Rifle Scopes Scopes/turret designs that support Switch barrel setups...easy re-zero?

[HairyDemon]

I am about to pull trigger on an AI AXMC 308, and I am looking at a few different scopes. I have the most experience with Vortex and the newer design of the Gen ii turrets lend themselves to adjusting zero pretty easily. I know this is way down the rabbit hole but can anyone provide any feedback of the other big name scope brands that either are super easy or a massive pain in the ass to re-zero. With the idea that with a switch barrel setup I will be doing more re-zeroing than normally?

 

[usmcmad]

Super Super Easy = Tangent Theta

 

[Covertnoob5]

NF is a pain in the butt to re zero often. Becomes very tedious after a while.
I have a DTA and found for re-zero the TT is the fastest, however you can get a little confused at where you are because you can only go down .5 mil at a time if you need to go backwards. So if you try to re-zero but just moving the turrets without shooting you might get a little lost.
The razor 2 and AMG have probably the best for switch barrels. If you put witness marks on the inner turret you can always get that perfect zero without shooting any ammo.


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[TheOE800]

Next easiest after TT would be Vortex L-Tec I think.

 

[HairyDemon]

My Top Three choices was the vortex 4.5-27, NF ATACR F1 5-25, and the S&B PMii, I have never looked at Tangent Theta

 

[redneckbmxer24]

The shift on the AX's barrel to barrel and back is repeatable (sometimes takes up to two shots to settle in after a swap) so if you have your shift for each barrel recorded all you need to do is move the turrets accordingly then zero out the turrets. On a scope that you set the zero stop like NF, I always set it 1mil below regardless so it has never been an issue. I've also ran (and am currently running) a S&B with the DT that has a set ZS (.6mil below zero?) on two AX's and I've never had to move the turret up to have more than .6mil to change for a different barrel. The most shift I have seen between barrels and 100 yard zeros was .4mil. That was between the 26" AINA 243 barrel and 26" AINA 6.5 creed barrel on the 2014 AX308 I had. The shift between the two barrels I've run on my new AXMC thus far (26" 243 and 24" 300WM) is .2H and .3R going from 300 to 243.

I personally would not run the Vortex for it's absolute zero feature. The POI is repeatable so by using this feature you'd essentially be rezeroing the rifle every time. There's no need.

I also see toolless turrets like the TT as absolutely pointless too. It's not like you're changing barrels like a mag change, and you most likely aren't even going to be doing it in the field (although you can). Therefor I just don't see why taking out a 2mm allen wrench to reset the turrets would be a hinderance at all.

At the end of the day any of them will work fine but I wouldn't buy into these two features that offer no real convenience in the long run. If you have an optic that you already run and like, or were already set on one then that's the one I'd pick.

 

[HairyDemon]

The shift on the AX's barrel to barrel and back is repeatable (sometimes takes up to two shots to settle in after a swap) so if you have your shift for each barrel recorded all you need to do is move the turrets accordingly then zero out the turrets. On a scope that you set the zero stop like NF, I always set it 1mil below regardless so it has never been an issue. I've also ran (and am currently running) a S&B with the DT that has a set ZS (.6mil below zero?) on two AX's and I've never had to move the turret up to have more than .6mil to change for a different barrel. The most shift I have seen between barrels and 100 yard zeros was .4mil. That was between the 26" AINA 243 barrel and 26" AINA 6.5 creed barrel on the 2014 AX308 I had. The shift between the two barrels I've run on my new AXMC thus far (26" 243 and 24" 300WM) is .2H and .3R going from 300 to 243.

I personally would not run the Vortex for it's absolute zero feature. The POI is repeatable so by using this feature you'd essentially be rezeroing the rifle every time. There's no need.

I also see toolless turrets like the TT as absolutely pointless too. It's not like you're changing barrels like a mag change, and you most likely aren't even going to be doing it in the field (although you can). Therefor I just don't see why taking out a 2mm allen wrench to reset the turrets would be a hinderance at all.

