What to do when scope won't adjust far enough

Jack Straw · January 12, 2002, 04:32 PM

I guess you can see that I have a number of gun issues that I need to take care of...

I just put a scope on my old Remington .22 and took it out today to sight it in. I adjusted the thing up as far as possible but at 25 yards it still shot about 4 inches low. Now what? The scope worked perfectly fine on a .308 so I don' think that is the problem.

Thanks,
Jack

Kernel · January 12, 2002, 06:55 PM

Jack,

There are a lot of different ways to correct this problem. The easiest is to make some shims out of an old beer can. First take the scope off and mechanically re-zero it, i.e., dial it back to the center of it's range. Place the shims on the bottom of the front ring. Start with three shims, put the scope back on and shoot. Add or subtract shims until the scope is roughly zeroed. Once your within 2 - 3" of the aiming point then you can use the clicks on the scope to fine-tune.

Other fixes include lapping the rear ring, shimming or lapping the base, or buying Burris POS-ALIGN rings. All valid fixes, first I'd try the old tried and true "beer can shim." -- Kernel

C.R.Sam · January 12, 2002, 09:16 PM

Kernel nailed it.

sam

Jack Straw · January 12, 2002, 09:44 PM

Thanks for the replies. Dad and I discussed it on the way home and the idea of a shim came up, we just weren't sure that it would actually work or how much to use.

One thing I'm confused about is which end of the scope to shim since the gun is shooting low. Can someone explain why the front of the scope should be shimmed? My brain isn't working to well with the concept of sights today. Dad's Christmas present was a Ruger 10/22 that was hitting high and to the right today and for some reason I kept wanting to move the rear sight in the wrong direction.

Some days it just doesn't pay to skip that second cup of coffee.

Jack

C.R.Sam · January 13, 2002, 12:07 AM

Oooops......you want to shim the rear to bring point of impact up toward the crosshairs.

Reread your first post......might want to shoot it again and adjust scope the other way just to make sure it really neads shimmin.

Sam

Kernel · January 14, 2002, 09:42 PM

Ooops. My bad. Putting the shims under the rear ring will bring the point of impact up. For can-stock I recommend Miller High Life Light. (which is what I was drinking when I gave the wrong advice earlier). -- Kernel

Freedom in theSkies · January 18, 2002, 01:15 AM

I had to do some shimming on a Mini-14 a while back. I used the same sort of technique, with the exception of using aircraft type shim stock. -It comes in large sheets and is about 1/4 inch thick. (250 layers of aluminum) Same basic idea, but you just peel off a piecethat is the right thickness and trim it to size. The main thing is, it worked.

zot · January 19, 2002, 03:09 AM

I like Milwaukees Best Ice for shims the best.

dZ · January 19, 2002, 10:46 PM

i prefer German beer cans
the tolerences are tighter

HunterChick · October 21, 2009, 04:15 PM

Well, what should I use? I drink Whisky!

ZeSpectre · October 21, 2009, 04:26 PM

well, drink more, it won't improve your aim but you won't care either I suppose

croc4 · October 22, 2009, 01:47 AM

you might want to look at burris signature rings, they come with adjustable inserts that allow you to do major scope adjustments, then you can use the scope adj to fine tune. Plus the nylon inserts don't mar the scope finish.

my 2c,

Croc4

mega twin · October 22, 2009, 07:24 AM

Might try just swapping your rings from front to back first.

CowTowner · October 22, 2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Might try just swapping your rings from front to back first.

