How important is a zero stop?

[sigstroker]

I'm asking this here because it seems like most of the people that post in the optics forum are hunters.

I'm thinking about getting a scope that doesn't have a zero stop. Most of the time I would hope to use the reticle for hold-offs most of the time, but you never know. I know for you guys that spend 4 figures on scopes, it would be a deal killer, but this one is closer in price to the cheap Primary Arms scopes.

[BarrettM99]

Any decent scope should be good to go. A zero stop is nice but not a deal killer by any stretch...it’s a convenience.

[FatCaliberBuddha]

I actually never seem to bump into mine. But the vast majority of my shots are from a bench at 600 yards or less, and like you I tend to just use a holdover rather than dial up my turrets. I think the main reason is that I like to put a three shot group in at one distance then change to another for the next three and I don't bother dailing in the scope. And seeing as how most .308 for example will only drop about 12-15MOA at 500ish that's only 1 turn so it's easy to keep track without a stop.

But if you're pushing 800 - 1000 yards regularly, I'd say it'd definitely be something I'd want.

[longrange1]

depends on what your going to use it for...prs/tactical type matches ill guarantee it will cost you points some where along the line...i see it all the time...guys get a full revolution off.

while im not a hunter i can imagine how bad it would suck to throw down on a buck of a life time and shoot over him because i was to cheap to spend a few extra dollars for a zero stop.

[russ69]

I mark my scopes with white-out for my 100yard zero. You can easily tell when you get back to zero.

[LynnJr]

It's a nice option but not a deal breaker for myself.
I get my 100 yard zero then loosen up the set screws set everything to zero and mark it with model paint.
You can get in a hurry and get it a revolution off but I consider that my fault for being old.

[smoothy8500]

For NRA "across the course" and F-class I have not needed it. After shooting a "PRS style" match I can see the benefit of a zero stop. Going past 600yds I start getting into the second revolution so I needed to pay attention.

[ar15barrels]

I'm asking this here because it seems like most of the people that post in the optics forum are hunters.

I'm thinking about getting a scope that doesn't have a zero stop. Most of the time I would hope to use the reticle for hold-offs most of the time, but you never know. I know for you guys that spend 4 figures on scopes, it would be a deal killer, but this one is closer in price to the cheap Primary Arms scopes.

Not very important.
If you understand WHY you would even worry about a zero stop, it's very simple to create a system to reduce the chance you will ever have the problem that a zero stop helps to solve.

All you need to do is take a sharpie marker and block all of the extra lines BELOW the turret EXCEPT for the top line.
That way, if you look at the knob and see one line under the knob and the knob shows you are on zero, you know you are on zero.
If you see no lines, you are 1 or more turns down.
If you see more than 1 line, you are more than 1 turn high.

Another simple system is to count the number of turns of elevation from the bottom that it takes to get to your zero.
Then mark that on the top of the knob.
At any time, you can spin the turret down to the bottom, then raise it back up the number of turns that you wrote on the turret and that will be your zero.

[ar15barrels]

depends on what your going to use it for...prs/tactical type matches ill guarantee it will cost you points some where along the line...i see it all the time...guys get a full revolution off.

Guys WITH zero stops still do this too...

[longrange1]

How important is a zero stop?

Guys WITH zero stops still do this too...

[smoothy8500]

All you need to do is take a sharpie marker and block all of the extra lines BELOW the turret EXCEPT for the top line.
That way, if you look at the knob and see one line under the knob and the knob shows you are on zero, you know you are on zero.

This method is the best and worked well for me until my aging eyes can't focus on anything close. Easy to miss the little white line....

[sigstroker]

I might use something less permanent in case I change ammo.

[sigstroker]

I suppose I should post the scope I'm looking at. This will be my first "long range" scope, all my others are real cheap or AR type scopes. This one has an etched reticle obviously, which I like. It does seem strange that their cheaper Crossfire II line has a zero stop, but this one does not.

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-diamondback-tactical-6-24x50%20FFP-riflescope_with_ebr-2c_moa-reticle

[tsoiky]

I suppose I should post the scope I'm looking at. This will be my first "long range" scope, all my others are real cheap or AR type scopes. This one has an etched reticle obviously, which I like. It does seem strange that their cheaper Crossfire II line has a zero stop, but this one does not.

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/...2c_moa-reticle

There is 65 MOA adjustment only. What caliber? And how far are you shooting? Depends on how far you wanna reach, you most likely will need a 20moa mount.

To me, I rather have a Swfa scope with this price range.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sigstroker]

If only SWFA would use this reticle.

edit: Maybe there is something strange about the way Vortex publishes the elevation adjustment. I compared it with the Viper PST Gen II, which a lot of people seem to like, and the spec for it is 20 MRAD compared to 19 MRAD for this Diamondback.