Setting Up Your Scope by Jerry Teo

[Len Backus]

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Setting Up Your Scope. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

The author will have this thread automatically notify him of posts so that he can join the discussion.

 

[ss7mm]

Jerry:

Great writing and fantastic article. Hopefully all will read it and learn from your experiences.

It's this type of article and writing that put this site at the top of the heap.

It's was a great article and I for one thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It gives me another place to point people to when they have questions about setting up their scopes.

 

[Mysticplayer]

Thanks

Thanks for the kind comment. New scopes coming out all the time that wil improve our abilities to engage game at long range. We know need scope makers to look at different reticle styles. The IOR MP8 is a wonderful design. Nightforce has something similar but nothing from affordable companies.

The Nikon BDC has uses but I prefer consistent distance in my hash marks plus I want them on the windage part of the reticle.

I expect with pressure from all these Chinese scopes, the major brands will adjust to suit.

Jerry

 

[Huntinfool]

Thanks

Good article!

It's needed in todays world as our sport is growing in leaps and bounds.

As technology expands so does our potential distance with the proper time in practice spent and use of the proper equipment!

Keep up the good work!

Chuck

 

[Mysticplayer]

Bushnell Elite 4200 Tactical Scope Test

I just picked up an Elite 4200 Tactical scope and put it through its paces. I took some pics so you can see how a scope test might look like. I am very impressed with the mechanicals. As you can see from the test, it is bang on. Optics are also very good but not nearly as perfect as my AO 6X24 scopes. The same as the Leupold VIII.

Test rifle was my 6.5 Mystic F class rifle. All shot at 45yds in light winds.

The first pic shows the initial 2 shot group which is essentially one hole (bottom target). Then the elevation turrent was spun a full revolution and two more shots fired. Always aiming at the same bottom target. This was repeated until I went to the top of the travel. The top two groups are closer because there wasn't a full revolution left.

As you can see, the groups are vertical (pic might be a bit canted but it did go straight up) and equidistant. I did go back down the 'zero' but didn't make another shot before going to the next higher mark.

I then moved the aiming point over 1 mil dot and repeated the test but taking one shot at random elevation levels. Always going back to zero before going to another setting. Eventually, all elevation marks were targeted. You can see the repeatability is spot on.

This confirms that the elevation turrent moves linearly and consistently/repeatably. I never go past the setting then back up. I dial directly to what I need and I want the scope to respond immediately.

Finally, I shot the box to test the windage. I started in the top RH corner and fired one shot, then adj DIAGONALLY and put the next in the lower LH corner. I then dialed back to the first shot then back to the second.

By changing both turrents at once, I put it through the toughest style of adj we will do. The shots were perfect.

I then dialed to the upper LH corner and back to the lower RH corner. I did pull a shot in the lower RH corner so repeated. All corners are square and equidistant. Repeatability and linearity is maintained.

Please note the lower RH corner is a bit off but that could have been me shooting a bit cramp as I was having to aim down for the target stand.

I will do more work as I go LR shooting but I have the confidence that this scope is working well at the start.

I hope this gives you a good visual idea of what testing a scope should look like. Good luck with all the new optics coming in 2008.

Jerry

 

[foreign]

hey jerry. i was wondering what load and bullet you use in your .308

 

[Mysticplayer]

155gr Amax, Varget, CCI BR2, Win cases was my most common set up.

Haven't shot a 308 in quite some time or else I would also try 155gr Lapua and Bergers.

Don't like heavier bullets due to recoil.

Jerry

 

[foreign]

thanks.

 

[KIWI AL]

hi jery
what numbers do you adjust in the ballistic program to get the drop charts to match the rifle?
bc would be best as it can very with speed wouldnt it.
cheers

 

[Mysticplayer]

With the new BC's generated by Bryan Litz in his new book, programs can be made more accurate. JBM has amended to include BC's generated by Bryan.

You can manual adjust BC and velocity to try and get close but for some set ups, it is best just to adjust manually and make up your own drop card.

Jerry

 

[Recoil 22-250]

Jerry, I searched but couldn't fine the answer to my question. I hope you can help.
I can't seem to get a clear sight pic. through my scope with my glass's on. It does not matter what scope I use. I can't run the focus in or out to clear it up. When I take the glass's off all is cool. Am I out of luck with glass's or is there a fix for this???
My vision is such that I can't see well enough with out the glass's. I also have lens implant(s) from cataract surgery. I think I'm toast !!
Thanks Dennis

 

[Mysticplayer]

What you are describing is going to get all too common as we age and go blind.

The issue as you described is not the scope but your ability to focus on the image in the eyepiece. You can adjust the scope to work WITHOUT glasses so the diopter adj is well within your range of eyesight.

What is lacking is a pair of vision glasses that allow you to focus on the scope image.

Talk to your optometrist and show him a scope if he has no clue. You will likely need a bifocal where you use the 'close distance' part of the glasses to see the image in the scope.

Then you would use the reg. part of the lense for distance sight.

I think if you are far sighted this becomes a bigger problem then if you are near sighted.

Hope this helps and let us know what solution you were able to find. It will be very good info to have.

Jerry

 

[Recoil 22-250]

Thanks Jerry, I do have a pair of glass's that has the by focal placed higher than normal. I think I'll try those out. I will up date you with the "cure for old eyes" when I find it. The suggestion by a fellow here about switching to a shotgun makes me want to cry. Or at least wine about it a lot.

 

[Bert]

great article i just bought a Nikon monarch 6 *16 *50 i will have to try this test to see if i got a good scope .Would never have thought of doing this on my own .