DIY scope mounting tips for Wisconsin deer rifles

Lewis017

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DIY scope mounting tips for Wisconsin deer rifles? Best tools for zeroing at 100 yards? I would appreciate any budget-friendly gear recommendations.
 
Use quality rings/bases, clean and torque properly; bore-sight for initial alignment. For a 100-yard zero use sandbags or a bipod, a target, a laser bore sighter, and budget adjustable turrets, and lots of patience
 
...Also check ring alignment and correct height for your objective to avoid scope contact with the barrel. Tighten rings evenly to specified in-lb values and re-check after the first few shots. Keep ammo consistent (same lot/OAL), note environmental conditions, and confirm zero with a final 5-shot group. Use a small level to prevent cant, practice cheek weld consistency, and if you plan any long trips, re-verify zero at the range , bumps in transit can shift mounts.
 
DIY scope mounting tips for Wisconsin deer rifles? Best tools for zeroing at 100 yards? I would appreciate any budget-friendly gear recommendations.
I learned a long time ago that there is no real budget friendly when it comes to optics, especially when selecting a good scope and rings. My experience says that a rail, just about any will do. be sure to mount it securely making sure that the screw holes and screws are clean and have no traces of oil or grease. Use blue loc tite and don't overtorque the screws. A low reading inch pound torque wrench is a requirement and in most cases unless shooting a big magnum (over 300 Win) a max of 30 inch pounds is more than adequate. Scope rings are very important and the el cheapos will not do the job. For anything above 243/6mm you will need quality rings with at least 4 mount screws to the rail and 4 screws on the scope clamps. My preferences are Vortex Pro series, or for heavy magnums, Vortex Precision rings. Warne are also good providing that there are at least 4 mount and cap screws. There are others but make sure of the quality and fit of the clamps on the scope On the ring to rail screws no mort than 25 inch pounds, and I would not use loc tite at least until you are sure of the eye relief and that you will not have to remove the screws. For the scope mounts themselves the clamps should not be torqued beyond 18 inch pounds or you risk collapsing the scope tube or binding the internals of the optics.

As for the scope, there are many, some are junk other are fantastic. Usually price enters into the equation, but like firearms, the most expensive are not always the best. Once upon a time I was told that the price of the scope should equal the price of the firearm. For inexpensive firearms the cost of a good optic will usually exceed the price of the firearm. For expensive firearms the opposite is true, unless you have money to burn. The most expensive rifles I own cost me around $900, and all shoot sub moa groups. No need to spend thousands of dollars on a rifle when one hundreds or thousands less will do the same job. While my rifles cost less than $1000, my scopes cost around $1200. My rifles are Tikka T3x, Remington 700s and Winchester XPR and Model 70s. All shoot sub moa. My philosophy on scopes is, if you can't see it, you can't hit it. I favor Vortex optics. Scopes are Diamondback Tactical 4 - 24 x 50 and on my longer range rifles, Strike Eagle 5 - 25 x 56.

I have already been told here on this forum that there is no need for a 24 or 25 X scope, and that might be true, until you need it. I don't hunt in the woods, I hunt farm fields and if in the woods over meadows. My usual long shot is around 200 yards. I seldom see deer running, mostly they are moseying around and I have time to sight on them and check them out. That can be done with any scope, most people use a 3 x 9 which does work, until you can zoom in out to 24x and not only really check the deer out, but pick the exact spot where you want your sub moa rifle to place the bullet that will cause a DRT shot.

I have also been told that at higher magnifications it's hard to find the animal in the narrow field of view. Gentlemen, and ladies, that is essentially bull crap. While 3 x or 4 x gives you a wider field of view, if you take the time to practice acquiring a target at higher magnifications it's actually just as easy as at the lower magnifications. Or if you prefer, put a throw lever on the scope, find the animal at lower magnification then use the throw lever to zoom in. Try it, practice it, it's actually easy if you are shooting an animal that is not running, which you should not be shooting at anyway unless it's attacking you.

So here you have a brief explination of my ideas of mounting scopes, choosing optics and mounting hardware. Let the negative arguments and comments begin.
 
My deer hunting was generally done in the woods where a long shot was 75 yards. My rifle choices were a modern muzzleloader and a classic muzzleloader, a 30-06 Remington pump, and my dads 30/40 Kraig. Classic had open sights Modern had a 2-7 zoom as did my 06, the Kraig has a 4x scope on it. Sad to say I no longer have any of these rifles anymore.
I do have rimfires set up with scopes though one has a 1-4x Vortex scope that is fun on the range and another has a 6-20x50 for when I want to challenge myself to make little bitty holes and tight groups. I do have a 2x Burris pistol scope waiting to be mounted to something... likely going on my Mklll 22/45 LITE.
 
I'd like to add that there are several leveling devices on the market. If you are shooting longer distances it is a good idea to level everything up . I also have a level on the rear ring to be sure that I don't can't the rifle while aiming.
 

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