Scope setup ( Help )

[Sam45]

Hey Guys, have a question. I am having trouble getting a good sight picture out of my scope. I have medium rings and no rail on a Tikka .270. The gap between the rifle's barrel would be, at best less than 1/2 a mill.

Would it be best to bring the scope back a little to get it so I am on the money when looking through it. It is a NF SHV 4-12 X 50 FFP scope. My only concern is eye relief and not getting the old scope kiss lol. Or do I attach a 0 MOA rail? Or do I go for the 20MOA rail.

Here is the rifle and scope.

1.jpg (546.52 KiB) Viewed 4461 times

Cheers

Sam

[Gamerancher]

If your problem is that the eye relief is too much, you need to bring the scope back. You'll need higher mounts for that given the lack of clearance you have.
This can be achieved with a rail, but you will need mounts to suit. You only need a 20min rail if you need the extra elevation, i.e. you are at the limit of your adjustment.

[Chronos]

Mount the rifle (without scope) in a natural position and have a friend look from the bolt side and put a piece of tape on the stock below where your eye is. look up the scopes eye relief range then measure forward from this mark and that's a rough guide where the ocular lens of the scope should go. usually as you increase the magnification the scope needs to be closer to your eye but you can make small adjustments later on.

also, scope "kiss" from a .270?

the mounting the rifle without the scope fitted is also a good test for scope height, I see a lot of people mounting their scope as low as possible then struggle to get their head down low enough.

Chronos

[Sam45]

If your problem is that the eye relief is too much, you need to bring the scope back. You'll need higher mounts for that given the lack of clearance you have.
This can be achieved with a rail, but you will need mounts to suit. You only need a 20min rail if you need the extra elevation, i.e. you are at the limit of your adjustment.

Yes I read that it was the difference. It has plenty of adjustment.Certainly don't need the extra adjustment for elevation. Thanks for the info.

Mount the rifle (without scope) in a natural position and have a friend look from the bolt side and put a piece of tape on the stock below where your eye is. look up the scopes eye relief range then measure forward from this mark and that's a rough guide where the ocular lens of the scope should go. usually as you increase the magnification the scope needs to be closer to your eye but you can make small adjustments later on.

also, scope "kiss" from a .270?

the mounting the rifle without the scope fitted is also a good test for scope height, I see a lot of people mounting their scope as low as possible then struggle to get their head down low enough.

Chronos

Cheers man. Shall do this and get it sorted ASAP as I'm heading to Dargo in 3 weeks. Will just need to get some different rings and rail.

Thanks guys

[Sam45]

Just went down to the safe and it's way to low! Have done the measurements and will be going to the LGS to get it sorted. Thanks guys. Awesome effort as usual.

[brett1868]

Chronos pretty much nailed the approach to mounting, I'd add that when fine tuning the eye relief that you check at both max & min zoom and a few steps in between. Set it up so that you don't need to move your head at all with different zoom levels.
To elevate or not to elevate the rail....depends on how far you plan to shoot and how much elevation is left after setting zero. I personally like to have enough elevation in the rail that I can zero the rifle at 100m with only a minimum of clicks up from the bottom stopper.
In your situation where you probably won't be winding in large amounts of elevation for long shots you probably don't need any added elevation in the rail.

[Sam45]

Chronos pretty much nailed the approach to mounting, I'd add that when fine tuning the eye relief that you check at both max & min zoom and a few steps in between. Set it up so that you don't need to move your head at all with different zoom levels.
To elevate or not to elevate the rail....depends on how far you plan to shoot and how much elevation is left after setting zero. I personally like to have enough elevation in the rail that I can zero the rifle at 100m with only a minimum of clicks up from the bottom stopper.
In your situation where you probably won't be winding in large amounts of elevation for long shots you probably don't need any added elevation in the rail.

Ok with the fine tuning I have another question, as this scope is FFP, will it mater what magnification it will be on? After I did what Chronos suggested the scope is certainly way too low, as I pretty much had to get real low on the rifle. Didn't feel natural. I will at most be shooting out to 500 - 600 yds with it. The scope has a truck load of adjustment for elevation. Yep will be zeroing @ 100 yds and dial up from there. So a 0 moa rail should be fine.

