Rifle Scopes What's the best way to move a scope to multiple rifles without re-zeroing?

[260S]

Going with the buy once cry once mentality, I would like to buy a higher end scope and move it between rifles. It seems that I hear this buy once cry once a lot, and yet see dedicated scopes on most of the rifles. Has anyone mastered moving their scope without having to re-zero it?

I'm looking for any system that works well for you. What scope mount give the best reproducing results? How do you mark on the rails where the scope mount goes. Do you change where the zero is in a ballistics calculator?

I don't mind if the zero is not perfectly 100. Plan on having dope cards/ballistics calculator for each rifles. I just want to be able to change the scope quickly without having to go to the range and re-zero each time.

Thank you for your experience and help.

P.S., I tried to perform a search related to this topic and I didn't get the answer I was looking for, but please feel free to add links if I missed where this has already been covered.

 

[Srikaleak]

What are the rifles, barrel lengths, and calibers you plan on swapping between? You may have to compromise here and get multiple mid priced optics, one for each rifle. Or you could get one hi end and several budget options.
As far as mounts you'd have to get a quality quick detach: spuhr, era-tac, larue, Adm could do the job.

 

[b6graham]

Spuhr, ARC, MPA. I wouldnt bother with a QD, it doesn't save that much time. and i'd skip larue if it gets mentioned

you're gonna get close to a constant zero between them a long as you track your offsets in the calculator. but they probably won't be 1000% repeatable every single time

 

[502Chevelle]

Its almost imposaible to move 1 scope between rifles and keep the same zero. The machining tolerances on the rails will be slightly different. The rail mounting itself could be different etc. You can have multiple scopes that qd for 1 rifle, but to have 1 scope that will go from rifle to rifle and still be zeroed is a tall order. Im not saying that it cant be done, but in my opinion, a shit ton of luck would be involved.

 

[b6graham]

Its almost imposaible to move 1 scope between rifles and keep the same zero. The machining tolerances on the rails will be slightly different. The rail mounting itself could be different etc. You can have multiple scopes that qd for 1 rifle, but to have 1 scope that will go from rifle to rifle and still be zeroed is a tall order. Im not saying that it cant be done, but in my opinion, a shit ton of luck would be involved.

it doesnt need to be zero'd if you use offsets in ballistics calc. it just needs to be repeatable

 

[Gooldylocks]

Figure out what your change/offset is ahead of time, then dial that and reset your turrets to zero? You would just have to do it in reverse to get back.

If you had more than two rifles it may be wise to have the one "primary rifle" and then dial/zero your turret to the others. But always return to "primary rifle" setting before dialing to the others.

 

[Covertnoob5]

Run a spuhr and torque the screws in the order written on the mount. Pretty repeatable, I do it. I use the off-set feature in my ballistics calc and go from there. I run a NF scope so I can set my zero stop 1 mil below zero and that covers all my adjustments needed for multiple rifles/barrels with 1 scope.

 

[flyer]

It's easy if you don't mind missing.

But seriously, I'm going to try it. If you have sloped rails they have to match between the rifles you're swapping on and you have to make some attempt to get proper eye relief and cheek weld on all combinations.

I've got an ARC Nucleus coming with a 20 MOA rail and I have a Bobro compact mount (no slope) which has dual QD clamps and is about the same height as low rings and I'm going to get a 20 MOA extended riser from PRI for my LR308. I find a PRI riser with low rings gives me good cheek weld on an AR so I should be able to move my scope from bolt action to AR with reasonable offsets (clicks).

That's a swap that has traditionally been hard to do well and I'm not aware of a one piece mount that would have done it before the Bobro. This is my first Bobro but I'm impressed by the QD function, I like it almost as much as KDG Sidelok (it's just so easy to use) and it has a reputation for good return to zero.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Going with the buy once cry once mentality, I would like to buy a higher end scope and move it between rifles. It seems that I hear this buy once cry once a lot, and yet see dedicated scopes on most of the rifles. Has anyone mastered moving their scope without having to re-zero it?

It can be done with Burris XTR rings. Not going to be cheap or fast the first time around though.

