Sightron Scope

Seabeeken · 2024-11-21T08:03:51-0600

Since Leupold has dropped the competition line and closed the custom shop I had to fine another scope to use in UBR. Several shooters recommended a Sightron S3 Competition scope for my rifle. It has .1" clicks so I thought I'd try it. Well, I bought one, new and once installed I noticed the crosshairs were tilted left. I rechecked the scope level and it was dead on. I had some load testing to do so went with it. With each shot, the crosshairs tilted further and further to the left and eventually was an X. Contacted Sightron who said ship it back for repair, which I did. It came back a week later and it was installed once again and leveled off the turret. Once again the crosshair was tilted left exactly the same amount. At least this time it didn't rotate further. I am contacting Sightron once again. I wont be buying another.

K.E.C. Darkside · 2024-11-21T08:28:43-0600

I never level off the turret.
Some use a plum ball line....
In my shop I used a 4 foot level and drew a lateral line on the back wall.
Tech at Leupold said the same thing, they do not recomend using the turrets.
Hope this helps

Turpentine21 · 2024-11-21T08:30:25-0600

I'll bet they will replace it or refund your money. They have always given me those choices and have done their best to work with me. They do make a good scope and they track very well. Tell them you want that scope replaced or your money back.

I mount a lot of different scopes for folks these days in various brands. The reticle not being symmetrical to the turret unfortunately is fairly common. I mount with a plum line and the rifle leveled. For what it's worth I like Nightforce a bit better but I won't be getting rid of my Sightrons.

std7mag · 2024-11-21T15:45:45-0600

I use a plumb bob line to line up the reticle.

Turpentine21 · 2024-11-21T16:13:24-0600

std7mag said:
I use a plumb bob line to line up the reticle.

Same. I level the rifle then I hang my plum line on a 4 X 4 piece of white paper on my 100 yard target and align my vertical crosshair. I mounted a scope just last week that the left leg of the horizontal crosshair out of wack.

Barrelnut · 2024-11-21T16:27:50-0600

Sightrons are great scopes. That said...
If you dial - set vertical off the turrets.
If you holdover with the reticle - set vertical off the reticle.

Seabeeken · 2024-11-21T18:28:20-0600

Barrelnut said:
Sightrons are great scopes. That said...
If you dial - set vertical off the turrets.
If you holdover with the reticle - set vertical off the reticle.

Exactly. The scope as it is, if a plumb line is used then the turret will be leaning significantly to the right and when i dial up for yardage i will be moving diagonally. Sightron needs to replace it in addition to finding out how the crosshair got canted twice in the first place. I will likely get a nightforce at some point as another rifle is in the works.

K.E.C. Darkside · 2024-11-21T18:38:04-0600

Send it back if your not satisfied.
Sorry to hear it.
They make Great Scopes.
C.S. is great, they will make it right.

EDIT: Back in 2000 I got a target scope from Leupold. I experienced something like you are with that scope, I called and talked to a tech. He said if I thought it was over 5 degrees to send it back, if not drop a plum line and use it.
I ask how do I level my rifle, and he ask if I used pic rail or 2 piece rings.
Pic rail I said, he said put a small level on the rail and lock your rifle down so it doesn't move mount your scope and use the plum line for your lateral.
Cross hairs are installed as 1 piece, or the glass is etched. I have installed every scope like this since.
Wheeler has a barrel level I use now.
Put a level on a bedded pic rail and a barrel level then I use the plum line I drew on my shop wall. Everything is plum and square. I haven't put a level on any turret since, and I have been shooting out to 1000yds. And probably have installed Over 100 scopes.
Hope this helps.

fseaman · 2024-11-21T18:49:18-0600

Seabeeken said:
I am contacting Sightron once again. I wont be buying another.

Sightron is not the only maker this happens with. I know I had it happen, can't remember brand and model.

I have NOT had it happen with Sightron and I have more than 6 SIII. I used one on my 300 RUM br.

What chambering are you using?

Seabeeken · 2024-11-21T19:58:16-0600

fseaman said:
Sightron is not the only maker this happens with. I know I had it happen, can't remember brand and model.

