Accuracy Issues May Be Scope Problems -- How to Check

[Dusty Stevens]

Would an unstable/moving reticle also be exposed by shooting a box target pattern?

Usually not that finds tracking issues more than shifting

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Would an unstable/moving reticle also be exposed by shooting a box target pattern?

No.

 

[Mulligan]

When I was first getting into F-Class I picked up a 'purpose built' scope to mount to an existing rifle while I had a few customs built. That rifle did ok, and for a time I thought it was just my skill holding me back (it was, for sure).

When I got those new customs built, they had new/different optics on them, and my scores jumped 7-10 points a match pretty much instantly, regardless of distance. I figured it was just the rifle/load, and didn't really think too much of it. Since that time that original optic has just been making the rounds between project rifles.

That said, I'd been using it more frequently lately, and observed some weirdness, but could never really pin it on the optic (i.e. did that 9 drop at 1k because I missed a condition? Did that 1/2 MOA that I dialed in not show because of a missed condition?). It would dial to roughly 30 MOA at 1k every time; I never had an opening round miss the target or anything obvious.

It wasn't until this weekend when I was playing with it at shorter ranges in dead calm conditions that I definitively got the thing to fail in a way that made it clear the problem was the scope. Dialed 1 MOA up at 300, and the scope went 2 MOA up and 1 MOA left.

I took my old F-Class starter rifle out and put a new optic on it, and the thing was running ragged holes with the same old load.

So frustrating to have at least 2.5-3 barrels worth of rounds sent down range with ho-hum results, all wasted by an optic that wasn't obviously broken, and didn't fail 100% of the time.

Not naming the mfg, not trying to start a flame war, but man...that's deflating.

Lesson learned: If you think you might have a scope problem, pull that thing off and try another.

I had nearly the same experience, spent the $200 with @Field & Cave. Learned a ton and the scope company fixed it and admitted it was out of spec. Fantastic piece of equipment!
CW