M70, Leupold and 20moa base

Just got my rifle back from my smith. He put on a Hart 1:8 chambered in 270 win. Currently building out loads in Hammer 156g and next will be 117g. Purchased a Leupold Vx5 HD 3-15x44, high rings and 20moa rail. Maiden shooting voyage to take place this week.

While tinkering around with the CDS dial during a dry fire session I noticed I only have 24 MOA of available vertical correction. The scope itself has 75 MOA available. I was anticipating with the 20 MOA rail I would gain more than that. Any ideas as to what is causing the lack of available correction?

Rail is installed correctly (thick end towards the tang) and rings are the same height... something is not adding up. Thought I'd check in with the brain trust on here first since my smith is closed on Monday's.

Thoughts?

Probably need to reset your zero stop.

Hand skills, thanks for your reply. I thought about that already and just double checked. This dial is a one piece design, loosen the screws, put to zero, press down and tighten. At least that's how I see it, unless I'm missing something it seems to just run out of vertical clicks at 24 MOA.

Is this a winchester model 70?

105Coues said:

Is this a winchester model 70?

Click to expand...

Yes. 1965 ish

TysonLeal said:

Just got my rifle back from my smith. He put on a Hart 1:8 chambered in 270 win. Currently building out loads in Hammer 156g and next will be 117g. Purchased a Leupold Vx5 HD 3-15x44, high rings and 20moa rail. Maiden shooting voyage to take place this week.

While tinkering around with the CDS dial during a dry fire session I noticed I only have 24 MOA of available vertical correction. The scope itself has 75 MOA available. I was anticipating with the 20 MOA rail I would gain more than that. Any ideas as to what is causing the lack of available correction?

Rail is installed correctly (thick end towards the tang) and rings are the same height... something is not adding up. Thought I'd check in with the brain trust on here first since my smith is closed on Monday's.

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

75/2= 37.5 vertical travel from center.

37.5-20=17.5 remaining.

TysonLeal said:

Yes. 1965 ish

Click to expand...

Push feed?

TysonLeal said:

Hand skills, thanks for your reply. I thought about that already and just double checked. This dial is a one piece design, loosen the screws, put to zero, press down and tighten. At least that's how I see it, unless I'm missing something it seems to just run out of vertical clicks at 24 MOA.

Click to expand...

Remove it completely, and see what you come up with just counting the clicks. Tedious for sure but effective.

WildRose said:

Remove it completely, and see what you come up with just counting the clicks. Tedious for sure but effective.

Click to expand...

WR- it's a push feed. And I just pulled the dial and ran the clicks with a stubby flat screw driver, exactly 96 (24 MOA) and it stopped, assume its at max.

I went through the same problem with 2 model 70 rifles and long story short. The actions must not be true to make it center. I went with the 20moa rail and still didn't have a lot of travel so I bought the Burris rings with the elliptical inserts to gain additional moa. I know it's hard to believe but I went through what you are doing now and consumed a lot of time. Unfortunately I was not able to find a 40 moa rail or I would have done that. Hope this saves you some time.

TysonLeal said:

WR- it's a push feed. And I just pulled the dial and ran the clicks with a stubby flat screw driver, exactly 96 (24 MOA) and it stopped, assume its at max.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately rail manufacturers don't always get it right. Rifle recievers are also by design often not flat across the top which has to be accounted for in the manufacturing of the rail.

What is the max distance you plan to be shooting? What is your calculated drop to that distance?

With most of the rounds we're shooting around here you wouldn't even need anything other than a 0 MOA rail to get to 1000yds.

Do yourself a favor, take a big piece of poster board or white painted plywood to the range. Mark a center dot on it for a target and set up at 100yds.

Start with your reticle centered and fire one shot, measure the distance from POA.

Without forcing it at all, run it all the way down, fire one shot, run it all the way up, fire one shot and measure the distance from POA to each.

You can then do your conversions to MOA and figure out exactly where you're sitting and if you actually need more.

Consider too you may simply have gotten the wrong rail, mispackaging of items happens all the time.

I really appreciate all the feedback, what a great place to seek help. I'm going to go shoot it today. use the input from ya'll and figure out exactly what needs to be done. Let you know where things end up.

WildRose said:

75/2= 37.5 vertical travel from center.

37.5-20=17.5 remaining.

Click to expand...

Please forgive me if I am not figuring this right. If you install a 20moa rail and have 75moa adjustment on your scope and scope and rifle are sighted in level. Wouldn't you have 57.5 up adjustment?

Hatrick said:

Please forgive me if I am not figuring this right. If you install a 20moa rail and have 75moa adjustment on your scope and scope and rifle are sighted in level. Wouldn't you have 57.5 up adjustment?

Click to expand...

"From center".

You can quickly get to the point that you can't even get to a 100yds zero anymore using the angled MOA rails.

To gain at the top you have to give up at the bottom and vice versa.