ZB Lite Pro Universal Mount

[NTSOG]

G'day,

I recently purchased a ZB Lite Pro Universal Mount from the 'wilds' of Scotland via E-Bay to replace the factory mount for my PARD 008 NV scope on my HW66P [.22 Magnum]:

http://www.opteckmfg.com/index.php/Product/show/93.html

As any one who has a PARD knows the factory mount is poorly made, cross bolts weak and prone to breaking and shimming is often needed to set the scope reticle somewhere near centre of screen. The ZB Lite has adjustments for elevation and windage with 1/4" click increments at 100 yards. The only problem with this new mount is that I have had to install it reversed to move the PARD scope rearwards enough to get the same eye-relief as the factory mount. This does not cause problems with clearance of the bolt on my rifle as I have a picatinny rail fitted to the dovetail on the rifle which raises the scope somewhat and just clears the bolt. Even so the new mount sits the scope about 3mm lower than the factory mount.

I zeroed the combination today and, having set the scope reticle at zero/zero, did not have to adjust it at all. [I did have to turn the extra elevation screw - #5 in the advertisement - to maximum elevation first to get on paper at 25 yards.] I was able to get tight groups at 100 yards on target off my bench just using the two adjustments on the scope mount itself. Therefore the reticle in the PARD remains dead centre on the screen unlike before. It's much easier than fiddling with the reticle settings on screen in the PARD especially with my fumble fingers.

Jim

[scoot]

Extravision in Aus sell them too. About $140
Not a bad thing really. Good for dialling instead of using holdover or different zero profiles. Keeps reticle centred. Lower cheek weld.
Not sure I'd run it on anything with gusto. I'd be worried about maintaining a consistent zero at range but works well on my pcp airgun.

[NTSOG]

G'day scoot,

Be aware that there are three models. The model I bought has a central channel to allow mounting of the PARD; the others don't. That model is not yet available in Australia to my knowledge. As for 'gusto' I think I'll be safe with the .22 Magnum shooting 30 gr. V-Max - time will tell.

Jim

[scoot]

Screenshot_20220812-164107_Samsung Internet.jpg (470.02 KiB) Viewed 3823 times

I got mine from extravision 4 or 5 months ago. It's not branded as zb lite though. You need to scroll through all their mounts to find it. I remember it being hard to find ( even overseas) when I looked.

[NTSOG]

Hi scoot,

I couldn't find any for sale in Australia, but I looked for it under the ZB label. I didn't know it had been rebranded for sale here. I found that most of the UK dealers had sold out until a UK shooter told me where to find it - in Scotland. You did well to get it here - and at a cheaper price than I paid!

Jim

[scoot]

Same, same. I looked everywhere but couldn't find stock. I was resigned to waiting but it was by fluke I found it looking for something else.
With the popularity of pard and other nv it seems under advertised. Even as an extra elevation for scopes on rimfires for veeery long shots.

[NTSOG]

G'day All,

I finally got a chance to use my .22 magnum with the PARD scope on the new ZB mount two nights ago. The almost daily rain showers have made hunting a non-event recently. I had still been baiting out the back and one fox was fairly regular in her timing according to the trail camera. She turned up just inside her normal schedule and I dropped her with a head shot at 75 yards. Time will tell how stable the mount is; I'm counting on the low recoil of the .22 magnum shooting 30gr. V-max having little effect on accuracy.

Jim

[bladeracer]

I've been testing the ZB Lite adjustable rail this year with .22LR.
I've put 2160rds over it (95% of it groups on paper) and it's worked very well.
But last week I had some issues hitting gongs. I'd come back to the 100m gong to check zero and my shots would be between 25mm and 50mm higher than zero. I'd get hits at 135m, 167m and 188m with a low hold, then start dropping them again. Come back to 100m and I'd be back on zero, go back out to 188m with an uncorrected hold and be back on. This happened three times. I only fired 100rds with it as I had other rifles out, and everything seemed nice and tight, but I need to put a few hundred rounds on paper and see if the zero is actually drifting. I was shooting the Ruger Precision alongside it without a ZB Lite, with the same ammo and had zero issues. It's possible it was just a parallax issue as I don't have a cheek weld on the Ruger American Target with the ZB Lite mounted due to the extra height, exacerbated by shooting prone perhaps - something else to be aware of when using this.

