Wandering zero

[Dave Schenck]

Hi Folks - who can help?
I have a 270 that simply will not settle down! When I take it to the range she shoots well and my shots group nicely. My last visit got a moa group at 200m straddling the bull. Then the same old nonsense happens.....I put it away and the next time I shoot I am inches off where I left it. The scope (Lynx 3,5 - 10 x 50 went in for a service and they found the reticle loose. I put it back on and still trouble. Sent it back again and was told it was fine - but something is wrong Can it be the rifle? I have done all the bedding checks and screws tightened etc. There are days when she shoots a dream and then those when I look for a cutting torch! My gut tells me it is the scope but before I go that route i want to cut out as many possibilities to save time. Any opinions?

 

[davewilson]

get a scope known to hold zero and shoot the gun with it.

 

[Rick Friesen]

I had the same agravating nonsence happen to me a few years back. I found it was the set screw under the scope but within the scope rings, this screw is hidden unless you split your scope rings. After looking at it several times I decided to start from scratch and removed all the screws holding the scope in place. Finding the cullpret, I locktighted all screws in place. I haven't had a prablem since. I shoot a 300 RUM.lightbulb

 

[steve smith]

If you happen to have another scope on hand, swap it out! That will put any questions about the scope to rest.

 

[Dave Schenck]

Thanks lads - I will look into this immediately -I will also change the scope

 

[Topshot]

Have a look to see that one of your mounts is not squeezing the pivot point of the scope where the internals are fixed.

I had a Leupold 3-9 VXII that would wander all over the place, just like you describe. I returned it to Leupold and they reported that this was the problem with the scope. They told me that yes it was wandering all over the place but that it was a design feature!!!!!! And to mount it in another possition so that the ring was away from a small dimple that existed under the scope at the pivot point. So much for their life time replacement warranty.

I thought that this sounded like a load of rubbish as it was impossible to mount the rings anywhere else. I did try it on a number of rifles with the same result. I thought that they were only trying to get out of fixing the problem.

Maybe if your rings are out of alignment or putting pressure on the scopes internals, causing them to shift? If Leupold technicians can brame this to get out of a warranty claim, then it might be possible.

As a matter of interest I did mount the Leupold in another possition. I threw it out, as far away as possible. A mate of mine gave it to his kid to put on his air rifle. Had a bad tast in my mouth about Leupold customer service ever since and I don't mind sharing it. "Design feature"arrrrr