Rifle Scopes Clarification on Scope Base

[sfcmark]

I own a Remington 700 chambered in .338 Lapua. I just recently got a Night Force Scope. I HAD an aluminum base, but want to go with a Steel Base. Night Force Makes a Steel one-piece base, but they are made in 20 MOA and 40 MOA. My question is, what is the difference and is it even needed? I will very rarely be shooting over 600 yards. I understand that they add those amount of elevation. So does this mean they are designed for really long distance shots? any feedback/advise would be appreciated.

 

[marku]

338 Lapua is quite the cartridge to shoot rarely over 600 yards. With a night force scope a 20 moa base should be just fine. A 40 moa base will give you a more adjustment in the scope. You shouldn't have any problems with aluminum, there quite a few aluminum bases used with no issues

 

[sfcmark]

Thanks for the response. The Original base I had on the gun was aluminum and it was damaged when I took it off.......Guess I don't want to trust aluminum.

 

[280nosler]

Right or wrong, I use like materials for the scope rings and base. I have marks on an aluminum base from steel rings, so that is why I have moved that way. That said, 40 moa may be too much depending on your scope. For example, a 40 MOA base combined with a scope with 45 internal moa (in theory 22.5 up, 22.5 down), would put you up 17.5 moa when you adjust all the way up. Most scopes do not have a perfect 1/2 in either direction, even with flat bases, so it could be worse. That said a Berger 300 OTM traveling at 2620 at the muzzle only has 11.6 moa drop at 600 yards, and 18.6 at 800. Another words, if you shot with the above mentioned round at 600 yards, with a scope with 45 moa internal, and you maxed out internally, you would impact 35.4 inches above your target. With a 40 moa rail you would need a scope with 60+ moa of internal control to be on target at 600 yards with a 338 Lapua.

As such a 20 moa rail is plenty, but certainly not needed with a 338 only going out 600 yards.