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Rifle Scopes Help! Ran out of windage adjustment while zeroing atacr

SBE2

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Minuteman
  • Aug 7, 2018
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    So I recently purchased a Nightforce Atacr 5-25x56 sfp moar. I mounted it in seekins 1.45in rings on a howa 1500 and a flattop American built arms chassis. Today I went to zero and ran out of windage adjustment about 6 inches to the left still at 100 yards and I have no clue what to do now other than re mount the rings and scope. I have never had an issue in the past with this. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
     
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    Find another set of rings and try to re zero. A pic of your set up would be nice.
     
    Im sure you tried adjusting the windage all the way in the opposite direction. Otherwise it has to be something wrong with the fit of the barrel/action into the chassis.
     
    Here is pic of the setup
     

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    I wouldnt guess it’s the rings. Gotta be the barreled action in the chassis, or just the barreled action(crooked base hols, action face, or a wildly screwed up barrel).

    Is the barrel floating?
     
    Im sure you tried adjusting the windage all the way in the opposite direction. Otherwise it has to be something wrong with the fit of the barrel/action into the chassis.

    I have had a viper pst 6-24 and a viper pst gen 2 5-25 and never had a problem with not having enough adjustment while zeroing on either of the 2...
     
    Take a picture from the front of the barrel looking down the handgard with the scope in the pic.
     
    I have had a viper pst 6-24 and a viper pst gen 2 5-25 and never had a problem with not having enough adjustment while zeroing on either of the 2...

    So you’re saying this combo was perfect until the nightforce was added?
     
    So you’re saying this combo was perfect until the nightforce was added?

    Yes I never had that issue with either of the vipers but I also had to buy 34mm rings to go with the atacr so it’s not the same set of rings that I used on either of those
     
    Yes I never had that issue with either of the vipers but I also had to buy 34mm rings to go with the atacr so it’s not the same set of rings that I used on either of those


    What you’re describing could probably be seen with the naked eye(scope misalignment) if it were the rings. Vice the gun and dial the windage back and forth, are the crosshairs responsive like they should be?
     

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    If there is not something obviously wrong with scope----watch if reticle moves when dialing windage. And based off that your setup worked with previous scopes. Then rings would be my first starting point.
     
    Must be you. He said in the OP that it's still shooting 6" left, so it would have to be off to the right for that to happen.


    It’s definitely crooked off to the left, which would make it shoot left if all else was straight. He’s dialed in all his right windage, and is still left. So it all adds up.

    But still, if it shot with the other scopes, the nightforce is is the new factor. Never seen a set of seekins rings that screwed up.
     
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    Must be you. He said in the OP that it's still shooting 6" left, so it would have to be off to the right for that to happen.
    Incorrect. “shooter perspective”. I thought it looked that way too but the pic isn’t taken from exact centerline of barrel. Based on the springs on the bipod.
     
    What you’re describing could probably be seen with the naked eye(scope misalignment) if it were the rings. Vice the gun and dial the windage back and forth, are the crosshairs responsive like they should be?

    Yeah I just checked and the crosshairs move as they should nice and smoothly. It was shooting probably 2 feet to the left to begin with and I ended up getting it with 6 inches then no more adjustment
     
    Yeah I just checked and the crosshairs move as they should nice and smoothly. It was shooting probably 2 feet to the left to begin with and I ended up getting it with 6 inches then no more adjustment


    Do you see in person, what we see in the picture with regards to the barrel misalignment?
     
    It’s definitely crooked off to the left, which would make it shoot left if all else was straight. He’s dialed in all his right windage, and is still left. So it all adds up.

    But still, if it shot with the other scopes, the nightforce is is the new factor. Never seen a set of seekins rings that screwed up.
    I was responding to a post about it being off to the left in the forend.
    And I reject that if all is still straight but off to one side it will shoot off to that side.

    If the scope is functioning as it should then the rings or mounting of them is suspect since his base is known to be on straight.
     
    The atacr has a windage stop. So to get all the windage, you need to slip the knob to get more than the travel between the stops.


    In other words, if you just mounted it, went to the range, and ran into the windage stop, and that wasn’t enough, then you need to slip the knob back to zero and continue dialing right.
     
    I was responding to a post about it being off to the left in the forend.
    And I reject that if all is still straight but off to one side it will shoot off to that side.

    If the scope is functioning as it should then the rings or mounting of them is suspect since his base is known to be on straight.
    That’s not what was said. “Still straight, but off to the left”...not what I said.

    Do you agree that there is a pretty serious misalignment between the scope rail and the barrel, as viewed in the picture? Use the gaps on the sides of the barrel, or just the scope rail and Zick pointed out. Pretty obvious.
     
    The atacr has a windage stop. So to get all the windage, you need to slip the knob to get more than the travel between the stops.


    In other words, if you just mounted it, went to the range, and ran into the windage stop, and that wasn’t enough, then you need to slip the knob back to zero and continue dialing right.


    Boom... i think that is the problem right there! I was thinking there had to be a lot more adjustment than half a turn each way.
     
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    That’s not what was said. “Still straight, but off to the left”...not what I said.

    Do you agree that there is a pretty serious misalignment between the scope rail and the barrel, as viewed in the picture? Use the gaps on the sides of the barrel, or just the scope rail and Zick pointed out. Pretty obvious.


