Zero in a scope

[sjb269]

Spend more than 5 minutes on the net reading about Barska scopes and you'll find your answer.
First you post about not being able to zero your scope, then post about enjoying "shooting whatever you see in the desert". With all do respect, I can't take you seriously…I'm gonna have to move on.
FYI, I would exercise caution throwing around the term "sniper" rifle. The only time a rifle becomes a "Sniper" rifle is when it's in the hands of a highly trained marksman who operates alone, in a pair, or with a sniper team to maintain close visual contact with the enemy and engage targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the detection capabilities of enemy personnel.
I wish you luck. And please, obey all safety rules while out in the desert "shooting whatever you can see".

[CSACANNONEER]

Something wrong with the scope?

I'm sorry for my bluntness in advance. Your scope is a POS plain and simple. I'm a cheap SOB and have some very inexpensive optics but, I've got to draw the line somewhere. Barska and Leapers just don't make the cut. I also own some high end optics on precision rifles that I plink and/or compete with at 1000 yard matches. So, I know a little about precision shooting. As far as sniping goes, in California it is only legal to hunt snipe with a shotgun. So, a sniper rifle is completely useless here.

[SammieT]

I'm sorry for my bluntness in advance. Your scope is a POS plain and simple. I'm a cheap SOB and have some very inexpensive optics but, I've got to draw the line somewhere. Barska and Leapers just don't make the cut. I also own some high end optics on precision rifles that I plink and/or compete with at 1000 yard matches. So, I know a little about precision shooting. As far as sniping goes, in California it is only legal to hunt snipe with a shotgun. So, a sniper rifle is completely useless here.

Well at least at the range regardless honestly. I have a Redfield le-9 also that came with the scope stock. Would that be Better I'm guessing?

[CSACANNONEER]

Well at least at the range regardless honestly. I have a Redfield le-9 also that came with the scope stock. Would that be Better I'm guessing?

Between the two, I'd go with the Redfield any day.

[Kestryll]

Your Redfield will be a far superior scope to the Barsaka scope.

Your problems with zeroing may well be coming from the scope itself as the Barsaka's are very low end and prone to having problems and quality control issues.

Mount the Redfield being careful to make sure everything is tight and even.
The rings should sit flat, level and even on the mounts and use blue loctite on the rings.

Make sure the reticule is level when you mount the scope, if it's not your adjustments trying to zero will be off.

[SammieT]

Your Redfield will be a far superior scope to the Barsaka scope.

Your problems with zeroing may well be coming from the scope itself as the Barsaka's are very low end and prone to having problems and quality control issues.

Mount the Redfield being careful to make sure everything is tight and even.
The rings should sit flat, level and even on the mounts and use blue loctite on the rings.

Make sure the reticule is level when you mount the scope, if it's not your adjustments trying to zero will be off.

if I were to upgrade for the savage. what would you think is best for long range? the Redfield Is only 3-9

[Merc1138]

if I were to upgrade for the savage. what would you think is best for long range? the Redfield Is only 3-9

Define "long range", and also consider that optical quality means more than magnification. I know someone who did just fine recently at the ncpprc long range clinic at 1000 yards with a 3-9 scope(they found a number of other problems to work out, but the scope magnification wasn't at the top of the list).

A crystal clear fixed 10x scope will be superior to a variable scope that goes up to 20x but had mediocre glass(and the actual turrets are another issue). As others have said, I'd toss the barska right in the trash. If the redfield you have still doesn't cut it, there are a number of decent bargain priced optics out there these days at or under $300 that I wouldn't be embarrassed to have on a rifle. You may not end up with the highest magnification, or best looking picture at a distance, but they'll work and most likely not be broken out of the box(can't say the same for barska, leapers, ncstar, etc.).

[SammieT]

Define "long range", and also consider that optical quality means more than magnification. I know someone who did just fine recently at the ncpprc long range clinic at 1000 yards with a 3-9 scope(they found a number of other problems to work out, but the scope magnification wasn't at the top of the list).

A crystal clear fixed 10x scope will be superior to a variable scope that goes up to 20x but had mediocre glass(and the actual turrets are another issue). As others have said, I'd toss the barska right in the trash. If the redfield you have still doesn't cut it, there are a number of decent bargain priced optics out there these days at or under $300 that I wouldn't be embarrassed to have on a rifle. You may not end up with the highest magnification, or best looking picture at a distance, but they'll work and most likely not be broken out of the box(can't say the same for barska, leapers, ncstar, etc.).

let's say 1000 yards-2000 yards long range wise. I'm no expert when It comes to scope. I want something worth keeping but not going to kill me price wise

[kcheung2]

2000 yds huh? Good luck there.