 

[Primus]

It's a bad idea and not worth the bullshit.

Get an optic for each dedicated rifle. It's like buying one set of tires for 3 trucks and switching around Everytime you drive. If you can't afford each platform, then you need to reduce until you can. Decent quality optics are cheaper then ever and there is zero excuse to not be able to outfit each gun.

 

[Lowlight]

You always have to rezero if you want to be accurate

You can start with a big caliber like with the PSR Rifles used by the military and zero the 338LM, then move to 300WM with an offset recorded and then to a 308 only because with each change the elevation will move up vs down, but you have to record each offset from the original zero, place it in your software and then work both windage and elevation to adjust each shot for the new conditions.

it's a lot of prep work and sucks, but you can do it on a rifle like that, but moving the optic will include another set of variables

At the end of the day I have never met anyone doing it successfully

 

[260S]

What are the rifles, barrel lengths, and calibers you plan on swapping between? You may have to compromise here and get multiple mid priced optics, one for each rifle. Or you could get one hi end and several budget options.
As far as mounts you'd have to get a quality quick detach: spuhr, era-tac, larue, Adm could do the job.

Probably trying to keep this scope on similar savage rifle builds because of similar rails and build. 19" criterion .243, 26" criterion 260 Rem. I'm hoping zero is relatively close between these two rifles.

 

[260S]

Run a spuhr and torque the screws in the order written on the mount. Pretty repeatable, I do it. I use the off-set feature in my ballistics calc and go from there. I run a NF scope so I can set my zero stop 1 mil below zero and that covers all my adjustments needed for multiple rifles/barrels with 1 scope.

Does your zero change much between changes?

 

[260S]

So those who think it's not going to work well, is the buy once cry once mentality a bunch of B.S.? In all reality you should have your primary rifle with the best equipment, then buy mid-range scopes for all other less essential rifles? It cracks me up that I always hear people say, "buy the best and use it across the board", but then you see them with multiple scopes.

 

[JayB]

I use Bobro QD mounts and share a few good scopes among all my rifles. I keep track of the zero offset for ammo/rifle/scope combination in a log book. I have not experienced any issue with returning to zeros moving scope from one rifle to another to another then back.

I will double check zero after a scope has been unmounted and remounted to a rifle, particularly for a match that is coming up. Not experiencing issues so far does not mean I trust it 100%. However, I double check zero on the rifle on the day before the match even if the scope has not been unmounted.

 

[b6graham]

So those who think it's not going to work well, is the buy once cry once mentality a bunch of B.S.? In all reality you should have your primary rifle with the best equipment, then buy mid-range scopes for all other less essential rifles? It cracks me up that I always hear people say, "buy the best and use it across the board", but then you see them with multiple scopes.

Mausingfield. main comp rifle. razor gen 2. spuhr
Hancock. backup/loaner. pst gen 2. ARC M10
origin. other comp rifle/hunting. athlon ares etr. ARC M10

nothing wrong with the pst gen 2 or ares etr(from what we've heard). theyll eventually get upgraded bumping the razor down the scale. if i miss it's not because of the scope on top

 

[BangBangBlatBlat]

I've successfully done the whole "Switch one scope between 3 different rifles" thing. I've also done the switch barrel thing.

Basically there are a few options. The one I liked is I would zero the scope to my primary rifle so that 0,0 on the scope corresponded to the 100 yard zero. Then when I moved it to the next rifle I would record the zero as being .8L, .6 up, and repeat for the next rifle. Then you can either program your calculator to take not of that, or just run your ballistics program and add the offset to the end product yourself.

I also have instructions written down somewhere in my notepad to convert from 6.5mm on my rifle to .308 Win. It's something like "From 6.5 to 308 subtract .5, go .3L" and "From 308 to 6.5, add .5 and.3R". It works for me because even with the inputs, I'll still shoot on paper to confirm that I actually did it right.

 

[b6graham]

I've successfully done the whole "Switch one scope between 3 different rifles" thing. I've also done the switch barrel thing.

