Mounting Scopes on Rifles

capecod

November 10, 2003 04:52

I have mounted several scopes on rifles which I haven't fired as yet. I've read several posts on the recoil injuries that are possible if the scope is not mounted correctly.
How does one determine the correct placement of a scope to avoid facial injuries?
Thanks
John

Even a Fish Wouldn't Get Into Trouble - If It Kept It's Mouth Shut...

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  He Dog

  November 10, 2003 05:16

  Trial and error mostly. This becomes a problem if the scope has short eye relief, and is mounted well back to accomodate that. If you take a position with the rifle as if you are shooting it and look (or have someone measure the distance from the scope to your brow, you should have a good idea what will happen. If the scope is 2.5" to 3" or more away, you should be ok, much closer, particularly with a heavy recoiling rifle could be a problem.
  
  My heros have always killed cowboys.

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  trstone

  November 10, 2003 05:18

  When I mount a scope on a rifle, I start by establishing a "head position" that feels the most natural when I shoulder the rifle and sight through an imaginary, very highly-mounted front sight. (You know---not hunched too far forward, or my neck scrunched at a funny angle as it would be for looking through a standard low-mounted iron sight.) Then, trying to maintain and consistently replicate that head-position, I carefully adjust the scope forward or backward to maximize the eye-relief---or, in other words, to make the sight-picture as big and bright as I can. Once it's close, I shoulder the rifle, peek through the scope, let it down, shoulder it and peek again, lower it again, and make a mental note to check that I'm still maintaining my head-position, and still getting good eye-relief. Then I close my eyes, shoulder the rifle and pop my eye open. If the sight-picture/eye-relief is unchanged, then I call it good. By closing your eyes before you shoulder the rifle, you're making your brain position your head along the rifle's line of sight by touch, which can reveal whether your head-position is consistent or not, or shows if you're scrunching your neck, creeping forward, and so on. Sometimes it takes a little bit of tweaking, and a few repetitions of the close-eyes-shoulder-rifle-pop-'em-open routine, but once I've got it, I know I'm set, and brow-clearance has never been a problem.
  
  Just one man's opinion/technique....Hope it helps!!!

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