    I see exactly what you’re saying supersubes and I measured it and the left side from the shooter perspective the barrel is 1/8” closer to the chassis than the right side
     
    I see exactly what you’re saying supersubes and I measured it and the left side from the shooter perspective the barrel is 1/8” closer to the chassis than the right side


    Not uncommon, you just want to rule out interferences in your setup. Clearly your gun is eating up right windage. Re-zero, slip the knob back to zero, and then confirm you still have full windage travel between the stops. If you do, great, march on. If you don’t, you may consider taking steps to correct the misalignment.
     
    see what the manual says for amount of windage adjustment, and dial back and forth to see if you get that amount of windage adjustment. sound per above like they do have stops, so if you're not getting the full L-R adjustment, that may be your problem.

    if not, spin the scope 90 degrees and get a 20moa base... yes that's a joke...

    just double check your base is solid on the rails.
     
    Not uncommon, you just want to rule out interferences in your setup. Clearly your gun is eating up right windage. Re-zero, slip the knob back to zero, and then confirm you still have full windage travel between the stops. If you do, great, march on. If you don’t, you may consider taking steps to correct the misalignment.


    Yes will do, I really appreciate your help as I was a bit clueless. Thanks again for all of your help
     
    Did the previous scopes require this much windage adjustment to zero?


    No they did not but they all did shoot to the left from the start. as supersubes stated the barrel is sitting in the Chassis to the left and I measured and it was an 1/8 in difference
     
    see what the manual says for amount of windage adjustment, and dial back and forth to see if you get that amount of windage adjustment. sound per above like they do have stops, so if you're not getting the full L-R adjustment, that may be your problem.

    if not, spin the scope 90 degrees and get a 20moa base... yes that's a joke...

    just double check your base is solid on the rails.

    Yeah I am only getting 15 moa of adjustment to the left and 15 to the right and it has a total of 60 Moa of adjustment so it has to be the stops
     
    No they did not but they all did shoot to the left from the start. as supersubes stated the barrel is sitting in the Chassis to the left and I measured and it was an 1/8 in difference

    You may want to address that before going further with the scope. I would loosen the action screws and try to center the barrel before snugging them down again. May not work, but worth a try. In the pic you posted, it looked to me like the scope was off-center as well.
     
    You may want to address that before going further with the scope. I would loosen the action screws and try to center the barrel before snugging them down again. May not work, but worth a try. In the pic you posted, it looked to me like the scope was off-center as well.
    The scope is mounted to the action, it follows that direction.
     
    Yes, I know. The mounting holes are not always centered on the receiver. It's not uncommon for production guns.
    Right, but how would loosening the action screws and readjusting it do anything? Scope still pointed in that direction.
     
    The atacr has a windage stop. So to get all the windage, you need to slip the knob to get more than the travel between the stops.


    In other words, if you just mounted it, went to the range, and ran into the windage stop, and that wasn’t enough, then you need to slip the knob back to zero and continue dialing right.


    Had the same problem with one of my rifles when i first got an atacr. Was freaking out and then thought maybe it's a stop.

    As said Float it, and keep cranking. Problem solved.

    Hopefully.....
     
    Had the same problem with one of my rifles when i first got an atacr. Was freaking out and then thought maybe it's a stop.

    As said Float it, and keep cranking. Problem solved.

    Hopefully.....
    Yes, I did not SS's post. I have a 7-35 Atacr, it has 80 total, 30 useable.
     
    Right, but how would loosening the action screws and readjusting it do anything? Scope still pointed in that direction.

    The barreled action is not centered in the chassis. Maybe I'm looking at it cockeyed but in the first picture it looks as if the rail is part of the chassis. If that's the case, getting the action centered will help by not requiring as much windage adj. If the scope base is separate and not part of the chassis, then please disregard all previous statements. ;)
     
    Had the same problem with one of my rifles when i first got an atacr. Was freaking out and then thought maybe it's a stop.

    As said Float it, and keep cranking. Problem solved.

    Hopefully.....

    Since you have had an atacr how exactly do you adjust the turret past 15 moa each way?? I see no info in the Manual or anywhere on the internet on how to do it
     
    Since you have had an atacr how exactly do you adjust the turret past 15 moa each way?? I see no info in the Manual or anywhere on the internet on how to do it


    You don’t, he’s describing what Milo and I said. You loosen the set screw, turn to zero, re-tighten set screw. If you’re taking a shot that needs more than 15 mins of wind, it’s probably better to sneak up close to the target from down wind, and hit it with a hammer or similar.
     
    The barreled action is not centered in the chassis. Maybe I'm looking at it cockeyed but in the first picture it looks as if the rail is part of the chassis. If that's the case, getting the action centered will help by not requiring as much windage adj. If the scope base is separate and not part of the chassis, then please disregard all previous statements. ;)

    The chassis is 2 seperate pieces and the what you guys are seeing isn’t all one piece. The action has its own rail sepeprate
     
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    Since you have had an atacr how exactly do you adjust the turret past 15 moa each way?? I see no info in the Manual or anywhere on the internet on how to do it


    Turn it until it hits the stop at 15 moa. Loosen the turret screw and put it on zero or the other extreme depending on how much adjustment you still need. Retighten the turret and it should keep turning. After you get your zero refloat the turret to be on zero
     
    Turn it until it hits the stop at 15 moa. Loosen the turret screw and put it on zero or the other extreme depending on how much adjustment you still need. Retighten the turret and it should keep turning. After you get your zero refloat the turret to be on zero


    Ok I got it now. Thanks you for your help!
     
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    I have it figured out now thanks to you guys. As you can see I am new to the zero stop but I appreciate everyone’s help here. Thank you!
     
    There is no Zero Stop on Windage. Only the ability to loosen the set screw and turn the knob to zero.

    Bang
     
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