At first I put shims under my rear mount to better align the rings; which fortunately also gave me more elevation adjustment.
To eliminate the possibility that the screws are too tight I measured the scope tube at all angles with a micrometer, there is a .002 variance. 1 inch is the smallest and 1.002 is the max; at both mounts the vertical is the larger. I am sure that is acceptable.
To display exactly what is happening, I loaded 10 more cartridges; as always, quality control being first and foremost.
Before I went out to the range, I made sure the ring screws were looser than usual. I tightened them with this screwdriver good and tight.
When it started getting cold is when my accuracy died. The first video when I was working up a winter load is after I first noticed the rifle shooting willy-nilly. I thought maybe the cold was effecting my powder burn rate, in turn effecting barrel harmonics.
So when I took the rifle out today to set up my target and such I made sure my rifle was in the cold for about 1/2 hour . I then loosened the back ring screws so if there was any tension between the different expansion/contraction of my receiver and scope would become a non-issue.
I proceeded in getting my zero at 300 Yards.
Here is the 300 yard target.
My first shot was 1.5 inches high and 7 inches left. I adjusted accordingly, no tension in the dials; as far as I can tell, everything is working wonderfully!
The second shot was .5 inch high, (acceptable,) the lateral adjustment still 7 inches left. I notice the scope has moved 1/4 inch so I loosen all ring screws and tighten them with the next size bigger screwdriver shown below, (the screwdriver I used initially,) with a rotating type pattern, (you know, like lug nuts.)
I take the third shot without any adjustments. I am still in the same spot laterally but now 6.25 inches low. I adjust accordingly.
The 4th shot lands in the upper left corner of my inch bull. I go for a group with those settings.
As you can see, the group of shots 4, 5 and 6 is 4 inches. The scope is shooting willy-nilly! It is not me, it is not the rifle, I clean the barrel each shot. Everything is as close to the previous shots as humanly possible. That is more than double my largest group with this set-up.
I triangulate the center of those shots and adjust accordingly.
Shot #7 is 5 inches high, 1.25 right. I only adjust down 5.25 inches.
At this time he wind is starting to pick-up with a 4mph, 4:30 wind, so I decide to aim where the x is, hoping the shot drifts into the square.
Shot #8 hit .75 inches low and exactly perfect laterally according to POA. I decided to go for another group with my last 2 shots.
Shot #9 was the only shot I knew I missed. When the shot was touched-off I seen the square above the line plain as day. The square was sitting on the cross-hair, the cross-hair being 1 inch at 300 yards; meaning I errored 1 inch low. It should have been 1.75 inches low which is the size of my usual group at that range.
shot 10 hit just a hair high of center square, on the right edge. Right where I figured the wind would take me.
That group, (considering I missed shot #9,) should have been 2.25 inches, if all went well. I think the scope was in error 1/2 inch at that range at those settings.
Now... If the scope somehow locks-up on those settings, that would be cool. It is only a 600 yard rifle and I will be able to hold over or under and use Kentucky windage at those ranges. What I'll have is an expensive telescope mounted on a rifle. Unless I can find some quality replacement parts, I think I'm going to have to live with that.
Just an oddity. The elevation setting it is on now, it is the same setting I had it on with shot #2.
Thank you for your input and time.
Another Dead Bushnell
Linear Mode
