Bunny hopping optics between rifles

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Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by Harrynsw » 11 Jul 2021, 1:18 am

Hi folks
Does anyone here bunny hop optics between rifles, and if yes what's the best way to do it?
I guess I want to justify buying a nicer scope to say I'm only buying 1 instead of 2. I want to shoot my .223 out to what ever the Max range is for it, then if I like it put it on my 6.5 creedmoor.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by bigrich » 11 Jul 2021, 9:34 am

Harrynsw wrote:Hi folks
Does anyone here bunny hop optics between rifles, and if yes what's the best way to do it?
I guess I want to justify buying a nicer scope to say I'm only buying 1 instead of 2. I want to shoot my .223 out to what ever the Max range is for it, then if I like it put it on my 6.5 creedmoor.


it's always good to upgrade optics, up to a point. vx3 series leupolds are about as expensive as i get . if there's better glass than the loopy's , my eyes can't tell the difference ;) . i move my scopes from different rifles from time to time

i use a bushnell optic tool that attaches to your rifle crown by magnet . i look through it , line up a grid i can see through my scope in the tool and take note of where the crosshairs sit on the grid, carefully swap scopes out and adjust the newly mounted scope reticle to the same grid position . usually it's only out by a inch or two at 100 when fired using this method . i love it

or you can just swap scopes and bore sight at 25 yards and shoot it , walking the point of impact to where it's got to be as range increases . i normally have a rifle sighted after 6-7 rounds using this method :thumbsup:
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by bladeracer » 11 Jul 2021, 9:37 am

Harrynsw wrote:Hi folks
Does anyone here bunny hop optics between rifles, and if yes what's the best way to do it?
I guess I want to justify buying a nicer scope to say I'm only buying 1 instead of 2. I want to shoot my .223 out to what ever the Max range is for it, then if I like it put it on my 6.5 creedmoor.


I have done it, and it can work without having to re-zero it.
You need to zero it on both rifles and record the turret positions on both.
Preferably you want it mounted on picatinny rails, and ideally, using a one-piece mount. You also want the same rail on both rifles, or at least the same spacing design. I have had no trouble with maintaining zero when mounting and dismounting my scopes on picatinny rails, removing them fairly regularly.

If both rifles are the same platform, with factory-mounted rails, you might get lucky swapping the scope and find the zero on both is close enough to not matter.

An alternative is to use an adjustable picatinny rail on one (or both) rifles. Zero it on one rifle, then transfer it to the other and zero it using the rail, without adjusting the turrets. Adjustable rails can be expensive though which might be better spent on a second scope.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by bladeracer » 11 Jul 2021, 9:41 am

I do similar with a laser I hang on the barrel. Zero the laser to the scope or sights at 50m, then zero the new optic or sights back onto the laser at the same distance for a perfect zero.


bigrich wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:Hi folks
Does anyone here bunny hop optics between rifles, and if yes what's the best way to do it?
I guess I want to justify buying a nicer scope to say I'm only buying 1 instead of 2. I want to shoot my .223 out to what ever the Max range is for it, then if I like it put it on my 6.5 creedmoor.


it's always good to upgrade optics, up to a point. vx3 series leupolds are about as expensive as i get . if there's better glass than the loopy's , my eyes can't tell the difference ;) . i move my scopes from different rifles from time to time

i use a bushnell optic tool that attaches to your rifle crown by magnet . i look through it , line up a grid i can see through my scope in the tool and take note of where the crosshairs sit on the grid, carefully swap scopes out and adjust the newly mounted scope reticle to the same grid position . usually it's only out by a inch or two at 100 when fired using this method . i love it

or you can just swap scopes and bore sight at 25 yards and shoot it , walking the point of impact to where it's got to be as range increases . i normally have a rifle sighted after 6-7 rounds using this method :thumbsup:
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by bigrich » 11 Jul 2021, 9:43 am

Damn it , I misread the question. Sorry :roll:
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by Harrynsw » 11 Jul 2021, 6:35 pm

Thanks Gents, much appreciated.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by mchughcb » 11 Jul 2021, 8:22 pm

Harrynsw wrote:Hi folks
Does anyone here bunny hop optics between rifles, and if yes what's the best way to do it?
I guess I want to justify buying a nicer scope to say I'm only buying 1 instead of 2. I want to shoot my .223 out to what ever the Max range is for it, then if I like it put it on my 6.5 creedmoor.


