When hunting with exposed turret scope, any problems with accidental moving of the turrets? Solutions?

Zero stop and being cognizant of what you're doing. I haven't had any issues with them moving on various applications.

Electrical tape on the windage always and sometimes on the elevator

Huskemaw offers the option of capped and or covered. Yes turrets can move a click here or there. In my experience not enough to miss though

Get a scope where the turrets lock.

Funny, I’ve backpacked for several years with the Leupold CDS, which is undoubtedly “soft” to turn, yet I’ve never had one turn over 100+ miles of hiking/climbing. Said all that to say, I don’t think it’s an issue.

I went hunting this afternoon and noticed my turret was a half mil low, turned it back to zero and killed a big doe at 550. I don’t see what all the fuss is about, quit being a dumb_a and check your equipment. Having a scope that moves where you dial it is waay more important imho.

The one scope I use for hunting that has turrets hasn't had trouble with moving.

Sticking out like a sore thumb and catching stuff, yes.

It depends on how you hunt, and how easily your turrets turn. With my NF, no worries, they never get accidentally turned. With others, well. . .

On any hunting scope I reset the turrets after zeroing, so if a turret did get turned, I would see it.

Anyway I don't see it as a problem.

The only problem would be with something like a CDS setup that has no scale to tell you how many turns you may have used. I always put a zero stop on mine, so that's not an issue.

One Nightforce I have (an SHV) has no zero stop, but does have a reference so you can tell if you are one turn off or not.

I really like the Zero stop on the NXS I have, and turning the turrets is a deliberate affair, it'd be hard to accidentally turn it.

You

All depends on the type of ground/vegetation you hunt in. They turn but nothing a strip of electrical tape won’t fix.

Tape them down if they tend to be soft like the CDS.

My brother missed a nice buck at about 150 yards last fall due to his CDS elevation getting spun somewhere along the way. He had it get moved again a couple clicks and now he tapes the elevation down.

I've had the CDS move on me once and found myself looking dozens of times a day to check it and it had the zero stop. I sold it and went capped SHV. Much less worry now.

exposed turret scopes I have carried. 2 different NXS scopes, a CDS leupold and a huskemaw, and a zeiss conquest, ALL have had the turret move a click here or there. but its not something that should cause a miss. again I agree it should be something you watch and check.

I agree with the capped SHV, but still wished it had a zero-stop. I have no complaint with the glass, its dialing and RTZ are very accurate, but I still check the scale to make sure it is not one turn off. If it had a stop, it would unquestionably be my mostest favorite.

I bought a 2.5-8X36 VX-3i through the Custom Shop with a one-turn CDS that locks on zero, similar to the CDS-ZL2, and it helps with the worry that comes with the soft clicks of the CDS system. It locks on zero, and only goes one turn. That is ample for my needs. I only had one occasion while hunting this year using that scope where I had to dial some elevation, and that amounted to 3.25 MOA. I think the locking turret is a great idea with the CDS system.

It's not real clear, but here is a pic of the scope.

All of my scopes have a zero stop, but I haven't had to adjust any of them while hiking/hunting.

However a saddle scabbard will wind them up and down, and not just a few clicks,


Something thing to watch.


Lefty C

Maybe I'm missing something here, but doesn't taping exposed turrets, especially elevation, kind of the defeat the purpose of having exposed turrets?

huskemaw, its pretty surprising no one else offers the option of running capped or exposed on the same scope. there is no reason why the knobs can't be small enough to also have a cap over them so they can be used with out without a cap.

It may take a second or two to remove the tape, but you have the assurance that your rifle is still on zero if a fast, close-up shot is needed. This is especially important in the scenario described by leftycarbon. It offers pretty much the same protection from inadvertent turning same as a capped turret. Without a zero-stop or a reference to check against, you wouldn't know where you are. The Leupold CDS system can be very susceptible to this. With no zero-stop and the turret cap not moving (like the M1 turret), one could turn the turret to its limit of travel and not know it.

It's a field expedient fix.

Tract's 1" Toric scopes come with two elevation dials. One a regular size and one a little taller for dialing. Both have caps. The taller can be run without caps, has a zero stop, and is a lift to dial setup so it's locked until lifted. Only down side is it's limited to 18 MOA up once the zero-stop is set....which is plenty for me. Really nice design all the way around.

Back to the original question, I've had several move over the years. I like a zero stop....are really wish companies would start capping windage.

