Tip 1:
Read and Follow.
Read the instructions, and then follow them. Even if you’ve mounted dozens of scopes, there may be something new with this base, set of rings, or scope. Marsh said that while it is possible for a scope to have problems out of the box, with modern design, manufacturing processes, and quality control, it is very, very, rare. However, “We want to keep our customers happy, and if they are having a problem, we are having a problem, and we want to get it fixed.”

Tip 2:
Zero.
Marsh says the best way to zero your firearm is to put up a target at 25 yards, and take a shot. If it hits more than 8 inches off center, then stop, without adjusting the scope. Go home, take everything apart, and remount the scope, being very careful to make sure everything is clean and square. Eight inches at 25 yards equates to being off center 32 inches at 100 yards. Most scopes can adjust 32 inches, but then you are approaching the limits of scope adjustment, and you don’t want to adjust that much. It is easy to have a small piece of grit caught somewhere in the assembly, and that can cause major problems.

Tip 3:
Zero Again.
Go back to the 25-yard range, and try again. Adjust the windage until you are spot-on, and consistent at all ranges. Move to the distance at which you want to zero at (I’ve zeroed at ranges from 50 to 200 yards, depending on the firearm and what I intended to shoot). Adjust until the bullets are in the proper location. A smart person would take a notebook and record how many clicks in which direction they adjust, so that if they ever move that scope to another firearm, or sell it, they can restore the scope to center.

Tip 4:
Don’t Discount the Obvious.
If you’ve tried it twice and it still isn’t right, check the obvious. Marsh said that when customers call saying that the lenses are bad and they can’t see through the scope properly, he will start troubleshooting by asking if the scope is mounted with the front of the scope facing to the front. Most people will check, and often that is the problem, and an easy solution. Occasionally the customer gets insulted with such a basic question, with some version of “I’ve been mounting scopes for XX years; that’s ridiculous!” Marsh will ask the customer to just humor him, and check, and a few seconds later he hears a dial tone. “I’m not insulting anyone – it’s an easy mistake,” said Marsh.

Tip 5:
Lapping it Up.
Marsh said lapping is fine, but not a requirement, and it should not be overdone. Think of lapping as polishing the inside of the rings, so there is good contact. If the rings are perfectly smooth they can’t provide enough friction to hold the scope solidly. Marsh suggests there should be at least 30% to 40% surface contact, which you will see as you are doing the lapping. I’ve used the Hawke Match Ring (other companies also make  comparable products), which has a thin, compressible surface that grips tightly without lapping.

Tip 6:
Stay Within Limits.
Marsh has received calls from people trying to use a scope for situations far outside what the scope is designed to do. That doesn’t work. And it’s not the fault of the scope. If the scope can be adjusted for 36 inches of drop, and you decide to start long-range shooting, and you need to adjust for a drop of 60 inches at 800 yards, you will not get there, and it’s not because the scope is bad! That’s like trying to drive 800 miles in a car with a fuel tank that holds enough gas to go 600 miles. It’s not the car’s fault it ran out of gas.

« Top »