How often is your scope off after hunt?

Critter Picker said:

Used to put a lot of miles on my CJ5 Jeep hunting fox in the winter. There was times that I would take a run at a snow drift to get through and it would be so hard I'd go right over and not even leave a track. My gun sat on the spare,on the floor in back and I'd see it out of the corner of my eye about shoulder high. Scope was a Leupold 6.5 x 20 in Burris rings and mount. The only time I touched a turret was when I rebarreled the gun.

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My precious Winchester Featherweight in 270 WSM hasn't shifted zero in ... ever. Not even a little. Every year I shoot at 200 before hunting and every year it is dead on. But it isn't luck. Burris Signature rings with the synthetic inserts have been hugging that scope with love for decades now.
The other thing that isn't luck is the kind of thread lock you use. I have experimented with different thread locs for years, but that subject is deserving of its own thread...and that thread should be 'locked' so we can see it forever.

OFtrash said:

Ive had a similar problem this year as well. Have a Ruger M77 that has always been very accurate and never had to rezero from year to year. But this year when I checked the zero it was hitting about 8" right. Re-zeroed it but didn't trust it enough to go a high hunt this year. But something is definitely amiss after checking all the obvious.

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If it shifted once, it can shift again. You are right. I would start over beginning with the base and use threadlock on base screws, ring screws and make sure to use good rings. But something moved and you want to eliminate that thing.

Had a rail come loose once in the field, took it to the smith the next week and had it pinned. Other than that I have never had zero change. If I did I'd probably get rid of that optic.

Since I started using Trigicon, Sightron, and Nightforce scopes I've had no trouble at all.

I've done some epic tumbles with several scopes that died, don't really fault them in those cases. Was rather clumsy before the tbi and years of therapy.... Haven't gotten sure footed since.

I'll say this, a nf atacr is like the old Russian joke.... Atacr breaks you in a tumble.

Think I'm at 3 broken front sights on utility rifles, getting in and out of aluminum work skiffs on sketchy beaches with less than stellar balance Has left me with a few rifles with missing front sight posts from sheared off 6-48 screws. Long live the banded front sight...

comfisherman said:

I've done some epic tumbles with several scopes that died, don't really fault them in those cases. Was rather clumsy before the tbi and years of therapy.... Haven't gotten sure footed since.

I'll say this, a nf atacr is like the old Russian joke.... Atacr breaks you in a tumble.

Think I'm at 3 broken front sights on utility rifles, getting in and out of aluminum work skiffs on sketchy beaches with less than stellar balance Has left me with a few rifles with missing front sight posts from sheared off 6-48 screws. Long live the banded front sight...

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TBI's are no joke and your coordination / balance after really isn't the best. I wish I could justify a nice ATACR or ZCO or S&B, you are more brave and trusting than I, I just know I'd find a way. I have heard great things about nightforce. I have the Gen3 razor and the Razor LHT, the only way I allowed myself to spend that money was knowing my clumsiness is covered.

As others said - Trijicon or Nightforce and it's a non issue.

I just recently posted this on Rokslide regarding the UM Tikka rings and my scope (Trijicon):

Huge fan of the UM Tikka rings. Last year I ate sh!t while hunting, twice (6" of fresh snow) and both times fell on the side I had my rifle slung over. It definitely hit the dirt fairly hard.

Later that morning I shot a cow at 200ish yards, drilled her. After season I went to the range to verify and it was dead nuts on. Trijicon Credo HX scope (these have been drop tested on here) and properly torqued and loctited UM rings. 100% sold on the scope and the system.

Jon Bischof said:

If it shifted once, it can shift again. You are right. I would start over beginning with the base and use threadlock on base screws, ring screws and make sure to use good rings. But something moved and you want to eliminate that thing.

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Im leaning more towards something with the scope as Ruger receivers have the integrated bases in the receiver. I checked all the ring screws and they were still tight. I always use Loctite.

Jon Bischof said:

If it shifted once, it can shift again. You are right. I would start over beginning with the base and use threadlock on base screws, ring screws and make sure to use good rings. But something moved and you want to eliminate that thing.

