Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Rotate scope so windage dial is on the left side?

Maybe been discussed before, I do not know. Speaking right-handed... Just getting going on some turret turning and something that I always thought annoying were turrets, capped or otherwise, projecting to the right, above the ejection port, hitting my hand, wrist or arm when packing rifle one-handed. A few months ago I bought B&L Balfor 4x and the windage turret is on the left, cool I thought. Then I got a SWFA SS 6x Mil Dot which has extra-tall turrets, and I'm seriously considering rotating it 90 degrees left using R as Up. Don't plan to dial windage and see no downside besides indicator marks no longer centered on top, cosmetic stuff... Best on a Duplex, Mildot or other reticle that's the same in all directions, not a TMR, MQ, LRD etc. And it's a no-go for side focus...

Tonight, rediscovered an old thread, Turrets 101, on Customs and Wildcats and Paul W had posted this pic several years ago, which at first appeared to me to show an M1 rig turned but I guess that's an AO dial? Whatever the case may be.

Anything I'm missing, other than 12+ years of twisting?

M1's

Your windage and elevation turrets will be have to be swapped and possibly the directions will be different. Check it all out at the range, first. Shouldn't be a problem, though.

Let us know how it works out for you.

I did it on a 6.5x47 17 pound 1000 yard bench rifle with a 36x B&L with a Cecil Tucker conversion.
For no other reason as to not have to reach across or reach up with my right hand.
I think its a PITA fumbling around on the right side of the rifle.
The scope rotated 90 puts the windage knob in my left hand and right in front of my face.
Works like a champ.
I changed the knobs around and "up" is still "up".
Cant say about the windage knob as we always just click to the hit.
If you adjust the scope the way we do L or R doesnt matter.
Click to the hit.
dave

I mount all of my scopes (assuming a reticle that allows) turned 90 degrees. There is no downside.

I have done it on two rifles that have especially low mounts....Leupold 2.5x compacts.

It sure makes access to the loading port much handier.

This is all very re-assuring. I tried backwards too but that wasn't worth a chitt...

No problems or downside with a duplex reticle.

Burris used to mark their turrets (they still may do this but I don't have a current production scope from them on hand) UP-R which would show direction for whichever way you chose to mount them.



Turret shown is on a Burris 3-12 handgun scope.

CR

I now recall having done this previously because of a mount clearance reason and I think Up became Left, not Right, right? Up was Left and Right was Up. Counterclockwise to move towards the hand you're turning with? I'll need lots of ammo.

That was on a fairly standard set up, Rem 700 SA, Talley LW and Bushy Elite 4200 3-9x40. IIRC to make cearance for the nub on the power zoom ring.

Think of the turret as a standard screw. Righty-tighty, lefty-loosy. Then realize that to adjust the scope correctly, you simply need to move the internals of the scope in the direction that you want the bullet impact to go.

If you need the bullet impact to go left, make the scope internals go to the left.

If you need the bullet impact to go down, make the scope internals go down.

The field of view sucks that way too...

BSA, you've tried it too...


Simple 90 degree turn results in Up is Lefty, Right is Uppy. Or swap knobs and get Up is Up and Right is Left, hence the need for all the extra ammo for windage!

Yeah, poor eye relief too . And the deers and elks look really tiny...

Went and done it!

Yea, that's the focus on Paul's scope. He was hunting with me that day.

Thanks. I shoulda left the pic in the quotes... Mark 4?

Damm the dials are huge on this SS!

The rifle will actually sit upside down balanced on the elevation turret now! That's going to come in handy...

Yep

In fact it was October 24, 2006

The good ol' days?

Yep