Adjustments are made in “Minutes of Angle” (MOA). This is a unit of measurement of a circle, and is 1.0472 at 100 yards. For all practical purposes it is called 1 inch at 100 yards. It is 2 inches at 200 yards, 5 inches at 500 yards, one half inch at 50 yards.

Scope adjustments are most often made in 1/4 inch increments at 100 yards. Each “click” of an elevation or windage turret will move your point of impact 1/4 inch at 100 yards. That same 1/4 inch click will move your point of impact 1/2 of an inch at 200 yards, or 1/8 inch at 50 yards. Some scopes have clicks that are 1/2 inch or even 1 inch. Some adjustment dials don’t have clicks at all, just a friction type adjustment that is infinitely adjustable.

If your bullet hole is four inches low at 100 yards and you have a scope with 1/4 minute clicks, you need to adjust your dial in the direction of the “up” arrow on your turret 16 clicks.

The turrets are housed in the center of your scope tube in a protrusion called the turret housing. The turrets are sometimes made to be turned with a coin, and sometimes they are finger adjustable. Target turrets are tall, and the clicks are easily seen and felt. Target turrets are most suited to use where they won’t get banged around or snagged on gear or brush. This is why hunting scopes don’t have them, and instead are much lower profile.

The turret caps are often sealed with an “O” ring, and help prevent moisture and debris entering the scope through its weakest parts.