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Absolutely agree. All rings and bases are not created equal. I use the best rings I can afford and check to make sure they are true before they ever see my scope. I also use loctite and a good torque driver. I'll also lap the rings if necessary.

One thing that I think is very important is getting everything lined up so the scopes reticle is as close to its center of adjustment on both axis when zeroed. Things just seem to be happier there. I do wish there were more choices for windage adjustable rings and mounts. I've always gotten good service out of Redfield and Leupold bases and rings with adjustable windage on rifles with misaligned mounting holes. But you have to take a lot of care when setting them up or you can ruin a scope in a heartbeat.

Greatgrandad said:

That sounds like a great commercial for someone.

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It was quite the party!


I was on a DIY Sheep hunt, met up with a guy doing the same. He had help from a friend, for a few days……his friend had to go back to work, and left him with that brand new Rancher.

We doubled-up on the Rancher, his gear on the front with mine on the rear. When headed up a very steep grade…..he then tells me this only the second time he's ever driven one.

I had a premonition that things might get bad……about 15 or 20 seconds, that feeling came to be.


He was a gear too high, it started to bog-down….he downshifted, hit the throttle and you can well imagine what happened next.


I came out real lucky……him not so much! It pretty much rolled over me, I saw him get hit pretty hard by the front rack and handlebars on the head and neck.


He and I both managed to get sheep…..but was a "hurt'n unit"! After his hunt was over ….he got neck surgery! memtb

I failed to mention…..after the wreck, he went home to get a replacement rifle and spotting scope.

He, by far, got the worst of that wreck!

OFtrash said:

Im leaning more towards something with the scope as Ruger receivers have the integrated bases in the receiver. I checked all the ring screws and they were still tight. I always use Loctite.

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If I remember correctly the Ruger rings are or at least used to be windage adjustable. Make sure everything is square and the scope isn't binding in the mounts. Lap if necessary.

memtb said:

It was quite the party!


I was on a DIY Sheep hunt, met up with a guy doing the same. He had help from a friend, for a few days……his friend had to go back to work, and left him with that brand new Rancher.

We doubled-up on the Rancher, his gear on the front with mine on the rear. When headed up a very steep grade…..he then tells me this only the second time he's ever driven one.

I had a premonition that things might get bad……about 15 or 20 seconds, that feeling came to be.


He was a gear too high, it started to bog-down….he downshifted, hit the throttle and you can well imagine what happened next.


I came out real lucky……him not so much! It pretty much rolled over me, I saw him get hit pretty hard by the front rack and handlebars on the head and neck.


He and I both managed to get sheep…..but was a "hurt'n unit"! After his hunt was over ….he got neck surgery! memtb

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Sounds like a great topic for another thread: Worst tumbles/accidents while hunting......or some such. Most of us have had at least one of some type

A thread on accidents/bone head missteps and I could take it 20 pages myself.... downside of having ambition far surpassing my physical capacity is all the broken gear and body.... upside is a lot of funny stories.

I never had a problem with my Leupold 2.5-8x32 on my Ruger 77 .270. It has always held it's zero and it was purchased with the rifle in 1977 or so. I have a Swarovski Z5 3.5-18x44 mounted on my Weatherby FiberMark in .340 Wby. This October, I was side hilling trying to get to where my guide was with the tripod so I could get a shot at a Bull across the canyon 240 yards away. Paying more attention to the bull than where I was stepping, I twisted my ankle slipping on a log that was concealed in the foot high grass. I fell onto my rifle/scope and fell so hard that the Swarovski aluminum objective cover was bent and wouldn't open. I eventually got to my feet, mounted the rifle on the tripod, chambered a round and after getting my objective cover open was able to shoot the bull. I hit where I was aiming, and a week later when I returned home I went to the range. The scope was still right-on, 2 inches high at 100 where it was when I confirmed zero before I left for the elk hunt.
I don't read a lot of positive remarks about Swarovski, especially since they are expensive and many say there are better scopes out there for the money, but I feel confident in mine. I did have to replace the objective cover, and purchased Tenebraex covers for my scope.