Rifle Scopes ATACR elevation turret top travel question

[Phil Drenik Jr]

Wanted to run this by the scope experts to get opinion. Was dialing in elevations on my scope during dry fire practice when I decided to dial in elevation for a mile. Ballistic program ( StrelokPro) said 83 up. Turret travel stopped at 73? Using Atacr 5x25x56 F1 MOAR in Nightforce rings on Surgeon 591 action with integral 20 moa pic rail sitting 2.5" above bore. Shooting 6.5x47L with 130 grain Berger hybrid @ 2880 mv. Nightforce states 120 moa total travel on turret. Seems odd to me that bullet would require me to top off turret and holdover 10 moa on scope to reach a mile? AIAX with 26" Kreiger barrel.
Does that sound right? Am I really losing 47 moa on bottom end?

 

[hafejd30]

120 MOA is total travel

your scope centered would give you 60 up and 60 down

your 20 MOA base offsets that and gives you 80 up and 40 down

73 is in the realm of where you should be

 

[ken226]

Not abnormal at all.

With 120 moa total, and a 20 moa rail, after zero you should have "about"80 moa of elevation available.

I say "about" 80, because every scope and every rifle is a little different.

If you need to dial 80+ moa, a 30 Moa will get you there.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

^^^ Agreed.

 

[Phil Drenik Jr]

120 MOA is total travel

your scope centered would give you 60 up and 60 down

your 20 MOA base offsets that and gives you 80 up and 40 down

73 is in the realm of where you should be

I see what you are saying. Why would they waste so much movement downward? Seems like this rifle and bullet should easily be able to go a mile but how would you do it without maxing out turret elevation travel?

 

[ken226]

I see what you are saying. Why would they waste so much movement downward? Seems like this rifle and bullet should easily be able to go a mile but how would you do it without maxing out turret elevation travel?

It's a mechanics thing. It would be pointless to block off the erector travel in that direction. Doing so would make a 30 or 40 moa base unusable.

Scopes also tend to behave better, optically and mechanically when the erector isn't zeroed at an extreme angle relative to the objective lens and eyepiece set.

The erector is a tube, mounted inside a tube. If the erector is angled all the way up touching the top of the tube, you'll have trouble dialing more than a little on the horizontal.

It's not uncommon that when zeroed to an extreme erector angle, for windage adjustments to start pushing the erector vertically due to the circular shape of the outer tube, in section.

Expecting to be able to direct dial a 6.5x47 to a mile is a bit extreme anyway. You can do it with a 30+ moa base, but that's not the gun for 1 mile shooting.

 

[hafejd30]

The elevation is there if you want it. Just add more elevation to your rail. Get a 30 MOA instead of a 20.

I just dial my scope to near max and use reticle for holdover if I go beyond my limits.

I highly suggest learning and studying up in long range equipment/ballistics/caliber choices etc. Your obviously just starting out and paging through some sections pertaining to long range shooting would serve you well

 

[Phil Drenik Jr]

Yo

The elevation is there if you want it. Just add more elevation to your rail. Get a 30 MOA instead of a 20.

I just dial my scope to near max and use reticle for holdover if I go beyond my limits.

I highly suggest learning and studying up in long range equipment/ballistics/caliber choices etc. Your obviously just starting out and paging through some sections pertaining to long range shooting would serve you well

you're right. Lot to learn. Appreciate the education. Thanks guys!