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Need a little advise about my optics/shooting today??

WookieeLord

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 23, 2014
20
0
Sorry this is pretty much a repost from the optics forum. I hadn't heard anything from them yet and figured I should try out this subcategory instead!

I just want to say Hello to everyone! I am excited to be joining Sniper's Hide and look fwd to a lot of great reads.

I went shooting with my father-in-law today. We set up a 130yrd range (130yrd is what we measured this barrel thing at so it ended up there and not @100yrds) Background Experience: I typically only handle handguns but I have owned several .22LRs and a fairly decent 5.56 AR-15 setup. I really wanted to move into some hunting possibly and a bit of longer range target shooting so I went ahead and built myself a nice Rem 700 setup. After reading this forum it sounded like one of the higher model .308 Rem700s was where I wanted to be. I purchased a Rem 700 .308 AAC-SD and shaved the tip a bit to make it truly free-floating like they "claimed" it was. I went with the Burris MTAC 4.5-14x-42mm (Went Burris because Sportsman's Warehouse made an Ut-Oh and marked it down $200 - Wrong scoped marked but my happiness haha!) Purchased the KRG oversized knob (LOVE IT!) and a couple other things. Let me get to the point of the post.

--> THE REASON FOR POST: I tried shooting but wasn't hitting anything. So I zero'd in @30yrds give or take. I ended up having to make a good bit of rotations for the windage (Right/Left) adjustment for some reason. I don't know if this was due to the mounting but I couldn't imagine it was. I have a basic 2 piece Weaver picatinny rail with Warne 30mm rings. I wanted to know a couple things. I didn't have a lot of time to make many adjustments but for a 1st time longer range shooter I wanted to know if my approx 1.25" groups @130yrd were acceptable and if the amount of adjustment I had to make with the scope was reasonable and shouldn't cause any problems in the future? I was a bit weary when I saw how far out I had to unscrew the rings. Please advise me if I should have the scope worked on or replaced asap. It is still within the 30days return policy. (Rail/Rings/Gun has been properly torqued with a 1/4" wrench if wondering)

**Pictures because THIS THREAD IS USELESS WITHOUT THEM =) ***

The Gun

<a href="http://s98.photobucket.com/user/southkhaki19/media/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/southkhaki19/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/7.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7.jpg"/></a>

Zero'ing @30yrds after I finally figured out how far off the scope really was - It was crazy off to the right side so I adjusted accordingly and ended up to the left a bit.

<a href="http://s98.photobucket.com/user/southkhaki19/media/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/southkhaki19/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/6.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6.jpg"/></a>

The Scope

<a href="http://s98.photobucket.com/user/southkhaki19/media/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/southkhaki19/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1.jpg"/></a>

The adjustments I had to make. Elevation out to the #1 line & Windage out to the #3 line.

<a href="http://s98.photobucket.com/user/southkhaki19/media/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/southkhaki19/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 3.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s98.photobucket.com/user/southkhaki19/media/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/southkhaki19/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/4.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4.jpg"/></a>

The quick 3 shot group I took after a couple warm up rounds. I didn't have time to really adjust because we had no spotting scope to see exactly where I was hitting so I had to walk (private property - Not formal range)

<a href="http://s98.photobucket.com/user/southkhaki19/media/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/southkhaki19/Remington%20700%20AAC-SD/5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5.jpg"/></a>
 
The rifle will certainly do better than that, given properly tuned ammo. I know because my AAC SD will shoot a ragged 3 or 5 shot group with my current handload, albeit I have it mounted in an AICS not in the factory stock. Although depending on conditions a consistent 1.25" is not horrible, it is also not adequate for precision. You will need to develop or find a better load and optimize it for the intricacies of your rifle. Also, if you a right handed shooter (probably are) that particular kind of stringing at one or two oclock would generally indicate trigger misuse. Most experienced shooters will call this "jerking" the trigger hard instead of a good squeeze in anticipation of recoil, because being surprised by the recoil is something that must be learned. More dryfire. Dryfire until you literally aren't expecting the gun to go off the next time you shoot.
 
I was sitting at a half bench in the backwoods haha. I was trying to keep the back end steady with my arm. I'm sure if I was able to go prone or have a proper full-size bench to sit at my groups would have been tighter. I was using 168grain Hornady Match Grade ammo which from what I hear, this gun likes a good bit, especially the higher grain like 175+. I would like to get some of the 180 grain but it is quite difficult to find around here. I will say though I was a bit disappointed at full magnification with the pricing of the scope. I found it a bit difficult centering on a target the size of a printed piece of paper. That is most likely due to the fact that I am extremely new to bolt actions and longer range shooting and partially due to the fact that the scope is built primarily for hunting game and not full on target practice (please correct me if i'm wrong). I appreciate all the help on these boards. I do look fwd to getting more experience with this rifle as I've been quite impressed so far. As for an aftermarket stock. I am looking fwd to purchasing the new KRG X-ray chassis when it finally goes on sale. It's in my price range because I really cannot drop 1000+ on a stock or I would have invested more into a higher magnification scope instead!
 
I was sitting at a half bench in the backwoods haha. I was trying to keep the back end steady with my arm. I'm sure if I was able to go prone or have a proper full-size bench to sit at my groups would have been tighter. I was using 168grain Hornady Match Grade ammo which from what I hear, this gun likes a good bit, especially the higher grain like 175+. I would like to get some of the 180 grain but it is quite difficult to find around here. I will say though I was a bit disappointed at full magnification with the pricing of the scope. I found it a bit difficult centering on a target the size of a printed piece of paper. That is most likely due to the fact that I am extremely new to bolt actions and longer range shooting and partially due to the fact that the scope is built primarily for hunting game and not full on target practice (please correct me if i'm wrong). I appreciate all the help on these boards. I do look fwd to getting more experience with this rifle as I've been quite impressed so far. As for an aftermarket stock. I am looking fwd to purchasing the new KRG X-ray chassis when it finally goes on sale. It's in my price range because I really cannot drop 1000+ on a stock or I would have invested more into a higher magnification scope instead!
You really should invest in a good rabbit ear bag to steady the rearend of the rifle, trust me, you'll notice the accuracy change. Also, a good trigger adjusted to the ounces(I like light triggers)will help, I buy Jewells, and the 2 stage CG trigger on my Creedmoor. If you can get a hold of some Hornady 178HPBTs or AMAXs, they should shoot very well in your rifle. 168s and up shoot very well in my 10 twist remington, 150/155s, not so much. Pic of my 308(12 twist) with Bottom safety Jewell and Protector rear bag. This rifle really likes 155/168s.
tl95qaT.jpg
 
Depending on the quality/trueness of your rings and base and scope body will determine how much past the midpoint of the scope you have to zero. If you are about 30% of the way in your max elevation adjustment with your zero I would return/change some components as this is going to handicap you at long range, this is another reason I go badger base and rings everytime, there are better but I have never had scope bolt up and boresight more than 4 MOA off in any axis. Also a 30 yard zero could be part of the reason you are having to really crank the elevation up, as your bore axis/sight offset looks about 2". Zeroing at 100 yards is typical, with some variations thereof for hunters running no turret scopes and wanting the farthest point-blank possible, for instance, with my load of the 178 amax @ 2500 FPS out of you EXACT barrel/action, if I zeroed at about 275 yards my point blank would be about 320 give or take and my bullets arc would apex at 150 yards give or take. As you are new, I suggest zeroing while PRONE at 100 yards with a rear bag. Zero your rifle in the position you intend to use it in most.