Hi this is a little lesson on how to make the most of low end optics, this is what works for me, I have 5 short action stevens and all have Simmons white tail classics on them 99.00 each, and 5 long actions and those have vortex crossfires also 99.00 each, like I said low end but I make them work this is my method.
The base line should be your favorite load in that caliber, the secret is to get the scopes adjustments in the middle of there number of rotations, if windage or elevation is 6 turns from highest to lowest or right to left you want the knobs to be at or near three turns for both and be on target, the reason for this is so the springs that hold the reticules will be in there most relaxed position, this is what you want due to the fact that they won't sag or lose tention and they end result will be that they will hold ZERO since the springs have nowhere to go, this is how you get there, mount your scope and with your best load zero in on target, then right then and there don't wait to get home put the bore sight er in, I use the bsa one it's 20.00 - 30.00 bucks the one that has a graph in it then with some graph paper I write and copy down what I see in the bore sight er, then I turn the adjustment knobs to the middle or most relaxed position, look in the bore sight er again you will be way off that's normal, to fix this you need the scope rings with hex screws on both sides these are also 20.00 - 30.00 that's how you adjust your windage, and as far as elevation goes I use shims under the scope bases they are available from midway and brownell's and that puts me spot on every time, check the sight er often as you make changes until you get back to your spot that you made on the graph paper, even if you only do the windage your scope will be that much better, the Burris rings do both win and elev if you want to spend the money, and if you try differant loads you can go back and forth and return to the right setting or if you leave it in the safe for awhile when you take it back out if your not spot on you will be darn close. That's my story and I'm stick in to it, hope this helps.
Thanks Dean