At the end of the day any of them will work fine but I wouldn't buy into these two features that offer no real convenience in the long run. If you have an optic that you already run and like, or were already set on one then that's the one I'd pick.

I personally dig the Vortex Absolute Zero, but good feedback thanks bro.

 

[Eric32]

use your turret like a micrometer bottom it out and record starting zeros for every barrel

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I think it's a neat feature for most rifles but for a switch barrel it doesn't make sense to have unless you want to fine tune every time. At that point it really doesn't matter what you go with because you're not just dialing to POA to the known shift of the barrel.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the feature and using it on a switch barrel if you want to fine tune every time but for me it defeats my purpose of the system. The +/- .05mil resolution of standard .1mil knobs has always been plenty fine for me on any rifle. You don't even have to use the absolute zero feature, so it shouldn't take the optic out of the running for you if you like it.

You've been around here for a while so I'm you're pretty well versed with optics and know what you like so I'd just make the decision off of personal preference, that's really what it comes down to with optics anyway. S&B and NF has been what has consistently worked for me, so that's what I stick with. Having confidence in your equipment goes a long ways mentally even if your first choice isn't everyone else first choice.

 

[MACHTECH]

Tangent Theta is the easiest hands down. Next would be the new turrets that are on the Vortex AMG.

 

[Long Range 338]

Just ordered a TT for an AXMC for just this reason.

 

[Long Range 338]

I have a DTA and found for re-zero the TT is the fastest, however you can get a little confused at where you are because you can only go down .5 mil at a time if you need to go backwards.


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This doesn't sound right at all..... Are you saying you can only go down .5 because that is how far you can go below the zero stop? I know that the procedure for the Premier scopes to re zero down was different than simply zeroing up. I assume the TT works the same.

 

[Clearlight]

Depending on which ballistic solver you use , it may be easier to
record the zero offset there and work that way . Yesterday I was
running numbers for a guy with a DTA , with 308, 300 Norma and
338 LM barrels .

We we tried it two ways , firstly we used the 308 barrel as the ' master
zero ' , then just added the correction manually to the solution .
Secondly , we set up the zero offsets in Applied Ballistics and got
the same results . We found it easier to run it in AB rather than
adding up the corrections in our heads . Both ways got us the
same results ; consistent impacts at the limited distance we had
available on the day ( 1400 yards ) .

Dont have an AXMC , so not sure how much offset you are dealing
with . The DTA was obviously smithed well , ( all aftermarket barrels
with extra extensions fitted ) the biggest correction was just 1.1 Mil .
I can appreciate that if you were dealing with several Mils , turret
adjustment would be preferable .

 

[Long Range 338]

Depending on which ballistic solver you use , it may be easier to
record the zero offset there and work that way . Yesterday I was
running numbers for a guy with a DTA , with 308, 300 Norma and
338 LM barrels .

We we tried it two ways , firstly we used the 308 barrel as the ' master
zero ' , then just added the correction manually to the solution .
Secondly , we set up the zero offsets in Applied Ballistics and got
the same results . We found it easier to run it in AB rather than
adding up the corrections in our heads . Both ways got us the
same results ; consistent impacts at the limited distance we had
available on the day ( 1400 yards ) .

Dont have an AXMC , so not sure how much offset you are dealing
with . The DTA was obviously smithed well , ( all aftermarket barrels
with extra extensions fitted ) the biggest correction was just 1.1 Mil .
I can appreciate that if you were dealing with several Mils , turret
adjustment would be preferable .

So you are using AB to keep track of the different zeros for each barrel? I plan to build up some kind of reference card that I will keep with the rifle. You didn't mention what scope you were using?

 

[Covertnoob5]

This doesn't sound right at all..... Are you saying you can only go down .5 because that is how far you can go below the zero stop? I know that the procedure for the Premier scopes to re zero down was different than simply zeroing up. I assume the TT works the same.