The simplest way to do it is to get a picatinny of the same width rail on each rifle. Then put a set of Leupold QRW mounts and then put them into the same slot each time on each rifle. The lever can be adjusted for when it starts to lock so I have mine forward flat. Sight each rifle in, and record how many clicks you move from you base rifle for each calibre. If you have a digital scope its even easier, either it will have multi zeros or you can write down the x and y values.

The QRW are excellent for returning to zero. Infact I've won a rimfire benchrest championship with mine and that's after I put it on with a Weaver T36 AO scope and then shot the match. That's how good it is.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by JohnV » 12 Jul 2021, 9:57 am

Some quick release mount systems return to zero better than others . Most side claw mounts are average and definitely need both picatinny rails to be the same width but can still clamp down on a rail that's narrow or larger . Cam locking mounts like the ARMS system are about the best at return to zero but need the Picatinny rail to be Mil spec and can't clamp down on any rail that's to larger or to narrow . In my experience it's not worth moving scopes between rifles . It should only be used for changing scopes on the same gun , like optical scope to NV scope kinda thing . Where both scopes and mounts have been zeroed on the same picatinny rail .
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by animalpest » 12 Jul 2021, 7:20 pm

The only scope swaps I do is between a normal scope and NV and back again. So long as the mounts go back onto the same slot there is little if any change in zero. I use Leupold mounts.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by JohnV » 14 Jul 2021, 10:01 am

animalpest wrote:The only scope swaps I do is between a normal scope and NV and back again. So long as the mounts go back onto the same slot there is little if any change in zero. I use Leupold mounts.

I will drink to that mate . I have done it that way in the past . Once each sight is zeroed they go back and hold zero fairly well on the same rail . I have an ARMS cam lock mount on the long range scope and just a side claw mount on the NV . I was not worried about the NV so much as it only got used at close range anyway up to 125 m . Minute of pig was good enough .
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by animalpest » 14 Jul 2021, 5:11 pm

Yeah JohnV I have the same issue with the side claws. At the moment I am using the NV on my Tikka 223 and as I am head shooting roos it won't come off until I am finished. The side claws don't hold accuracy once taken off and put back on, well not enough to guarantee hitting roos brains anyway.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by SCJ429 » 14 Jul 2021, 6:02 pm

mchughcb wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:Hi folks
Does anyone here bunny hop optics between rifles, and if yes what's the best way to do it?
I guess I want to justify buying a nicer scope to say I'm only buying 1 instead of 2. I want to shoot my .223 out to what ever the Max range is for it, then if I like it put it on my 6.5 creedmoor.


The simplest way to do it is to get a picatinny of the same width rail on each rifle. Then put a set of Leupold QRW mounts and then put them into the same slot each time on each rifle. The lever can be adjusted for when it starts to lock so I have mine forward flat. Sight each rifle in, and record how many clicks you move from you base rifle for each calibre. If you have a digital scope its even easier, either it will have multi zeros or you can write down the x and y values.

The QRW are excellent for returning to zero. Infact I've won a rimfire benchrest championship with mine and that's after I put it on with a Weaver T36 AO scope and then shot the match. That's how good it is.

Works for me too, pic rails are ugly but work well.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by JohnV » 14 Jul 2021, 7:28 pm

Bench Rest is group shooting not a particular POI unless it's hunter BR . So it may well put them all in the same group but was it at the same POI Zero as before ?
A group is holding POI not necessarily returning to the previous POI zeroed .
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by SCJ429 » 15 Jul 2021, 7:56 am

Score shooting rewards you for hitting the centre of the target, there is a score for group size but it only rewards you if the group is located in the centre. A tiny group located at the edge of the target would not score as well as a larger group in the middle.
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Re: Bunny hopping optics between rifles

Post by JohnV » 15 Jul 2021, 8:19 am

SCJ429 wrote:Score shooting rewards you for hitting the centre of the target, there is a score for group size but it only rewards you if the group is located in the centre. A tiny group located at the edge of the target would not score as well as a larger group in the middle.

OK thanks , that clears it up .
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