pretty windy day with a Right to Left 90° wind I estimated 6mph consistent with 10-15mph gusts, due to the location some parts of the range were sheltered and others were not.
The scopes and rings used in the test were as follows: (I know I look like a Vortex fan boi....)
PST G2 3-15x44 in NF ultralite rings
PST G1 2.5-10x32 in Recknagel rings
Strike Eagle 5-25x56 in Contessa rings
Delta Stryker 4.5-30x56 in Spuhr mount
I'd previously zeroed all the scopes at 30m a few days prior, so just went straight into shooting the groups.
I shot three 5 shot groups with each scope, switching scopes (round robin style) between each group, basically shooting a row of targets at a time.
See the picture below for the groups and the zero shift (or lack of) between each removal/installation.
After the final set of groups were shot I set up my 22 KYL rack at 30m (targets from 2" to .25" in .25" increments) as a final test to see if what the practical zero was.
Before attempting the rack I made the required turret adjustments based on the previously shot groups.
Despite the gusty conditions I managed to clear the KYL rack with 2 shots to spare (8 of 10) with both the Strike Eagle and PST 2.5-10 but couldn't quite get the final .25" target with both the Delta Stryker and PST 3-15.
Admittedly this is far from a perfect test, yes I should've done it at a long range, yes I should've waited for less wind, yes I should've done more than 5 shot groups, maybe I'll repeat it again at a later but as far as I'm concerned I'm calling this test a success. Having effectively removed and installed the scope 5 times between zeroing and attempting the KYL rack and all but clearing the rack (considering the conditions) I was well chuffed to say the least.
I analysed the targets on the computer to measure the max zero shift (difference between groups centres not from target centre), the most horizontal was with the Recknagel rings at .88Mils (could very well have been due to wind) and the max vertical was also with the Recknagel rings at 1.38Mils although the first NF ring group was 1.00Mil lower than the other two.
The average zero shift between all 12 groups was only .45Mil which I think is pretty impressive.
Whether you think this test is enough evidence is up to you. For me it's the precursor to a test I'm going to do with my new Tikka switch barrel project, with the ultimate goal being able to have one barrel and scope set up for hunting and another for target shooting.
I don't intend to switch scopes/barrels every day but it would give me more flexibility in my rifle set up, which as a musical scopes kinda guy I'd appreciate.
Basically wanted to know what the RTZ reliability of removing/installing scopes was going to be if one wanted to use a single scope on multiple rifles, or multiple scopes on a single rifles, or any other combination of musical scopes.
I ran this test on my 22lr Tikka at 30m, twas a pretty windy day with a Right to Left 90° wind I estimated 6mph consistent with 10-15mph gusts, due to the location some parts of the range were sheltered and others were not.
The scopes and rings used in the test were as follows: (I know I look like a Vortex fan boi....)
PST G2 3-15x44 in NF ultralite rings
PST G1 2.5-10x32 in Recknagel rings
Strike Eagle 5-25x56 in Contessa rings
Delta Stryker 4.5-30x56 in Spuhr mount
I'd previously zeroed all the scopes at 30m a few days prior, so just went straight into shooting the groups.
I shot three 5 shot groups with each scope, switching scopes (round robin style) between each group, basically shooting a row of targets at a time.
See the picture below for the groups and the zero shift (or lack of) between each removal/installation.
After the final set of groups were shot I set up my 22 KYL rack at 30m (targets from 2" to .25" in .25" increments) as a final test to see if what the practical zero was.
Before attempting the rack I made the required turret adjustments based on the previously shot groups.
Despite the gusty conditions I managed to clear the KYL rack with 2 shots to spare (8 of 10) with both the Strike Eagle and PST 2.5-10 but couldn't quite get the final .25" target with both the Delta Stryker and PST 3-15.
Admittedly this is far from a perfect test, yes I should've done it at a long range, yes I should've waited for less wind, yes I should've done more than 5 shot groups, maybe I'll repeat it again at a later but as far as I'm concerned I'm calling this test a success. Having effectively removed and installed the scope 5 times between zeroing and attempting the KYL rack and all but clearing the rack (considering the conditions) I was well chuffed to say the least.
I analysed the targets on the computer to measure the max zero shift (difference between groups centres not from target centre), the most horizontal was with the Recknagel rings at .88Mils (could very well have been due to wind) and the max vertical was also with the Recknagel rings at 1.38Mils although the first NF ring group was 1.00Mil lower than the other two.
The average zero shift between all 12 groups was only .45Mil which I think is pretty impressive.
Whether you think this test is enough evidence is up to you. For me it's the precursor to a test I'm going to do with my new Tikka switch barrel project, with the ultimate goal being able to have one barrel and scope set up for hunting and another for target shooting.
I don't intend to switch scopes/barrels every day but it would give me more flexibility in my rifle set up, which as a musical scopes kinda guy I'd appreciate.
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