Scope Adjustment Accurracy

[Subsonic Flyer]

I dont shoot the ranges many of you guys achieve but with my .308 out to 500 yards I have a respectable amount of success. I have always used mildot aiming points with a drop chart to achive this. I have a Schmidt and Bender 3-12 PM11 scope and am reluctant to use the dial in adjustments incase it will not return to zero. Am I being foolish, have you found your scopes to be reliable when it comes to holding the zero follwing use of the turrets. Any feedback would be appreciated.
SF

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Using a quality scope, you shouldn't have any problems with the scope coming and going from its zero. THe vx3's and MK4's are great. I have only had 1 occurence with my vx2, 6-18 target. I have 3 of these scopes and have clicked them down and up and down and up from targets to hunting and its only happened to me once. I just got done wacking a yote at 602 yards or so, then we drove down the road and I seen another one in a wheat field about 100 yards. I clicked down and let her fly. WEll I shot about 10 feet above the sucker. Only time its ever happened in thousands of times clicking up and down. Thats with the vx2 though I remind you, the vx3 and MK4 have better adjustments. I cant speak for other brand of scopes because I dont use any brand but LEupold. The Nightforce is just as good, if not better then the MK4's for reliability on clicks.

 

[Gerald89]

Subsonic,

You just happen to have one of the best scopes in the world for this purpose!

I have the S&B PMII and you can use the turrets day in and day out with no zero loss.

You can do tracking test by going around a series of aim points on a target IE up 10clks right 10clks down 10clks left 10clks.

Mine always goes back to zero spot on!

Jeza

 

[Bart B]

The most accurate as well as cheapest way to measure a scope's repeatability or return to zero is to put a collimator in the rifle's muzzle, then adjust the scope so its reticule intersects the collimator's reticule, then move the scope off 1 to ? clicks and come back the same number. Do this in all directions, for example 7 up, 7 right, 7 down then 7 left. Do only 1 click up then down (or left then right) to verify return to zero for the smallest adjustment.

You can look through the scope with another telescope to magnify the reticule's images for better resolution.

If you want to use the decade's old "shoot the box" method, be sure you largest group at any corner of that box is no larger than one-half the click value at that range. Otherwise, the results aren't reliable. Which means to box a quarter moa clicking scope you gotta shoot one-eighth moa groups.

If any scope doesn't return to zero, send it back to its maker and have 'em fix it.

 

[Mysticplayer]

Your scope should work and work extremely well.

Simple test. At 100 or 200yds, fire one shot. Dial the elevation turrent through its entire range a few times. Just spin away up and down.

Now return to the orig setting and fire another shot. Assuming that you have an accurate rifle, that shot will land within the expected group size.

dial again. Fire again. Keep repeating until you have a 5 shot group. If the same group size or smaller, you have a scope that works well.

If for some bizarre reason that S&B doesn't work, you can always buy an Elite 3200 10X tactical for $150 that will.

I also do this test with the windage knobs. Surprisingly, many big name scopes will not survive this test. They will show some level of POI drift.

The best line of scopes that I use are the Elite 4200 and that 10X 3200. They repeat. I have used 10 different scopes of various styles and they all worked.

When I test at distance, I will range a target, dial up, shoot and hit. Then range another and repeat. Once I have three or four targets at various ranges, I will do the turrent spin test but stop at the various target distances.

By randomly stopping, I ensure that the mechanicals don't hang up or stick. I have the confidence to know that my drop table, rangefinder, scope and load are working in unison.

That is what makes connecting at extended distances possible.

Jerry

 

[Subsonic Flyer]

Thanks for the feedback. You have given me the confidence to give it a go. Using the mildots has been effective but etimating between the dots has been a little to hit and miss for me. I will be out trying the tests you have suggested this weekend.
SF

 

[EddieHarren]

"I only use Leupold scopes". "Nightforce scopes are as good"
How do he know?