Upsetting 480yd deer shot and story!!!!

[wbyfireman]

I was hunting Coues Whitetail in southern AZ; with my 15 power Vortex Kaibab's and tripod set up. I glassed up a decent buck and ranged him at 480yds!! No problem I thought; I was using my .308 Remington 5R shooting 165gr Nosler Ballistic tips M.V. 2800fps. I have a Sightron SIII 6-24X50 mounted on top. I have shot this distance before and am confident putting all shots in 4" under REAL hunting conditions!! so I thought "No problem my hunt will be over in no time" I had my bipod set up and a rear rest/ My brother had him in the spotting scope. I adjusted 8moa plus 2click"s and let fly expecting to see the deer drop. ......... Nothing, again-BANG!!......... Nothing, again-BANG ........ Nothing. I said *** and let the deer walk over the hill knowing something was wrong. I took a practice shot at 100yds and was 6" high ***!!!!! 4moa should put me exactly 2" high,........ low and left, again I adjust and the shots are all over.

What happened?? I assume my turrets got messed up somehow. I took the scope off and spent the rest of the hunt helping everyone else find deer. To top it off I glassed up a HUGE mountain lion at 680yds and had nothing to shoot it with. I sent the scope back to Sightron and they said they would fix it for free but it still cant bring back that deer and lion.

Maybe next season

 

[WildRose]

I was hunting Coues Whitetail in southern AZ; with my 15 power Vortex Kaibab's and tripod set up. I glassed up a decent buck and ranged him at 480yds!! No problem I thought; I was using my .308 Remington 5R shooting 165gr Nosler Ballistic tips M.V. 2800fps. I have a Sightron SIII 6-24X50 mounted on top. I have shot this distance before and am confident putting all shots in 4" under REAL hunting conditions!! so I thought "No problem my hunt will be over in no time" I had my bipod set up and a rear rest/ My brother had him in the spotting scope. I adjusted 8moa plus 2click"s and let fly expecting to see the deer drop. ......... Nothing, again-BANG!!......... Nothing, again-BANG ........ Nothing. I said *** and let the deer walk over the hill knowing something was wrong. I took a practice shot at 100yds and was 6" high ***!!!!! 4moa should put me exactly 2" high,........ low and left, again I adjust and the shots are all over.

What happened?? I assume my turrets got messed up somehow. I took the scope off and spent the rest of the hunt helping everyone else find deer. To top it off I glassed up a HUGE mountain lion at 680yds and had nothing to shoot it with. I sent the scope back to Sightron and they said they would fix it for free but it still cant bring back that deer and lion.

Maybe next season

Man that's the *****! Sounds like somthing came apart inside. That surprises me as what little experience I've had with the Sightrons I was very pleased.

You just showed why I ALWAYS have a spare rifle and spare scope on a hunt.

I learned that the hard way on my dad's first Elk Hunt. He'd bought a new 7mm Mag Sako Deluxe (hell of a chunk of cash in 74-76 era) brand new top of the line Bushnell (for the time) mounted on top of it. Spent the whole summer learning to shoot it.

"Just because" he threw in his old Remington pump with the same old 6x weaver that was on it when he got the rifle for christmas in about 1950.

Well first morning of his big hunt he gets a 300yds shot on a monster 6x6 (as wittnessed by the other guy on the hunt) set up for the shot and found that his brand new scope had fogged up and frozen inside.

His friend didnt' have a hunting license and thus wasnt' carrying so they spent a day and a half getting back down to the truck to get "Old Grampa" out for the rest of the hunt.

Finally on the last day of the hunt he killed a really nice 5x5 with it.

I haven't forgotten that and never will. I also always spend a little bit more than I can afford on the best glass I can find.

 

[wbyfireman]

Excellent advice, I usually carry an extra gun on hunts but to be honest i was soooo confident in my setup i just never assumed things would fall apart...... lesson learned!!

 

[WildRose]

Excellent advice, I usually carry an extra gun on hunts but to be honest i was soooo confident in my setup i just never assumed things would fall apart...... lesson learned!!

Ive been thinking REALLY hard trying to convince myself that I can justify buying one of the .338 Marlin Lever guns for a backup that just can't fail.. .

I mean everyone needs one don't they?

 

[screech]

Hate to say it but that's why my guns wear nx's. I've fallen on then, dropped them, and have never had one fail me in the moment of truth. I know they are expensive but u do get what u pay for and it may make a 5000 dollar hunt a hunt of a lifetime or a memory that will haunt u fore ever. Hence the reason the military trusted mens lives with them.

 

[bman73]

I feel your pain, missed a bull moose this year because after 15 years my Weaver let me down and fogged up. Tried the shot anyways ( I know, I know, what can I say , excitement got the better of me and common sense left) was a 310 yard free standing downhill shot and I went right over his back, at least it was a clean miss. I did manage to pull my head outta my @ss and stopped at 1 shot only instead of dumping my whole magazine at himgun)

 

[Bravo 4]

I feel your pain as well, a couple years back I missed a 75 yard chip shot on what I think is a 150" 8 point. My trusty old Bushnell failed me.
Scopes are mechanical devices and so prone to failure. Some just more then others. Ask me how many $1250+ scopes I've sent back in the last 3 years. Some over $1500, and I'm not rough with them...well not too bad.
The spare is good advise, I have two spares in the truck right now and I'm only 15 minutes from the house.
Could you not use a buddy's that had tagged out?