Exceedingly Bummed-Out

[marksman1941]

A quick diagnosis for the erector is shooting a box test, or even doing a visual box test. If you can lock your rifle down to a bench (like in a lead sled) and set a square target with 1" grid at 50 or 100, crosshairs centered. Adjust your scope 5 moa left and up )to the top corner) and see if it looks like it moved 5 moa. Then move to the top right corner, bottom right, bottom left, back to middle. If you can shoot 1-2 rounds at each corner that's better, but you can start with a visual test too and see if the crosshairs move to the point they should, and if they actually come back to center.

 

[memtb]

A quick diagnosis for the erector is shooting a box test, or even doing a visual box test. If you can lock your rifle down to a bench (like in a lead sled) and set a square target with 1" grid at 50 or 100, crosshairs centered. Adjust your scope 5 moa left and up )to the top corner) and see if it looks like it moved 5 moa. Then move to the top right corner, bottom right, bottom left, back to middle. If you can shoot 1-2 rounds at each corner that's better, but you can start with a visual test too and see if the crosshairs move to the point they should, and if they actually come back to center.

Thanks! If I can develop a means of "lock down" I'll try that! me

 

[marksman1941]

Thanks! If I can develop a means of "lock down" I'll try that! me

A basic gunsmithing mount (like a tipton gun butler, pictured, or something similar) and a ratchet strap has worked for me in the past!

 

[memtb]

A basic gunsmithing mount (like a tipton gun butler, pictured, or something similar) and a ratchet strap has worked for me in the past!

Thanks….that I have! memtb

 

[Teri Anne]

As some of you may remember, I developed a new load for my hunting rifle this past summer!

The loads were very promising, all groups were decent with the final two very near my desired velocity, with the last two loads (just 3 shot groups) 1 grain different charges, giving low velocity deviation, shot 2 days apart, grouping almost on top of each other….the larger group under 3/4" inch the better @ just under 1/2".

Fast forward to yesterday. With some of the Fall chores complete, and our elk hunt coming up very soon….I thought that I'd adjust my zero with my new load.

Near perfect shooting conditions, I was rested and not terribly sore from all of the Fall chores. I made an adjustment (only a small adjustment was needed) off of my test groups…..shooting for (pun intended) for my 300 yard zero! Target was set-up on my 300 yard target frame out of the back door of our house. I shot a 3 shot group, rode down to the target, and only found one hole on the 11"x 17" paper…..barely.

It was on the edge if the paper, the other 2 shots lost on my black, rubber backboard…..I adjust off of the one hole seen on paper! The next rounds fired were way (waaaaay) off from where the adjustment should have placed them……with many (a whole bunch) of inches between the impacts! WTH

I felt very good about my shooting techniques, and when shooting my wife's rifle…..my groups were decent. Yet with every adjustment…..the impacts were grossly different from were they should be! Notice I said impacts…..these were "NOT" groups!

With the sun getting lower in the sky, 14 rounds wasted, and my frustration/anxiety levels at a peak …..I quit for the day!

I didn't sleep well last night……as I have no clue as to what exactly is happenin! Today, after my visit to my therapist, I'll go out with a previously proven load and see if the rifle will group with it!

My two fears: the scope has gone to hell, or…..and this thought is really disturbing, the slightly heavier/longer bullets are not remaining stable @ distance! I waited about 5 or 6 years to get these bullets….I really want them to work! Though, all of the bullet impact holes appeared to be perfectly round…..none "keyholed"! memtb

Experience says that a rifle that was previously shooting nice groups that suddenly no longer does is due to one of two things. 1. The rifle bore is badly copper fouled. 2. The scope has had an internal failure and needs to be repaired/replaced. I have had both issues several times over the years. If you don't have a bore scope to check the rifle bore simply go through a copper cleaning regimen and keep cleaning until there is not green/blue discoloration on the patches. If you still have the issue with ammo that previously performed good, change the scope.

