Bad rings or bad scope?

[Tvaughan]

Badger ordnance mounts on a .338 lm mounts are 6 screw holding a night force nxs and I can't get it to hold zero. I sent in the scope and night force promised me the scope was fine and sent it back. I put it on a different gun and it was doing the same thing. I called badger ordnance and they also promised me it wasn't the mounts. I'm sure it isn't the gun but I really can't see mounts like that having anything to do with it and I would rather not spend another $150 on another set does anyone have any idea?

 

[Dosh]

T, have you tried a different scope in the Badger mounts? If it holds zero your Nightforce is at fault. If it doesn't might be the Badgers.

 

[FearNoWind]

Is the rail bedded to the rifle?

 

[Gord0]

Rifle type? Screws torqued using an accurate torque wrench? As another said. Try switching the combo up on a different rifle.

 

[Bullet bumper]

One picture is worth a thousand words . You need to start with inspecting the rail and see if there is any possible movement . Then attach the rings and see if anything does not lock up tight . Then fit the scope . If the rings are out of alignment then the tube may be in a bind and zero will change with power changes in the scope . Put a shot saver in the muzzle and switch the power up and down. If the aiming point wanders about the grid you have tube bind .
There is many things it could be but if the scope also changes zero on another gun that normally is good then try another scope on the gun in question .
Could be a loose and or bad fitting rail .

 

[brentc]

Sounds to me like a parallax issue. I've had similar issues with wandering zero with my Nightforce NXS and what I've found is that with the NXS, focus does not equal parallax free, meaning that even though your target is clearly in focus, you have not removed parallax. When I am parallax free with my NXS, the target is slightly out of focus. The affect is most notable at close range (out to 300 yards) My recommendation is zero at longer distance then dial back to your intended zero (dial start point) and ensure parallax is removed on every shot.

 

[HurricaneWhisperer]

Too little information. You are assuming either the rings are bad or the scope is bad. Installation technique is important. The base is important. Installation of the base is important.

 

[dfanonymous]

Also how are you zeroing? Ie; do you use a bag, bipod, sled? Also are you bottomed out on your turrets? Is your base a 30 moa? I always start my turrets in the middle, then get a bore sight....like looking through the bore of the rifle with the bolt out, and match it up to the reticle...I've been close to bottomed out before on scopes and it did some weird things. Have you tried different ammo. Use thread lock? 100 yard or 200 yard zero? Probably the most important question is....exactly how much of a shift is the zero and is a constant

 

[WildRose]

Badger ordnance mounts on a .338 lm mounts are 6 screw holding a night force nxs and I can't get it to hold zero. I sent in the scope and night force promised me the scope was fine and sent it back. I put it on a different gun and it was doing the same thing. I called badger ordnance and they also promised me it wasn't the mounts. I'm sure it isn't the gun but I really can't see mounts like that having anything to do with it and I would rather not spend another $150 on another set does anyone have any idea?

Unless the scope is sliding in the rings it's not the rings. If you lapped the rings and got a little overzealous when doing so that could easily be the problem.

To see if that is the problem you can put some talcum powder or carpenter's chalk on the scope on either size of the rings. You will quickly see if there's any movement after just a few shots.

 

[Huntsmart338]

Bed the base to the action, push the rings forward in the pic rail, torque specs to max per manufacture are key...If Nightforce checked it and said it was good, the scope is not your problem...

 

[Khavic]

Are you cleaning between range trips? After each shot? Are you shooting 5 shot groups or 3? Are you taking the rifle completely apart to clean It? Is the action bedded? Are you shooting factory loads? There are a vast number of things that could be causing what you're seeing. More information would be required to make a suggestion.

 

[dok7mm]

The OP hasn't replied in over a month, too typical of many thread starters.

 

[wackinandstackin243]

something I have learned to do lately is check the torque. I use nightforce rings on a 20 moa rail and have found they do loosen up a little. Don't quote me but I believe nightforce specs are 60 inch pounds on where ring bolt to the base (not rings around scope). Last year I was very close to sending a scope back to nightforce and telling it wasn't worth what I paid but come to find out one of my rings tightened several turns. Both turned some. Don't crank on your rings every time you shoot. What I do now is torque to 60 in lbs. Then for checking I back my wrench of a few inch lbs for and check for any movement.
Being completely honest I have bad days at the range. Sometimes packing it up and trying another day is the best choice. For me a rifle isn't truly zeroed until I double check with a cold barrel on a different day.