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Accuracy Issues May Be Scope Problems -- How to Check

MikeMcCasland

Team Texas F-T/R
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.
 
Costly lesson no doubt but definitely a valuable one to remember and share. Great advice and thanks.
 
Scope problems are awful. No matter how good your scope is/has been it needs to be on a scope checker every year
I thought about doing that, but can the mfg detect problems that are about to happen? My thinking was: If the scope has a problem during the season, I'll find out then [although it's usually with some pain and self doubt]. If I send the scope in when it's still working, what can the mfg do?
 
Let's talk about scope checkers real quick...

I see field & cave has one for like $70, which I'll probably buy. I'm just too dumb to figure out how it works.

You clamp it to a bench with a known good scope attached, bolt on the scope you want to test, and run them both through a box test? Is that right?
 
Let's talk about scope checkers real quick...

I see field & cave has one for like $70, which I'll probably buy. I'm just too dumb to figure out how it works.

You clamp it to a bench with a known good scope attached, bolt on the scope you want to test, and run them both through a box test? Is that right?
No you shoot it with both scopes. Mounts on your rail
 
I thought about doing that, but can the mfg detect problems that are about to happen? My thinking was: If the scope has a problem during the season, I'll find out then [although it's usually with some pain and self doubt]. If I send the scope in when it's still working, what can the mfg do?
The mfg will do nothing. Do the checks yourself with a field and cave scope checker
 
Any scope can fail, some are better than others and some have a terrible track record. Bad scopes have cost shooters a pile of money. I made the decision I wouldnt shoot competition without a scope checker, it would be the last thing I part with. When I was testing different scope checkers I found nothing but a solid one piece mount was acceptable. Any joint could and did move. Even the adjustable mounts are not perfect. Mount the frozen scope in fixed rings.
Then you have some manufacturers holding the tube against v blocks by hand :rolleyes:
 
Yessir...put new barrels on both my F class guns last winter.wasted 6 months of our LR season ..with gun#1...wondering WTH...as a last resort switched scopes...took off a brand new one 1800$ worth,put on a 600$ one...problem solved....don't waste time like I did...easiest fix sometimes best...
Bill
 
Yep, price has no bearing on this problem. A lot of guys are having great luck with the Golden Eagle, great price point and they check very well, and I heard rumor Vortex has a scope checker... wonder why that scopes working out so well. :)
 
Yep, price has no bearing on this problem. A lot of guys are having great luck with the Golden Eagle, great price point and they check very well, and I heard rumor Vortex has a scope checker... wonder why that scopes working out so well. :)

Ironically my NF Comps are the ones that are working well for me. Hopefully that luck holds out. :eek:
 
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Scope Checker Upper is $70, lower is $120. Add shipping, and it's about $200. That's less than 1/3rd of what most of us pay for a single barrel.

As Dusty says, mount them side by side on your rifle, make them aim at the same point, and start shooting. If the reticles drift apart, you have a problem.
 
Would an unstable/moving reticle also be exposed by shooting a box target pattern?
 
Of the two scopes that I sent back to the manufacturer for repair, they came back to me with no explanation of what they found. I think they just shotgunned with replacement parts.
 
Would an unstable/moving reticle also be exposed by shooting a box target pattern?

Maybe, maybe not. One cool thing about a checker is you can do your box test very accurately without ever firing a round - or even going to the range.
 

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