Accuracy International shooting high - suggestions

55recce

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
112   0   0
Hi Folks, sighting in my Accuracy International AW today. Fitted with a S & B scope and appears to be shooting about 8 inches high. I think I have the scope cranked down as much as possible.

Any suggestions on how I might shift the point of impact down?

Thanks!
 
Hi Folks, sighting in my Accuracy International AW today. Fitted with a S & B scope and appears to be shooting about 8 inches high. I think I have the scope cranked down as much as possible.

Any suggestions on how I might shift the point of impact down?

Thanks!

At what distance? Your post is useless without specifying that.
 
Get it on paper at 50m and then proceed to zero at 100m. If you try to zero at a range less than 50m you will need too much adjustment on the scope and will likely bottom out.

Did you bore sight the rifle? What range are you trying to zero at now?
 
Yeah 55recce we're going to need a little more info. The most important question is: did you bore sight your rifle?
If so, then what cant is built into your base (0 MOA, 20 MOA, etc.)?
Also, are you sure that you're not just engaging the zero stop and may have to set that?

The best method is to mount the scope, level it to the best of your (or a trusted professionals) ability, take it to the range, bore sight it at 50 or 100, and then verify the bore sight with two or three rounds before adjusting anything. If you are unable to boresight the optic without running out of travel in your scope then you're in trouble and will probably need a new scope base / ring setup.
 
Don't listen to any of the advice above. You don't need a bore sighter and you don't need different rings or bases (most likely). Most likely it's a very simple solution.

Unless you have a 70+ MOA in your base/ring setup, you should be able to get zeroed at 100m/yards no problem.

Do this (even when mounting a new scope, do the below and you can be zeroed in 5 shots or less):

1. Go to the 100 yard or 100m range.
2. Pull out the bolt, and set your scope on the target. Without moving the gun, look through the bore. You should be able to see the target, if not adjust the scope so you see the target through the scope and the bore. No bore sighting tools needed.
3. Shoot and see where you are on paper. Adjust accordingly.

If you still are too high and run out of elevation on the bottom end:

1. Measure how high the bullet impacts are from your aiming point in mils or MOA (whatever your scope reticle is).
2. Say it's 4 mils high. Set your zero stop so that it your turret is at "4.0" mils (or add in slightly more elevation, say 4.5 to be safe).
3. You should now be able to go down 4.0 mils (or whatever value you set the turret to). Turn turret to "0".
4. Shoot again, your impact should now be 4.0 mils lower.
5. Repeat any of the above steps as necessary

I've had to do the above with some of my scopes out of the box. Not a big deal, but can be a bit confusing if you haven't had to do it before.
 
kthomas, the procedure you just outlined in steps 1-3 is what bore sighting is FYI.

Regarding canted base/rings, you will not be able to zero a rifle if the cant on your base/rings is greater than the elevation travel in your scope divided by 2. For instance, if you have a 40 MOA canted base/rings you need a scope with an elevation travel of at least 80 MOA to be able to zero the rifle at 100m.
 
Don't listen to any of the advice above. You don't need a bore sighter and you don't need different rings or bases (most likely). Most likely it's a very simple solution.

Unless you have a 70+ MOA in your base/ring setup, you should be able to get zeroed at 100m/yards no problem.

Do this (even when mounting a new scope, do the below and you can be zeroed in 5 shots or less):

1. Go to the 100 yard or 100m range.
2. Pull out the bolt, and set your scope on the target. Without moving the gun, look through the bore. You should be able to see the target, if not adjust the scope so you see the target through the scope and the bore. No bore sighting tools needed.
3. Shoot and see where you are on paper. Adjust accordingly.

If you still are too high and run out of elevation on the bottom end:

1. Measure how high the bullet impacts are from your aiming point in mils or MOA (whatever your scope reticle is).
2. Say it's 4 mils high. Set your zero stop so that it your turret is at "4.0" mils (or add in slightly more elevation, say 4.5 to be safe).
3. You should now be able to go down 4.0 mils (or whatever value you set the turret to). Turn turret to "0".
4. Shoot again, your impact should now be 4.0 mils lower.
5. Repeat any of the above steps as necessary

I've had to do the above with some of my scopes out of the box. Not a big deal, but can be a bit confusing if you haven't had to do it before.

Agreed, except I think by bore sighting they were referring to looking down the barrel, you have a quality gun and scope, so even if you have a 30-40MOA rail, most higher end scopes with a 30mm - 34mm tube will have enough adjustment, (unless you have very limited travel with what you have), to get on at 100m/yards, unless your barrel is bent upward like Elmer Fudd's.

Only rare thing I could think of messing with you is a ring is not seated proper and messing with elevation, or windage is dialed so far left or right that you have lost elevation travel, pics and more info on the setup would help.
 
Last edited:
I have owned an AW for years.

AW rifles have zero moa bases (either integral dovetail or the glued/pinned picatinny rail). If you are using an original AI one piece mount (it would be either 18, 28 or 45 moa cant) make sure its not on backwards as that would make it shoot high for certain.
 
I have owned an AW for years.

AW rifles have zero moa bases (either integral dovetail or the glued/pinned picatinny rail). If you are using an original AI one piece mount (it would be either 18, 28 or 45 moa cant) make sure its not on backwards as that would make it shoot high for certain.

Actually a backwards rail/mount would make it shoot LOW.
 
Actually a backwards rail/mount would make it shoot LOW.

That doesn't sound right... If, to increase your range you need to make the barrel angle up in relation to the scope, then a canted rail would raise the rear of the scope not the front, which in turn would cause you to shoot high if installed backwards(the front of the scope would be raised not the rear)... No?
 
Actually a backwards rail/mount would make it shoot LOW.

Yes poor wording on my part, I should have said it would make it shoot off for certain. Those mounts usually have no markings anywhere to indicate direction (mine does not). Assuming his scope is mounted up right, his problem might be where that reticle is set to, might be set on a zero stop (MTC) and not at factory setting if it is a used scope. S&B's can have a 23-26 mil range.
 
Last edited:
That doesn't sound right... If, to increase your range you need to make the barrel angle up in relation to the scope, then a canted rail would raise the rear of the scope not the front, which in turn would cause you to shoot high if installed backwards(the front of the scope would be raised not the rear)... No?

No,if the front of the scope is pointing up, the barrel is pointing guess where ........... DOWN.
Barrel pointing down= bullet impact low
 
Not sure which S&B scope is being used. S&B hunting scopes do not have a great deal of elevation or windage travel and you can have issues with a 20MOA rail. The adjustable rings are not a bad idea. S&B scopes don't really work well at the limit of their travel. For that reason S&B Zenith scopes have red and green zones on their turrets. Is your setting in the red zone (at or shortly before the limit) they don't track well. I have experienced that. Only last week I had to re-work mounts so the Zenith scope I mounted on a 20 MOA rail was set front mount a bit higher. I just re- bed the scope in the mount to a certain amount. The rings with adjustable inserts are also an option.

edi
 
Back
Top Bottom