How to Measure, Build & Print a Rifle Turret Tape

First: make sure your scope is compatible

A turret tape needs an exposed elevation turret with enough flat surface to wrap a printed strip around. It probably won't work if:

Your elevation adjustment is a coin slot under a cap. Common on older hunting scopes, with no rotating turret to tape.
Your turret is too small or crowded. If there's no clear band of space to wrap a strip, the tape has nowhere to live.

Checking compatibility is on you. Eyeball your turret before you buy. Not sure? Email us a photo and we'll tell you straight.

The five steps.

01

Measure your turret and choose a tape height

Calipers across the smooth band of the elevation turret is the easy way. No calipers? Leave the diameter blank for your first sample preview. Print it at 100% scale, cut out the included sizing gauge, wrap it around the smooth band where the tape will sit, and read the estimated diameter where it overlaps. Enter that estimate and regenerate the sample.

The same printed preview includes actual-size samples labeled 4–11, 13, and 15 mm. Cut out the heights you are considering and compare them against the smooth band before choosing the tape height in the builder. Every copy in the purchased PDF uses only the height you select.

Cut out a sample tape and check the seam. Increase the diameter if there is a gap, or decrease it if the tape overlaps. Regenerate until the edges meet cleanly.

seam gap = increase • overlap = decrease

02

Know your units: MOA or MIL

It's printed on the turret itself or in your scope manual. Most American hunting scopes click in 1/4 MOA (4 clicks per MOA); most MIL scopes click in 0.1 MIL (10 clicks per MIL). If your turret says "1 click = 1/4 in. at 100 yds," that's MOA.

Turret says	Clicks per unit
1/4 MOA per click	4
1/8 MOA per click	8
0.1 MIL per click	10

03

Count your rotation

How many MOA or MIL does one full revolution of your turret cover? It's usually marked on the turret, commonly 15–25 MOA or 5–10 MIL. This tells the tape where to wrap and whether your longest dial-ups land on a second rotation.

04

Enter your ballistics, accurately

Bullet make and weight, ballistic coefficient, muzzle velocity, zero range, and sight height. A chronographed velocity beats the number on the ammo box. Be straight with yourself here: the tape is only as good as the data you feed it. If your velocity is off by 100 fps, your far marks will be off too. (Typos happen, and that's what the 7-day correction window is for.)

See what every turret tape input means.

05

Print at 100% and apply

Print at 100% scale, never "fit to page," which shrinks the tape and ruins the wrap length. Use your printer's best quality setting too; most printers have a photo preset (glossy or matte) that prints the crispest tick marks, while standard quality can come out grainy.

For the toughest tape, print on vinyl sticker paper so it becomes a true weather-resistant, peel-and-stick sticker. We like this glossy pack or this matte pack on Amazon (a few dollars either way). No vinyl on hand? Print on plain paper and lay a strip of clear tape over the printed side before you cut it out. It's cheap lamination that survives rain and range bags.

To apply, cut the strip out, line it up, and wrap it snugly around the elevation turret. Vinyl peels and sticks on its own; with plain paper, wrap the strip and hold it down with clear tape. Either way, finish by laying a small piece of clear tape across the ends (the seam where the strip meets) so nothing lifts or peels in the field.

Make the tape yours.

Start with a ready-made finish, then tune the colors, numbers, dimensions, and turret-turn rows to match your dial and the way you read it. Purchased tapes can be restyled later at no charge.

Classic
Dark
Lime

Color every mark: Choose the background, main and halfway ticks and numbers, minor ticks, and end caps. The builder warns when a combination may be hard to read, but still lets you preview and order it.
Set the readout: Use yards or meters, full or compact numbers, optional halfway labels, and your preferred label size and weight.
Fit your dial: Choose a 4–15 mm tape height and one, two, or three turret-turn rows based on the elevation range you need. Print the preview at 100% to compare its labeled height samples on your turret. The purchased PDF repeats only the height you select.

What wrap count means

The printed strip is one turret circumference long and circles the dial once. Each selected wrap adds a row above the previous one for another full turn of the elevation turret.

1 wrap
First turret turn

Turn 1100–875 yd

One large row and the lowest-profile layout.
2 wraps
First and second turns

Turn 2900–1,300 yd

Turn 1100–875 yd

The second-turn row stacks directly above the first.
3 wraps
First through third turns

Turn 31,325–1,600 yd

Turn 2900–1,300 yd

Turn 1100–875 yd

The third-turn row stacks above the second for the most elevation range.

Verified example: DialWRX's 140-grain G1 .600 demo load at 2,750 fps, a 100-yard zero, 0 ft, 59 F, 29.92 inHg, and 78% humidity, on a 1/4-MOA turret with 25 MOA per turn. Max range requested: 3,000 yards. Your endpoints will vary with your rifle, load, conditions, zero, and turret.

The fine print, in plain words

This is a digital product. You're buying a custom-computed PDF, delivered instantly in your browser and inbox.
You get a 7-day correction window after purchase to fix mistyped ballistic inputs (velocity, zero, and sight height). Your bullet selection stays locked.
Environmental updates are free forever. Shooting at a different altitude, temperature, or humidity? Regenerate your tape for the new conditions any time, at no charge, from your order history.
Restyling is free forever. Change colors, background, wrap count, tape height, or yards/meters on a purchased tape any time, from your order history.
Scope compatibility is your responsibility. Confirm you have an exposed turret with room for a tape before buying.

Rifle turret tape questions.

Will a custom turret tape work on my rifle scope?

Your scope needs an exposed elevation turret with enough flat, vertical surface for a printed strip. A coin-slot adjustment under a cap, or a turret with no clear band, will not work. Check compatibility before purchasing.

How do I measure my scope turret for a custom tape?

Measure across the smooth band with calipers, or leave the diameter blank for your first sample preview. Print the preview at 100%, use its sizing gauge to estimate diameter, and compare the labeled tape-height samples against your turret. Regenerate until the sample edges meet without a gap or overlap.

How do I know if my scope is MOA or MIL and how many clicks per unit?

Check the turret or scope manual. Most American hunting scopes use 1/4-MOA clicks, while many MIL scopes use 0.1-MIL clicks. You also need the amount of elevation in one complete turret rotation.

What happens if I enter the wrong velocity or ballistic data?

The tape is calculated directly from your inputs, so mistakes move the yardage marks. During the 7-day window, one correction can fix editable inputs such as velocity, zero, and sight height. Ammo, ballistic coefficient, bullet weight, and drag model stay locked after purchase, so verify those before checkout.

What paper should I print a turret tape on?

Vinyl sticker paper produces a weather-resistant, peel-and-stick tape. Regular paper also works when protected with clear tape. Always print at 100% scale, never “fit to page,” and secure the finished seam so it cannot lift in the field.

Got your measurements? You're five minutes out.

Free unlimited sizing and layout previews, including printable diameter and tape-height guides. Purchased yardage marks are generated from your ballistic inputs after checkout.

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