Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Need help with 0 or 20 MOA base

I asked this same question over at longrangehunting.com and didn't get many response so I thought I would ask it here.

I just ordered a Savage 10 Predator Max 1 in 6.5 Creedmoor. I also have a Leupold VX-3 Long Range 4.5-14x40 30mm with CDS. I got the scope in a trade so I figured it will go good with the 6.5 CM. For right now I am going to start practicing at 500 yards but I plan on stretching her legs out to 800 if the gun can handle it.

Leupold states that the scope has 116 MOA of adjustment. MidwayUSA says 113. So I guess my question is will I need a 20 MOA base or not. After reading lots of info on the subject, I think I am even more confused now.

I am going to see what kind of results I get with factory Hornady 120 and 140 gr A-max. If I can't get sub MOA, I will reload for it.

Thanks for any help.

You should be able to get to 800 without a 20moa base. Easiest way is to sight it in and then see how much moa you have.

What scope rings will you be using? I ask because you could use Burris Signature Zee rings, the ones with the plastic inserts. With the offset insert kit they will give you elevation adjustment if needed. They will also protect your scope from ring marks!
Read about them here:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/719934/burris-30mm-signature-zee-weaver-style-rings-matte-medium

I am not sure which rings I will be using yet. I have used the Burrus Zee rings rings in the past with great results.

You should have more than enough with a flat base unless something is off by a lot, action true, barrel threaded straight etc.

With 100 MOA you area only needing less than 25% useable adjustment to get you past your goal. Most often you will fall in the middle around 50% or in your case 50moa.

No way to tell for sure how much adjustment will be left until you mount it.

For those distances with a 30mm scope I'd rock it with a zero MOA base.

Will take you about 10 minutes to swap and re-zero if you decided you need more ass down the road.


Travis

If you want to get to 800 with a CDS, I don't think you'll get there with a cap that has a zero stop. IIRC those limit you to 15ish MOA. No zero stop and you should be fine.

I forgot to mention that I will be swapping turrets when I get past 500. Thanks for the reminder thought.

If I were buying a base anyway, I would go with some elevation. If I had a base with no elevation around already, I would just run it until I got to a range where it is needed. BTW you will be fine to 800 with the 4.5-14 but you may have to disable the zero stop to get much further.

Isn't it amazing the dog and pony show we go thru to accomplish what was once an every day occurrence by some GI with iron sites and a 30.06.
G

If you're gonna use a rail anyway then get a 20 MOA one, it doesn't cost any more & will keep the scope closer to center. I agree that you probably won't have to have it to get to 800 or maybe even 1000, but if you're buying one anyway might as well make it a 20 MOA. It sure won't hurt any & one day you'll find you need it.

Thanks for all the help guys. I am still a little confused I guess. My scope has 113 clicks of elevation adjustment. If I was going to zero my rifle at 200 yards and the reticle is centered, that means I have 56.5 click up and 56.5 clicks down correct? Going by my ballistic app I need 63 clicks up for the 6.5 CM at 800 yards. Here is a pic from my ballistic app to show where I am getting my information. I know this information is not dead accurate but it's a starting point. Maybe I am putting to much thought into this and confusing myself but if I only have 56.5 clicks of adjustment and I need 63, I don't see how it's possible to not have a 20 MOA base.

Are you confusing clicks with moa? 63 clicks would be 15.75 moa of adjustment.

Do yourself a favor and stop thinking in "clicks." MOA is what you want to measure.


Travis

Valid point.



Travis

This.

Or start out using MILs because the transition is not as easy as one may think.

That's where I was messing up. I told y'all I was over thinking this. I knew I had made a mistake somewhere but I wasn't sure where.

Thanks again for all the help.

1 MOA = 1.047"

Think in MOA and not in "clicks" on your scope.

Although the majority of retail scopes adjust in 1/4 MOA per click adjustments, some scopes adjust in 1/8, 1/2 or even 1 MOA per click. Once you know how many MOA to adjust, you can then make the adjustments on your particular scope. For example, if your scope adjusts in 1/4 MOA per click, and you want to adjust up 2 MOA, you need to realize that 4 clicks adjust 1 MOA so you need 8 clicks total.

[bleep] 'clicks'......

Yep.....I started rocking with 0 moa bases this year. If I want to reach out there I'll use hash marks if I don't have enouph dial. Most my in the field shots seem to be 300 or less and so keeping the crosshairs closer to center helps to maintain clarity in the scope.

Shod