Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Scope mounted low- how close to the barrel is too close?

My ML season is barking at the door, and I have to make a last minute change in scopes. I have an older 3.5-10x40 Vari X III that I am putting on the rifle. There is a RCH amount of room under the objective with the current Leupold QR mount. I can see daylight, but it's close. Any issues with this set-up as long as the objective is not touching the barrel.

I am also interested in comments on this subject. I just mounted a scope and can pass a business card between the objective and barrel, not much more. My personal experience is that the width of a business card = 2 rch, a highly technical measurement.

If you can see daylight or pass a business card between you have it set up just absolutely perfectly. Congratulations. Seems few achieve that.

Safariman,how does this look?

Cruiser, yeah. mine is about 1 RCH closer, but I could not locate a RCH to make sure. I did find a BCH. Can I use that?

1 RCH is about perfect, I wouldn't go less than 1/2 RCH though unless said hair came from Christina Hendricks in which case I'm sure it'd be okay.

That depends, there are two different versions of BCH.

Slip a piece of carbon paper in the gap, fire it a few times and see if you get an impression.

true dat, however I have noticed unparalleled consistency with Blonde CH. The Starrett of precise measure, so to speak.

I once bedded a Sendero with the scope still attached(6-18x40AO Leupie in DD lows w/ approx 1/16" clearance). Later down the road when I removed that scope there was a nice impression from the bbl contacting the AO knurled portion from when I whacked the bbl with a rubber mallet. Not that it pertains to this topic, but even heavy bbls have alittle more flex than some folks realize.

I've seen many scopes you could barely slide a business card under that shot quite well. I usually have 1/8-1/4" myself as medium height rings seem to align better for me and most of my Obj are 40-44.

Yeah, I do believe the LOW scope mount thing is not one size fits all. Personal preference for sure!

Cruiser1 How do you like those S&K rings

I like them a lot,may switch all my guns to them. Look good,solid and simple to mount. Not cheap,though,especially if you want stainless.

Don't you just hate it when you try to set up a new scope and the objective and barrel shank touch? I have seen a few gunsmiths mill a small flat on the barrel shank for clearance. I know this makes some cringe but it IS a solution that I have done a couple of times when the cheek weld would be compromised by higher rings.

Doesn't the "perfect" height to mount a scope depend more on how the stock fits your cheek and how high your eye is above the bore when you mount the rifle, moreso than the distance between the barrel and the scope bell?

don't be hung up on how low the scope is. what you want to do is try and see what feels comfortable to you. hint it may not be the lowest mounting setup.

I also agree the stock is a big part of the cheekweld/scope fit. Yes it is possible to get it too low. Remember when Talley came out with their super low aluminum one pc rings? I bought a pair and it put the scope so low on my rem 700 I couldn't see through the scope!

I agree, its what fits and feels comfortable. The one I have pictured above happens to fit me perfectly. I close my eyes,shoulder the rifle and its there.

I don't like it, but I have been burned before!

That is exactly how I try to set mine up. Looks peeerrrfffeeeccctttt. I like the rifle, too! Weatherby rocks.