Tech Tip: How to Mount a Scope for a Tactical or Hunting Rifle
In this NSSF video, Ryan Cleckner shows how to set up a scope on a tactical or hunting rifle. Ryan, a former U.S. Army Sniper Instructor, notes that many shooters spend a small fortune on equipment, but fail to set up their rifle to use the optics optimally. Cleckner likens this to someone who owns an expensive sports car, but never adjusts the seat or the mirrors.
Ryan notes that you want your head and neck to be able to rest naturally on the stock, without straining. You head should rest comfortably on the stock. If you have to consciously lift your head off the stock to see through the scope, then your set-up isn’t correct. Likewise, You shouldn’t have to push your head forward or pull it back to see a clear image through the scope. If you need to strain forward or pull back to get correct eye relief, then the scope’s fore/aft position in the rings needs to be altered. Watch the full video for more tips.
Tips on Mounting Your Scope and Adjusting Your Comb Height:
1. Normally, you want your scope mounted as low as possible, while allowing sufficient clearance for the front objective. (NOTE: Benchrest shooters may prefer a high mount for a variety of reasons.)
2. Once the scope height is set, you need to get your head to the correct level. This may require adding an accessory cheekpad, or raising the comb height if your rifle has an adjustable cheekpiece.
3. Start with the rifle in the position you use most often (standing, kneeling, or prone). If you shoot mostly prone, you need to get down on the ground. Close your eyes, and let you head rest naturally on the stock. Then open your eyes, and see if you are too low or too high. You may need to use a cheekpad to get your head higher on the stock.
4. If your scope has a flat on the bottom of the turret housing, this will help you level your scope. Just find a flat piece of metal that slides easily between the bottom of the scope and the rail. Slide that metal piece under the scope and then tilt it up so the flat on the bottom of the scope aligns parallel with the flats on the rail. Watch the video at 8:40 to see how this is done.
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Tags: Alignment, eye level, head position, Scope, Scope Level, Tactical Rifle
Well, what can I say, some good, some not so good. Had I watched the video all the way through, I might not have suggested it.
One point that needs to be addressed, at minimum, is the virtual trivialization of the alignment of the scope. Eyeballing the gap between the bottom of the turret housing assumes at least two things that are absolutely not guaranteed to be acceptable. First, that the bottom of the turret housing is dead parallel to the horizontal alignment feature of the reticle. And second, that you are going to do a good enough job doing that eyeballing that the alignment is correct. I kept waiting for the part where he SHOULD have told the viewer that this might get you in the ball park enough to get out to the range to finish the job. However, he proceeds to talk about tightening the ring screws (without a torque wrench) and then to Loctiting them down. Alignment to gravity has been totally skipped without even the suggestion that, for long range shooting, going further would be REQUIRED.
Alignment to gravity is typically done through on-range alignment of the vertical alignment feature with a plumb line positioned at (my preference) 100 yards – certainly some substantial distance. Those interested in ACCUARTE shooting are referred to page 9 in Nightforce’s Owner’s Manual (http://nightforceoptics.com/pdf/OwnersManual.pdf).
ELR… Spot on. Lot’s of intended to impress credentials at the start of the article ( Sniper instructor ), yawn, and then the following mess.