New scope day! Newbie mounting question…

Joined
May 11, 2024
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Location
Montana
Picked up a new-to-me Leupold Mark 5 5-25 for my Bergara Crest 7 PRC. Love the clarity and turrets.

So I mounted the scope with help from a local gun store and I found I had to move the scope way farther back than expected for good eye relief and sight picture… I'm assuming that's not a problem?

And if I did need to move the scope, I assume I could just slide the rings forward and tighten them down without having to worry about re-leveling the scope in the rings, right?
 

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You're good 👍

Consider leaving the back ring clamped to the rail and the front ring clamped to the scope IF you end up moving the scope forward.

You won't have to re-level and it will better distribute the weight of the scope in the rings.

I like getting square behind the rifle, and the result is usually a scope that's mounted pretty far back 🤷‍♂️
 
I would try and get as comfortable as possible so as to set the eye relief once. This is not something you should be adjusting multiple times, although you certainly can I suppose.
 
You're good 👍

Consider leaving the back ring clamped to the rail and the front ring clamped to the scope IF you end up moving the scope forward.

You won't have to re-level and it will better distribute the weight of the scope in the rings.

I like getting square behind the rifle, and the result is usually a scope that's mounted pretty far back 🤷‍♂️
Yeah I figure I should go shoot a bit then see. It just looks weird compared to other's. But I know this is set up for me and not others
 
Well, when I see a scope like that, I wonder a few things. First, Leupold scopes are known for a rock solid 4" eye relief. Is that true on yours? Second, if a stocks length of pull is right, your eye socket is only like 1.5-3.0" behind your grip hand (base of thumb to eye lens). Look at a variety of pro shooters on Google images to get a feel for what I mean. Getting these right always has had my scope farther forward. I'm 6'3", though, so maybe that affects things, but I also shoot a 14" LOP.

I'm guessing your LOP is about 0.5-1" too long for you or something else position related.
 
Am I wrong in thinking that you should not have to loosen the rings on the scope at all? Just loosen the bases on the Pic rail and move the scope forward and then retighten the bases.
 
Well, when I see a scope like that, I wonder a few things. First, Leupold scopes are known for a rock solid 4" eye relief. Is that true on yours? Second, if a stocks length of pull is right, your eye socket is only like 1.5-3.0" behind your grip hand (base of thumb to eye lens). Look at a variety of pro shooters on Google images to get a feel for what I mean. Getting these right always has had my scope farther forward. I'm 6'3", though, so maybe that affects things, but I also shoot a 14" LOP.

I'm guessing your LOP is about 0.5-1" too long for you or something else position related.
So I took a few photos and things actually look good from an eye relief standpoint. I also figured out that the scope cap adds to the scope length and makes it seem farther back by almost an inch. So maybe it's not as far back as I think and I'm really just a noob!
 
lot of my scopes are at 12'' or little plus from eyepiece to end of butt pad.338nm,325wsm,6.5 prc.That fits me at 5-9, 170#. I shoot prone if possible at distance, puts you in scope more.
 
Serendipitous you measuring this way, I've just started doing it also, my sweet spot is 11 1/4" from eye piece to butt stock. When setting up my last scope I mounted it with the above number and it was very comfortable, just as all the other scopes I have mounted to that number. Great minds think alike I suppose 😁.
lot of my scopes are at 12'' or little plus from eyepiece to end of butt pad.338nm,325wsm,6.5 prc.That fits me at 5-9, 170#. I shoot prone if possible at distance, puts you in scope more.
 
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With your eyes CLOSED, get behind the rifle comfortably. When you open your eyes, the eye relief should be good with a proper sight picture. Do this several times and move the scope until the picture is right as you open your eyes.

If you try to adjust the eye relief with your eyes open, you'll have a tendency to move your head/neck to a position that fixes the sight picture.

Just my 2 cents.
 

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