Are side mount scopes accurate?

Question

Have had my mind heavy on scopes here lately and wondering if the side mount scopes are as accurate as the scopes mounted directly over the receiver. A pu style scope in particular because my mind is also mosin nagants.
Is there any advantage or disadvantage?
I have ebay link of russian women snipers and the ones that you can see their scopes are pu type and off to the left side. And no bayonets fixed like i have been told many times that russian soldiers leave their bayonets on and the sights are set with fixed bayonets.

Answer 1

The accuracy of scope has nothing to do with how it is mounted. Accuracy is generally measured by the size of a group when aiming at a single point at a specific range. Unless it is a crap scope that does not hold zero, the main affect of a scope on accuracy is parallax.



What the side mount affects is how you zeroize and the point of impact relative to the point of aim in the horizontal plane. If you make the scope exactly parallel to the barrel, then the point of impact will always be exactly the same distance in the horizontal plane (ignoring other windage factors) as the scope center line and the bore of the barrel.



Another option is to zero the point of impact and the point of aim at a specific yardage, say 200 yards. In that case, if the scope is mounted to the left of the barrel, at distances less than 200 yards the POI will be to the right of the POA, decreasing as it approaches 200 yards; it will be dead on at 200 yards; and to the left of the POA at greater then 200 yards, getting further away as distance increases. At 400 yards the POI will be a distance to the left of the POA equal to the distance between the scope center and the barrel bore.

Answer 2

yes as Holland & Holland rifles all have side mounts and they cosy over $100,000

Answer 3

Side mount scopes have been around a long time. The main disadvantage of them is they have to fired right or left handed, depending on the location of the scope and you can not switch sides.

Answer 4

They are as accurate as they are rigidly fixed anywhere on the gun. Consider the quality of the scope for holding zero. The further from barrel center line introduces a paralax.

Consider clearance for actions and ejection ports, you should be good to go.

Orientation of the scope may mean adjusting windage for range and range for windage.

Answer 5

Side mount scopes can be accurate, just need to know range and proper setting of scope knobs. Side mounts may have some strength issues, mount screw issues and the scope itself may need special or lesser available ring mountings. Note that side mounts are used on rifles that have some features making a top of barrel line mount impractical- ejection straight up or loading from top or bolt action with 'centered' bolt handle as in Moisins and Italian Mannlichers, other mannlichers with 'split bridge'.reciever using bold handle base as a locking lug in center of bolt and large 'split' of reciever for strength. Winchester 94 top ejector scope is options are long eye relief barrel mount or side mount to left since ejection is straight up out top. Marlin 336 lever actions have right side ejection and simple top mounting base is no problem. M1 Garand is top feed and top eject- SO, left side mount and scope offset. needed or again a low powered long eye relief scope needed to function. Moisin has bolt base as locking lug and top loading, ejecting , 'Kennedy Killer' M38 Carcano need side mounts, offset also because of action design similar to Moisin. K98 Mauser are top feed stripper clips but bolt is toward rear of reciever and ejection goes more toward side- a top of action scope mount with moderate eye relief possible with minimal operation affect- can't use stripper clips but can feed individual rounds. Number 3 and number 4 Lee-enfields can get a close eye relief scope mount and again only shortcoming is individual cartridge feed and that can be bypassed with couple spare magazines fitted and carried as quick reload from bottom. Moisin M44 rifles have been made into 'scout' hunting guns with long eye relief, low powered scopes and that allows them to use the stripper clips for reloads. WW2 Germany had some K98s with 1.75 power forward of receiver scopes mounted, could use standard strippers for reload- these weren't sniper' rifles but a 'designated rifleman' in squad or platoon arm, scout/pathfinder rifle

Answer 6

Yes, side mounted scopes are accurate as long as you keep the basics of scope sighting in mind. Parallel to the bore line and scope mount can be adjusted to coincide with the reticle adjustments. The PU scope off to the side allows stripper clips of 5 rounds and also better eye relief conditions for some. The PU scope eye relief is 72mm(2.8")

No surprise that myths are fabricated by some. No doubt that some Russian troops were ordered to leave their bayonets on for the intimidation factor looking at that 17" spike in pictures.

The women in your link indeed have no bayonets fixed so that nixed the "all" factor that some are inclined to use when stating historical "facts".