Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Anyone do tracking tests ? If so

Please explain why using grid-based collimator wouldn't provide the same information, with far less trouble.

JB, the only collimator I have is a magnetic Leupold, and I just don't have any confidence in it at all. When a customer brings me a project and I have to take his scope off, I record the collimator 'grid location' and try to return the reinstalled scope to the recorded grid location. I have gotten a lot of pretty sharp comments in customer feedback...none of them complimentary...some refer to my parentage..LOL.
Maybe a spud type collimator would be better? I don't fret too much over it all anyway...the good riflemen automatically assume they will have to verify zero...and those are the customers I care about.

I'm too dumb to do the math...but is seems to me a return to zero after clicking a box on a 900 yard target is something with a pretty high degree of confidence...the target being 8.5 x 11"...would I be looking at just over 1 moa?

Is my system better? Of course not, but it's what I have, it's free...and with 100% confidence I can tell someone ...your scope is bad.

This particular use of a collimator being discussed here is not about removing and reinstalling the scope nor the collimator itself. With the collimator attached to the muzzle (whether magnetic or using arbors), and the scope installed on the rifle, one can measure tracking, RTZ, and reticle/erector axis alignment using the grid with precision better than 1 click of the erector adjustment.

OK. I didn't know the collimators were that accurate.

According to Brother Burns, he likes sowing his seed in the garden of ass.holes or something like that.

John, though I prefer a different way, a grid style collimator is also a very good method.

Some love to be contrary, for whatever reason. While they're arguing about needing a Kleenex or a kleenex, their noses continue to run.

Hope Christmas was good for you and yours.

Good shootin' -Al

A collimater is simply an aiming point or grid upon which a scope can focus at close range.

Your Leupold will allow you to see movement/clicks as well as a solid fixture on a far target. The ability to resolve 1 click is somewhat dependant on scope magnification.

John,

Have you come upon any comparable (to Leupold at whatever price range) optics that you'd consider pretty much crap, based on your use/testing? In your opinion, do they rule their roosts, or just one of many good options?

I don't have much experience with "bad scopes". I have good rifles and have been pinning the mounts to the reciever for more than 2 decades. I think a lot of scope failures are really mounting failures.

The scopes I use the most are durable 2nd Focal Plane for hunting and Leupold offers really good solutions at moderate weight.

Lots of good options these days.

Thank you.

Always blows my mind how reported experiences vary so much.