Thread: Help setting up Vortex scope?

This has been bugging me for a while, maybe one of you knows what's up.

On my Vortex scope turrets there are nice little white lines marked 0, 1, 2, 3...up to six I think.

I presume they help count how many full revolutions you've turned from zero.

But they aren't adjustable and aren't aligned with the natural zero of the scope?

Photo attached is from a brand new Strike Eagle. On windage you can see I'm sitting at about four turns, out of the box.

I've bore sighted the rifle and only adjusted windage by one quarter MOA. Shouldn't the scope be sitting on the zero revolutions?

I've got two other Vortex scopes of higher quality and it's the same story. Is there something I'm missing or are these just naff white lines pretending to do something?

Shouldn't windage when zeroed be about halfway on number of revolutions, since you will want to dial in both directions? Left and right, depending on which side the wind is coming from?

Turrets are zero reset are they not? Maybe mechanically centre reticle then slip turrets and set to "zero" and bore sight again.

Then adjust from there with shots until happy with zero. Re slip and return turrets to zero.

I think you should then be able to dial as per usual. Though I am likely wrong as not much to do with them.

You are correct in that they show what rotation you are on.
In a perfect world with the scope zeroed the windage should be in the centre of adjustment, but in practice this is not always the case.

You could buy Burris signature rings and use the inserts to adjust the your mount to centre the scope, or just take note of what revolution is marked at zero.
My VX6 has the ability to adjust that revolution marker, but in most scopes it's just printed on the tube like your one.

Yeah but on the 4th turn already seems excessive surely?.

Personally I always mechanically centre every new scope. Never had any even remotely close to zero out of box. Although I also have never owned "insert 2k + scope here".

Try putting it against a mirror and check whether you are seeing two lots of reticle. If so adjust until both are aligned and then slip turrets to 0 mark. I know it's a pain in the ass but I found it gets me close as shit to bore sighted if everything else is in line and tight etc.

Also have a play with bases and ring orientation as that can occasionally save a few $ (assuming that the rings and bases are good and that you are able to change orientation) failing that get the signature rings as mentioned above. They are pretty good.

im not too familiar with the vortex scopes, but if it has a resettable zero - then once zeroed, loosen the screws in the turret - then push the turret in or out till it lines up with the middle rotation line.
again im not too familiar with that scope so it may not be possible, but that's what you would do on many scopes.

Yosemite sam....I have just,last week,put a Viper HS 4-16x44 on a 308.....Im a Little lost,after bore sighting(with a laser 308 cartridge)shoot at 25 metres,adjust,shoot at 100 metres,re-adjust,.......remove the caps and re-seat at zero.....that is now your “new”zero....maybe I’m not reading this correctly

QuoteI've bore sighted the rifle and only adjusted windage by one quarter MOA. Shouldn't the scope be sitting on the zero revolutions?

...as I understand it adjusting the windage does not change any of your zero settings

Originally Posted by Preacher

Yeah but on the 4th turn already seems excessive surely?.

Personally I always mechanically centre every new scope. Never had any even remotely close to zero out of box. Although I also have never owned "insert 2k + scope here".

Try putting it against a mirror and check whether you are seeing two lots of reticle. If so adjust until both are aligned and then slip turrets to 0 mark. I know it's a pain in the ass but I found it gets me close as shit to bore sighted if everything else is in line and tight etc.

I can't read the numbers of the rotations, but as it's the windage knob I'd guess it's only one rotation off 0 as 0 is in the middle.

I think they are there to indicate which rotation you are at. If you run a 20 or 30 MOA rail you would then have to adjust your zero down. That would give you more rotation.( Should move it from two rotations you have now, to 4-5 rotations) When you reset your zero I don't think it alters the rotation mark you are on after zeroing.

I have several Vortex scopes and once I have zeroed for the range I want I reset the turret back to O then to see how many rotations I have left I wind it out to its max and count each rotation. That gives you the most accurate idea on your remaining rotations.

Those lines are a vernier reading for you. So you can tell how many minutes from left or right you are. Looks like you are 3 or so lines in, and if you keep winding and find it stops at say 6 lines in, then you know you are almost centered with your windage. I just checked some of my scopes and they are all 3 or so lines in just about the same as your picture.