I think mega twin is going in the right direction with that piece of advice. +1

January 12, 2002, 04:32 PM	#1
Jack Straw Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 362	What to do when scope won't adjust far enough I guess you can see that I have a number of gun issues that I need to take care of... I just put a scope on my old Remington .22 and took it out today to sight it in. I adjusted the thing up as far as possible but at 25 yards it still shot about 4 inches low. Now what? The scope worked perfectly fine on a .308 so I don' think that is the problem. Thanks, Jack

January 12, 2002, 06:55 PM	#2
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	Jack, There are a lot of different ways to correct this problem. The easiest is to make some shims out of an old beer can. First take the scope off and mechanically re-zero it, i.e., dial it back to the center of it's range. Place the shims on the bottom of the front ring. Start with three shims, put the scope back on and shoot. Add or subtract shims until the scope is roughly zeroed. Once your within 2 - 3" of the aiming point then you can use the clicks on the scope to fine-tune. Other fixes include lapping the rear ring, shimming or lapping the base, or buying Burris POS-ALIGN rings. All valid fixes, first I'd try the old tried and true "beer can shim." -- Kernel __________________ "You can shoot down every MiG the Soviets employ, but if you return to base and the lead Soviet tank commander is eating breakfast in your snack bar, Jack, you've lost the war." — Anonymous A-10 Pilot, USAF

January 14, 2002, 09:42 PM	#6
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	Ooops. My bad. Putting the shims under the rear ring will bring the point of impact up. For can-stock I recommend Miller High Life Light. (which is what I was drinking when I gave the wrong advice earlier). -- Kernel __________________ "You can shoot down every MiG the Soviets employ, but if you return to base and the lead Soviet tank commander is eating breakfast in your snack bar, Jack, you've lost the war." — Anonymous A-10 Pilot, USAF

January 18, 2002, 01:15 AM	#7
Freedom in theSkies Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2001 Location: The "Nice Dictatorship" of Canada Posts: 250	I had to do some shimming on a Mini-14 a while back. I used the same sort of technique, with the exception of using aircraft type shim stock. -It comes in large sheets and is about 1/4 inch thick. (250 layers of aluminum) Same basic idea, but you just peel off a piecethat is the right thickness and trim it to size. The main thing is, it worked. __________________ Live in peace... But defend it...Embrace it... But never take it for granted...

January 19, 2002, 10:46 PM	#9
dZ Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 1999 Location: Exiled, Fetid Swamp, DC Posts: 7,549	i prefer German beer cans the tolerences are tighter __________________ "O tell the Lacedomecians to damn the torpedoes." BOTR, Chapter V: Some Monsters

January 12, 2002, 09:16 PM	#3
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,864	Kernel nailed it. sam

January 12, 2002, 09:44 PM	#4
Jack Straw Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 362	Thanks for the replies. Dad and I discussed it on the way home and the idea of a shim came up, we just weren't sure that it would actually work or how much to use. One thing I'm confused about is which end of the scope to shim since the gun is shooting low. Can someone explain why the front of the scope should be shimmed? My brain isn't working to well with the concept of sights today. Dad's Christmas present was a Ruger 10/22 that was hitting high and to the right today and for some reason I kept wanting to move the rear sight in the wrong direction. Some days it just doesn't pay to skip that second cup of coffee. Jack

January 13, 2002, 12:07 AM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,864	Oooops......you want to shim the rear to bring point of impact up toward the crosshairs. Reread your first post......might want to shoot it again and adjust scope the other way just to make sure it really neads shimmin. Sam

January 19, 2002, 03:09 AM	#8
zot Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 1999 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 566	I like Milwaukees Best Ice for shims the best.

October 21, 2009, 04:15 PM	#10
HunterChick Junior Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Location: N. Idaho Posts: 1	What do I do? Well, what should I use? I drink Whisky!

October 21, 2009, 04:26 PM	#11
ZeSpectre Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Shenandoah Valley Posts: 3,276	well, drink more, it won't improve your aim but you won't care either I suppose __________________ "The dogs may bark but the caravan moves on"

October 22, 2009, 01:47 AM	#12
croc4 Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2006 Location: Santa Clara, Ca Posts: 189	not a fan of shims you might want to look at burris signature rings, they come with adjustable inserts that allow you to do major scope adjustments, then you can use the scope adj to fine tune. Plus the nylon inserts don't mar the scope finish. my 2c, Croc4

October 22, 2009, 07:24 AM	#13
mega twin Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2006 Posts: 419	Might try just swapping your rings from front to back first.