Scope and shooting

[doc_halladay]

I have a Nikon Bushmaster 4.5-14. When I try to sight this scope in using the full power I get shots all over the place and no grouping what so ever. When I then back it down to 6x I can shoot 1-1.5" groups all day. What am I doing wrong or is the scope damaged some how?

[ 10-08-2002: Message edited by: doc_halladay ]

 

[Dave King]

Are you careful about parallax when shooting?

 

[doc_halladay]

I have been Trying to be carfull. I have tried It with it set @ 100yd 125yd 150yd and also on infinaty sametime. I have shot it off a benchrest vise, sand bags, and tripode. When I drop it to 6 on the same setting I get good groups. I can shoot m other guns with out parallux and have no proble getting sub one inch groups(3x9 burris & 3x9 bush). Any help would be great.

 

[AJ300MAG]

Doc, when your paralax is correctly set you should be able to look at the target, move your head up and down slightly, the crosshairs shouldn't move on the target. If the crosshairs move, turn your adjustment ring till they stay in place when you nod your head. If the target is blurry you will need to re-adjust your focus. Most scope manufactures will tell you the index marks on the objective ring are more of a reference point to work from.

 

[milanuk]

Dunno if it applies in this case, but FWIW, I've been getting very aggravated this late summer/early fall time frame, because I switched from a fixed 10X scope to a higher power variable. Went from little one hole groups (sub half-inch) @100yds to 1-1.5"groups w/ a Sightron 6-24x!!! I was *not* a happy camper!! Now, as it turns out, the Sightron had some other 'issues', and is back at the factory. But I have pretty much the same problem w/ the Weaver V16 that's on the gun right now. When I crank it to 16x, I get bigger groups than when I am at 10-12x. Someone at the range finally pointed it out: That range is kind of a poor design, and has very, very bad mirage, and it's in a canyon which causes some funky switching winds. At 16x, the mirage screws up my shooting. Down at 10x or 12x, I'm usually OK, unless I'm shooting a long string, at which point barrel heat causes enough mirage to force me to lower magnification to 8x or even 6x.

Like I said, I don't know if this is the case w/ your gun, but it wouldn't hurt keeping in mind.

Monte

 

[doc_halladay]

Just talk to custome support at Nikon usa and the tech said that the lens is off in the objective. I can eather send it in or take it back to the store and get a new on. Looks like I will be getting a new scope and starting over. Thanks for the information everyone.

 

[doc_halladay]

I just replaced my bad scope with a nikon 3x9 and took it out shooting last week end and shot .75 - 1 " groups with it. It is nice to be shooting good again.

 

[Guest]

Doc,
A lot of scopes that are Variable have that one main problem - tracking. I have seen this in many scopes, high price and low price. This has been a major issue with the variable scopes for years, with adjusting from one power setting to another.
Once I have my Leupold's 4.5-14 adjusted to the 12 power setting, I never move it lower than 8 power, because if I go lower, the bullet impact changes.