Coyotefurharvester
Silver $$ Contributor
Scope height can really mess with ballistic tables, 4.5 high@100 puts you 6-7.2" high at 140 ish depending if scope is "standard 1.5" high or 1.8".
.243 Hunting Miss -- Why?
- Thread starter markT
- Start date
You aimed 5 inches lower AFTER you zeroed??!!! In original post you tried for a brain shot??!!!! And didn't sight in after removing scope!!!! You are the type of hunter... Ummmm... This post IMO didn't deserve any response and gives real gun owners/hunters a bad name! Wow. I teach hunters education and the new students know more AND better(ok slight exaggeration but not much)!! Until you know how to hunt ethically and know where your gun is shooting STOP!!! You are bad for the shooting community! Rant over
A friend of mine who had a set of Leupold lever cross lock quick release scope rings had his rifle sighted in. I suggested to loosen each scope ring from the base individually, then retighten them. The scope’s windage zero was off by about 1-1/2”. As for me, I’ll never want a set of quick release scope rings as I’ll be tempted to play with them.
You need to re read that and understand fully before excoriating another hunter. He re zeroed the rifle and shot another deer. The bullet still struck 5" higher than poa even after re zeroing.
Mark, without being able to put a finger on exactly what's going on I think it might be time to sideline that rifle.
Yup I stand corrected. Ok how was it zeroed? How many shots to zero?
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
Can't add to potential issue, but consider yourself and the deer lucky you missed. Better to miss than have a poorly placed shot and wound the deer for it to die a day or two later 5 miles away.
To check the scope, shoot a box test after running the turrets through their range. Also check for barrel contact in the stock.
To check the scope, shoot a box test after running the turrets through their range. Also check for barrel contact in the stock.
About 20 years ago I missed a beautiful 8 point in Potter County PA. The shot was only 120 yards away.
In the standing position, I rested my Rem 700 308 against the side of a tree and waited for a broad side shot. Had to shoot through a narrow opening however due to the dense vegatation.
I missed - pretty damn sure I missed - i.e. no blood, no hair, no jerk reaction by the Buck symbolic of a hit, etc. I was so pissed - Back at the camp I put up a target at exactly 120 yards and fired five shots in the same position using a 4 x 4 post as a support to simulate the tree. All 5 shots went into a 2" circle!
As Forrest Gregg once said, "Shit Happens"!
After that debacle I began hunting deer like I hunt predators and ground hog, sitting on a light weight sportsmen's chair and using a cross stick as a shooting support aid. Haven't missed a deer since.
In the standing position, I rested my Rem 700 308 against the side of a tree and waited for a broad side shot. Had to shoot through a narrow opening however due to the dense vegatation.
I missed - pretty damn sure I missed - i.e. no blood, no hair, no jerk reaction by the Buck symbolic of a hit, etc. I was so pissed - Back at the camp I put up a target at exactly 120 yards and fired five shots in the same position using a 4 x 4 post as a support to simulate the tree. All 5 shots went into a 2" circle!
As Forrest Gregg once said, "Shit Happens"!
After that debacle I began hunting deer like I hunt predators and ground hog, sitting on a light weight sportsmen's chair and using a cross stick as a shooting support aid. Haven't missed a deer since.
Aside from the scope being out of whack (over-torques, sticky knobs, etc) there is also the chance of barrel contact interfering with the shot. Depending on rigidity of stock and also how rifle was placed before the shot. It is common for the basic factory synthetic "tupperware" stock to weaken over time resulting in the tip of forearm making contact with barrel whenever any downward pressure is applied, even when shooting off a bag or window seal. Also, there is the possibility in the excitement that you rested the barrel directly on the window seal or whatever rest you were using. Either of these two possibilities would interfere with your zero and result in an unpredictable impact (no longer free-floated barrel).
Hard lessons I learned along the way...
Hard lessons I learned along the way...
To "me", it sounds like you have a scope issue or the rings are overtorqued causing a scope issue. Also there have probably been more deer with a jaw blown off by a brain shot than actually shot in the brain. As often as they twitch and move their heads, that is an easy miss.
Are you speaking of personal experience where you flubbed a head shot? Can you provide where you get your stats from?
Don Dunlap
Other than piles of bones with the jaws partly missing in the pasture?
FORREST GREGG!! NOT Forrest Gump! Starting to look like its not the scope or rifle or ammo...
I am smart enough not to take a head shot, so no. Neck, shoulder, heart/ lungs. Many more ethical shots. I just saw the leftovers from others. I do know the poachers like them, spotlighting at night!
Thanks for the correction.
Mark, there is a fair amount of psychology involved in shooting. It certainly seems that your miss has eroded your confidence. It is unfortunate that ammo is not as easy to get, and is expensive. What seems to work well is to reduce the mechanical variables, and shoot that rifle. Set things up so that all things are very consistent, and as much like the way things are when you hunt as possible. Things like where your weak hand naturally supports the forend matter, and if you shoot the rifle from a rest when sighting in, it is best if the rest is in the same place on the forend. Tighten that scope up to the appropriate inch pound settings on the mounts and ring screws, and sight it back in. Try to change only one thing at a time. Changing more than one detail simultaneously will disallow you from learning which of the changes helped or hindered the outcome. You may know all this. Gotta get your confidence back, and that will come from a solid setup, and successful hits on your target.
Best of luck, Peter.
Best of luck, Peter.
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sw282
Silver $$ Contributor
l dont think the Unite States Post Office allows AMMO to be mailed. l believe it's on their 'Prohibited List'
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