# Need help with rifle scope set up



## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

My wife got me a Ruger American Rifle in 30-06 for Christmas. It came with no sights and is drilled and taped for Weaver #46 base. Any thought as to where I should go from here? Try to keep prices in the $100-$300 range if you can, in this case less is more.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Nice wife! (And rifle!) It's pretty hard to beat a 30/06.

Get the bases and choose your scope. Most gun stores offer free mounting and bore sighting when you purchase from them (which can save afew headaches).


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## Nor777 (Nov 8, 2011)

How far do you plan on shooting? 
Do you want variable or fixed power?
Reticle type?
The rings I went with on my 308 where the Burris 1" Xtreme Tactical Picatinny-Style Rings Matte Low 
Product #: 116860 They are very good rings I've put them on a couple of my friends rifles also. 
The scope was a Bushnell Elite 3200 Tactical Rifle Scope 10x 40mm 1/10 Mil Adjustments Mil-Dot Reticle Matte 
Product #: 950843 
The scope and rings can be had for around $250. That would leave about $50 of your budget left for caps and the Mildot Enterprises Mildot Master Range and Bullet Drop Calculation Guide 
Product #: 131691


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

You could pick up the scope, rings, and bases for $100 or less and be happy for years to come. Here is a sample one at Walmart

http://www.walmart.com/ip/BSA-Speci...Duplex-Reticle-and-100-Yard-Parallax/20999105

You don't really need a $300 scope(unless that is what you want). I'm not saying that higher dollar scopes are not better. I am saying if this is your first run maybe start out slow.


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## truecarnage (Apr 25, 2010)

I put a scope level on, then torque the screws, then using a laser level make sure the cross is straight, then one at a time remove the screws and replace with locktite, then recheck using the laser level to make sure the finished product is spot on, then I use a bore laser to align the cross to about 1" above the red dot, now you should be able to bench the rifle but make adjustments with groups not each shot. I like to zero at 100 yd. But some zero out at 200 or more. As for brand or type of scope your on your own because I'm not pushing any brand and the choices seem innumerable.


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## ONEOLDCHIEF (Jan 5, 2012)

Catch a scope on sale... We have a chain called Academy Sports here and if you buy rings or a scope from them, they will bore sight it for you for free... Saves a lot of wasted shots... Do not go too cheap on your scope, good optics makes all the difference in the World.
Check out online big chain stores, may get free shipping...


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

The after christmas salesz and especially look for RETURNS some damaged or bad or missing box scopes may come available and be CHEAP. Stick to a major brand name and you are pretty safe should the scope turn out to be defective or damaged as the big guys can't afford to not stand behind their products. If you aren't too picky about what you are looing for you are all most certain to find somthing you can use that way.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

First congrats! Good bases and rings are as important as a good scope. I prefer Warne myself, but I am sure Ruger sells some on Shopruger.com that are good. Don't forget the loctite. As for a scope I think the best value out there is the Nikon ProStaff 4x12 40mm. They sell for under $200 but have a proven track record, very clear lenses, hold zero and are very durable. They are not anywhere near the best scopes available, but they may be THE best scope available for the price.


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

Some people have had really good luck with Nikon, but they switched production to the phillipines a few years ago, and I don't know anyone who's bought one since then. The Leupold rifleman series of scopes are pretty good from what I've seen, and not that expensive. The biggest problem with most of the cheap scopes is that the adjustments are anything but precise or repeatable.


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

Ruger makes great mounts and rings. Once I get the scope in the rings, spaced comfortably to my eye with the rifle to my shoulder and the vertical cross hair in line with the bore I then tighten the ring screws, sand bag the rifle, pull out the bolt and find a metal fence post top about 100 yards out. I line the rifle bore within about 3" to the top and center of post and look through the scope and adjust the windage until it's right on what I can see through the bore. I then adjust the elevation until it's close to the 3" down. I fire a round, with the bullet weight I'm most likely to us the most, to find what elevation I hit the post compared to what I had sighted in and make adjustments necessary. This is kind of ******* sounding but believe me, it's always worked for me because most all of my shots are neck joint or between the eyes, I hate wasting meat with the heart, lung shots that so often blood shot a lot of meat. I generally keep my elevation set right on at 100 yards because where I hunt I've seldom had any shots beyond that. I've used a number of scopes over the years, Burris, Tasco, a few unbranded ones that were on rifles I've bought and one Leopold. Leopold scope have been known to have strong cross hairs and can stand up to heavy magnum rifle shooting where I've heard some brands will have the cross hairs break. I've never had any brand of scope have that problem on an '06.


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