Savage Model 12 VLP .233 & Sightron SIII 6-24x50 LR

The scope does not have to be mounted level/plumb to the action. It can be rotated, even by a lot (15 degrees, 30 degrees etc).

Shooting with the scope in the same orientation, preferably level, shot after shot is important (vitally important at long range). One can get a bubble level that attaches to a scope's tube for this purpose, also front sights for long range competition iron sights rifles are available with built in bubble levels.
 
The scope does not have to be mounted level/plumb to the action. It can be rotated, even by a lot (15 degrees, 30 degrees etc).

Shooting with the scope in the same orientation, preferably level, shot after shot is important (vitally important at long range). One can get a bubble level that attaches to a scope's tube for this purpose, also front sights for long range competition iron sights rifles are available with built in bubble levels.
If your scope was turned say 45 degrees right, then 4 clicks up @ 100 yards (one inch) would yield a change of impact point of .707 up and .707 right. Factor that in with the fact that gravity acts in a downward vector, you end up with a complicated curved trajectory. Simple physics. I have also seen this proved practically as well. Shooting with the scope plumb to the action helps with keeping the gun level, not canted, which gives you a misleading adjustment as earlier. Plus it only takes an extra 2 minutes, so why not try and gain every advantage available?
 
green machine I understand your explanation and agree with your math. What you say is true, if you shoot with the rifle level and your scope canted 45 degrees to the right.

Look at the situation from a different angle - so long as the _scope_ is level when you aim and shoot, it does not matter what the rifle's orientation is w.r.t. it. If you make the scope level by (say) aligning the crosshairs with the horizontal and visual cues provided by a level/square target, or if you use a bubble level on your scope, it matters little if any just where exactly the rifle barrel is hanging w.r.t. the scope.

The point I was trying to make is that it is not at all necessary to fuss with a scope's orientation, for accuracy reasons. It is worth fussing with the orientation for reasons of cosmetics, or for reasons of rifle fit (sometimes a target rifle will fit a shooter well when it is in a canted position; in this case one can shoot with the rifle in the canted position, if the sights are oriented so as to be vertical when the rifle is in the chosen shooting position).

My main message - what matters is that the *sights* be aligned with the target.
 
green machine I understand your explanation and agree with your math. What you say is true, if you shoot with the rifle level and your scope canted 45 degrees to the right.

Look at the situation from a different angle - so long as the _scope_ is level when you aim and shoot, it does not matter what the rifle's orientation is w.r.t. it. If you make the scope level by (say) aligning the crosshairs with the horizontal and visual cues provided by a level/square target, or if you use a bubble level on your scope, it matters little if any just where exactly the rifle barrel is hanging w.r.t. the scope.

The point I was trying to make is that it is not at all necessary to fuss with a scope's orientation, for accuracy reasons. It is worth fussing with the orientation for reasons of cosmetics, or for reasons of rifle fit (sometimes a target rifle will fit a shooter well when it is in a canted position; in this case one can shoot with the rifle in the canted position, if the sights are oriented so as to be vertical when the rifle is in the chosen shooting position).

My main message - what matters is that the *sights* be aligned with the target.
Definitely agree on the sights aligned with the target :)
But take my previous example, turn the entire rifle so the crosshairs are level, now the barrel centerline is to the right. It will be over (scope height/ sin cant angle) say for the example a scope height of 1.5 inches so (1.5/sin45)=1.06 inches. Picture that the line of sight and the line of sight through the barrel intersect, making two sides of a right triangle.that triangle will be rotated 45 degrees around the axis of the line of sight. If you stick a laser in the muzzle, and adjust it so it is zeroed at 100 yards, it will print on paper 1.06 right and 1.06 down at 0 yards, and 1.06 left and 1.06 up at 200 yards. Admittedly this is a simplified example with a laser. Throw in the arced trajectory of a bullet, and the effects of gravity as the bullet travels sideways and it gets far more complicated. If the rifle is level, and the scope is level, you take the sideways vector out of the equation, and now only have to deal with the up and down flight of the bullet.
 
sorry for the hijack, started a new thread with the relevent contents of this thread

....I was thinking the same thing too. Thanks for starting the new thread, will see you over there Rifle scopes - Level or not?

Sorry from me too to the OP for the thread hijack! I look forward to hearing about your good progress with your nice new rifle.
 
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As stated the accu-trigger can be finicky expecially the target model .If you close the bolt hard it will go into what you referred to as safe mode.Work the bolt gently and it should not do this. If it becomes a major problem ,as mine did, turn the pull weight up.
I set mine at 1lb. and it rarely is an issue now.
 
Nice set up, Ive got the exact same thing going but the SIII 8-32 scope (even got it from Ellwoods, took a long time but the price is right)! Ive finally got the reloading set up completed, just getting some practice loading for the AR anf .40 before I start with the precision loading.

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Here's a grouping I did with some cheap ammo when I first got the rifle.

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nice rig!! I have its brother, the only difference is the scope and rings. The power of the scope is the same.
I absolutely love my gun, it weighs 13 lbs all dressed up, but worth every ounce in accuracy.

Happy Shooting

Savage VLP .223 Rem.
Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24x50 Tactical
Zeiss 30mm rings
Harris Swivel Bipod

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Range day # 2

Finally got back out to the range yesterday ... sun, hot, slight wind, perfect day. I was shooting using a front and rear bag rather than a bipod to see if I could tell a difference in group sizes or consistency. What I found was that the bench table at the range was a perfect height for the front bag but the rear bag came up too short so I had to shim it with a 2x4 which was less than ideal and I think this may have hurt my accuracy.

Rifle seems to like the V-Max 55gr. but I think it can do better with both more skill and better ammo. I've got some 75 gr. BTHP Superformance on order.

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what happened to the old 112 fvss were they replaced, they look exactly like the new 12 bvss, just seen one in 7mm mag..not sure though.
 
Sorry Jerry but I don't know how to hand-load as of yet ... this was all factory ammo. Once I get my order of the 100 Superformance rounds I'll be keeping the brass and I'll mix them with some powder and Hornady bullets that Daniel is picking up for me in Ottawa. I'm eager so see what the results will be.
 
what happened to the old 112 fvss were they replaced, they look exactly like the new 12 bvss, just seen one in 7mm mag..not sure though.

The new 12 BVSS is not new. The 112 designates long action and the fv's that I have seen have synthetic stocks.

But I'm always ready to learn.
 
Sorry Jerry but I don't know how to hand-load as of yet ... this was all factory ammo. Once I get my order of the 100 Superformance rounds I'll be keeping the brass and I'll mix them with some powder and Hornady bullets that Daniel is picking up for me in Ottawa. I'm eager so see what the results will be.

Checking in from Ottawa - have your powder and bullets in hand, will see you with them soon. Looking forward to seeing how they shoot!
 
Excellent! It's like early Christmas. I have high hopes. UPS says my Superformance should arrive on Tuesday, lucky me, I'm off Tuesday and I bed I can send 100 rounds down-range in an afternoon.
 
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