20 MOA or 0 MOA Picatinny scope base

[WorleyElk]

I have a long-range rifle set up question that I hope the forum could help me answer. I'm looking at setting up my 338 Win mag to be able to get out to 700 yards for Elk in North Idaho. I've decided on the following scope. LEUPOLD VX-5HD 3-15x44mm CDS-ZL2 (30mm) Wind-Plex Reticle. Currently has Leupold Rings and bases. I was considering the option of putting that glass on other host rifles like my AR-10, SPR etc. My question is should I get a 0 MOA or a 20 MOA Picatinny Rail scope mount for that glass? The 338 is a Browning A-Bolt stainless Stalker Left Hand. I was planning on Nightforce 30mm High Rings. Do I need the 20 MOA on the Scope Base or Don't I? I was looking at a 250 yard zero. Thank you folks. P.S I handload.

 

[Broz]

Look up the total internal elevation that your chosen scope has. Then divide it by 2. If the number is more than 20 use the 20 moa rail. You should be able to zero at 100 yards, and you will gain 20 moa of elevation dial up. For example. If the total elevation travel is 60 moa, zeroed at 100 you will have close to 30 moa up and 30 moa under your zero being wasted. The 20 moa rail will move 20 moa to your usable elevation offering 50 moa up, and still 10 moa under zero. These are rough estimates, but should be close. The only other thing to consider is the 20 moa rail will raise the eye piece of your scope a little bit, but not that much.

 

[LaHunter]

You definitely will not need the high rings with the 44 mm objective on the .338. I am running the Nightforce Low Xtreme Duty Ultralight rings with my 56 mm objective scope with plenty of clearance between my barrel and scope.

 

[Big Ern]

What Broz said. Check scope elevation In conjunction with ballistics for your rig/ammo combo for rough estimates. You should be able to use the 20 moa rail and sight at a 100 and be fine.

Fwiw, not same caliber, but i run a nf atacr 4-16 and use a 20 moa rail on my 6.5cm. I set zero at 100 yds and can dial out to 1300 yds. To get the last bit to a mile i need to hold over. i run out of elevation adjustment in my scope. On my other rig thatvhas a S&B 5-25, i can dial the whole way out to a mile.

 

[desertcj]

I haven't had the need for a 20moa rail. I do have 10moa rails on two of my rifles just to buy me a little elevation adjustment and I've read that it's better somehow when the reticle is more centered in the adjustment range at long range? That may be debatable, I just went with it.

 

[Broz]

My ELR rig has a 75 moa rail and I have shot it to over 6000 yards. The only thing to know is when you are utilizing a large percent of your scopes elevation, at the extreme top and bottom you will have a little less windage adjustment. But it is something 99% of the people will never know. Actually Nightforce allows for this in their advertised elevation and windage specs. Thats why we often get more than the advertised spec when we check them.

 

[General RE LEE]

I have a Leupold VX5 3-15x44 with 75 total MOA adjustment per specs. I am getting a Tikka T3x CTR with the integrated pic rail. I am trying to determine if I need a 20 MOA rail to shoot a 1,000 yards at my range. I shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor and speeds will be 2600-2700 FPS with the 143 ELD-X or 147 ELD-M.

 

[SomeJackassOnAForum]

I have a Leupold VX5 3-15x44 with 75 total MOA adjustment per specs. I am getting a Tikka T3x CTR with the integrated pic rail. I am trying to determine if I need a 20 MOA rail to shoot a 1,000 yards at my range. I shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor and speeds will be 2600-2700 FPS with the 143 ELD-X or 147 ELD-M.

You'll be right on the edge with a 0 moa rail. I'd get the 20

 

[h8brick]

My ELR rig has a 75 moa rail and I have shot it to over 6000 yards. The only thing to know is when you are utilizing a large percent of your scopes elevation, at the extreme top and bottom you will have a little less windage adjustment. But it is something 99% of the people will never know. Actually Nightforce allows for this in their advertised elevation and windage specs. Thats why we often get more than the advertised spec when we check them.

