Faulty Scope?

[piie]

Hi
I've been having very "weird" issues with my Steyr in 6.5x55. Been struggling like crazy to get the rifle to group, even though I have been able to shoot 5 shots through almost the same hole with this rifle before. Then I ran out of the specific batch of powder I used, and my troubles started...

Apart from the grouping, what I've noticed is that I will arrive at the range, shoot the first shot, and it will be almost 6 MOA low on the target. Continue to shoot a further 4 shots - all 6 MOA low. Then I adjust the scope 16 clicks up, and continue to shoot - all my subsequent shots are now where I am - even though the groupings are still poor.

Pack up my rifle, go home, reload some new loads, get back to the range the next weekend, and the patterns starts again - first shot 6 MOA low - scope is still on the same markings as I left it.

Is this an issue with the Scope, or is there something else amiss?

 

[jimmymac]

Sure sounds like a scope problem. Did you check to see if the ring and base screws are tight? Action screws? If you confirm all is well, I’d swap out the scope.

 

[piie]

Sure sounds like a scope problem. Did you check to see if the ring and base screws are tight? Action screws? If you confirm all is well, I’d swap out the scope.

Yes, specifically got a torque wrench with decent Vortex rings to match the scope, and also made sure action was properly torqued.

I'll go check one last time at the range this weekend, and if it still does that I'll send it off to the local Vortex importer...

 

[jimmymac]

If you have a spare laying around, I’d put it on and go shoot. Since the gun is a known shooter, you’ll be able to confirm your scope problem in a hurry.

 

[DngBat7]

Was you parallax set correctly? Happened to me the other day. My parallax was off and, shots were going all over.

 

[piie]

Was you parallax set correctly? Happened to me the other day. My parallax was off and, shots were going all over.

Low powered 3-10 x 44 PST Gen1 scope - no parallax

I had a Burris scope on prior to this one - also suspected the scope, so it's like this rifle either likes breaking scopes, or it's possessed.

 

[DngBat7]

Low powered 3-10 x 44 PST Gen1 scope - no parallax

I had a Burris scope on prior to this one - also suspected the scope, so it's like this rifle either likes breaking scopes, or it's possessed.

Well, send it off to vortex, best warranty out there. Sounds like your internals are messed up. Buy the way, try loosening the screws on the top of your front ring to 14” pounds. On scopes I had with thinner scope walls, it compresses internals and scope won’t work right. Even if it is just a little to tight

 

[mike a]

Does it have muzzle brake. These break scopes. Sometimes!

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Definitely possessed. Get it exorcised. Re-chamber in 6.5mm Creedmoor.

 

[piie]

Sure as @#@#, went to the range today, first shot 7 MOA high. After dialling scope back down, it kept its zero for the rest of the 25 shots without issue. When I got back home, I removed the scope from its bases and the front base screw was perhaps a 1/4 turn from being torqued. Would ONE base screw do this, or is it safe to send in the scope for repair?

 

[Lone Hunter]

If it were my scope it would have already been gone. I'm not going to waste ammo if everything else checks out properly.

 

[piie]

If it were my scope it would have already been gone. I'm not going to waste ammo if everything else checks out properly.

My guts are also leaning towards a scope issue, but I'm second-guessing myself since this would then be the second faulty scope, from different manufacturers, and my logic tells me the chances of that happening should be close to zero - yet, everything else seem to be fine on the rifle - except for that blasted one mount screw I found to be not 100% torqued. This now adda a new variable which I will need to eliminate first. My issue is that even though the local distributers of Vortex will honour the warrantee, it's going to take weeks before I get a scope back, and I would probably loose it big-time if I send the scope back and tells me there is nothing wrong with it...

So now I will have to go to the range again this weekend, shoot and zero the scope again ( since it will definately be off because I removed it from its bases), then I'll have to go back again in two weeks time to see if the zero issue is now fixed. If it's fixed, then it was the loose base screw, if not, then only I would "know" that it can only be the scope...

 

[MislMan]

While at the range for the next “testing”, sight-in the scope and then do a box test. Box test: fire 1 shot, then dial up a couple of MOA and fire 2nd shot, then dial right a couple of MOA and fire 3rd shot, then dial down a couple of MOA and fire 4th shot, then dial left a couple of MOA and fire 5th shot. You should be back at starting position impact point.

 

[piie]

While at the range for the next “testing”, sight-in the scope and then do a box test. Box test: fire 1 shot, then dial up a couple of MOA and fire 2nd shot, then dial right a couple of MOA and fire 3rd shot, then dial down a couple of MOA and fire 4th shot, then dial left a couple of MOA and fire 5th shot. You should be back at starting position impact point.

Thanks - I just finished reloading another batch of ammo, heading to the range tomorrow morning - will definitely try this...

 

[ATFIV]

Sounds like a good excuse to pick up another scope.

It will be clear as bell when moving from a broken scope.

 

[piie]

So, went to the range, and this happened:

1st string I shot was 6 MOA high again, BUT - and I feel really stupid for not mentioning this before, never thought it would have this much of an effect - I had a magnetospeed on the barrel that I'm busy trying to fix for a friend. Whe I removed it after the first 5 shots, the rifle shot zero.

I'm still careful to declare "victory" - I did tighten the base bolt, so the only thing that will now put my mind completely at ease is if I go and shoot this weekend with no barrel attachments and also a cold bore shots string and still seeing the impacts where aiming.

I must have become so accustomed to routinely attaching my magnetospeed that I just ignored it as one of the variables - and I suspect my weird observations started when I got my labradar and started shooting without the magnetospeed as well.

Thanks for all the assistance and ideas - hopefully I can put this frustrating episode to bed this weekend...