Keeping a scope way off mark, safe?

[Joe Smith]

Okay,

I can't think of a great way to explain this so I might have to use more words than I had planned on.

I installed a scope mount on my Mosin Nagant M44, the kind that replaces the rear sight. It looked good so I installed a red dot scope on top and locked everything down. When I got to the range the next day I look at it and notice that it's a little off, it's pointing too far left. Bore sighting confirms this.

I decided not to fiddle with it too much in the cold, but later at home was able to get it straight by adjusting the scope way to the right. Is this bad or inaccurate to leave a scope adjusted to one extreme or the other? Would it matter more with an optical sight as opposed to a red dot sight?


Thanks,
Brian

[jdlv4_0]

A couple of things:

1: Define "Locked everything down."

2: When you made your correction going to the right, were you using your boresight?

3: If you used the bore sight to make your correction you should be ok.

4: What kind of boresight, laser or the kind with a retcile that you line up with the scope?

5: Boresighting should get you on target, but more adjustments will probably need to be made to achieve your desired accuracy.

If you made your corrections using the boresight you should be ok to go to the range and finsish sighting in your scope, be sure to shoot from a rest to remove the human element from sighting it in.

Once your dialed in, NEVER remove the scope, removing the optics will usually require more adjustements once you put them back in.

[Joe Smith]

1: Define "Locked everything down."

I leveled the scope mount and tightened all the adjustment screws, installed the red dot scope on the mount and tightened it all down

2: When you made your correction going to the right, were you using your boresight?

yes, in a sense. My "Boresight" was just looking down the bore, cenering on a target and looking through the scope. It was off by about two feet @ 30 yards so it was easy enough to notice.

3: If you used the bore sight to make your correction you should be ok.

GOOD!

4: What kind of boresight, laser or the kind with a retcile that you line up with the scope?

None of the above. I used the improvised bore scope. "If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."

5: Boresighting should get you on target, but more adjustments will probably need to be made to achieve your desired accuracy.

Yep, that's what I wanted to do.

Once your dialed in, NEVER remove the scope, removing the optics will usually require more adjustements once you put them back in.

Trust me, once I get this thing sighted in it is staying put!



Thanks for the quick reply, I just didn't know if it hurt the scope to be adjusted that far.

Brian

[jdlv4_0]

Is it ALL the way to the right with no further room for adjustments?

And what kind of scope is it? if it's maxed out for windage and you're boresighted there might be a problem with the scope.

I don't think I've ever had to max a scope of any sorts to achieve good alignment.

[Joe Smith]

It's a red dot scope, and it's not maxed yet. The scope seems fine but the mount is off a little. I tried to straighten it up but it's an old military rifle and I have it about as good as it's going to get.


I know it's rare to have to adjust this far, and that's why i asked about it. But it's not the scope, just the mount.

[jdlv4_0]

Originally Posted by Joe Smith

It's a red dot scope, and it's not maxed yet. The scope seems fine but the mount is off a little. I tried to straighten it up but it's an old military rifle and I have it about as good as it's going to get.


I know it's rare to have to adjust this far, and that's why i asked about it. But it's not the scope, just the mount.

OK, you shold be fine as long as the scope isn't maxed out all the way.