I wanna go shooting with you!! Your the man

 

[JAC8504]

I have found this thread and would like to know how many people have a 20MOA rail and successfully shoot animals at 100 or less? I’m just trying to figure out if I want to get a 20 out a 0

 

[SomeJackassOnAForum]

I have found this thread and would like to know how many people have a 20MOA rail and successfully shoot animals at 100 or less? I’m just trying to figure out if I want to get a 20 out a 0

A 20 MOA rail will not impact your ability to have a 100 yd zero on most scopes. The exception would be a scope that has a tight elevation range of adjustment, which you wouldn't use a 20 MOA rail on for shooting further anyway. (think Swaro Z5 5-25x52)

Most riflescopes are going to have 60-100 MOA of elevation, so a 20 MOA rail will typically leave you with 10-30 MOA worth of room below your zero while using a 100 yd zero.

 

[Spoonman]

I have a shv on my abolt 338wm mag and zerod at 200. Right at 18 minutes at 700 yards for me on it has a zero base on it. I’m at sea level.

 

[JAC8504]

So currently the rifle is a 7mag and eventually will be a 300 WM. I have a 30mm Bushnell 4500 on it. I have both the 0 and 20 on hand to install just not sure which route I want to go.

Sometimes hunting shots will be 50 yards and sometimes I want more ass to practice

 

[SomeJackassOnAForum]

So currently the rifle is a 7mag and eventually will be a 300 WM. I have a 30mm Bushnell 4500 on it. I have both the 0 and 20 on hand to install just not sure which route I want to go.

Sometimes hunting shots will be 50 yards and sometimes I want more ass to practice

That scope has 50 MOA of total adjustment, or 25 MOA from center to end of range. You can probably get a 20 MOA base under it and still get a 100 yd zero with ~4 MOA left over. You'll then be able to dial up 45 MOA assuming the turret is multirotation.

 

[hereinaz]

If the rifle can zero, doesn’t technically matter whether you have the base, and I am not sure the question about how the base would affect killing stuff inside 100 yards. A 200 yard zero can make a gun just point and shoot from muzzle to 300 yards for deer.

 

[Charlie-NY]

I don't shoot out to 1,000yds with any of my biggame rifles but want them to comfortably dial up to 700yds or so with any scope.

I've put 10moa bases on a few rifles and find that it provides for a happy middle-ground. I could still dial down to 100yds or out to 1,000yds but don't actually do either. All of my biggame rifles are zeroed for 200yds.

 

[RS_Non-Res]

How steep is the wedge on a 20 MOA pic rail? (Uh, I know ... 20 moa)

I just bought a rifle with a pic rail mounted but neither the mfg or LGS know anything about it.

Can 20 MOA be seen with the naked eye? or would I need to measure it?

Oh heck, 20 MOA = 20"/100yds or 2"/10yds or 0.2"/1yd or 0.02"/ 3.6" (0.1yd) or 0.04" over the length of a 7-inch rail.
So...not totally obvious.
Not sure my booger hook is calibrated to 5 hundredths.

What do you think?

 

[SomeJackassOnAForum]

You won't be able to see it, because even a 0 MOA Rail is angled subtly. A 20MOA rail is just slightly more angled.

If you zero a scope and it zeroes near optical center, chances are it's a 0 MOA Rail

 

[Wrench]

I can tell a zero from a 20 by eye....but I see alot of them.

As Broz said, You can run the numbers on your rig and see how much you need. 700 should come in 20 moa or less....so you can run either.

If you're thinking tall rings to clear on your AR, the zero base makes more sense. The cant will be raising the ocular plus the ring height....which means cheek weld is going to need a bump.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Lesson learned more than once:
Grab a 20 MOA rail when buying a Vortex scope.

Have had more than one of their scopes have insufficient elevation to be able to dial up to 100 or 200 yards for a zero.