My scope doesn't have enough elevation to bring the crosshairs to zero, shoots too high.

I think I have to put a shim the bottom of the back ring.

Whats the proceedure? What material for shim?

Thanks for any advice you can give. Mounts and rings are S&K on Savage 99.

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzly Albert:
My scope doesn't have enough elevation to bring the crosshairs to zero, shoots too high.

I think I have to put a shim the bottom of the back ring.

Just the opposite.If you must shim do the front ring. roger

I'm not a big fan of shimming, however, if you have to, then I would recommend putting the shim under the base rather than under the scope. Aluminum works okay for a shim. Use a piece of aluminum from a soft drink can, or, a beer can. Flatten it out, trim it to size with heavy scissors, knock a couple of holes in it to clear the screws and slip it beneath the front of the base.

S&K make a quality scope mount, I would call them and talk to them before shimming the base.

There is always the oddball issue and maybe you have the wrong base somewhere. Additionally, since you have a vertically split ring there is the risk of kinking the scope tube if the axis of the rings are not parallel as well as in line.

If you absolutely need to shim the base, I'd install only the rear base and measure the gap between the base of the front mount and the receiver with a feeler guage. As far as material, beer can material works fine (sand the label off first!) but stainless steel shim stock I think is probably the best if shimming is what you want to do.

Griz,

The Burris Signature Rings work very well for your application. They have an interchangable insert kit that keep the scope stress free.

Leupold accessory kits—the ones with extra turret caps, screws etc.—come with shims for mounts. I’ve got two of these kits so I’m betting other shops have them as well. Ask your neighborhood gun shop or gunsmith and I’ll be the they can help you.

I have shimmed with steel, Aluminum, Aluminum foil, epoxy, and paper.

And I have taken some off the other mount.
Steve Acker takes some off the other mount with a boring bar of fly cutter to match the concave radius of the mount with the convex radius of the receiver.

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=4-1114705195-0
I can usually match a mill bit close enough and then bed with epoxy.

bartsche,
Upon reflection, you are perfectly correct.

I shall try shimming the front mount with soda can material and will let you know the results.

Thanks to all, I know I can always count on you guys.

Soda can material may be a bit harder to work with than simply several thicknesses of aluminum foil. A modest amount of shimming won't damage the scope, and actually may correct a misalignment.

If you use soda can, the edge of the cut has a cusp.
You need to file that cusp off.
It could control the height, but eventually bend down with mount tightening.

When we stack sheet metal layers for the magnetic cores of transformers, we face the cusps all in the same direction.