I have NOT had it happen with Sightron and I have more than 6 SIII. I used one on my 300 RUM br.

What chambering are you using?

Its on a ppc. It was shipped back this evening

quandary · 2024-11-21T20:23:08-0600

K.E.C. Darkside said:
I never level off the turret.
Some use a plum ball line....
In my shop I used a 4 foot level and drew a lateral line on the back wall.
Tech at Leupold said the same thing, they do not recomend using the turrets.
Hope this helps

If your scope isn't squared your dialing won't be squared. Your rifle needs to be squared, your scope needs to be squared and the cross hairs squared. If not the scope will not accurately dial. Of course a tech at Leupold would tell you square the cross hairs don't worry about it being off.....

Mickp7 · 2024-11-22T08:22:13-0600

Just curious.... how do you level your rifles?

quandary · 2024-11-22T09:01:20-0600

Mickp7 said:
Just curious.... how do you level your rifles?

I use a Tipton Standing Ultra Gun Vise. I level the rifle by using a level on the picitiny rails which are either machined into the receiver (Lone Peak Arms and BAT actions) or screwed to the receiver (Tikka actions). All you need to worry about is left/right square. I then attach the Wheeler scope mounting barrel level tool to the barrel making sure the two levels match. I now can remove the level from the rail and know that the rifle is squared through the mounting process. Attach the bottom rings to the rail. Lay the scope into the rails with all caps, zero stops etc removed so that you can put a level directly on the erector. Slide scope forward or back to set eye relief. Level the scope to the barrel level. Tighten the screws on the top rings going slowly back and forth between the screws to make sure there is even torque keeping the scope perfectly level. You can now check the reticles. If the reticles are not squared you have a scope with a manufacturing defect.

Of all the scopes I have mounted, mostly Swarovski, Zeiss and ZCO I have had only one with an off kilter reticle. That scope, a Zeiss V6, was sent back to Zeiss. Zeiss checked and everything on the scope was in proper working order but the reticles were indeed off, by 1%, according to the technician. Even though 1% is within the Zeiss tolerance range they agreed to send me a new scope and check it before shipping. Needless to say I am very impressed with Zeiss's customer service.

Mickp7 · 2024-11-22T09:06:50-0600

quandary said:
I use a Tipton Standing Ultra Gun Vise. I level the rifle by using a level on the picitiny rails which are either machined into the receiver (Lone Peak Arms and BAT actions) or screwed to the receiver (Tikka actions). All you need to worry about is left/right square. I then attach the Wheeler scope mounting barrel level tool to the barrel making sure the two levels match. I now can remove the level from the rail and know that the rifle is squared through the mounting process. Attach the bottom rings to the rail. Lay the scope into the rails with all caps, zero stops etc removed so that you can put a level directly on the erector. Slide scope forward or back to set eye relief. Level the scope to the barrel level. Tighten the screws on the top rings going slowly back and forth between the screws to make sure there is even torque keeping the scope perfectly level. You can now check the reticles. If the reticles are not squared you have a scope with a manufacturing defect.

Of all the scopes I have mounted, mostly Swarovski, Zeiss and ZCO I have had only one with an off kilter reticle. That scope, a Zeiss V6, was sent back to Zeiss. Zeiss checked and everything on the scope was in proper working order but the reticles were indeed off, by 1%, according to the technician. Even though 1% is within the Zeiss tolerance range they agreed to send me a new scope and check it before shipping. Needless to say I am very impressed with Zeiss's customer service.

Appreciate the detailed response! My system is almost exactly the same, including the Wheeler level system, except I haven't taken the last step to ensure the reticle was level with the scope. I'll be double checking them soon (mostly NightForce)!

Sightron Scope

Seabeeken

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K.E.C. Darkside

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Turpentine21

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std7mag

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Turpentine21

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Barrelnut

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Seabeeken

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K.E.C. Darkside

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fseaman

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Seabeeken

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quandary

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Mickp7

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quandary

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Mickp7

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