How low is too low!

Dama Dama 6.5

Well-Known Member
Having recently treated myself to a new Zeiss scope (early birthday present), after mounting on the rifle I have found that it is mighty close to touching the Barrel. I have not measured the clearance yet, but you can see daylight through the gap. I was always told that the lower you can mount a scope to the barrel the better (providing it's not touching), but can anyone offer some advice if there is a minimum clearance there should be?
thank you
 
Mine scope is pretty close to the barrel - maybe 1 mm or so? I can get a cloth under there for cleaning but thats about it!

Its all held down and locked up tight so as long as the scope isn't actually touching the barrel I'd have thought you want to be as close as poss.
 
Having recently treated myself to a new Zeiss scope (early birthday present), after mounting on the rifle I have found that it is mighty close to touching the Barrel. I have not measured the clearance yet, but you can see daylight through the gap. I was always told that the lower you can mount a scope to the barrel the better (providing it's not touching), but can anyone offer some advice if there is a minimum clearance there should be?
thank you

I have always worked on the principle if I can see daylight between scope and barrel and the bolt clears the scope I am good to go !

Keith
 
Just bear in mind that the scope flexes a very small amount when you shoot and also water tends to get trapped in very small gaps you can't get rag through so, personally, I have desisted going tighter than a 0.4mm gap
 
Critical thing is , is your cheek snug on the stock.
or are you stretching because your mounts are too high.
and does your bolt operate easily.
lower the better otherwise but I would probably want
4mm + but finnbear says its ok for a sheet of copier paper.

Ive seen high speed film of the scope flexing a few mm on firing
 
How close, depends on calibre, .22lr a miss is as good as a mile, something with a some recoil
will need more clearance, on firing scope and barrel will flex more than you might think.

Neil. :)
 
How close, depends on calibre, .22lr a miss is as good as a mile, something with a some recoil
will need more clearance, on firing scope and barrel will flex more than you might think
.

Neil. :)

I reckon the projectile has already got halfway to it's destination before any of that comes into play.
 
Never mind the gap, does it fit your noggin?

To brimfire: just cause it's at the target doesn't mean it won't break the scope.
 
Too low is too low.

I have a 6x42 Kahles scope about 3/4 mm above the barrel. Rifle is a Rem 700 , 243 win, in a PSE stock. For me this is to low and I will get higher mounts next week. I think that the stock , wich is excellent, is designed for modern 50 and 56 mm scopes . With my present scope I really have to dig into the stock to get central in the scope. It's not only me. I had the gun at the gunsmith this week to get some work done and he told me the same. The problem is worse when lying prone vs. shooting sitting from a table.
The scope is also that low that the bolt can't be opened when the rubber attachement ring of a nitesite is around the eyepiece.
Present mounts are 4,2 mm , will get mounts wich are +/- 12 / 13 mm.
 
Whilst I generally agree with the 'lower the better' camp, my friend had an outfit which wouldn't stay zeroed as the flex of his barrel under recoil was causing the very low mounted scope to be smacked. Just worth bearing in mind.
 
This was my conquest on my 300wm sporter barrelled Tikka

the gap is about 0.5-0.75mm

never touched even firing fruity 208gr loads with or without a moderator

what you DO need to check is water drops. closer it is the easier it is to get a water drop sucked in there by capillary action
make sure you can get a sheet of something in there and re-oil to avoid any marks or corrosion on either surface

IMG_2581_zpsuetq4h7v.jpg
 
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