Thanks again lads. It's as clear as mud. Nah only jokes. Will report back after I take it to the range on Saturday with the rail installed.

[bigfellascott]

I usually just close my eyes and mount the rifle then open my eyes and see how the scope looks (ie is it correct position wise or do I have to move my head to see through it correctly) I keep doing so until I can just open my eyes and see through the scope correctly, then I know I have the correct eye relief for me.

[Sam45]

I usually just close my eyes and mount the rifle then open my eyes and see how the scope looks (ie is it correct position wise or do I have to move my head to see through it correctly) I keep doing so until I can just open my eyes and see through the scope correctly, then I know I have the correct eye relief for me.

Ok shall try that as well. Heading to the LGS on Saturday to get it sorted. Again thanks for the info

[bigfellascott]

I usually just close my eyes and mount the rifle then open my eyes and see how the scope looks (ie is it correct position wise or do I have to move my head to see through it correctly) I keep doing so until I can just open my eyes and see through the scope correctly, then I know I have the correct eye relief for me.

Ok shall try that as well. Heading to the LGS on Saturday to get it sorted. Again thanks for the info

Your welcome Sam, remember if you have to keep moving your head around to see through the scope it's not set up right for you, hence the mount the rifle with the eyes closed then open them and if you have to move you head to see through the scope correctly it needs moving back or forward to sort it out, just keep repeating until you can mount the rifle without having to move the head around to see cleanly through the scope, once you are happy with it just make sure the scope is level and then lock her down and jobs done.

[Gwion]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=COoXVpGfXQE

Very useful video re: setting up a scope for natural eye relief.

[Wes]

Would it be best to bring the scope back a little to get it so I am on the money when looking through it.

Regardless of anything else I think that's a must.

If it's uncomfortable or you have to strain or shuffle to get in the right spot behind it you're always going to shoot worse.

[Sam45]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=COoXVpGfXQE

Very useful video re: setting up a scope for natural eye relief.

That is a good video. Explains a lot! Did it and it seems to be sitting a bit low and a bit far forward.

I usually just close my eyes and mount the rifle then open my eyes and see how the scope looks (ie is it correct position wise or do I have to move my head to see through it correctly) I keep doing so until I can just open my eyes and see through the scope correctly, then I know I have the correct eye relief for me.

Ok shall try that as well. Heading to the LGS on Saturday to get it sorted. Again thanks for the info

Your welcome Sam, remember if you have to keep moving your head around to see through the scope it's not set up right for you, hence the mount the rifle with the eyes closed then open them and if you have to move you head to see through the scope correctly it needs moving back or forward to sort it out, just keep repeating until you can mount the rifle without having to move the head around to see cleanly through the scope, once you are happy with it just make sure the scope is level and then lock her down and jobs done.

Fingers crossed. Again thanks

Would it be best to bring the scope back a little to get it so I am on the money when looking through it.

Regardless of anything else I think that's a must.

If it's uncomfortable or you have to strain or shuffle to get in the right spot behind it you're always going to shoot worse.

Nearly have the problem fixed.

Cheers for all the advice lads. Will have it sorted Saturday. Then straight to the range to re sight it in

[bigfellascott]

Good luck with it mate, won't take much to sort out for ya.

[Sam45]

Well boys it's all sorted

It was eye relief that was the problem. At the LGS tried to move it back, sadly ran out of adjustment. So put on a warne pic rail and warne 30mm low rings. Moved it back and bingo.

Again thanks everyone for the advice and guidance.
Tops effort

Here is the end result.

20170304_142235 (1).jpg (1.55 MiB) Viewed 4461 times

[bigfellascott]

Much betterer!

[Sam45]

Much betterer!

Yep, unreal what a pic rail can do Absolutely stoked Even more excited about hunting Sambar in 2 weeks

[bigfellascott]

Much betterer!

Yep, unreal what a pic rail can do Absolutely stoked Even more excited about hunting Sambar in 2 weeks

Good luck with it Sam, don't forget to wind that scope right down if you're in the thick stuff.