Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics One Scope on two rifles w Leupold quick release

Question reminds me of getting one alignment for two cars.

Never really looked at it that way. I always considered it was to have two scopes zeroed for one rifle so that if your original scope crapped out you could switch scopes and be back in business... this actually saved me on my African trip years ago. Bent the tube on a scope and it was shooting way off... changed scopes and kept hunting....

Having one scope for two rifles would mean you would have to have the difference in adjustments for zero written down somewhere and adjust the scope when it changed rifles. Assuming the dials were accurate and everything went together solidly and accurately, I guess it could work, but it seems like a really big if.....

Bob

Yep. Though I've only done it with Picatinny Warnes before.

I can't believe that it would work without re-zeroing the scope every time that you swapped it between rifles because the adjustments are in the scope, rather than in the mount like the old B&L Bal- series adjustable bases.

What I am hoping is that each rifle will have a constant scope adjustment... For instance, from Rifle A to Rifle B: left 5 clicks, up 8 clicks. and then from Rifle B to Rifle A right 5 clicks and down 8 clicks.

Each rifle would have a different scope adjustment, but if it is a constant between the rifles, it would seem to work.

Since both rifles are of the same small manufacturer, and model.... early model Dakotas..

This

The first answer is often the best... as is the case here.

If you think about dimensional differences and inexactness of hole placements in the two different receivers and base sets vs the fixed position of the rings attached to the scope you may start getting an idea of the feasibility, or rather the lack thereof, of your proposal.

That's exactly how it'll work within the variances of the mounts and scope. I swapped a Bushnell Elite 5200? 2.5-16 between a Rem 700 and a Savage BVSS, both railed mind you, like this for a while. It took a lot of clicks in this case though. Between two identical systems should be better. Does make one want another scope for sure.

Rails make all the difference.

You MIGHT be able to do that with a scope that had repeatable adjustments.

Not sure if Leupold meets that requirement these days.


Okie John

I keep a Bushnell Pro boresighter in my gun bag at all times and have a grid pre-marked for each rifle. This is how I would get close enough to zero in an emergency as a backup for counting clicks. It will get at least within 3" of the bull every time once you have established the grid coordinates for each rifle.

If you do this, there are many cheap bore sighters out there that might get you on paper at 100 yards, but not much more than that. Make sure you get a high-quality unit that gives repeatable results.

I had them on a couple rifles and they returned within a click or so.

It was kind of a pita, but it certainly worked.

I have found the Leupold QR rings are pretty close, at least minute of deer. It could save a hunt, but switching between rifles? Differences in caliber bullet weight, on and on. I doubt the "zero" on one rifle would match the "zero" on another different rifle. If one tracked the "clicks" then perhaps one could switch and get minute of deer close enough.

How well that would work out would depend on repeatability of the installation (torque, etc.) and how well the scope itself tracks.

Why I have scopes for each rifle........ The QR mounts do track pretty close. On the hunt of a lifetime perhaps worth the effort to have another scope mounted, zeroed, and in reserve. Normally I just bring a backup rifle, never have yet to have to use one.

Colour me doubtful. Getting the bases squared up to accept the scope on both rifles - with rings fixed, of course - is the first big hurdle. Even if that can be overcome, needing to rely on the adjustments to trust enough to not have to check zero after sqaping the scope over to the other rifle, narrows the scopes right down...to very few. One being in the 300 $ Rang so cheap, you might just get a second scope for the other gun.

Seems...convoluted.

Seems like buying another scope would be much less of a PITA.

If you used a picatiny rail and a torque wrench to install t OK the base each time and sighted in the scope pl e on each rifle and recorded the settings it will work.

A lot easier to have a scope fv or each ri fv le in my opinion

This - you're working harder to avoid another scope, than keeping it simple with a second scope with QD rings.

I used the Leupold QR system on a couple rifles for several years.

My need was a lower rifle profile in the travel case, and the QD made sense to me.

I confirmed zero once I got the hunting destination, and wasn't off more than a click that I recall - my results with the Leupold were positive, and I think you could dial the zero for second rifle - IF you knew for 100% that the scope would not fail to be repeatable.

So you have two rifles and your scope pukes,you now have two worthless rifles.Bad idea.

I go the opposite direction. I use QD mounts and rings to have a pre-zero’d spare scope, two scopes for one rifle.

There are so many good scopes for a reasonable price this makes no sense at all. Like the others I go for two scopes for traveling rifles.

Pretty much...... like having 1 set of tires for 2 cars.

For the price of ammo burned to verify zero every time you swap scopes, one could buy another scope soon.

Too many decent scopes around for under $200 for me to even consider this, and that doesn't include used ones, and discontinued models. Burris FF, Bushnell Trophy, and Weaver come to mind right off. I use some of these right now and have had zero issues, including drama while zeroing.

Another positive-thinker!

Hail Brother!

The best thing would be to simply try it.
If it works for you, then it works, which it dosent seem to be here. lol

The rings should fit on the scope differently for each rifle. Unless the two rifles have exactly the same action.

Two Dakotas and only one scope?

Probably seems like way back old school to younger shooters with the variety of scopes/features available today, but I used one scope for three rifles for quite a while in the 60s and early 70s. B&L sold adjustable scope bases/mounts (v shape) and a very good plain tube scope in some fixed powers - I had a 6X with a very nice reticle and those mounts fixed on three rifles - 7X57 Mauser, 300 H&H Mag and 22/250, No adjustments in the scope - a simple tube stoutly made with excellent glass and ultra dependable - never went sour, Sighted and set the mounts as desired on each rifle - instant swaps - each ready to go.

I had been thinking of posting a similar reply but you beat me to it.

What a lot of younger shooters don't realize is that in the 50's and 60's, when that type of mount was popular, a good scope cost as much as the rifle did. So having to only buy one scope for use on multiple rifles had a great deal of appeal. I have owned a couple of pre-64 Winchester with those mounts and they performed perfectly. Pull the scope from one rifle, put it on the other and go kill stuff - no need to worry about adjusting the zero every time. Also no need to worry about scope tracking since the adjustments are part of the mount and are external.
The downside of those mounts is that they were fairly heavy compared to the lightweight mounts that are now available.

Here is a link for anyone who isn't familiar with that type of mount - http://www.bauschandlombscopemounts.freeservers.com/scopes.htm

I that a similar mount made by Stith with a Stith Bearcub 4X scope, and I also seem to recall mount made by Echo.

drover

Good post - essential aspects in bold. Had a Stith setup once too - very well made and worked like a charm.