I’ve got a Ruger no 1 in 7mm-08 with a Leupold Vx3 3.5-10x40 mounted in the medium offset rings. When shooting at 50 yards I’m about 6 inches high, and I can’t make any more adjustments down. It’s almost as if the rib on the barrel could be mounted at a slight downward angle. I’ve remounted the scope and checked the alignment of the rings and everything seems to be in order.
Any ideas on what’s causing me to run out of downward adjustment?
I’ve never heard of a No.1 rib being problematic that way. First thing, of course, and it sounds like you’ve done this, is to make sure both rings have exactly the same height. Maybe snug up the rear ring with the top of the front ring completely off, and see if there is any gapping under the tube making sure your scope isn’t touching the rib or barrel anywhere. Last thing I can think of, and I’m not trying to be a smart ass, is be sure your scope isn’t turned 90deg so you are using the windage adjustment for elevation. I bought a rifle once with the scope mounted like this…
I don't know if this will fix your problem,but it worked for me with my Ruger #1.I ran out of windage adjustment.I needed to go about 6" more inches to the left.A guy at the range told me to re zero my scope to factory zero.There are two ways to do it.Turn your turret all the way in one direction until it stops,then rotate the turret back the other direction until it stops,counting each click.(Example 200 clicks) Then turn the turret back the other direction,half way (Example half way is 100 clicks) Now your scope will be back to center zero.It's probably best to do both windage and elevation,but you don't have to.The other way is much easier.You put a mirror over the end of the objective of the scope.When you look in,you will see two sets of crosshairs.Turn your turrets until they line up and it looks just like one crosshair.Now you will have your scope set back to factory zero and you should be able to sight your rifle in.On my rifle I was surprised,after turning those turrets that far,when I shot my rifle I was only a couple of inches from the bullseye and I easily sighted in my rifle with no other changes other than re-zeroing the scope.
Posts: 359 | Location: Corpus Christi,Texas | Registered: 19 April 2004
What baldhunter suggest should be done on every scope thats mounted on any rifle to start with as you want the cross hairs in the focal center of the scope or as close as possible for a number of reasons..Be sure the bottom of the front lens is not touching the barrel, and bore sight it, then sight it in..It should sight it with very litte adjustment. be sure the rings are on proper and sounds like perhaps yours are not and you may you need to swap them as to front and rear...Did you purchase it new or used?
We've had several new Rugers in the shop with rings that didn't bottom in their bases. That half-moon tab on the underside was too big to seat in it's mortise. A few minutes with a diamond file cured it. It is not readily apparent and you can attach the rings and think everything is OK. That could be your problem.
Posts: 3665 | Location: SC,USA | Registered: 07 March 2002
Which direction the turrets are pointing does not matter. Unless it has a BDC reticle. Make sure you are making the reticle go UP; that brings the bullets down.
Posts: 17094 | Location: USA | Registered: 02 August 2009
I use the same ring set up on a couple of mine without problems. Make sure they are fully seated maybe, and center your adjustments as previously mentioned. Shimming the rib, can't imagine.
Posts: 1129 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: 04 April 2009
Originally posted by kda55: I use the same ring set up on a couple of mine without problems. Make sure they are fully seated maybe, and center your adjustments as previously mentioned. Shimming the rib, can't imagine.
What else are going to do? Mill something off the underside of the rear surface? Or maybe sell the rifle?
Jim Kobe 10841 Oxborough Ave So Bloomington MN 55437 952.884.6031 Professional member American Cusom Gunmakers Guild
Posts: 5500 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 10 July 2002
I have had problems with 3 leupolds that did not track properly. Simple to check with a bore scope. Put the gun in a vise or cleaning cradle where you can adjust the scope while looking through it. Spin the elevation turret and make sure the crosshairs are moving. You can easily see the crosshairs moving in relation to the grid in the bore scope. Only takes a minute and it's one more thing you can rule out. Make sure you go all the way up and down.
Posts: 376 | Location: USA | Registered: 26 March 2016
Well, I re-mounted the scope in some low Ruger rings and I also re-zeroed the scope.
Took it to the range today, and I’m still about three inches high at 50 yards before I’m unable to make any further downward adjustments.
So either my scope is bad or the rib on the gun is mounted at a slight angle. I put some levels on the barrel and the rib and they seem parallel to each other.
Not sure what my other options are. I’m not really interested in selling the gun because it might have some of the nicest wood I’ve ever seen on a No. 1.
Guess I may try a different scope. I don’t really want to shim one of the rings.
Send the gun to a gunsmith, Im sure they can fix it..I can't imagine a Ruger no. 1 having such a problem, Ive had too many of them..Might call Ruger..The two times Ive seen that problem was the rings were on the wrong base or wrong end, swapped them out and all worked fine in both cases..??????
Could be you bought the gun with the wrong rings..A call to Ruger might be a good idea..but a good smith should fix the problem..I don't want any shims on my guns..
Got the gun back from Ruger. They installed a new rib. So they must have confirmed that the original one was out of whack. According to the test target, the issue appears to be resolved.
I remounted the scope and bore sighted it, and I didn’t have to make many adjustments to the scope. I think that’s a good sign. I’m going to try to get out to the range later this week.
