Musical Optics - going for accuracy

2748 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by pdog, Aug 12, 2011

45K20E4

Discussion Starter · Jul 19, 2011

I have a Burris XTS-135 mounted in a scout config on my Tactical using an Ultimak scout rail:

It's fun, I like it, but now I am going to see what else I can do.
I am upgrading to a 6-18x Nikon Mil-dot on my Rem 700:

so the current 3-9X Nikon buckmaster will not have a home:

It is the perfect time to experiment with removing and reinstalling the Burris to see if it retains a reasonable zero (mounted using a Burris Tactical ring). I am also going to mount the Nikon using the factory Ruger rings, and I want to see how well THAT retains zero (if at all).

Honestly, the red dot (Burris) is fun, but with a 5moa dot @ 100 yards on a paper target is less than entertaining. I use 5" Shoot N See targets, and I can put 20 rounds on target, but that is the best I can do, since technically the dot is as big as the target. If when I get into 3 gun the dot will be perfect, as it is with shooting any hard target.

With the Nikon, I hope to see what the TRUE accuracy of the Mini is. After a living room trigger job and stock bedding I have gotten a shade under 2 moa with iron sights. With the scope I hope to see what the rifle is truly capable of.

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Cole125

· #2 · Jul 19, 2011

I have tried a 3-9 scope on my Mini, its fun but it pretty much anchors you to a shooting bench. The Mini is meant to be a carbine, shot from standing. I've got a 2MOA Aimpoint red dot and I can shoot much more accurately with it than open sights. Really its the ideal optic for a Mini.

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curt mini14

· #3 · Jul 19, 2011

i have a 2+7+32 pistol scope on mine and it works really good for me.up to 39 coyotes for the year the red dots like you said cover to much.

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SharpsShtr

· #4 · Jul 19, 2011

I'm using one of the new 2-7 Redfield Revolution scopes made by Leupold. I am very happy with it.

Matt

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Moxie

· #5 · Jul 19, 2011

2-7 Leupold here on a 195 stainless Ranch, works fine.

Had a 3-9 Leupold compact on a 581 tactical for a while; that was nice too, but traded it away (along with the 186) & kept the 195, which suits me just fine.

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45K20E4

Discussion Starter · #6 · Aug 4, 2011

I have the Nikon on the rifle now, but I am unsure what I am going to do in the long run. I am curious to see if the Nikon will hold zero if I remove and replace it to the receiver using the factory rings.

The mini seems far less nose heavy without the XTS out on the barrel, and i find it more comfortable this way. I am going to borrow my friends fastfire II and see how I like the rifle with that optic.

At this point I have no idea what I am ultimately going to do. Keep everything and switch back and forth? Keep the Nikon and Ultimak, sell the XTS and get a Fastfire instead? I was even thinking of getting a GG&G or Wiegand rail for the receiver, and use it to mount either optic. I am a bit pessimistic on selling the Ultimak because I think aside from the rail it provides, it also acts as a barrel stiffening device and heat sink.

Who knows at this point....got get some more trigger time on it and see.

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kc81c

· #7 · Aug 5, 2011

You will like the 6-18 Nikon on your 700 I just stuck one on my tikka .223 and its a great fit for 300-400 yard shots I went with the nikoplex reticle. I had a 2-7x32 redfield on my mini14 a great fit out to 100yrds for me but with the triggerjob, bedding, adjustable gas block retorqued I wanted to stretch it more so I put a 4-12x40 redfield I had on my tikka on the mini. I losely fired a 4inch 20rd group the other night off a iPod at 200yrds with xm193. I think you will like the 3-9on there for varmint hunting and target shooting its a good fit. I disagree with whoever said a 3-9 limits you to a bench I grew up with a 3-9 on a 10-22 shooting gophers and muscrats freehand and mine along with most peoples deer rifles sport a 3-9 andI haven't seen a benchrest while hunting.

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45K20E4

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 5, 2011

It is all a matter of how steady a person is. I used an elcheapo Bushnell Sportview 3-9x32 on my 10/22 when I was a kid and it did fine.

Just for kicks I am going to borrow my friends Burris Fastfire to see how low it sits on the Ultimak rail.

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jwb47

· #9 · Aug 6, 2011

kc81c said:
You will like the 6-18 Nikon on your 700 I just stuck one on my tikka .223 and its a great fit for 300-400 yard shots I went with the nikoplex reticle. I had a 2-7x32 redfield on my mini14 a great fit out to 100yrds for me but with the triggerjob, bedding, adjustable gas block retorqued I wanted to stretch it more so I put a 4-12x40 redfield I had on my tikka on the mini. I losely fired a 4inch 20rd group the other night off a iPod at 200yrds with xm193. I think you will like the 3-9on there for varmint hunting and target shooting its a good fit. I disagree with whoever said a 3-9 limits you to a bench I grew up with a 3-9 on a 10-22 shooting gophers and muscrats freehand and mine along with most peoples deer rifles sport a 3-9 andI haven't seen a benchrest while hunting.

I agree on several points . the 6x18 nikon is great I have the midway exclusive buckmaster with mildot reticle on my howa varmint supreme 223. shooting small varmints almost seems to easy .
as for the 3x9 tying a person to a bench I also disagree . my 458 socom wears a leupold 2x7 and I managed to drop a small buck on the run through a honey suckle thicket at about 25 yds . 3x is plenty low enough magnification for the deer woods.

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tri70

· #10 · Aug 6, 2011

The more magnification on the scope the steadier you may have to be for off hand shooting. I would be good if you hunted from a stand or shot at prairie dogs from a table or bipod set up. I like the Nikon and Leupold 3x9, I stalk hunt a lot and will keep it on lower magnification but when I go to prairie dog shooting, the 9 power works great.

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BugHunter

· #11 · Aug 6, 2011

kc81c said:
I losely fired a 4inch 20rd group the other night off a iPod at 200yrds with xm193.

Is there an app for that? LOL

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jwb47

· #12 · Aug 6, 2011

BugHunter said:
Is there an app for that? LOL

I wish I had read this before I bought a droid.

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kc81c

· #13 · Aug 7, 2011

BugHunter said:
Is there an app for that? LOL[/QUOTE

jwb47 said:

I wish I had read this before I bought a droid.

Click to expand...

Opps LOL wonder if that was auto fill or me being absent minded. Funny thing is that was wrote from a android tablet and replying from a Droid2.

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pdog

· #14 · Aug 12, 2011

I currently am using my iron sights however- with hunting season approaching, I'll go back to my Bushnell holosight, a 1 inch dot. I have tried a 3x9 and it worked fine but the holosight with the 1 inch dot is much faster, coyotes at 200 yards are no match or a crow at 100. I did have the 5 inch dot and its just to big at long ranges.

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