Precision is the cornerstone of accurate shooting, and the key to that precision often lies in how well your rifle scope is adjusted. For beginners, the process of dialing in a scope can seem daunting, but it’s one of the most crucial skills a marksman can develop. Whether you’re aiming for the bullseye at the range or taking that perfect shot in the field, the accuracy of your scope can make or break your success.
Understanding how to properly adjust your scope not only boosts your confidence but also transforms your shooting experience into something far more rewarding. If you’re a beginner or just looking for a refresher, here’s a comprehensive guide to adjusting your rifle’s scope.
Understanding Your Scope
A rifle scope is a precision instrument designed to enhance your accuracy by providing a magnified view of your target. To get the most out of your scope, it's essential to understand its basic components and how they function together.
Key Components of a Rifle Scope:
- Objective Lens: The lens at the front of the scope that gathers light and focuses the image.
- Ocular Lens: The lens at the rear through which you view the target.
- Reticle: The crosshair or aiming point within the scope, used to align your shot.
- Elevation Turret: Adjusts the vertical alignment of the reticle, compensating for bullet drop over distance.
- Windage Turret: Adjusts the horizontal alignment, compensating for wind or drift.
Types of Scopes:
- Fixed Power Scopes: Offer a single magnification level, ideal for simplicity and reliability.
- Variable Power Scopes: Allow you to adjust magnification, providing flexibility in various shooting scenarios.
Bore Sighting Your Rifle
Bore sighting involves aligning your scope with the rifle’s bore so that both are pointed at the same target. It’s a preliminary adjustment that saves time and ammunition by getting you “on paper” before you start fine-tuning at the range. Bore sighting is the essential first step in scope adjustment, proceeding any other type of adjustment when a new scope is mounted on your rifle. Many sporting goods stores and even firing ranges offer bore sighting as a service, but it’s also possible to do it yourself:
Tools Needed:
- Bore Sighter: A device inserted into the barrel or attached to the muzzle that projects a laser or uses optics to align the bore with the scope.
- Collimator: Another type of bore sighter that is inserted into the barrel and helps to achieve the initial alignment.
Step-by-Step Process:
- Stabilize the Rifle: Use a gun vice or sandbags to hold the rifle steady.
- Insert the Bore Sighter: Place the bore sighter in the muzzle or barrel.
- Align the Reticle: Adjust the windage and elevation turrets on your scope until the reticle aligns with the bore sighter’s laser dot or grid.
Zeroing in at the Range
After bore sighting, the next step is to zero it in at the shooting range. This process fine-tunes the alignment of your scope so that the point of aim matches the point of impact at a specific distance, typically 100 or 200 yards.
To begin, set up a target at your chosen distance and take a few initial shots. These shots will give you a baseline for how close your bore sighting was to the mark. Use the elevation and windage turrets to make small adjustments, moving the reticle toward the center of your shot group. Continue this process, firing in controlled groups and adjusting as needed until your shots consistently hit the bullseye.
Zeroing in is all about precision and patience. Each adjustment should be small, ensuring you don’t overshoot your target. This methodical approach will pay off when it’s time to take a critical shot in the field, giving you confidence that your scope is accurately dialed in for the distance you’re shooting.
Adjusting Your Scope in the Field
Adjusting your scope in the field presents unique challenges compared to the controlled environment of a shooting range. Unlike the range, you’re dealing with varying distances, unpredictable terrain, and changing environmental factors, all of which can affect your shot. Some hunters simply predict the change in bullet drop based on these varying factors and raise or drop their crosshair accordingly, but others will rely on the consistency of fine tuning.
For those seeking to fine-tune their rifle to account for different variables rather than taking a guess, start by using a laser rangefinder to determine the exact distance to your target. This tool provides accurate measurements that are crucial for making precise adjustments. Once you have the distance, use your scope’s turrets to adjust the reticle according to the yardage. For scopes with standard turrets, this involves manually turning the dial to the estimated range. For a more accurate and efficient adjustment, custom turrets from Kenton Industries come into play.
Benefits of Custom Scope Turrets:
- Simplified Adjustments: Custom turrets are specifically calibrated for your ammunition and shooting conditions, allowing for quick and accurate adjustments without constant recalibration.
- Preset Increments: They come with preset increments that match your bullet’s trajectory, making it easy to dial in the distance with a simple turn of the dial.
- Enhanced Accuracy: By replacing the factory turret with a custom one, you ensure that you’re accounting for bullet drop and wind drift accurately, improving your overall shooting precision.
Having a custom turret system by Kenton Industries greatly simplifies field adjustments. It allows you to focus more on the shot rather than the mechanics of scope adjustment, ensuring a more efficient and accurate shooting experience in varied field conditions.
Optimize Your Shooting Experience with Custom Scope Turrets
Mastering scope adjustment is crucial for precision shooting, whether at the range or in the field. Custom turrets offer an effective solution, streamlining adjustments and enhancing accuracy with minimal effort. At Kenton Industries, we provide expertly crafted custom scope turrets tailored to your specific needs, making your shooting experience smoother and more reliable. Don’t forget to read our other posts to learn everything you need to know when shopping for custom turrets as well as how custom turrets actually work.
Kenton Industries’ custom turrets can drastically improve your shooting performance—contact us today to explore your options and achieve pinpoint accuracy with ease.