Question Regarding Scope Elevation Adjustment on a Ruger No. 1 45-70

[Dobeman887]

For starters, it took me quite some time to simply get my current 1" Leupold VX3 with a 50mm objective to fit on my Ruger #1 with an EGW picatinny rail on top. I used Warne high rings and the bell of the objective just barely clears the picatinny rail. I have it zeroed using 300gr Barnes 300grn TSX FB bullets, using IMR 4198 (can't remember the charge off the top of my head), but about 2100fps at the muzzle. I was excited to try out Bear Creek Ballistics 250gr HV bullets with a charge of 55.5grns of Accurate 1680. They grouped incredibly well, at about 2600fps. The problem is that I have run out of elevation adjustment with this bullet. I can't get them any lower than about 10 inches from the top of the bullseye. I could leave everything as is, and just shoot the rifle with my current set up/bullet combination, but would really like to do something to allow me to use the 250gr Beer Creek bullet. As I see it, it might be possible to go to a 30mm tube, but I don't think that would even allow me to get enough adjustment. If my math is right I would need approximately 40 more clicks of adjustment to bring that bullet down enough to zero it at 100yrds?? I could take off the picatinny rail and use Ruger rings but then the bell of a 50mm scope would hit the barrel. Any ideas??

 

[WeiserBucks]

Zero stop?

 

[Johnwell]

I think burris signature rings might be your best option if you’re set on using this scope. I think you can get 20moa of “misalignment” in the rings to help center the reticle.

 

[Dobeman887]

Zero stop?

This model Leupold does not have the zero stop- the turrets are capped

 

[Dobeman887]

I think burris signature rings might be your best option if you’re set on using this scope. I think you can get 20moa of “misalignment” in the rings to help center the reticle.

But I "think" those rings take the alignment up in elevation instead of what I need (I need to bring my zero down for the bullet I would prefer to use).

 

[Dobeman887]

I think burris signature rings might be your best option if you’re set on using this scope. I think you can get 20moa of “misalignment” in the rings to help center the reticle.

I just looked at them more carefully and see how they work now. I "might" be able to decrease my elevation enough with those rings, but I wonder if the bell of the objective lens would then hit the picatinny rail??? I will measure the gap, and take a picture and post it.

 

[Johnwell]

I just looked at them more carefully and see how they work now. I "might" be able to decrease my elevation enough with those rings, but I wonder if the bell of the objective lens would then hit the picatinny rail??? I will measure the gap, and take a picture and post it.

It might hit depending on clearance—as you add inclination to your scope it will definitely be pointed towards the barrel, although 20moa is only .333 degrees, so it may not be an issue.

 

[TaperPin]

I wonder what’s got the scope and bore centerlines so far off? These scopes only have +/- 25ish MOA movement from center, so you’re close to 35 MOA from center. If the outermost Ruger base screws are 5” apart and there’s 3,600 inches in 100 yards, that’s .72” in movement on target for every .001” of base misalignment. 35ish MOA divided by .72” is .049”ish of base misalignment, or about the thickness of a dime. Hmm….

Is the scope or barrel bent, or the base milled wonky?

Not that it helps, but fixed Leupold scopes have roughly +/- 40 MOA of adjustment range. Most 30mm scopes have more than that.

I like the idea of Burris Signature rings.