I'm setting up one of my t/r rifles (barnard action) with scope rail so that the mrs and young bloke can use it shooting f class when they get the chance to come for a shoot. The scope has the Leopold quick detachable rings on it so that I don't have to worry about resetting it in the rings everytime it comes on and off the rifle. My question is, will I need to re-zero it each time I put it back on for them to have a shoot with. Keeping in mind that the rail will stay on the action, whether it's got the scope or target sights on it. I remove my t/r sights every week and they go back on without having to worry about checking zero and I was hoping that the scope would do the same.
Scott.
Scope re-zeroing?
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Steve N
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Re: Scope re-zeroing?
Scott the Leopold QD rings will get you back on the target without a problem. Just give them a bit of a nudge forward to contact the face of the rail before tightening so they don't shift with recoil.
Re: Scope re-zeroing?
If the scope is being used on different rifles then the answer is yes. just zero for one rifle and then note the different wind & elevation settings for the other at each range used.
Re: Scope re-zeroing?
Hi Scott,
In theory, you should be able to take the scope off, put it back on and the zero will not shift.
In practice, it depends on the quality of the rail and the rings, and how repeatably you put them back on - namely make sure rail and rings are clean and dirt free, make sure the scope is pushed forward and then torque up the rail mount screws.
Consider a piece of sticky tape - it's thin but it's still 0.002". Now if your rings are 6 inches apart and there is 0.002" of grit... this becomes 12 inches at 1000 yards.
In practical terms the ambient weather may make more than 12” vertical difference at 1000 and the wind many times that so, even with a little movement it will get sorted out in the sighters.
In theory, you should be able to take the scope off, put it back on and the zero will not shift.
In practice, it depends on the quality of the rail and the rings, and how repeatably you put them back on - namely make sure rail and rings are clean and dirt free, make sure the scope is pushed forward and then torque up the rail mount screws.
Consider a piece of sticky tape - it's thin but it's still 0.002". Now if your rings are 6 inches apart and there is 0.002" of grit... this becomes 12 inches at 1000 yards.
In practical terms the ambient weather may make more than 12” vertical difference at 1000 and the wind many times that so, even with a little movement it will get sorted out in the sighters.
Last edited by tachyon on Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:30 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Gyro
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Re: Scope re-zeroing?
A 6" scope ring spacing goes into 1000 yards 6000 times. I reckon. So 6000 x 0.002" = 12" = Lots.
Whatever ya do Scott go steel on steel IMO and preferably a one piece rail. If ally then best it be 7075 too. And lapped rings and all the normal anal processes used to absolutely totally tick that box ! And watch them big coloured things hanging on poles down the range haha.
Whatever ya do Scott go steel on steel IMO and preferably a one piece rail. If ally then best it be 7075 too. And lapped rings and all the normal anal processes used to absolutely totally tick that box ! And watch them big coloured things hanging on poles down the range haha.
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scott/r
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Re: Scope re-zeroing?
Yeh, I'm planning on leaving the rail on the action full time, so that won't be a problem. And the scope will stay in a rings, so the only variable will be placing the rings/scope back on the rail in the same place each time.
Scott
Scott
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pjifl
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Re: Scope re-zeroing?
In my opinion, there is nothing to equal leaving a scope permanently on a rifle. But it dictates a much larger storage box. But if the entire scope/mounts are simply removed from the rail, you should get well under a 1 minute shift if done with care. Probably not 1/8 minute. You can live with 1/8 min error in windage but 1/4 is just too much under light winds changing direction across zero in top competition and it will lose you points under these conditions. Higher wind strength and you will probably never notice it. Changes in elevation can be more. That is what your sighters are for.
Clean the surfaces. Mount and gently do up the mounting screws but leaving the unit soit can just slide back and forth. Then deliberately move the unit back and forth on the rail a few times - there is usually just enough play to do this. Then, as mentioned, push the unit forward until it stops with a jerk and tighten clamp screws. Of course the scope will be mounted in the same position each time. Maybe worth marking the rail as a guide.
If you are going to leave the unit in place on the rail, after the first shoot, tighten the mounting screws again. This nicely beds the mounts into even a cheap Aluminium rail. Not a bad thing to tighten the rail/action screws also after shooting the rifle a few times.
Some people are paranoid about not doing up the mount screws too much which clamp it onto the scope. Leaving a mark or slight dent is usually flagged as a no no. Cosmetically thus may be criticized, but that is it causes inaccuracy is a myth. It will NOT detract from the scope's performance because the innards of the scope are NOT in contact with the outer scope tube in the vicinity of mounts.
All of this assumes that initially the mounts are mounted on the rail, then the scope mounted in the mounts. Fairly obvious but important.
Peter Smith.
Clean the surfaces. Mount and gently do up the mounting screws but leaving the unit soit can just slide back and forth. Then deliberately move the unit back and forth on the rail a few times - there is usually just enough play to do this. Then, as mentioned, push the unit forward until it stops with a jerk and tighten clamp screws. Of course the scope will be mounted in the same position each time. Maybe worth marking the rail as a guide.
If you are going to leave the unit in place on the rail, after the first shoot, tighten the mounting screws again. This nicely beds the mounts into even a cheap Aluminium rail. Not a bad thing to tighten the rail/action screws also after shooting the rifle a few times.
Some people are paranoid about not doing up the mount screws too much which clamp it onto the scope. Leaving a mark or slight dent is usually flagged as a no no. Cosmetically thus may be criticized, but that is it causes inaccuracy is a myth. It will NOT detract from the scope's performance because the innards of the scope are NOT in contact with the outer scope tube in the vicinity of mounts.
All of this assumes that initially the mounts are mounted on the rail, then the scope mounted in the mounts. Fairly obvious but important.
Peter Smith.
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