No. It takes about 2 seconds to take a strip of electric tape off a turret. Less time than unscrewing a cap and then tucking it away. Less of a pia than getting to the animal and then realizing you need to go back and find your cap you hastily left at the scene of the shot. All mine get a strip of tape.

I`ve been hunting BG with them for the past 8 years now, and more than 15 for varmints..carrying on shoulder with sling..have not had one move...but always check when I stop moving.

I posted up watching a saddle one evening elk hunting and noticed my CDS dial was 180 degrees off zero.
Had to pull out the bolt and "bore sight" to see which way to turn it back.
Started to use tape on it for a while, and then the irony dawned on me that a $400 scope needed a piece of tape to function and got rid of it.

It’s going through dense foliage/alders for miles and climbing over/under blowdown that moves them while slung. Not to mention the occasional tumble. More open hiking hasn’t presented much of an issue. That being said, I have killed a big bull moose on the Yukon, a brown bear on kodiak, and a BnC Black Bear and many bucks with a Leupold 6x42 and CDS with LR reticle. Tape doesn’t scare me.

I primarily use the SWFA scopes and have carried them now for a few years. I have not had an issue, but I also try to pay attention to the turret before I shoot.

The newer VX5 series have that same reticle, you have to push a button to turn it. I just carried one for a week in Mexico through nasty stuff at times- never moved and was dead on when I needed to make a shot. My buddy's March has moved a couple of times. It is too easy to twist. I have seen some guys carry with the neoprene scope covers on. When hunting coues deer the way I do, you almost never need to make a quick shot. You are hiking a couple of miles, setting up and then making a stalk. Tape would be a non-issue.

I like to carry my rifle in an Eberlestock scabbard on my pack. I have heard several horror stories about turrets being spun a little when removing from a scabbard so I have steered away from them. But I'm old school and like simple duplex reticles and sight in at 200yards - set it an forget it type. I know what my hold over looks like at 300-500 yards with a simple duplex reticle and super precision is not really necessary on the mule deer and occasional elk that I hunt. If I were to sit in a blind or stand (beanfield style) then turrets may be a better option but for quick, simple and dependable - hard to beat the old standby on a hunting scope. Varmints/Targets are a different story and I could easily see the benefit of turrets. Just depends on what your goal is.

Checking the turret when you remove/unsling/get behind the gun, seems to be beyond some.

+1 and a small piece of 3M's 33 for those that can't.

You don't always have time.........I can think of several instances where it was up/ on/ shoot - would have missed out on a 7x8 bull elk one time if I would have taken even a couple extra seconds to check.

Yeah, it takes a lot of time to twist to your zero stop as you raise the rifle. But, if it really was up/on/shoot, the rifle was already in your hands. And if it was in your hands, it coulda/woulda/shoulda been ready to go on 'up'. But OK, you win....

I’ve been shooting exposed turret scopes for at least 14 years and I’ve not had a problem.

I’ve tracked a lot of shot hogs through very heavy brush and I’ve been careful to see if the turrets have been turned by the brush. The scope is a Vortex Viper 4-16 gen 1, and the turret hasn’t been turned even one click so far. Folks talking about turrets turning has kept me alert to it, and that is bound to save my bacon (pun intended) eventually.

I have a Leupold VX-R 30mm with the top turret exposed and it definitely made a significant turn, probably from going in and out of the padded guncase it rides in. I turned it back to zero and it went back to hitting where it was supposed to. Lucky that was only during the target shooting time of year. It is on my favorite big game rifle so now I know to watch. Only happened that once.

Probably not hard to keep it from moving while putting it in/out of a padded case, if a guy ain't in la-la land......

Leupold introduced a new Zero lock turret with 3 rotations up and 1/2 down for the VX-5.

Might just be a good answer.

I run Leupold CDS scopes and have had the custom shop add windage MOA knob also. I have had zero problems with them as when I hunt I keep the knobs away from my body when carrying them on a sling and when I put it in the Eberlestock just one pack just a quick check when I take my rifle out of the pack. I have never had them move more than 4 or 5 clicks just urn windage knob back and the elevation has a zero stop. Easy

I've been using a Schmidt & Bender 4 to 16 X 50 PMII for around 20 years now and have had no problems at all. Took my buck this past season at 453 yds and a doe at 285 yds. 2 shots, 2 dead deer. Nothing to complain about here.

DonKnows

I have a VX-5HD with a two-turn lock, and a VX-3i with a one-turn lock. It's a damn good answer given the clicks are relatively "soft" on the CDS system.