• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

  • Site updates coming next Wednesday at 8am CT!

    The site will be down for routine maintenance on Wednesday 6/5 starting at 8am CT. If you have any questions, please PM alexj-12!

Does a scope riser affect usable MOA on scope?

Wildfire1550

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 27, 2012
450
117
Arizona
Thinking about adding a riser to my rifle to make the scope a little higher, how will that affect my usable MOA to go to distance? Thanks in advance
 
You want to look at the specs of the scope and not wind out the erector. Generally I try to keep them 15%-20% from the bottom. I.E., if you have 60 MOA of travel (30 being dead center) you want to keep the rail above 20moa so you have 50 moa useable, and ten below zero. Just a rule of thumb. If you try to go to the maximum it will start to get wonky from what I understand, and worst case you won't be able to zero it correctly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldrifleman
Just adding a riser should not affect your scope if all you are doing is raising it up straight and parallel to the rifle bore. If you are adding can’t to the mount then Fig is absolutely correct.
 
I guess I didn't understand what he meant by a "riser"? Taller rings? Yes, that will effect your point-of-aim that you plug into the solver when doping the rifle, but other than knowing where the objective lens is above the bore it doesn't effect much.

edit: beat me to it
 
Just adding a riser should not affect your scope if all you are doing is raising it up straight and parallel to the rifle bore. If you are adding can’t to the mount then Fig is absolutely correct.

Raising the optic definitely changes things. As a thought experiment, consider if you zero a rifle.....then raise the optic 1" higher without changing anything in the elevation.....your rifle would no longer have the same zero. And anytime you have to change your zero, you are changing the available travel in the optic.

It's also the reason height over bore is required in firing solutions.

It definitely won't be anywhere close to changing the inclination of the optic though.


To the OP: it likely won't be enough to matter. But you will need to change the height over bore in your firing solutions.
 
What's the point if you aren't adding elevation? Just preference? If it's not to clear the bolt or something like that...why?

Same idea as using 1.5 vs 1.25 ring height. Personal preference/comfort.
 
The only time I want my head completely up with high rings (for a LPVO) or a "riser" is move-to-shoot type stuff.
1715964522303.png


Not only don't I mind leaning into a scoped rifle, for me I feel like it's necessary for a good cheek-weld and centering it on my shoulder pocket.
1715964571381.png
 
Sorry for the delay in replying, I appreciate all the reply’s. By Riser I meant just bringing the scope higher not adding additional can’t. I understand I will have to re zero and change my firing solutions in calculator. Currently this is on my mile plus gun and I wanted to make sure that I would still maintain the same usable amount of upward travel, hope that makes sense. Thanks again for help