The modern riflescope is an amazing piece of technology. It has enhanced the ability of shooters to see and engage their targets at greater range than ever before. There are many aspects to consider when choosing a riflescope. Tube size, glass, lens coatings, focal plane, and magnification are each important to consider. An often-overlooked variable is the ability of a scope to "track" accurately and consistently.

What is Accurate, Consistent, Scope Tracking?

Scope tracking is the ability of a scope's mechanical elevation (up and down) and windage (left and right) adjustments to move the crosshairs precisely where the shooter intends.

The adjustment knobs on a scope (called "turrets") are calibrated to move at precise intervals. Much like the second-hand on an analog watch, each of these intervals (or "clicks") is expected to be the same. Riflescopes are usually calibrated in Minutes of Angle (MOA) or Milliradians (Mils), units used to measure an angle.

Suppose you have a riflescope calibrated in MOA. If your scope has ¼ MOA adjustments, four clicks will equal one MOA, and translate to approximately one inch of bullet impact change at 100 yards, two inches at 200 yards, and so on. If your bullet is impacting one inch high at 100 yards, four clicks down should bring your next shot to the bulls-eye.

Why is Scope Tracking Important?

If your scope does not track properly, you cannot be sure that the adjustments you are making are correct. If you attempt a shot that requires ten MOA of adjustment, 40 clicks of the turret should equal ten MOA. A scope that is not tracking properly may move 38 MOA or 41 MOA instead of 40. This will throw the shot off considerably, resulting in a missed bulls-eye, or possibly a wounded animal.

Poor scope tracking can also affect the scope's ability to return to zero, meaning that the crosshairs won't return to the starting point after an adjustment has been made.

Testing Your Scope for Accurate and Consistent Tracking

Scopes can be tested using several different methods, which range from basic to complicated. The accuracy of these tests depends greatly on the care taken in setting them up and measuring the results. It is important to take as much care as possible.

It is also important to test your scope at least to the outer limits of the distances you will be shooting. If you regularly shoot long-range distances, you need to make sure the scope is tracking accurately throughout its useable range. If you are a hunter who never shoots beyond 200 or 300 yards, testing the extreme range of your scope may not be necessary.

If the scope is new, it is a good idea to make sure the turret knobs are broken in by turning the windage and elevation knobs through their entire range several times. This should ensure that the internal mechanics are working, and that the turrets will perform smoothly during your tests.