M14 Forum

coldshot

I've got a Leupold MK4 3.5-10 mounted on my LRB with Leupold MK4 rings and a Sadlak steel mount. The problem is that I'm running out of elevation on the scope at around 500 yds. Previously, this same scope was mounted on my bolt gun and used to shoot out to 1,000 yds without running out of elevation. Nothing wrong with the scope or rings as far as I know. After using it for the Thunder Ranch Midrange Rifle class last year, I took it off the bolt gun and put it on the LRB. I've had the scope for years and it's been dead nuts reliable. The rifle is a rear lug LRB with a Krieger heavy barrel bedded in a McMillan M1A stock. It's more accurate than I am.

I installed the mount myself according to the instructions. After having problems zeroing it, I took it to my gunsmith to have it checked. He originally built my rifle and is very experienced. He checked it out and retorqued everything.

I'm stumped. It doesn't seem like there's very much to screw up on this, but I seem to have accomplished it. I'm ready to pack it in and strip the rifle back to irons. Thoughts?

Blademaker

Talk with Sadlak, there very helpfull.

Sounds like you need to make a couple turns on the forward screw that braces the mount against the top of the receiver ring while every thing else is a little loose.

I had a good bit of trouble with mine till Sadlak talked me through it. Still don't know exactly why it worked but it did and everything is level and centered.

coldshot

Thanks for the reply. Would that mean tightening the front screw, then the side screw, and the clip guide screw last?

howardhughes

I gave up on their mounts, very nice customer service but had lots of troubles with sighting after mounting...same as you. I realy didnt want to spend all the time #ucking around with measurments per factory info/kit. Went with a 3rd gen SA and a leatherwood mount. The leatherwood has lots of adj ...i set up the rifle to "0" at the range and just epoxy set screws.

Scouter19D

Disregard howard, as that doesn't seem to help you at all... Yes, you need to crank the front screw, then tighten the set screw on the side. But not too much on the center screw. A little goes a long way. Best thing to do is crank your scope down to about a 1/4 of its elevation, then turn your front screw, and shoot a verifying shot to make sure you're close to where you need to be. It DOES take a somewhat "Special touch" to get that screw set perfectly to where your elevation is actually usable for the range your looking at, but it's well worth it.

Scouter19D

Your clip guide screws should already be tight before you set your final "elevation" with the front if I recall how we did it correctly. It DID take a little bit of time at the range, especially when I zeroed it, cranked on it, and then ran out of elevation at 300 yards. Oops! Once you're set, you're done. It will stay there forever. Just give it a little bit more time,you'll definitely be happy with it.

valken

I have a similar problem. First what is the height of the rings. I would try and stay away from medium to high rings. Go with low or if there is something in the extra low I would try them. The cam that goes in the side of the receiver can be worked a little bit to get a bit of a down base. But as you do it make sure you still have contact with the angle face. I wonder if any of these mount manufacturers will make them with a 20 moa down base on top of there mounts. This would help a lot.

SOCOM42

The problem may come from the actual rifle build, not saying it is wrong but that the tension on the tube may be causing the problem.

The amount of pull down applied when bedding causes changes the bore's axis. You cannot use as much on a mac stock as a wood one.

I have nearly the same setup as you(you can see it in my pics), i still have plenty of elevation left after dialing in one thousand yds.

Have seen quite a few with that problem, also, sometimes there is an out of square condition between the bbl and rcvr which throws the mounting slot out on an angle and out of alignment with the bore.

The mounts (BPT) as built do not need any angle added for any of the ultra scopes using M118 or M852.

ConRich

Do yourself a favor, call Mike at Sadlak. Mike will talk you through whatever is required to solve your problem.

Contrary to what most people think, you want to LOWER the front of your mount, or raise the rear to gain elevation.

Rich

nf1e@snet.net

ConRich is right on. Adjustments to your mount are quite simple. Lowering front is usually the best. Give Mike Sadlak a call. You might just find him to be a new friend. I did.

tonyben

It may also be as simple as swapping your scope rings, as in, swaping the front ring with the back one. If you have a lapping kit, I don't see why you can't lap some metal off the front ring to get your scope to angle down more.

Tony.

f1fanatic

Also something to note. There is a "bead" of material on the inside of the mount. This should interface with the "groove" on the port side of the receiver. That should be your starting point. One you have the side and stripper clip bolts hand-snug you can bring the forward bolt down to just make contact with the top of receiver. Then tighten the side and rear bolts again, then check the front bolt to make sure it just making contact with perhaps just a half turn of tension. This should make everything locked down and level. I have an Airborne mount and I do not think there is any MOA built into the mount. YMMV. Good luck.