SCOPE BASE ALIGNED, how much does it matter???????

[Rem7targetactical]

I posted this under the riflescopes section and got no help, so I'm gonna try here!
Okay, so I saw this sweet thread on how to align my reticle with just two cheap bubble levels and a plumb bob by elfster123. I rush out this morning and buy all the supplies and strip everything off my rifle down to the base. I decide to check the level of the base first and find two different bubble locations at front and rear of the base... Hmmmmmm..... I switch bubble levels and find the same result. I then loosen the rear screw and ta da!!! MY BASE NEEDED TO BE BEDDED!!!! Cool, so although my rifle shot around 1/2 moa. before I figure maybe I can squeeze some more out of it! So off I go again to gather the supplies to bed the base, JB weld, WD-40, Play Dough etc... I come home and get to work, and it came out great especially for my first time doing this. BUT..... after all is said and done and I'm admiring my sweet workmanship I notice while looking down the length of the rifle the base looks crooked. The rifle is an OLD Remington Model 7 with only 3 holes for the base. (was one of the first of these rifles from 1983) I have a match barrel and PTG bolt with their bottom metal and a Murphy Precision stainless base (everything the best I could find or have made for this action) And like I said it shot very well. I checked my scope to see if the windage was adjusted more to one side than the other and it is but not by much (3 turns to right stop, 2 1/2 to left stop) Its a Nightforce 5.5-22x50 mounted in Badger M-40 steel rings, the ones with the Max-50 in the front and regular in back. If the base is off a little bit from perpendicular will it hurt at long range?

 

[Elite_KG]

Not unless you plan on using windage adjustments. That assuming it is not grossly out of alignment. If it is you may not be able to zero. If you know it was straight before, I would do it again and straighten it.

Good luck...

 

[Rem7targetactical]

It was zeroed at 200 yds. before I took it off and never had a problem, but I do only shoot 200 (only cause thats all I have access to but am working on that) Everything has been fine and like I said the windage was only 1/2 turn toward one way further. Just wanted to know if I find 600 yds or so that this isn't gonna be a problem. Thanks for the answer!

 

[Rem7targetactical]

Ok wait, I just read your post a second time and I think I'm conveying the wrong imfo.... The actual base screws are not in alignment with the barrel. If you put the rifle up to your shoulder as if to fire (only the base is on it) and you look down the length of it you see the base is level but the front of the base is a little to the right side and the rear of the base looks a little left. Its crooked that way, by like an 1/8".

 

[Elite_KG]

Yes. I understood your situation from your original description. It will all depend on how far off it is (how crooked). This will not affect your range (200 or 600 yards etc.). It will only affect the windage dope (left or right) when dialing in your zero. The concern is if you have say 60 moa windage total (theoretically 30 left and 30 right from mechanical zero of the optic) and your rail is 40 thousandths or so off then you will run out of left to right adjustment. It is unlikely you are that far off, but possible.

Just go zero it and see. Most target shooters or long distance open country hunters would not accept an offset of a significant degree. (Maybe 10% total, I would guess).

You will likely be fine at the end of the day for the purposes you have described.

 

[Rem7targetactical]

Thanks, I appreciate you responding. Thought I was all alone here! =)

 

[Acurcdotcom]

I posted this under the riflescopes section and got no help, so I'm gonna try here!
Okay, so I saw this sweet thread on how to align my reticle with just two cheap bubble levels and a plumb bob by elfster123. I rush out this morning and buy all the supplies and strip everything off my rifle down to the base. I decide to check the level of the base first and find two different bubble locations at front and rear of the base... Hmmmmmm..... I switch bubble levels and find the same result. I then loosen the rear screw and ta da!!! MY BASE NEEDED TO BE BEDDED!!!! Cool, so although my rifle shot around 1/2 moa. before I figure maybe I can squeeze some more out of it! So off I go again to gather the supplies to bed the base, JB weld, WD-40, Play Dough etc... I come home and get to work, and it came out great especially for my first time doing this. BUT..... after all is said and done and I'm admiring my sweet workmanship I notice while looking down the length of the rifle the base looks crooked. The rifle is an OLD Remington Model 7 with only 3 holes for the base. (was one of the first of these rifles from 1983) I have a match barrel and PTG bolt with their bottom metal and a Murphy Precision stainless base (everything the best I could find or have made for this action) And like I said it shot very well. I checked my scope to see if the windage was adjusted more to one side than the other and it is but not by much (3 turns to right stop, 2 1/2 to left stop) Its a Nightforce 5.5-22x50 mounted in Badger M-40 steel rings, the ones with the Max-50 in the front and regular in back. If the base is off a little bit from perpendicular will it hurt at long range?

This will solve your issue of aligning the bore to your vertical crosshair. I had the same problem as you once on a savage rifle.

http://m.youtube.com/channel/UCrUdPJToKibHd22VYb7yavA