Basically there are a few options. The one I liked is I would zero the scope to my primary rifle so that 0,0 on the scope corresponded to the 100 yard zero. Then when I moved it to the next rifle I would record the zero as being .8L, .6 up, and repeat for the next rifle. Then you can either program your calculator to take not of that, or just run your ballistics program and add the offset to the end product yourself.

I also have instructions written down somewhere in my notepad to convert from 6.5mm on my rifle to .308 Win. It's something like "From 6.5 to 308 subtract .5, go .3L" and "From 308 to 6.5, add .5 and.3R". It works for me because even with the inputs, I'll still shoot on paper to confirm that I actually did it right.

this confirming part is crucial

 

[Lowlight]

Seems to me,

Most - Switch scopes but also confirm zero after, which is typical, so if that really what is being asked.

using the offsets work, but can be confusing to many and cumbersome, usually, it's done on your own terms vs someone else's like in a match setting or attending something organized.

If you switch scopes and re-zero you have no issue and is the only way to truly be sure.

 

[SLG]

The buy once cry once has nothing to do with only buying one scope. It has to do with spending the money on a quality piece of equipment. You cry once, because its expensive, then you are done crying cause it actually works. If you go cheap, you don't cry when you buy, but you cry every time you try to use it and it doesn't work. And then you cry trying to get it fixed. Then you cry when you have no scope to shoot. Then you cry when it comes back and still doesn't work.

I have swapped scopes and zero's around. It is a pain. I don't prefer to use the ballistic calc offset, I do it long hand. That is, I zero the scope to my first gun, and zero the turret. When I swap it to another gun, I zero the scope to that gun, and write down what the change in turrets is. Then I go back to zero on the scope and put it on the next rifle. Adjust as needed to get the gun zero'd and write it down again. Repeat as many times as you like.

Then, when I actually want to shoot any one of those guns, I swap the scope over to it, check my log to see what adjustments are needed and dial in the correct 100 yard zero for that gun. I then confirm. Always confirm. Once confirmed, I reset the turret to zero.

When I want to go back to old gun, or any other gun that I have previously recorded this way, I move the turret back to the original zero, and reset it to zero again. Then I swap it onto the next gun, and repeat the process.

Good notes are essential. It is still a pain, and I rarely do that kind of stuff anymore, as I now have a bunch of nice scopes.

Either way, you are crazy to not confirm zero when swapping, if you want real accuracy. I think I have always been within 2 moa or so, but if I want to shoot sub moa targets, I confirm every time. Hope that helps.

 

[Yellowhammer]

It's more hassle than it's worth IMO but the guys who can make it work have a convenient place they can confirm zero after moving stuff around. If you can walk out your back door and ring a steel plate to confirm it's where it's supposed to be while standing on you porch in your slippers than it could work.

 

[SLG]

It's more hassle than it's worth IMO but the guys who can make it work have a convenient place they can confirm zero after moving stuff around. If you can walk out your back door and ring a steel plate standing on you porch than it could work.

Absolutely. I have a range out my back door. Pretty essential, I think.

 

[BangBangBlatBlat]

It's more hassle than it's worth IMO but the guys who can make it work have a convenient place they can confirm zero after moving stuff around. If you can walk out your back door and ring a steel plate to confirm it's where it's supposed to be while standing on you porch in your slippers than it could work.

It's not that big of a hassle. I was glad I did it because I really like my Khales. Most of the time I switched the scope to a different rifle it's because I intended to go shoot that rifle at a range in the first place whether it be for a competition or just for fun.

And I could have swapped the scope and went straight out to distance if I wanted and been fine most of the time. But if the 100 yard zero range is right next to the 1000 yard range or whatever...why would you not check it to be sure?

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

So those who think it's not going to work well, is the buy once cry once mentality a bunch of B.S.? In all reality you should have your primary rifle with the best equipment, then buy mid-range scopes for all other less essential rifles? It cracks me up that I always hear people say, "buy the best and use it across the board", but then you see them with multiple scopes.

You do not have to have a $2-4K scope to hit any target. I have a 22x USO on one rifle, all the rest are 3.5x10x40 Mk 4's with either a M3 or M1 knobs an everyone has a tree ret. I hardly use the knobs any more. If I had it to do over I'd just buy VX 3's with trees. No matter what you have, learn it until it's natural to you.