You hit the zero stop .5 mil below 0. So let's say you need to adjust down 2.5 mils, you have to go .5 below re-zero then another .5 re-zero, etc. So it's a little tedious if you need to go backwards.


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[Clearlight]

^^ Good idea to keep notes / chart with rifle plotting zero offsets . Easy to
keep track of offsets in AB as they are effectively different rifle profiles .
This should be tested multiple times to confirm zero shift , so a little work
to get right .

A compromise would be to reset windage error on the windage turret ,
and then just deal with the ' zero height ' for each rifle in AB solver .
The DTA owner had just replaced a PM 2 Schmidt with a new
March 5 - 40. FFP . I was surprised how easy it was to see impacts
on steel from my x47 thru his scope , obviously the 338 impacts were
easy to see ...

 

[Hairy Biker]

With both my March and my NXS set ups with a switch barrel rifle I recorded the elevation and windage change and found it was quite repeatable. The issue I had with the NXS (beyond SFP) was loosing the zero due to not tightening the turret screws enough and getting slippage - really annoying during a match.

Different system on the March FFP - captive turret - so easier to adjust. Having the zero stop is also useful depending on the velocity difference between the two barrels and their cartridges. I am a little ambivalent on the how useful a zero stop can be when switching cartridges - I would note that switching barrels in the same cartridge but using a different load gave me an exact 200m zero from the original 100m zero but I doubt that is anything more than an aberration.

 

[morganlamprecht]

NF is a pain in the butt to re zero often. Becomes very tedious after a while.
I have a DTA and found for re-zero the TT is the fastest, however you can get a little confused at where you are because you can only go down .5 mil at a time if you need to go backwards. So if you try to re-zero but just moving the turrets without shooting you might get a little lost.
The razor 2 and AMG have probably the best for switch barrels. If you put witness marks on the inner turret you can always get that perfect zero without shooting any ammo.


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this is the answer (i have a note in my phone with all the zero settings for each barrel)...with 1 or 2 other barrels, sure the TT style will work and they are the simplest to rezero

at one point last year i was running 2-6mm barrels, 2-6.5 barrels, 308, and a 22 creed on my AT for matches...trying to keep up with that while going off offsets from other zero's is a mess...and unless you count clicks from the bottom of adjustment, if you ever get one off, its back to the range to check zero...the gen 2 system works great and you cant ever lose your reference because of the center turret being marked and constant...i shot a different barrel for almost every match for the last 1.5 yrs or so...no issues with swapping and resetting

 

[Long Range 338]

You hit the zero stop .5 mil below 0. So let's say you need to adjust down 2.5 mils, you have to go .5 below re-zero then another .5 re-zero, etc. So it's a little tedious if you need to go backwards.


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Not trying to be contrary just trying to help but this video shows the process for dialing down and you shouldn't have to go .5 mils at a time. Check this out at the 6:00 mark.

https://youtu.be/pLYZwds5Ymk?t=6m

 

[MACHTECH]

You don't have to go .5 mils at a time. You can dial back as much as you want to go backwards.

 

[Servo93]

I use a Bushnell ERS on my AIAT. I know it's not nearly as nice as some other options here but it has worked well for me.
No set screws to deal with and make dimples in my turrets; just spin off the top cap set the turret to zero and keep shooting.

 

[Covertnoob5]

You don't have to go .5 mils at a time. You can dial back as much as you want to go backwards.

I guess I'm wrong, but when I had mine and I was trying to bottom out the turret to get a full 28 mils and I remember having to go down .5 at a time. Maybe I was doing it wrong.




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[FourT6and2]

I guess I'm wrong, but when I had mine and I was trying to bottom out the turret to get a full 28 mils and I remember having to go down .5 at a time. Maybe I was doing it wrong.

Yeah, you're doing it wrong.