 

[Bob Wright]

Thanks Bob, a couple of others have mentioned similar. I think that it may indeed be an erector issue as it doesn't appear to be a parallax issue! memtb

The reason I mentioned parallax is my Zeiss was dancing around like an erector failed, but Zeiss repair said it was parallax adjustment failure. First time I learned about that possibility.

 

[HSmithTX]

I have had similar issues. I have a Savage heavy barrel that will not shoot with a clean bore, it's a 5-6" gun at 100 yards for the first 5, then it settles for the next 5 and shoots well under an inch once it gets some copper built up, and it coppers up bad. That *** had me twisting turrets and fumbling like an idiot the first time out after I cleaned it to bare metal. 10-12 rounds later both turrets are back on zero and it's stacking bullets, take it out to 700 and still well sub minute. Hold on, clean it well and it might as well be a load of 000 buckshot again. Dump 5 more into the hillside and it's back stacking bullets. I have a replacement barrel for it waiting to get screwed on, and I am going to do unholy things to that factory tube with a great big hammer when I get the replacement on it. My first rifle ever is a Winchester 88 in 284, no it's not for sale, and I shot it really well, still do. Has a Leupold 2-7 on it. Uncle invites me to help him fill a doe tag, so I shoot 3 to check zero and man I must be rusty because it's not what it has been for years but I will just buckle down and make a great shot when I get a shot. I slip in on a doe at about 85 yards, and made a perfect ear hole shot but didn't harm a hair. First time I ever missed an animal with that rifle. He heckled me 53 times. Went back to paper and in 7 shots it went from 1" to 6+" groups. Pulled the scope off and sent it in, Leupold replaced the entire internals the way I remember it, updated it to current including some of the glass, sent it back no charge. Put it back on the rifle and 1" groups again. Enough stories, I feel for you, and the frustration. It'll be funny at some point though, just hang in there till then.

 

[2buffalo]

Bad scope 100%

 

[Ucsdryder]

Sure sounds like a scope issue or ring issue. Did we find out the scope and ring setup?

 

[Ucsdryder]

@memtb I might have missed it in the 6 pages but have you put a different scope on it yet? Seems like the next logical step.

 

[memtb]

@memtb I might have missed it in the 6 pages but have you put a different scope on it yet? Seems like the next logical step.

Not yet….been very busy! But….. yesterday morning fired 2 quick shots @ 300 yards from two different loads before leaving home.

One of the 2 shots went just under 2"…..the other, just over 2"!

Tomorrow I'll do a "box test" from my bench. If the scope doesn't track well, I'll throw another scope on and prove it's zero weather permitting…..we have a little weather coming in and supposed to be windy and raining tomorrow! memtb

 

[memtb]

Sure sounds like a scope issue or ring issue. Did we find out the scope and ring setup?

Scope: 3.5-10 Leupold CDS mounted in Leupold QD base/rings. All screws are Loctite'd and the rings had Loctite applied to stop any possible scope slippage during recoil!

The QD base/rings have been in service for about 30 years with no problems!

The scope has been mounted for about 8 or 10 years with no issues! That is until now! memtb

 

[marksman1941]

Scope: 3.5-10 Leupold CDS mounted in Leupold QD base/rings. All screws are Loctite'd and the rings had Loctite applied to stop any possible scope slippage during recoil!

The QD base/rings have been in service for about 30 years with no problems!

The scope has been mounted for about 8 or 10 years with no issues! That is until now! memtb

I've had scopes die in the safe for no discernible reason. No bumps, no wrecks. But good one range trip, safed for 8 months, taken out to verify before season and scope no workie no more. I had a vx2 and a vx3 both do that. Both were rebuilt no questions asked but still. Just cause it was good last time isn't a guarantee.

 

[Roughrice]

Here in page 6… still the same opinions of the likely causes of the accuracy issues that were given in page 1.
The consensus is overwhelming.
Some recommendations were from actual experience!