 

[260S]

Mausingfield. main comp rifle. razor gen 2. spuhr
Hancock. backup/loaner. pst gen 2. ARC M10
origin. other comp rifle/hunting. athlon ares etr. ARC M10

nothing wrong with the pst gen 2 or ares etr(from what we've heard). theyll eventually get upgraded bumping the razor down the scale. if i miss it's not because of the scope on top

I do like the gen 2 pst!

 

[260S]

The buy once cry once has nothing to do with only buying one scope. It has to do with spending the money on a quality piece of equipment. You cry once, because its expensive, then you are done crying cause it actually works. If you go cheap, you don't cry when you buy, but you cry every time you try to use it and it doesn't work. And then you cry trying to get it fixed. Then you cry when you have no scope to shoot. Then you cry when it comes back and still doesn't work.

I have swapped scopes and zero's around. It is a pain. I don't prefer to use the ballistic calc offset, I do it long hand. That is, I zero the scope to my first gun, and zero the turret. When I swap it to another gun, I zero the scope to that gun, and write down what the change in turrets is. Then I go back to zero on the scope and put it on the next rifle. Adjust as needed to get the gun zero'd and write it down again. Repeat as many times as you like.

Then, when I actually want to shoot any one of those guns, I swap the scope over to it, check my log to see what adjustments are needed and dial in the correct 100 yard zero for that gun. I then confirm. Always confirm. Once confirmed, I reset the turret to zero.

When I want to go back to old gun, or any other gun that I have previously recorded this way, I move the turret back to the original zero, and reset it to zero again. Then I swap it onto the next gun, and repeat the process.

Good notes are essential. It is still a pain, and I rarely do that kind of stuff anymore, as I now have a bunch of nice scopes.

Either way, you are crazy to not confirm zero when swapping, if you want real accuracy. I think I have always been within 2 moa or so, but if I want to shoot sub moa targets, I confirm every time. Hope that helps.

I like your definition on buy once cry once! ?

 

[260S]

Thank you everyone for your experience and ideas. This really helped me confirm what I was suspecting and choose a direction.

 

[19Scout77]

As you are talking about Savage rifles and Vortex PST scopes, the basic premise of “buy once, cry once” appears to have completely escaped you.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Savage ?????? I would rethink that one. Yea they might shoot, if you can get the bolt closed, it fires, extracts then ejects an you can load another rd.
Anyone even remotely thinking about a savage needs to read this link.
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/savage-110-lr-hunter-338lm-update-8-4-18.6890579/
I have tried/talk to many others at LGS an everyone has the same complaints. If your a hunter, it might do you, if your a bench shooter it might do you. If you run an gun, or shoot comps that are not square, or want something that works everywhere no matter the weather, environment, a Savage is not even on the list of also ran's.

 

[patriot07]

Tried this for awhile. Total waste of time IMHO.

Buy a good scope for your primary gun, and buy as good of a scope as you can afford for the 2nd one and then upgrade when you can. I will never bother doing this again.

I agree it is less of an issue if you have a range at home.

 

[260S]

Savage ?????? I would rethink that one. Yea they might shoot, if you can get the bolt closed, it fires, extracts then ejects an you can load another rd.
Anyone even remotely thinking about a savage needs to read this link.
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/savage-110-lr-hunter-338lm-update-8-4-18.6890579/
I have tried/talk to many others at LGS an everyone has the same complaints. If your a hunter, it might do you, if your a bench shooter it might do you. If you run an gun, or shoot comps that are not square, or want something that works everywhere no matter the weather, environment, a Savage is not even on the list of also ran's.

I loved my savage for the ability to switch barrels, now that criterion has tikka pre-fit barrels, I wished that I invested into Tikka's. For now, my 3 savages work pretty good. Probably won't go savage again. I like the Big horn TL3 for many of the reasons of savage. Next build will be a big horn.

 

[Primus]

He is right, savages are range guns. They are notorious for failing under moderate to hard use.