I had/have the same issue, but much bigger. I mounted the same scope on a Savage A17 semi auto .17 HMR, with a EGW 0 MOA picatinny rail. I have expensive night vision, but wanted something cheap to use for varmints at night around my buildings, hence the frangible .17 HMR. I first mounted the scope in UTG high QR rings. I could not get any closer than 6" low at 75 yards. I bought Sightmarks CJRK 1 piece mount and reversed it, due to the eye relief issue-still could not get close, still shooting low. I shimmed the back ring of the CJRK (under the base) AND under the back ring - that got me to around 1" low at the same range.
After almost a year with the gun still not really sighted in, the double shimmed set up started to bug me, as not being very secure. I decided to try a 20 MOA rail from EGW. I mounted the new rail, raising the rear to try to get to zero without shimming. I went out and tried to sight in at 60 yards, which is where I want to zero. I fired about 25 shots, and NEVER hit the target. Thinking I might not be understanding the funky electronic reticule, I adjusted from -30 (max) in the Y axis, and then +30 (max) saving the setting each time. I still never hit the target. By now, I am pissed. I took the rifle off the table/bags and walked 25 feet from the target. Shooting offhand, I shot about a 6" group, 6" low of the bullseye with the windage perfect.
I gave up, went home, and called Sightmark the next day. I called tech support. They were very nice. The guy there told me they do not recommend the use of a 1 piece mount, and that the CJRK mount would not fit the scope because the rings were 2mm too wide to fit within the tube of the Photon XT. I only wish I had taken a picture of it before I removed it. He argued with me, but what can you expect when a company's online manual says to turn the scope on you rotate the notched wheel 6 times when you actually push the button on the back of the IR illuminator? He told me I would probably need to return the scope.
Be forewarned, Sightmark does warrant the scope for 3 years, BUT you must have the receipt. I had to write the vendor to get it as I did not have a charge receipt from a little over a year ago. The day after I got the RA#, the scope went back.
In anticipation of its return, I ordered a set of Burris XTR Signature rings (not QR), with inserts to adjust +/- 40 moa up/down and left/right, from Brownells. I ordered mediums and hope they work because I also found out by calling Burris that their "medium" rings are actually lows. Burris measures their ring height differently. If I need to return them after checking them when the scope returns, Brownells lifetime satisfaction warranty will be tested.
So far I spent $35 for the UTG rings, $50 for a 0 MOA rail, $50 for a + 20 MOA rail, $100 for a CJRK mount and $100 for the Burris Signature rings If I added the $$ I spent on the mounts, I could have bought a Pulsar 550 and it would have the mount, but now I am in too deep and have to make this work.
While waiting for the scope, I called tech support again. The same guy I had the first time. told me to take the +20 MOA rail off and go back to the 0 MOA rail, mount the scope (once I get the ring thing figured out), and go out and sight in at 30 yards. Assuming I can zero there, he told me to move back to my desired 60 yard zero, and fine tune.
The Photon XT is a series of contradictions. By virtue of its lower end NV capability, it is meant to be used at short ranges with an external IR illuminator, but it is difficult to zero at short ranges due to the relatively small adjustment range. The objective is 42mm, but with the part that hangs below that, what height rings do you need to mount it? It's odd configuration makes it difficult to mount and eye relief is just as bad. I am considering putting both Burris rings as far forward on the scope tube and then mounting as far back as I can on the Picatinny rail to get the scope back far enough to use. Sightmark could have solved all these problems by charging a little more and incorporating a mount on the bottom of the camera like the Pulsar (others could still mount on the tube if necessary), but since they can't even correct their manual, and their employees have little real world experience with the product, I doubt they will.
I will say, as far as the unit itself, the picture through it is wonderful, especially with auxiliary IR, for the $$. If only I could get it to zero, it would be everything I was hoping for from this unit. To add to this debacle, in working on the return I noticed I should have had a lens cloth, video cable and warranty card, none of which was in the box. I have a sneaking suspicion that the vendor sent me a unit that was returned to them for the same reason-minus these items. Why should they deal with the return when they can re-ship it and let me deal with it? Anyone else had asimilar experience?
After almost a year with the gun still not really sighted in, the double shimmed set up started to bug me, as not being very secure. I decided to try a 20 MOA rail from EGW. I mounted the new rail, raising the rear to try to get to zero without shimming. I went out and tried to sight in at 60 yards, which is where I want to zero. I fired about 25 shots, and NEVER hit the target. Thinking I might not be understanding the funky electronic reticule, I adjusted from -30 (max) in the Y axis, and then +30 (max) saving the setting each time. I still never hit the target. By now, I am pissed. I took the rifle off the table/bags and walked 25 feet from the target. Shooting offhand, I shot about a 6" group, 6" low of the bullseye with the windage perfect.
I gave up, went home, and called Sightmark the next day. I called tech support. They were very nice. The guy there told me they do not recommend the use of a 1 piece mount, and that the CJRK mount would not fit the scope because the rings were 2mm too wide to fit within the tube of the Photon XT. I only wish I had taken a picture of it before I removed it. He argued with me, but what can you expect when a company's online manual says to turn the scope on you rotate the notched wheel 6 times when you actually push the button on the back of the IR illuminator? He told me I would probably need to return the scope.
Be forewarned, Sightmark does warrant the scope for 3 years, BUT you must have the receipt. I had to write the vendor to get it as I did not have a charge receipt from a little over a year ago. The day after I got the RA#, the scope went back.
In anticipation of its return, I ordered a set of Burris XTR Signature rings (not QR), with inserts to adjust +/- 40 moa up/down and left/right, from Brownells. I ordered mediums and hope they work because I also found out by calling Burris that their "medium" rings are actually lows. Burris measures their ring height differently. If I need to return them after checking them when the scope returns, Brownells lifetime satisfaction warranty will be tested.
So far I spent $35 for the UTG rings, $50 for a 0 MOA rail, $50 for a + 20 MOA rail, $100 for a CJRK mount and $100 for the Burris Signature rings If I added the $$ I spent on the mounts, I could have bought a Pulsar 550 and it would have the mount, but now I am in too deep and have to make this work.
While waiting for the scope, I called tech support again. The same guy I had the first time. told me to take the +20 MOA rail off and go back to the 0 MOA rail, mount the scope (once I get the ring thing figured out), and go out and sight in at 30 yards. Assuming I can zero there, he told me to move back to my desired 60 yard zero, and fine tune.
The Photon XT is a series of contradictions. By virtue of its lower end NV capability, it is meant to be used at short ranges with an external IR illuminator, but it is difficult to zero at short ranges due to the relatively small adjustment range. The objective is 42mm, but with the part that hangs below that, what height rings do you need to mount it? It's odd configuration makes it difficult to mount and eye relief is just as bad. I am considering putting both Burris rings as far forward on the scope tube and then mounting as far back as I can on the Picatinny rail to get the scope back far enough to use. Sightmark could have solved all these problems by charging a little more and incorporating a mount on the bottom of the camera like the Pulsar (others could still mount on the tube if necessary), but since they can't even correct their manual, and their employees have little real world experience with the product, I doubt they will.
I will say, as far as the unit itself, the picture through it is wonderful, especially with auxiliary IR, for the $$. If only I could get it to zero, it would be everything I was hoping for from this unit. To add to this debacle, in working on the return I noticed I should have had a lens cloth, video cable and warranty card, none of which was in the box. I have a sneaking suspicion that the vendor sent me a unit that was returned to them for the same reason-minus these items. Why should they deal with the return when they can re-ship it and let me deal with it? Anyone else had asimilar experience?