[Merc1138]

let's say 1000 yards-2000 yards long range wise. I'm no expert when It comes to scope. I want something worth keeping but not going to kill me price wise

I hate to break it to you, but odds are those scopes are going to murder your wallet if you're putting together a rifle to shoot beyond 1000 yards and barska even enters your mind as being a possibility. No offense, but a lot of people fall into this trap of looking at scope specs and thinking that if the specs on the $100 scope are the same as the $1000 scope, that they must be the same. The reality is that those specs are the equivalent to:

4 wheels
brakes
steering wheel
horn
seatbelts
speedometer

And they would end up comparing a porsche 911 to a geo metro.

Also, a .308 at 2000 yards isn't gonna happen(well, I guess it could but you'd be using it like an artillery piece with no precision).

Take the redfield you already have and use it. It should be plenty to start with. In the meantime, lay off the $5 lattes or whatever for a while and save up a few hundred bucks, then after a few months ask yourself what you want an optic to actually do for you and go from there. If you take a look at rifles that actually get shot at long distances, you'll see some trends of scopes that are mounted to them, and how much they cost. While you're at the range, look around and see if someone has some high end glass and isn't too busy, and ask if you can take a look through it.

[VictorFranko]

Mount the Redfield being careful to make sure everything is tight and even.

LOL, took my friend to the range yesterday to sight in his new DD AR with a scope that is similar to my Leupold VXR Patrol, didn't really pay much attention to what it was or what Todd was doing, but I noticed his adjustments just didn't seem to be getting him on zero.
Todd is pretty up on things so I try not to stick my nose into anything with him, but I just had to ask "you sure that scope is tight?"
LOL, it wasn't.
What's funnier, this is a private pistol range but we have one bay where we can shoot rifles. I set a target out at 100 yards and with no spotting scope, Todd had to keep hoofing it out there to see his hits. I don't know how many trips he made out there before realizing his scope was loose.
Maybe I should have spoken up sooner as I had hoofed it out there with him every time!
No matter, it was a beautiful day on the range, good fun, got some exercise and I have one more thing to needle Todd about in the future

[sjb269]

SammieT,
I implore you to become a student of various rifle shooting disciplines. This takes time and a lot of reading. You bought a rifle chambered in a caliber that on a good day in very experienced hands might shoot MOA out to 900-1100 yards with MATCH ammo. At 2000yds, you will not be hitting anything you aim at with this rifle.
We all stand ready to help you, eagerly, but you have to do your due diligence in getting up to speed on some very basic information regarding rifle shooting first.
As you have already discovered, Achieving precision behind a rifle does not come cheap. Some folks himm n haw over a couple hundred for a quality rifle scope, not realizing you could easily spend that in ammunition over the course of 3 trips to the range. Over the life of a good scope, the expense is minimal compared to the ammo bill you will pay.
I don't mean to discourage you and I am not talking down to you, By doing more reading, you will gain there knowledge base you seek.

[CSACANNONEER]

let's say 1000 yards-2000 yards long range wise. I'm no expert when It comes to scope. I want something worth keeping but not going to kill me price wise

Having shot a 1000 yard match last weekend, I will say that I use NF optics on my 1000 yd guns. But, I have been known to carry a NIB 16x and/or 20x Super Sniper as a back up. The difference between shooting 600 yards and 1000 yards is incredible. Any moron can shoot to 600 but, you really need to know how to read conditions to shoot well at 1000. Going all the way out to 2000 is something that takes a lot of quality trigger time and usually custom equipment. Normally a gun set up to shoot 2000 won't have enough adjustment in it's optics to shoot much less than 1000. If you are serious about shooting past 600, you might as well just plan on buying a +$1500 optic now instead of buying a lesser one now and a better one later. Of course, a .308 isn't going to get you to 2000 or even 1000 unless you're really good and taylor your handloads to your gun for that distance. It will never get you to 2000 though.

[CSACANNONEER]

Another thing, the general rule is to buy the least expensive gun that is capable of the precision you want and spending the most you can afford on optics. Going cheap on optics is like putting a 5hp Briggs in a Formula one car. It's just plain stupid.

[sjb269]

The difference between shooting 600 yards and 1000 yards is incredible.

+1