Scope or base/ring problem?

[Sackett]

I am shooting a Remington 700 7mmSTW. It is a DRILL! Fingernail groups at 100 yards, 2 3/8" at 500 yards. Now for my new problem. I missed a deer at about 70yards so I came home and shot it. It was shooting 8" low 3" left, ok so maybe I bumped it in 2 months of hard hunting. Well, I re-zeroed it and went on hunting, a few weeks later I missed ANOTHER deer at about 80 yards! WHAT!! So I shot the rifle and dang, back 9"low and about 3" left,,,I re-zeroed the rifle and that's where I'm at now. My scope is a Bushnell 3x9x50mm DOA 650, bases are 2 piece Leupold and Leupold Rings...Now I cannot remember how long the bases/rings have been on this rifle,,many,many years (maybe 20 years +/-) when the rifle was a 7mmRemMag, could it be that the rings have gotten "slack" in them to allow this move, to the same place over time??? Any ideas will be helpful.
Thanks in advance guys "Sackett"gun)

 

[Black67]

Sackett

Have you checked the trigger guard screws coming up into the action? These can come loose and cause problems too.

Over time, the scope bases can come loose. It might be something to check and see where everything is at. On my Ruger #1 7mm STW, the recoil moved the factory Ruger rear ring in the factory cuts. I had to use a different ring so that they would hold better.

Hope some of this helps.

Bill

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Check all your screws (including scope attachments) and re-loc tite where needed... also put a known good scope on to see if you fried your scope if the screws are good. Also check to see if you are crimping the rings into the scope as that'll cant the erector assembly and she'll hop around bad.

 

[Sackett]

Apparently it was a base/ring problem? I replaced the old leupold bases/rings with new leupold STD 2 piece bases and leupold rings. It is back shooting one hole groups at 100 yds.