Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Do crooked (turned) crosshairs affect accuracy?

I overheard two guys arguing in Cabelas yesterday. Their argument: a scope mounted at something other than plumb would affect accuracy. I did not enter into the argument; however, my guess is that, once sighted in, centered crosshairs are centered crosshairs. Elevation and windage adjustments would be tough, but impact point would be the same whether 90 degrees or 45 degrees. Please confirm my theory or educate me. Thanks!

Does the person cant the rifle to make the crosshairs not appear canted?

As long as you don't spin the turrets, it won't.

If you click the turrets, it would move the scope's optical axis diagonally along a plane above the bore line of sight, mixing windage into the your elevation (and shorting you a bit of elevation), or vice-versa.

PS: I'm assuming the whole scope is canted in its mounts, so that the axis of the elevation erector doesn't pass through the barrel but misses it to one side, that's what would cause a problem with using the turrets. Not sure if that's what you meant.