Adjustable Bases and Rings

[IA Born]

Iv'e always been a huge fan of Leuopold Dual Dove Tail bases and rings. It seems that my new (to me) custom 6.5WSM, built on a pre-64 Win action doesn't like them when paired with my Vortex Viper 6-24x50. When I first mounted it and laser bore sighted it, I pegged the windage elevation all the way to the right to bring it centered. After remounting it twice to check for operator error, I still had the same problem, so I called Vortex, sent it back, and got it back rather quickly. One of the things Vortex and I spoke about was the overall action/barrel alignment and that I might need a set of windage adustable bases. I recently remounted the scope and just finished laser bore sighting it. Its only slightly better now, but I don't have much windage adjustment left for sighting it in at the range. I suppose its possible my boresighter is off, but I've never had problems with it before.

 

Two questions:

 

1) Anyone in Flagstaff want to meet up with a different (better?) boresighter and check my alignment?

 

2) If its a need for windage adjustable bases, can anyone recommend a quality set of bases (prefer 2-piece) and associated 30mm rings that will fit a Win pre-64 action and give me some more windage adjustment, but won't break the bank?

 

Thanks!

[PRDATR]

Get the Leupold rear base that has windage adjustment. I may have one for a pre 64 and can send it to you if you want. These are the only bases I ever use except for the Talley Light Weight bases.

[IA Born]

Get the Leupold rear base that has windage adjustment. I may have one for a pre 64 and can send it to you if you want. These are the only bases I ever use except for the Talley Light Weight bases.

 

Having only ever used the Leupold DD bases, will that base work with my current DD rings or does it require new rings? I think I know which one you're talking about, though. If you have one I can try, I will gladly pay you for it!

[lancetkenyon]

Different base.

I hate a laser bore sight tool. I just had a guy I did load development for (using my personal scope since he didn't have his yet) go to the range after he mounted his scope. Mounted it, laser bore sighted it....and forgot to remove it from the muzzle. With 1 pull of the trigger, he blew up his brand new custom rifle. He is lucky he did not take his face off with it. A 28 Nosler with hot loaded 195 Berger Elite Hunter at 3100 creates a lot of pressure when you touch one off. Obstruct the bore, and bad things happen.

 

Pull the bolt, look down the bore, and adjust the scope. Much safer, and should get you on paper at 100 easily.

[300RUM]

There is a chance that the screw holes for the scope mount do not align with the center line of the bolt bore in the action. A way to describe this is if viewed from the top a long straight rod was placed in the action where the bolt goes and another was placed perfectly aligned over the scope mount screws that rod would project to the left or right of the one replacing the bolt. If this is the case the action can be zeroed off of its center line in a mill and the screw holes re-drilled and tapped from 6-48 to 8-40 removing the misalignment in the process.

[IA Born]

Different base.

I hate a laser bore sight tool. I just had a guy I did load development for (using my personal scope since he didn't have his yet) go to the range after he mounted his scope. Mounted it, laser bore sighted it....and forgot to remove it from the muzzle. With 1 pull of the trigger, he blew up his brand new custom rifle. He is lucky he did not take his face off with it. A 28 Nosler with hot loaded 195 Berger Elite Hunter at 3100 creates a lot of pressure when you touch one off. Obstruct the bore, and bad things happen.

 

Pull the bolt, look down the bore, and adjust the scope. Much safer, and should get you on paper at 100 easily.

I never take my laser bore sight to the range for that very reason. I always bore sight at 50 yds in our backyard from our dining room table. It's never let me down, but now I'm wondering if its not lining up right in the muzzle. The old tried and true method is my next option before buying new bases. The rifle came with the DD bases and I replaced the rings to fit the scope. I've seen people pull the bolt and bore sight at 25 yds. Is that what you do, or go right to 100 yes?

 

I don't think it's a screw hole issue. The previous owner had no issues with these bases or his old scope. When I head over to my gunsmith to get the old family shotgun a friend found and is shipping, I'll take the rifle and have him give it a once-over.

[L Cazador]

Did you lap and align your rings with bar? Any type of turn in ring requires the use of an alignment bar and lapping to ensure everything is straight.

[lancetkenyon]

 

Different base.

I hate a laser bore sight tool. I just had a guy I did load development for (using my personal scope since he didn't have his yet) go to the range after he mounted his scope. Mounted it, laser bore sighted it....and forgot to remove it from the muzzle. With 1 pull of the trigger, he blew up his brand new custom rifle. He is lucky he did not take his face off with it. A 28 Nosler with hot loaded 195 Berger Elite Hunter at 3100 creates a lot of pressure when you touch one off. Obstruct the bore, and bad things happen.

Pull the bolt, look down the bore, and adjust the scope. Much safer, and should get you on paper at 100 easily.

I never take my laser bore sight to the range for that very reason. I always bore sight at 50 yds in our backyard from our dining room table. It's never let me down, but now I'm wondering if its not lining up right in the muzzle. The old tried and true method is my next option before buying new bases. The rifle came with the DD bases and I replaced the rings to fit the scope. I've seen people pull the bolt and bore sight at 25 yds. Is that what you do, or go right to 100 yes?

