Elevation problems!

[Payton R Tecca]

Holdovers at 550-600.....hmmm.

Did you allow for different atmospheric conditions like temperature, elevation/density altitude, humidity, etc. in your planned drops?

Powder sensitivity to temp swings?
Verify zero upon arrival to hunting location?
Inspection of rifle/crown after transport?

I am with the others however, and placing my bets on a scope issue. Would not be the first Leupold I have seen/heard giving up the ghost at a most inopportune time.

Well it sounds like there's more factors I need to take into consideration here. So roughly from 5600 - 2800 feet what changes?

 

[milo-2]

Well it sounds like there's more factors I need to take into consideration here. So roughly from 5600 - 2800 feet what changes?

My advice right now is get out, check or confirm your zero, shoot a few at 200 to see if things remained the same. If not, check action screws like a previous poster said, check scope mounts, maybe re- torque all and do this again. Let us know.
You can learn the ballistic basics later.

 

[Mram10us]

Short of a hurricane, no environmental factors will adjust your drop that much

 

[Canhunter35]

If ur missing at 250 it's a zero issue
Or a shooter error

 

[lancetkenyon]

To me, pronghorn are deceptively small. So much so, it is hard to gauge a 12" vs an 18" holdover on one to me. Now, I bet a 550-600 yard holdover (depending on cartridge and bullet used, which the OP has not mentioned) is somewhere around 36-72+". To me, that would be fairly difficult to hold over accurately with a 6x duplex scope. But that is me. I would at least use subtensions. Then, that becomes a very viable shooting opportunity. I don't "Kentucky Windage" much anymore on big game. But some can, with outstanding confidence and accuracy.

I agree the difference in environmentals is not going to make a 60" difference in drop at 600 yards, but 8-10" is very possible. I would rather have a clean miss than a wounded unrecovered animal however. And definitely should not be a miss at 250. And not high.

 

[hunter67wa]

what position where you shooting in? Sometimes we climb the stock in some positions and will shoot high. Just a thought

 

[Big Eddie]

Hi everyone! Was wondering if anyone has had issues with elevation while shooting in normal conditions? I am shooting a browning 7mm A Bolt with a straight 6x Leupold fx3 gold ring scope that has a 1/8 minute target dot and 1/8 minute adjustments. So here's what happened, while hunting antelope in eastern Montana taking easy shots at 200, 250, 500, 550, and 600 yards which I am experiencing in all. I shot just over the backs of the 200 and 250 antelope, then the 5-600 yard shots were at minimum of 5 feet under while compensating with each shot. I am at a loss and going home meatless due to an issue I've never experienced.

 

[Payton R Tecca]

My advice right now is get out, check or confirm your zero, shoot a few at 200 to see if things remained the same. If not, check action screws like a previous poster said, check scope mounts, maybe re- torque all and do this again. Let us know.
You can learn the ballistic basics later.

what position where you shooting in? Sometimes we climb the stock in some positions and will shoot high. Just a thought

Was shooting prone on all three shot 1 was slightly down hill the other 2 were flat ground

 

[WY02K]

Don't do a thing before you check your zero. This year we shot at 600 to dial in our velocities in the cold just prior to season. Dad couldn't find the steel. His scope was off 3 MOA. His Vortex belongs in a trash can.

 

[IronHorsePilot]

Don't do a thing before you check your zero. This year we shot at 600 to dial in our velocities in the cold just prior to season. Dad couldn't find the steel. His scope was off 3 MOA. His Vortex belongs in a trash can.

They offer a lifetime warranty. Send it back and get it repaired!

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Post a pic of your rig.

 

[kaveman1]

I'm not sure if this will help but don't forget that you need to adjust for the ambient temperature outside. If you zero in mild weather and shoot in cold weather, you lose elevation at the rate of about one MOA per 20 degree drop in temp. and the opposite if you zero in cold weather and hunt in mild or warm weather. Also, your actual elevation as it relates to sea level. Rule of thumb is one MOA per 5000 feet of elevation change. I zero at close to sea level in mile temp. but hunt between 6,000 and 10,000 feet elevation in cold weather. The two issues usually cancel each other out for me along with the modern ballistics of the Berger bullet reduce the impact of these rules of thumb. This along with other factors could be contributing to your issue if you don't have any mechanical issues with your equipment.

 

[milo-2]

I'm not sure if this will help but don't forget that you need to adjust for the ambient temperature outside. If you zero in mild weather and shoot in cold weather, you lose elevation at the rate of about one MOA per 20 degree drop in temp. and the opposite if you zero in cold weather and hunt in mild or warm weather.

Elaborate on how you came up with this formula. I am not sure if even the most temp sensitive powders can give that drastic of a result.

 

[lancetkenyon]

They offer a lifetime warranty. Send it back and get it repaired!

^ This! Then sell it when it comes back!