alignment question, totoally confused!

chrisb38002 · March 20, 2012, 05:16 PM

Ok, here is what I have. Savage model 12FV, 26" heavy barrel, in 308. I have a Nightforce Benchrest scope mounted on a Warne 20MOA rail.
Problem- with the 20moa rail, I should be about 20" high at 100 yards, everything else being aligned. I have the elevation on the scope maxed out (can't bring the shots down any more), but still hitting about 8" high at 100. BTW, the scope has 40moa of adjustment.
Here is the kicker, at 300 yards, I am hitting 19-20" high, without moving the scope, still maxed out, so I can't bring my shots down.
Any ideas why my point of impact is so high? I should be able to dial in to zero the scope at this range with my mount.
I'm open to any ideas.

smoakingun · March 20, 2012, 06:46 PM

just to cover some basics. Is the rail tight on the reciever? Are the rings torqued evenly on the rail, Are the ring caps tight? Is the eye relief set properly? is the image viewed through the scope clear, no shadow around the edges? It is strange that the rifle is shooting higher at 300 than at 100. If I had a problem like this, I would be hunting for my glasses and making sure everything was right and tight

emcon5 · March 20, 2012, 07:31 PM

Quote:

It is strange that the rifle is shooting higher at 300 than at 100

Actually that is expected. With his excessive elevation, the rifle is essentially zeroed at about 600 yards, and at 300 the bullet is still going up, almost to the apogee of the trajectory.

You don't have tapered rings as well do you? 20MOA rings, plus 20MOA base could cause what you describe.

Assuming everything is put together properly, and properly torqued, you can try reversing your rings, see if that changes anything.

Jim Watson · March 20, 2012, 07:52 PM

A friend had the opposite problem with a Savage.
A 20 MOA base would barely let him get on at 1000.
He had the base modified for more taper so he could zero for Long Range without off-centering his adjustments so badly.

All we could think of was that his receiver was not quite straight... he had not had it blueprinted or aligned, and was using it as it came from the factory.
He has since had it rebarrelled without the Savage Nut. I don't know if it were straightened in the process or how it sights in now.

What range do you wish to shoot at? If 100-300 or even 600, a level base would be suitable.

chrisb38002 · March 20, 2012, 08:01 PM

To answer Smoakingun's questions, yes to all.

I have checked and torqued everything.
From what I calculate, Emcon5 is right, I am zero'ed at somewhere between 500 to 600 yards.
I don't think the bases I have, which are leupold, are tapered, but I may have to check again. I have not tried switching them front to back.
Other than the elevation, the gun is right on, my windage is nearly dead center to the scope, and the gun can group 1.5" at 300 all day long. I shoot at ranges from 100 out to 1000, so the 20moa would be fine, just don't need 40.

March 20, 2012, 05:16 PM	#1
chrisb38002 Member Join Date: August 28, 2005 Posts: 18	alignment question, totoally confused! Ok, here is what I have. Savage model 12FV, 26" heavy barrel, in 308. I have a Nightforce Benchrest scope mounted on a Warne 20MOA rail. Problem- with the 20moa rail, I should be about 20" high at 100 yards, everything else being aligned. I have the elevation on the scope maxed out (can't bring the shots down any more), but still hitting about 8" high at 100. BTW, the scope has 40moa of adjustment. Here is the kicker, at 300 yards, I am hitting 19-20" high, without moving the scope, still maxed out, so I can't bring my shots down. Any ideas why my point of impact is so high? I should be able to dial in to zero the scope at this range with my mount. I'm open to any ideas.

March 20, 2012, 06:46 PM	#2
smoakingun Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2009 Location: melrose, fl Posts: 634	just to cover some basics. Is the rail tight on the reciever? Are the rings torqued evenly on the rail, Are the ring caps tight? Is the eye relief set properly? is the image viewed through the scope clear, no shadow around the edges? It is strange that the rifle is shooting higher at 300 than at 100. If I had a problem like this, I would be hunting for my glasses and making sure everything was right and tight __________________ Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.

March 20, 2012, 07:52 PM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	A friend had the opposite problem with a Savage. A 20 MOA base would barely let him get on at 1000. He had the base modified for more taper so he could zero for Long Range without off-centering his adjustments so badly. All we could think of was that his receiver was not quite straight... he had not had it blueprinted or aligned, and was using it as it came from the factory. He has since had it rebarrelled without the Savage Nut. I don't know if it were straightened in the process or how it sights in now. What range do you wish to shoot at? If 100-300 or even 600, a level base would be suitable.

March 20, 2012, 08:01 PM	#5
chrisb38002 Member Join Date: August 28, 2005 Posts: 18	To answer Smoakingun's questions, yes to all. I have checked and torqued everything. From what I calculate, Emcon5 is right, I am zero'ed at somewhere between 500 to 600 yards. I don't think the bases I have, which are leupold, are tapered, but I may have to check again. I have not tried switching them front to back. Other than the elevation, the gun is right on, my windage is nearly dead center to the scope, and the gun can group 1.5" at 300 all day long. I shoot at ranges from 100 out to 1000, so the 20moa would be fine, just don't need 40.