I don't think it's a screw hole issue. The previous owner had no issues with these bases or his old scope. When I head over to my gunsmith to get the old family shotgun a friend found and is shipping, I'll take the rifle and have him give it a once-over.

I go straight to 100. I bore sight at home on a light pole 1/2 mile away.

Then do it again with a target at 100 yards when I get to the range. I am usually never off more than 6" at 100 that way. I have even done it and start right at 200 with no issues. Heck, I did it at 545 last weekend and was within 2' (low) on a big rock face.

[Zeke-BE]

Different base.

I hate a laser bore sight tool. I just had a guy I did load development for (using my personal scope since he didn't have his yet) go to the range after he mounted his scope. Mounted it, laser bore sighted it....and forgot to remove it from the muzzle. With 1 pull of the trigger, he blew up his brand new custom rifle. He is lucky he did not take his face off with it. A 28 Nosler with hot loaded 195 Berger Elite Hunter at 3100 creates a lot of pressure when you touch one off. Obstruct the bore, and bad things happen.

 

Pull the bolt, look down the bore, and adjust the scope. Much safer, and should get you on paper at 100 easily.

 

Wow!! Well that sucks

[PRDATR]

Well I checked and all I have are the rings. I bought the rifle from someone on here maybe 3 or 4 years ago and was given some spare parts but as it turns out it was just an extra set of rings and not rings and bases.

[Red Rabbit]

My guess is that the screw holes are not true as 300RUM said. You could try the windage adjustable bases and new rings. I would shoot it first and try adjusting the scope before buying new bases/rings though, in case the bore sighter is way off

[IA Born]

I gently lapped and then aligned the rings when I mounted them, as I've always done. I pulled the bolt and bore sighted it with a target on the back fence at 50 yards and it was the same: way off and not enough adjustment to bring it in alignment. Before I sent my scope back to Vortex, thinking something was wrong with it, I took it out and shot it on paper. It was still about two inches right at 100 yards and I couldn't move it left anymore. I won't rule out the screw holes not being aligned right, but knowing the history of this rifle, I'm having a hard time believing that's the issue, although I also can't rule it out. I also can't rule out some level of operator error, either, but I've been mounting scopes most of my life, have used Leupold DD bases and rings for about 20 years, and have never had this issue before. I also can't rule out that my bore sighter has gotten out of whack, either. I ordered the Leupold adjustable bases and rings this weekend, but I'm still going to have my gunsmith go over everything as soon as he gets back in town from his hunt, just to be sure its not operator error or the screw holes are out of alignment.

 

I'm starting to hate this rifle, but I refuse to let it win. I'm also glad a deal Lance and I worked out includes unlimited questions!

[lancetkenyon]

"Unlimited"*

[300RUM]

Don't give up. There just are not that many things it could be. The process of elimination will beat it in the end. Another possibility that I have run into in addition to misaligned screw holes is a bent barrel. You could cut a pair of V blocks from wood and spin the barrel and action in them to get some idea. The true test is chucking it in a lathe.

 

If it makes you feel any better you are not alone. I just re-barreled 2 of my rifles. The one I wanted to take deer hunting finds it necessary to shoot 2 MOA or more. Then, just to keep me interested it will do a series of 0.5 MOA groups. In this case I believe there may be something loose inside the scope that lets the reticle shift. The old barrel had a high round count and I thought it was going out because the groups had been growing but the new barrel is grouping well either. After the hunt I will swap a scope from another rifle and shoot to verify.

[IA Born]

Don't give up. There just are not that many things it could be. The process of elimination will beat it in the end. Another possibility that I have run into in addition to misaligned screw holes is a bent barrel. You could cut a pair of V blocks from wood and spin the barrel and action in them to get some idea. The true test is chucking it in a lathe.

 

If it makes you feel any better you are not alone. I just re-barreled 2 of my rifles. The one I wanted to take deer hunting finds it necessary to shoot 2 MOA or more. Then, just to keep me interested it will do a series of 0.5 MOA groups. In this case I believe there may be something loose inside the scope that lets the reticle shift. The old barrel had a high round count and I thought it was going out because the groups had been growing but the new barrel is grouping well either. After the hunt I will swap a scope from another rifle and shoot to verify.

 

Thanks! I had a great conversation with Big Browns yesterday, after he reached out to me and asked me to call him. We talked through quite a bit and I have a plan moving forward doing just what you say: process of elimination. I'm going to remount the bases, rings, and scope on my daughter's other rifle that isn't really set up quite yet and check that to see how the scope bore sights against a rifle that I know is true. I will also likely take her stuff and mount it on this rifle to check that set up for the rifle to eliminate those variables. Adam and I keep coming back to the scope really being the issue, but, after I hung up with him, I had to ask myself if maybe I don't have the rings in 100% perfect alignment. I know that 90-99% alignment can look good, but even a millimeter off will cause some of these issues. At the same time, I'm going to have my gunsmith go over everything with me when he gets back from his Utah deer hunt. I've seen what this rifle can do from my friend I bought it from, so I'm not giving up. You're right, 300RUM; there's just not that many things it could be.