• 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!

Rifle Scopes One scope

SpookM14

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 8, 2012
815
1,767
Mountain West
So I have been shooting around the idea of selling all my scopes on my bolt rifles and going over to just one scope. I would like to get into the S&B or USO realm, but im still looking at other options. Is selling all my scopes a good idea to go over to just one scope? Has anyone does this and does it work without loosing any adjustments?
 
Need some more info... How far will you primarily be shooting? Do you care more about ruggedness or clarity? What kind of scopes will you be ditching to fund this? What kind of rifles will this sit on? ...be as specific as you can.
 
I have moved many scopes from one weapon to another and have never had a case where the move diid not require a re-zero. some were minor but most required a significant re-zero.
 
That is what I did. I mounted one piece rails on all of my rifles, and I move one scope to the rifle needed. I live in the middle of nowhere in Nevada so I can just pop on down the road and verify zero before heading out for a hunt.
 
I was thinking of shooting out to 1000 meters and no further. I would be mounting it mostly on 308 rifles mainly my M1A's and bolt rifles. I figured that there would be some kind of adjustment from rifle to rifle but thought that I would some how find a way to mark where each rifle is zeroed either on the turrets or rifle somewhere. I would be getting rid of a Vortex PST which is my main 308 bolt scope, SWFA mounted on my M1A's, and another vortex Viper HST on my 223 bolt rifle.
 
When I started I swapped a NF around a lot. I used arms lever rings and they did fine, of course you need to rezero or like you said mark it somehow. On some rifles it was a couple of clicks either way, on some a couple of mils. But they are pretty consistent, those rails and rings pretty well go back to the same point every time. If you live in the country and can rezero easily, but most of us have to make a trip to the range.
 
So I have been shooting around the idea of selling all my scopes on my bolt rifles and going over to just one scope. I would like to get into the S&B or USO realm, but im still looking at other options. Is selling all my scopes a good idea to go over to just one scope? Has anyone does this and does it work without loosing any adjustments?

Only you can answer that question. If you can drive for a few minutes and do a quick sight in, then changing scopes around isn't that big of a deal. Plan on getting a new zero every time though, if only a few clicks.

Having been in the same position a few times I came to the conclusion that I wanted at least one top of the line scope that met most of the requirements I had decided on. The Friggen thing - S&B PMII/H-59, was ridiculously expensive but I really like, in fact I'd do it all over again and be glad I did.

Having too many rifles including air rifles and rimfires, and only wanting FFP scopes with minimum 10Y parallax, I decided to try one of the cheapest scopes out there, Midways BSA 4-14 tactical. Those scopes are great for the money and have saved my ass from gross overspending by trying to scope all my rifles that don't require the uber scopes.
 
Im thinking I will give it a shot and try the one scope thing. Is there one ring that you guys would suggest over another? I know that Arms has already been said, but is there any others out there that are just as good? Should I go with a single mount or two ring set up? How low can you go with a one piece mount like the laRue or other one piece mounts?
 
that's the recipe for a major pain in the ass situation.

+1. Took the words right outta my mouth.

OP, on the surface sharing a single scope among many rifles, seems like a good solution (especially if you're strapped for cash), but in reality, the constant swapping becomes rather cumbersome. However, if you've got the patience to pull it off, more power to you brother. Either way, I wish you luck in your endeavor.

If you do decide to go with one "good" scope, I can whole heartedly, as a satisfied owner, recommend both USO and S&B. There are quite a few great scopes out there, but I can only recommend those that I own(ed).
 
Thanks False. I wish I had the money to put USO or S&B or NF on all my rifles but unfortunately I don't. I guess I'll chew on this idea for a while and let you know what I come up with.
 
To me, this scenario, is like having two or three cars and only 1 set of wheels. I personally would rather have a few mid-tier optics than one top-their. Also like everyone said above, if you remove it you are going to have to rezero every time. To me it would not be worth the effort.
 
that's the recipe for a major pain in the ass situation.

+2. It's a major pain in the dick. This question comes up pretty often for some reason.

I can understand wanting a high end optic but there is no way I would play musical scopes to do it. Aside from the PITA of moving them and rezeroing them whether you record the difference or not you're going to run into mounting issues seeing the types of guns you have. Assuming they all have picatinny spec rails and the rings or mount doesn't physically need to be moved you are most likely going to have the scope too high or too low than is ideal.

You can get a hell of a optic for under $2K that runs right with S&B. I'd look into the Bushnell HDMR's and the XRS as well as Nightforce. For S&B prices you could buy one of those to put on your rifle you shoot the most and then run SWFA's for $300 a pop on the rest of them.
 
Only way I see the 1 scope being useful is if you had something like a dta that just changed calibers not rifles. Or a lmt mws or something like that where the zero shift is repeatable
 
Thanks False. I wish I had the money to put USO or S&B or NF on all my rifles but unfortunately I don't. I guess I'll chew on this idea for a while and let you know what I come up with.

Believe me, I totally know where you're coming from. The amount of money that I've dropped on everything firearms related, is pretty damn staggering, and it pales in comparison to many others on this board. And like I said in my previous post, if you're willing to go through the necessary hassle to make it work, i.e. re-zeroing and all that jazz, then it's definitely within the realm of possibility (we put a man on the moon for god's sake, you can swap scopes). But as another poster stated, you may, depending on the rifles you own, also have to obtain multiple mounts, which will also hit you in the wallet and is something to take into consideration.

In the end, which ever way to decide to go, just remember that "it's all good". This situation definitely falls into the First World problems category and as such, I wouldn't languish over it too much.

Happy shooting, brother.
 
+ 3 pain using one scope. I thought through the logistics, and decided no way.

All my rifles have Picatinny / MIL-STD-1913 rails; not for continuous optic swap, but ease of changing scopes if the need arises.

Suggestion: Before you liquidate all your optics, pick one you like the best. Set it up for swapping, and try this for a few months. If you can tolerate it, go for it. If not, the most you are out is possibly the cost of a mount.

BTW, I use typical Badger rings and a quality torque wrench. When I have removed and re-installed optics, there has been no issue with zero. *If* I were to go to one scope (which I will not), the mounting system would not change from the present setup.

Good Luck