[NTSOG]

G'day Bladeracer,

When zeroing off my bench with the ZB I got tight groups with several pairs of touching holes per group. I was concerned that it would be lateral movement, i.e. windage, that might be a problem, not elevation. I have added a foam cheek riser to the rifle and feel pretty 'tight' with my head position. [Before I added risers to all my rifles I was shooting all over the paddock due to unstable head position.] I don't shoot from prone as various joints don't feel at all happy going down to the ground and then standing up. I either sit and shoot off a portable rest or bench or take a set of light quad-sticks as I walk the paddocks looking for hares and foxes. With practice I am becoming quite accurate off the quad sticks. The ZB lite mount seems pretty tight over-all, but it is an 'articulated' mount meaning it is adjustable. Therefore there has to be some miniscule movement possible. Perhaps that will not be noticeable at 100 yards or less, but at the ranges you shoot it might???

Jim

[bladeracer]

G'day Bladeracer,

When zeroing off my bench with the ZB I got tight groups with several pairs of touching holes per group. I was concerned that it would be lateral movement, i.e. windage, that might be a problem, not elevation. I have added a foam cheek riser to the rifle and feel pretty 'tight' with my head position. [Before I added risers to all my rifles I was shooting all over the paddock due to unstable head position.] I don't shoot from prone as various joints don't feel at all happy going down to the ground and then standing up. I either sit and shoot off a portable rest or bench or take a set of light quad-sticks as I walk the paddocks looking for hares and foxes. With practice I am becoming quite accurate off the quad sticks. The ZB lite mount seems pretty tight over-all, but it is an 'articulated' mount meaning it is adjustable. Therefore there has to be some miniscule movement possible. Perhaps that will not be noticeable at 100 yards or less, but at the ranges you shoot it might???

Jim

I've used it out to 335m with the .22LR and had not noticed any issue at all with it not holding zero. But this was also the first time I can recall using it from prone, so perhaps it is entirely a cheekweld issue.

I'm very impressed with the mounts, particularly when you compare the price to dedicated adjustable scope mounts, but if only they recalibrated them to be minute adjustable they would be so much more useful.

I don't mind shooting prone, especially hunting as it makes me so much harder to see, but crawling through cold wet mud no longer entices me like it used to
I need to build some more stand-up shooting benches that are easily portable but still fairly rigid.

[NTSOG]

BR: "I need to build some more stand-up shooting benches that are easily portable but still fairly rigid."

I often take out a Caldwell Deadshot Fieldpod tripod together with a cheap black plastic 'seat' that I found at a hardware store like this:

https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.5b3f8557374 ... ImgRaw&r=0

The so-called seat is actually a small safety step for indoor use. Mine is a little lower than the one pictured, but I'm pretty short. It's very light and easy to carry. I've attached a sheet of foam rubber to the top to stop getting numb bum. At home I have sections of tree stump placed around the property so I can sit a wait in comfort for 'customers'.

However the more I shoot with the light carbon quad sticks, the more I like them. I hit a fox off them at 140 yards one night.

Jim

[scoot]

Using it with a digital scope will negate any parallax issues so good cheek weld is not so critical. I have noticed quite significant p.o.i. difference on optics though if I've swapped digital to optical without adjusting the cheek rest.
I have only used my zb on a pcp but I would like to hear if they stand up to a bit of recoil.
Be good if "pighunter" bought and tried one on his .223 (from previous thread on owl nv).

[NTSOG]

G'day scoot,

I take your point about parallax when using a digital scope, but a consistent cheek-weld also aids steadiness when aiming and holding aim regardless of the type of scope/sight.

Jim

[scoot]

Absolutely.