Scope zeroed at max left windage....?

[MacOtac]

Hello all,

I recently purchased a Rem 700 SPS AAC-SD. The day I got it home from the dealer, I replaced the stock with the same hogue stock, but (overmold full pillar and bedded), Badger Ordnance base w/ 20 MOA, Badger scope rings and a Bushnell tactical elite 4.5x30-50 LRS.

I mounted the scope myself and followed all the manufactures instruction on how to do it. Used a bubble level and torque wrench. Seemed to come together nicely.

Day prior to range zero, I mechanical zero the scope by counting the clicks from max to max and the back to middle for windage and elevation. The next day at the range I commenced to zeroing the scope to the rifle.

As I shoot my three round groups I notice the windage was asking me to move heavily left. I zeroed the scope at 50 yards and then moved to 100 yards. The rifle was shooting solid tight groups at POAPOI.

The issue is I am at max windage to the left on my windage turret for zero...?

I thought this was an issue in how I mounted the scope, so the next day I took it apart and re-mounted the scope and leveled it again. I then went to the range and the scope is still zeroing with max windage to the left....?

Anyone know what could be wrong? I have read that the issue could be the mounting holes on the action were drilled off center at Remington, has anyone else had this problem?

I took my rifle into my local gun store to have their gunsmith look it over. I will let you know what happens, in the mean time if anyone has input would be appreciated. Thanks.

[HardwoodRods]

Did you lap the rings?

[MacOtac]

No lapping of the rings. The base mount and rings are made by Badger ordnance, and I believe lapping is not need for this combination due to the manufacturing quality.

[HardwoodRods]

Lapping is always needed. You can't guarantee the placement of mounting holes

[bubbapug1]

You can buy Burris rings which have different size spacers to compensate for off center drilled holes, etc.

Lapping won't necessarily help because you could have a perfectly fitted set of rings and scope....pointing in the wrong direction!!!

I used the Burris rings on a 284 howa build I use for 1000 yards. They work great and hold perfectly. The windage holds true from 100 to 1000 yards although it is biased a bit off of mid point in the dials. Still enough to deal with winds less than 50 mph.

[ar15barrels]

Day prior to range zero, I mechanical zero the scope by counting the clicks from max to max and the back to middle for windage and elevation. The next day at the range I commenced to zeroing the scope to the rifle.

As I shoot my three round groups I notice the windage was asking me to move heavily left. I zeroed the scope at 50 yards and then moved to 100 yards. The rifle was shooting solid tight groups at POAPOI.

The issue is I am at max windage to the left on my windage turret for zero...?

Do not ASSUME that the mechanical windage travel is centered within the center of the scope.
So perhaps you have 10 mils of travel, but only 3 mils from one side and 7 mils from the other.

The way to properly center the elevation and windage is to "spin in" the reticle so it's in the middle of the optical axis before you can determine how much travel you actually have from each side of center.

This is done by removing the scope from the rifle and setting the scope in v-blocks.
Now rotate the scope and look through it.
The center of the reticle will create a circle in the field-of-view.
Adjust the knobs until the reticle is rotating on axis with the scope tube.
When you reach that point, the center of the crosshair will no longer be making a circle.

From there, dial +1.5 mils of elevation (0 moa base) or -4.5 mils elevation (20moa base) for your initial zero and you should be within a couple inches at 100yds.
If the barrel is bent or the scope base is not sitting on the action right or the action is crooked, causing the barrel to point to one side, you may experience excessive windage needs to get to a proper zero.

[LynnJr]

Centering of a scope is a huge waste of time as you have found out.
No matter what you center it up to you still have to be able to hit the target.
The quickest fix is live center rings that will offset the scopes tube and give you more adjustment.

[Hateca]

Could be several issues with this situation to include the scope and or how it's mounted. Most likely you have a factory barrel that is not indexed TDC with the receiver, factory barrels are never timed or indexed to the receiver. This can cause you to loose scope travel depending on where TDC is with the barrel. All barrels have this especially factory barrels where they will physically bend the barrel to try and make it straight. When custom barrels are installed TDC is located in the barrel and indexed to the receive to remove this issue and in most cases can actually help. Do not run down the rabbit hole of believing your scope base holes are off. They are not.

Your stock is also crap. If at anytime the barrel contacts that stock during firing you can have issues. Those stocks have way too much flex in them. Change the stock.

[ar15barrels]

Your stock is also crap. If at anytime the barrel contacts that stock during firing you can have issues. Those stocks have way too much flex in them. Change the stock.

Wet noodle stocks "conform" to crooked barrels so people don't notice how crooked the barrel actually might be.

I call those injection molded factory stocks "packing material for the barrelled action".

[RNE228]

Curious why you did not bore sight the rifle. If the scope adjustment is as far off as it sounds, you should be able to see that if you boresight off a set of sandbags.

I have bore sighted all my bolt rifles; pretty easy to do.

It would give you the opportunity to check the rifle with the stock removed in case the stock is purring pressure on the barrel.

[Scratch705]

i hate how it takes this much work to put a scope onto a rifle in this day and age.... when it should be as easy as mount and go shoot.

[socal147]

Try flipping your rings around one at a time

[MacOtac]

The stock is the fully bedded and pillared hogue stock, very solid and rigid (not the cheap hogue stock that it came on. I am able to slide a piece of paper under the barrel between the stock all the way to the recoil lug. The barrel is free floating.

The base mount and rings are badger ordnance and top quality all installed to manufacture recommendations.

It has really nothing to do with the stock as my groups are tight and on point. The windage is maxed to the left on the scope. There is something causing the scope to point that way.

Either it is the base mounting holes in the action were drilled out of square at Remington. The base mount is drilled wrong from badge or the rings, or the scope itself is wacko..... I don't know....

The rifle is at the gunsmith right now and I will left you know what he says.

[MacOtac]

Try flipping your rings around one at a time

You know I thought about that.... but rifle is at gunsmith....


I put the locking nuts of the Badger Ordnance facing the left side of the gun as you lay behind it. I dont know if that is the reason.

[Horrendo Revolver]

I don't believe lapping the rings will come close to fixing your issue. If the issue is with your rifle(I imagine it is) you can send it back to Remington under warranty. One fix I like - new rifle, one fix I don't - redrilling the receiver.

There are a couple of rings out there that will allow you to adjust your scope so that you won't be maxed out for windage adjustment. Even better, they work.