Savage and Vortex mod 10 FCP HS in 308

[Hazzmatics]

New to being registered, not new to the forums. Great resource!

I'm having what I think is an issue, I hope you guys can shed some light. This issue doesn't keep me from utilizing my rifle to its effective range, but I cant help but think something is amiss.

I "think" I should have more travel then I do given my current 200 yard zero.

Rifle: Model 10 FCP HS precision
Base: Weaver 20 MOA base
Rings: I forget nothing fancy but not bad
Scope: Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 in MRAD (max Elevation of 19 mrads or 65 MOA)
Round: Hand Loaded Hornady 178 grain Match bthp with Varget
This load is shooting .50-.80 sized groups at 200 yards.

With my rifle zeroed at 200 yards I have about one and a half rotations until I run out of travel, precisely 78 (7.8 MRAD or 27 MOA) clicks and it stops dialing for elevation. From the zeroed position I have about two and a half rotations down past the zero. If i was in the middle Id have 9.5 MRADs either direction and with a 20 MOA base shouldn't I have over 9.5 MRADs of elevation left?

Not sure if I'm making much sense but would love some input.

From the BC you can see that 1000 would be my max dialable distance

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc319/hazzmat321/308/Screenshot_2013-05-22-14-20-00.png (http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hazzmat321/media/308/Screenshot_2013-05-22-14-20-00.png.html)

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc319/hazzmat321/308/557133_10150636731613445_1957552391_n-2.jpg (http://s212.photobucket.com/user/hazzmat321/media/308/557133_10150636731613445_1957552391_n-2.jpg.html)

[OLEJOE]

You could try shimming the base or use the Burris Signature rings with the inserts. The inserts are available with different offsets to correct alignment issues or add elevation. I read a review where a guy was using them on a 50BMG and they held zero. They will hold.

[cqh1111]

I second the idea of using Burris Signature Zee rings. With the inserts you can gain another 20moa of adjustment. The 30mm sig zee rings come with "zero" inserts and +/-.010 inserts. I just wish they would make +/-.020 inserts for the 30mm rings like they do for 1" rings.

[chukarmandoo]

Are you sure you have a 20 MOA base? I think not.

[bodywerks]

Are you sure you have a 20 MOA base? I think not.

I think the same thing, based on the pic. But this is also not the first time I've heard this about the viper pst line.

[Hazzmatics]

I think the same thing, based on the pic. But this is also not the first time I've heard this about the viper pst line.

Thats the first thing I thought, maybe its not a 20 MOA base, I cant see anywhere on the base that it is a 20, however I did measure it and it does slope down or is smaller in the front.

[glassbeaver]

I have the same gun and the 4-16 pst. I have 15 mils of travel with a 100 yard zero and an EGW 20 MOA base. Something's not right

[glassbeaver]

I had almost the same amount of travel with my falcon menace as well

[chukarmandoo]

I can't get to the base on my rifle to get a good number. Anyway its on a old flat top LA so I don't think that it would help. Maybe someone on here has a 20 moa base they could measure for you and post the numbers?

[thomae]

Anyway its on a old flat top LA so I don't think that it would help.

Right there, that MIGHT be your problem. The flat tops were milled by hand and sometimes were off. If I were you, I would take off the rail to do some measuring.

While the rail of off, clean the bottom of the rail and the top of the receiver really well.

While it is off, you can also more accurately measure the relative thickness of the front and the rear of the rail to see if it is indeed slanted.

The other thing to do is to get an engineer's straight edge and lay it across the rail to make sure the rail isn't bent.

Then I would put the rail back on, but only put the REAR screws in. Once you have snugged them up, check to see if there is a gap in the front between the bottom of the scope mount and the top of the receiver.

Then I would take out the rear screws and put in only the FRONT screws. Snug them and see if there now is a gap between the bottom of the rail and the REAR of the receiver.

If you do have a gap, you can fix it either with shims or by bedding the rail.

I might be wrong on all this, but it's worth a look-see. If I am wrong, you are no worse off than you are now.

Good luck.

[chukarmandoo]

Thomae, I think you misunderstood this was my base, not the the OP's.

[thomae]

Thomae, I think you misunderstood this was my base, not the the OP's.Whoops! If I could read, I'd be dangerous!

[Hazzmatics]

Well, the "20 MOA" rail I purchased from a now non existent gun shop was in fact NOT a 20 MOA rail, doh! I took if off and measured it to confirm. @Chukarmandoo good eyes.

After running down to my local shop and purchasing a new REAL 20 MOA rail I also discovered I need to just barely bed the base in the rear. Once I complete the bedding and go to the range I will report.

On a side note, the Vortex rep said this "As far as your travel goes, something isn't right. You should have, theoretically, 12.5MOA down and 52.5MOA up with a 20MOA base."

We will see if I can get close to these numbers. I still kind of doubt it.

Hazz

[bodywerks]

That's in theory only. Gotta account for scope height and bullet drop when zeroing. Granted, at 100 yards drop will only be a tenth of an inch but if your scope height is 1.6 inches that's automatically 1.5 MOA of up elevation. So really you should be more like 50-51 of up and 13-14 down.