20 moa or 40 moa rail?

[Petersen]

Alright, I am trying to figure out which rail will best suit a new rifle that is coming.

338/300 rum - planning on shooting 300 SMK at 2800.

The scope is a Swarovski 6-24 PH. 1/6 MOA clicks. This scope has 43 MOA elevation which is 239 clicks according to a person I spoke to at Swaro.

I entered the load info in a ballistics calculator and assuming a 300 yard zero, I will need 126 clicks to get it out to 1000 yds. Seems like 20 MOA should be plenty but I am assuming there is a way to figure exactly what you will be working with and what is needed. Just having a hard time thinking my way through it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ewallace]

If the scope only has 43 moa of adjustment I would go with a 20 moa rail. The 20 moa rail would put you close to bottoming the scope out and a 40 moa rail you would not be able to have a 100 yard 0

 

[Down Under Hunter]

Shawn Carlock put a 40 moa rail on my edge. It has a Nightforce 5-22 on top. He said it would allow me to dial 2000 yards for some fun. Everything he has said the gun could do, it does ! If you are not going past 1000 20 will be fine though . I was hammering a 1530 yard gong a few days back, and I know the gun has more range within it. It really depends if you want to stretch the guns potential ?

 

[ewallace]

A nightforce 5.5x22 has about 100 moa of elevation adjustment so you can get away with a 40 moa rail and the nightforce is a good choise for long range hunting and shooting.

 

[Petersen]

With Nightforce having about 100 MOA, do you think when the lady at Swaro told me 43 MOA she meant it was in one direction? This scope has a 30mm tube as well. I wouldn't think there would be that much of a difference between the scopes, but then again, maybe that is why everyone likes them so much.

 

[ewallace]

the 5.5x22 here are the specs Nightforce Optics

 

[MagMan]

Petersen, that is total adjustment. Windage is even worse (like 25 moa) but its not likely you'd ever use 12 1/2 moa for hunting purposes (at least I hope not).

 

[Petersen]

thanks for the input - sounds like i got the info i need.