I mounted a low power scope on a rifle, and I can see the front sight at low magnification. That doesn't bother me, but what does is that the vertical hair ought to be going right down through the center of the sight (oughtn't it?), and it isn't - it's 3 or 4 blade widths off to one side.

Details:

-Rem 700
-Leupold 1.5-5X, adjustments set to the center
-Leupold dual dovetail bases & rings, low
-Lapped with Brownell's ring lap, per instructions
-The pattern of metal removal was symmetrical side-to-side, and heaviest at the bottom center of each ring (a good sign, I think?), but the fore-and-aft pattern indicated the rings are farther apart at the top (lower front and upper rear of rear ring, and lower rear and upper front of front ring is where the metal came off).

If these were the bases with the windage screws on the rear, I'd just conclude the rear ring isn't exactly centered on its base, but it's hard to imagine that's the case with the dual dovetail.

Could the barrel be screwed into the receiver crooked? BTW, I'll know more later - I plan to boresight it tonight, and take it to the range this weekend. I'll post my results.

One more thing - I had aperture sights on this rifle, and the windage was noticeably off center, but well within the adjustment range.

Could it be that the front sight needs to be drifted? Grab a calipers, maybe, find the approx center of the bore, mark it, and find the approx center of the front sight, mark it and see what you come up with. I could be reading you incorrectly, but there doesn't seem to be a real problem.

I have seen the same thing with Leupold 1.5-5 on a commercial Mauser with a 22" barrel and nice sights. The guns shots fine.

I bet all is lined up well. Try moving your face in and out on the stock and watch the from sight move across the cross hairs.
That's what makes mine do this. I don't have good explainination for why, but know this is the cause on my gun. I suspect your eye is not centered on the gun. With out the low power scope and the front sight you never notice it.

Trigger has the Idea. I have a Burris 1.75x5. If I move my head, the front sight moves. Just a parrelex play on your eyes.

Hmmm... Well, we'll see. I just boresighted it, and I did indeed have to crank the windage about 20 clicks, and now when I shoulder it, the front sight and the vertical hair line up.

I follow what you're saying about parallax - I should have said, the range of apparent movement due to parallax wasn't "centered" around the front sight - but now it is.

20 clicks = 5 MOA. Is that amount of barrel/receiver misalignment within tolerance for a mass-produced rifle like the 700?

FB
Get the scope adjustments back to equal or centered...so that you have same amount of click left as righ and up as in down.
Put rifle in your rifle vise and lay a bubble level across a flat on the action. This will get the rifle straight up and down.
Install rings and place level on bottom half of one ring to double check the vertical of rifle again.
Now put in the scope and top of rings.Tighten until scope will not slip...place level on the flat of the scope turrent...when bubble is level then scope hair will be vertical...rifle already is...now everything should be lined up.
If front sight looks off it is because your face in not in proper spot on stock.

I did all that the first time, Harry. I don't see what going through it again will accomplish. You did remind me of something, though: when I double-checked the level of the rifle, by putting a level across the bottom half of the ring (exactly as you suggest), the front and rear rings read different. It wasn't much - the bubble was completely between the lines on both, but each one was off toward the opposite side. I adjusted the rifle for an "average" level - each ring off by the same amount in the opposite direction. Since the 700 doesn't have a true flat on top of the receiver, that might mean the holes are not all right at 12 o'clock. That would cause a different level reading front & rear, and it might cock the scope a little to one side. I set the vertical hair along a door jamb I had previously checked for plumb.

As I said, I plan to fire it this weekend. If it shoots where it looks, I'll consider it good, but I'll still be curious what happened.

F.B.just to let you know & I hope that this doesn't start a bunch of folks worrying. When I spin a Remington receiver on a mandrel between centers in the lathe the majority of the time the out side of the receiver DOES NOT spin true with the mandrel. The question is I guess does Big Green set up on the bolt raceway or the out side of the receivers when they locate to drill & tap their receivers? this is why you must use a scope with a wide latitude in horizonal & vertical adjustment when using the dual dovetail system.

Doug

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NRA Life member

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[This message has been edited by Bear Claw (edited 02-23-2002).]

My homebrewed boresighting job actually worked. My first shot hit a 12" plate at 200 yards.

Fine tuning the zero shifted the vertical hair back the direction it came from a little, so it's off line with the front sight again, but it shoots where it looks, so it's done.

Still curious, though.

FB
" Don't worry....be happy!"
or ...don't fix what ain't broke! :-))

Thanks for the post Fat Bastard.

I just experienced the samething with my rifle.

Now I know I'm not alone.

Brian