ran out of elevation in my scope.now what

W

waterweasle

Member
I have a rem 700 in 22-250, years ago had an issue with running out of elevation, then put the gun away untill recently, added new base and rings, and still ran out of elevation.................so now what??? shim it? how? with what?
 
Yeah shim it or put in a 20 MOA base. Don't shim the rings though, shim under the base. If you ran out of UP adjustment put the shims under the back base, if you ran out of DOWN adjustment put it under the front base. I usually use a soda can for shims. I think about every .001 equals 1 MOA(1 inch) or so at 100 yards.
 
did you look inside the caps to see if there was a screw type deal that will let you get more? i don't know what kind of scope you have but my S&B will let you adjust the innerds for more elevation and windage. just a thought. otherwise shim
 
Burris makes signiture rings with plastic bushings. They also make offset insert bushings. You can use them to give you more elevation.
 
I would go with a 20MOA base, But I have also seen t shimmed with the soda can and it worked good.

What kind of scope are you using?

Sparky13
 
Depending on who and how your scope was mounting and originally sighted in------------

First check to make sure your scope is set up on your rifle for maximum verticle adjustment. It's an internal thing in the scope that you won't see by looking at it. But due to the circular construction of a scope, if you have a lot of windage adjustment used in the scope, the attachments inside are pulled one way or other other into the curvature internally of the scope. This reduces the amount of verticle adjustment available. So you want to make sure that your cross hairs are centered in the scope.

The easiest was is to center the windage adjustment, (that's left and right), by turning the windage adjustment screw all the way to one side, and then counting the number of total turns it takes to screw the adjustment all the way to the other side. Then divide that in half and screw it back toward the other side that amount. (Actually you should probably do this to both the windage and verticle adjustments, since they are related) (there's also a way to center the cross hairs using a mirror--I'll let someone else tell you about that method.

If you scope was properly mounted and sighted in, you probably just got back to where you were originally, but most scopes weren't. As much as possible, the windage adjust screw that is part of the bases that should be your primary windage adjustment, not the windage screw on the scope. (most of us usually think otherwise)

So if the scope isn't back to center, you should bore sight it and/or sight it in by test firing until the adjustment on the base can bring your point of impact left or right to the desired point of impact.

This should allow maximum elevation of your scope's verticle adjustment.

If it is still short, then you have at least 3 options.*shim your scope to gain more elevation, *buy a new scope with more possible elevation, or *buy different scope rings that at designed to give more elevation.

My story is that I wanted to shoot my 25-06 with a 500 yard zero, and I was surprised to find I could only get about 275 yrds out of the original set up that I had used for years with a 200 yard zero. I not only went through the above process but ended up shimming the base to get more elevation. I settled for a 300 yard zero because the screws that hold my base onto the rifle receiver are too short to allow for even more shim under base.
 
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if I shim the rear part of the base( its a one piece base) can I just cut a strip as wide as the base that fits between the screwsx or make it the size of the entire rear part and drill holes for the screws? windage is fine, its only elevation thats an issue,
 
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Originally Posted By: Bigdog2Yes---I used an old aluminum COKE can

lol, yes to which part?? the strip between the screws or the entire rear part of the base( with holes cut for the screws) and one layer from a can should be enough?
 
I made it big enough so that I could drill a hole through it. Figured that way it would be sure to be held solidly in place.

The idea of credit card sounds good too. Thicker but if your mounting screw are long enough, it might work.
Besides it's probably one of the best uses you can use a credit card for, considering today's interest rates.
 
Yes the bases are. The reason I said to put it under the base is so that it doesn't cause any stress on your scope in the rings. I also just make the shim big enough to put hole in it for the screws.
 
I like the idea of the 20moa bases, takes the idiot factor (me) outta trying to shim it
smile.gif
 
I've had the same problem with a couple of 700's. It appears that the receiver is not level on the top from the front to the rear of the top of the receiver. It was clearly evident by putting a straight edge on the mounted bases from one to the other. Making sure the straight edge (steel rule) is flat across the higher of the bases and measure the gap with feeler guages. That's the thickness of shim that you need under your base.

I would be hesitant to use credit card shims as plastic expands about 10 times more than steel due to temperature changes. I've had hunters miss elk due to this type of "shim" but that story goes under the "Sad stories of hunting big game" forum.
 
I was liking the idea of using a plastic shim( if I ended up shimming) till I thought of your exact reasoning of plastic changing with heat, I think I'll get a 20 or 30 moa base and leave it at that, thanks guys
 
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