HELP!! Zeiss C0nquest 6.5 -20 Adjustment Question

mkollman74

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Feb 24, 2007
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This weekend I took my Ruger # 1 to the range to get a 100 yard zero on my new Zeiss Conquest 6.5-20. As I was getting close, I ran completely out of both elevation and windage adjsutment. I was left with a "zero" of 2" high and about 3/8" to the left of dead center!!! I mean no additional donwnward or left adjustment was left in the turrets!! I have never had this happen with any scope before. The Leupold 4.5 - 14 I took off the rifle certainly did not have this issue. I am using the same Leupold rings for the Ruger quarter rib as before. How could this be so far off??

I guess I am wondering how concerned do others think I should be about this, and do any others have similar experience? I am truthfully more worried about the windage, as I plan to get the rifle zeroed at 300 yards and dial up from there as needed. For less than 300 I will just hold dead on and squeeze the trigger. I did this with the Leupold and liked it that way. I usually use the mil-dots to hold off for windage, but would like the ability to dial it in if I choose. Also, if I am about 1/2" left at 100, I should be 1.5" left at 300, 2" left at 400, etc. Right?
 
An easy way to see if the scope is at fault (adjustment not in the center of the range) is to hold the scope against a mirror (or hold a mirror against the scope) and while looking through the scope turn the adjustment knobs until the crosshair and the reflection of the crosshair are super imposed. Now you can see how many clicks/turns there are each direction (left/right and up/down). If the scope has about the same amount of adjustment each direction, then the mount/base/rifle is probably at fault. If it's not a bad scope, then maybe the Leupold had more adjustment than the Zeiss??

When you place it on the mirror, the vertical lines should be very close to lined up when you take it off a rifle (if the mounts are in line with the bore). The horizontal line will not be superimposed due to trajectory and distance to sight in.

AJ
 
That scope has only 45 MOA of adjustment, which means 22-23 MOA of "up travel" from a perfectly centered reticle. Tall rings wil reduce this substantially (in favor of less up-travel) Still, a 100 yard zero should be attained. The Lupy may have had the same issue but just more travel to soak up the deviation.

Scott
 
An easy way to see if the scope is at fault (adjustment not in the center of the range) is to hold the scope against a mirror (or hold a mirror against the scope) and while looking through the scope turn the adjustment knobs until the crosshair and the reflection of the crosshair are super imposed. Now you can see how many clicks/turns there are each direction (left/right and up/down). If the scope has about the same amount of adjustment each direction, then the mount/base/rifle is probably at fault. If it's not a bad scope, then maybe the Leupold had more adjustment than the Zeiss??

When you place it on the mirror, the vertical lines should be very close to lined up when you take it off a rifle (if the mounts are in line with the bore). The horizontal line will not be superimposed due to trajectory and distance to sight in.

AJ


Now that is ingenious. Rather than counting clicks...does that really work? Excellent tip and food for thought.
 
Now that is ingenious. Rather than counting clicks...does that really work? Excellent tip and food for thought.

Yes it works, counting clicks just centers the mechanism but does not necessarily center the optics. JD338 is the one that shared this a while back.

AJ
 
Yes it works, counting clicks just centers the mechanism but does not necessarily center the optics. JD338 is the one that shared this a while back.

AJ


Kudos to both of you! I will do both and see what the true difference is. Idealy, a centered mechanism SHOULD result in centered optics, but you are right, such is not always the case.

Thanks!!!


Scott
 
My buddy has two of these scopes.. one on a 257 weatherby.. and one on a 204 Ruger. both are zeroed 2-3 inches high @ 100.

We were entering a LR competition and my nightforce wasn't in yet so I borrowed the one off of the 204. I have a 20 MOA rail and it was about 14 inches high @ 100. No more adjustment.. I then tried a 4-16X50 4200 and the same thing happened..

I had a 3200 3-9X50 with a 30mm tube and it was very close but was able to zero it..

Now we have two rifles scoped up and zeroed.. So we move to do some LR work.. set up a target and back off to 585 meters.. I punch in the numbers into Exbal and tell my buddy to dial up 5 MOA.. he gets two dialed in and stops, gives me a funny look and shrugs.. He was at the limit on the other end of adjustment..

I know why mine wouldn't get to a zero.. but I'm still stumped as to his... He is using the leupy dual dovetail bases and rings.. I believe these maybe to blame.. We are gonna try a 10 MOA base and rings from a quality manufacturer and see what happens..

hopes this helps you feel not so alone...
 
Thanks to all for your replies. I have learned from others that overall limited adjustment in this particular model has been an issue for them as well. I think I'll just need to get a different scope. The elevation I could probably live with (assuming I wouldn't top out at longer range), but the windage is a deal-breaker for me. Knowing that I would be 3 inches off at 600 yards right out of the gate just irks me. And not being able to dial in windage 50% of the time (wind from left versus wind from right) is just silly.
 
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