[archer66]

Yeah me. I'm a bowhunter and do VERY little rifle shooting. I haven't sighted in a scope since 1995 so I'm a bit stupid at it apparently. Anyhowww....

Finally got some time to go shoot my new TC Omega. Before ya yell at me please know that I have to work the entire Muzzleloader season so I won't be hunting with it this year. Anyhow....I'm shooting 245 grain powerbelts using loose Hogdon 777 powder....100 grains, for starters.

I set up a target at 25 yards and starting with a clean, dry barrel fired one shot at 25 yards. The hit was 4 inches low and 4 inches to the right. Since the adjustment on the scope is supposed to be 1 click per 1/4 inch at 100 yards I adusted the scope 16 clicks up and 16 clicks left, ran a solvent patch down the barrel, ran a dry patch down the barrel, reloaded and shot again. This time the hit was 2 inches low and 2 iches right. So I adusted again this time 8 clicks up and 8 clicks left. Impact didnt' change. So I repeated the entire procedure and shot again....hit same spot again.

In summary...s
--started 4 inches low and 4 inches right
--adjusted and hit 2 inches low and 2 inches right
--adjusted and no change
--adjusted and no change

Remember this is only at 25 yards I had a secure rest. The gun holds real nice and aims very easily except I'm not impressed with the cheap scope. Parallax is terrible but once ya get past that it seems ok.

So what's the problem...why didn't point of impact change after the second and third adjustment? Is the scope mounted off "square" so to speak? Or do I just need to keep adjusting assuming that the adjustment isn't calibrated as advertised?? I feel like the gun was clean enough to do better than that.

[Edited on 12-17-2009 by archer66]

 

[glennasher1]

Holler for JimH, he usually does scopes


Your adjustments seem correct. Is everything good and snug, mounts, rings, scope in rings, etc. That's always the first thing to check. If so, we can probably rule out those parts, and look at the scope itself. You didn't mention brand of scope, but it might be at the limits of it's adjustability, and it might just not move any more.

It's really hard to diagnose anything remotely like this.

 

[BCarroll]

I always tap on the scope to make sure my adjustments work happened to me last year sightin in a rifle

 

[archer66]

It's a Cabelas Pine Ridge Scope which is what Cabelas was putting on their TC rifles in 2008 when you bought them as a kit.

I checked tightness and everything seems ok.

 

[JimH]

so from i can tell all you've done to this point is adjusted a new scope a total of 24 clicks in two differant directions, seems to me if you started from a opticaly centered scope (as it should come from the factory) you should have tons of room left for adjustments. just out of curiosity, try shooting it at 50 yrds and see how far off it is. i'm a black powder idiot so i don't know what else could be contributing. if it turns out to be the scope, cabelas should replace it without hassle, they tend to be pretty good in the consumer relations.

 

[leasburg]

i like to tap the scope with the butt of the screw driver after clicking it.

 

[archer66]

[rquote=1513155&tid=105526&author=JimH]so from i can tell all you've done to this point is adjusted a new scope a total of 24 clicks in two differant directions, seems to me if you started from a opticaly centered scope (as it should come from the factory) you should have tons of room left for adjustments. just out of curiosity, try shooting it at 50 yrds and see how far off it is. i'm a black powder one lacking sense so i don't know what else could be contributing. if it turns out to be the scope, cabelas should replace it without hassle, they tend to be pretty good in the consumer relations.[/rquote]

Yeah...each adjustment according to the directions with the scope should have been enough to put the next shot in the bull but I only got a change after the first adjustment then no change.

I forgot to mention that I shot it once before putting it away at 100 yards and was a foot to the right and almost a foot low.

 

[Mailman]

[rquote=1513155&tid=105526&author=JimH] seems to me if you started from a opticaly centered scope (as it should come from the factory) you should have tons of room left for adjustments.[/rquote]

I think you have already found his problem JimH. I would take the scope and start all over again. Crank the adjustment dial on the scope all the way in one direction till it stops. Then count the clicks back all the way in the opposite direction. Take that number that you counted and divide in half. Turn this amount back the opposite direction and your scope will be center adjusted. You should do this to the vertical and horizontal adjustment knobs. Then start your getting your first shot on paper and adjust from there.

If this doesn't do the trick there is one other thing that might be off and that is on certain types of rings. (some have large screws that centers your scope on the rings). I have to do some checking before I can help you on this area.

 

[archer66]

[rquote=1513182&tid=105526&author=Mailman][rquote=1513155&tid=105526&author=JimH] seems to me if you started from a opticaly centered scope (as it should come from the factory) you should have tons of room left for adjustments.[/rquote]

I think you have already found his problem JimH. I would take the scope and start all over again. Crank the adjustment dial on the scope all the way in one direction till it stops. Then count the clicks back all the way in the opposite direction. Take that number that you counted and divide in half. Turn this amount back the opposite direction and your scope will be center adjusted. You should do this to the vertical and horizontal adjustment knobs. Then start your getting your first shot on paper and adjust from there.

If this doesn't do the trick there is one other thing that might be off and that is on certain types of rings. (some have large screws that centers your scope on the rings). I have to do some checking before I can help you on this area.[/rquote]

Not sure what you mean about the rings...they are just plain ole rings that came with the scope.

Assuming the scope was "optically centered" when I got it I have adjusted it 32 clicks up and 32 clicks left which SHOULD have moved point of impact 8 inches up and 8 inches left when in reality it only moved 2 inches up and left and only on the first adjustment. Lets say the guys who suggested tapping on the scope after adjustment are on to something...wouldn't the recoil of the shot accomplish the same thing?

Hmmm I gotta buy more booolets and spend some more time. What if I re mount the scope, re center the optics to factory center and start over????

 

[Poor Valley]

Ya should never adjust the sights based on one round no matter what kind of sights ya have.

Shoot a group of 3 shots after a fouling shot. The center of the group is the point ya wanna move to the target center.

 

[JimH]

also once you're within a couple inches at 25 yrds head out to 50 or 75 (i usualy go to 75) then dial it in and move out to 100 or what ever you want.
if you don't want to count theclicks you can center the scope using a mirror.
Just place the objective bell flat against a mirror with some decent light nearby/overhead. look into the occular and you will notice two sets of cross hairs, one of them being a reflection coming back from the mirror. adjust your turrents to align the two sets of cross hairs so you only see one. be carefull to keep your eye centered on the occular, when you're done you should be within a click or two of centered.

 

[archer66]

[rquote=1513195&tid=105526&author=Poor Valley]Ya should never adjust the sights based on one round no matter what kind of sights ya have.

Shoot a group of 3 shots after a fouling shot. The center of the group is the point ya wanna move to the target center.[/rquote]

I hear ya but when ya clean between every shot you really don't get a "fouling" shot. I wasn't actually trying to get the gun sighted in at 25 yards...was trying to get it close to zero so it wouldn't be a foot off when I move to 100 yards. but even if I hadn't bothered to achieve a group to work off of I still should have seen some change after my adjustments right????:cheers:

 

[rangerdvr]

Were you shooting freehand or a vise? Were the input conditions for all the shots the same? Same type and amount of powder, same primer, same sabot jacket, same grain bullet? Sounds to me like your scope has issues!! You should be able to watch the crosshairs move when you adjust it, verify they are moving. Are you sure of the MOA on the scope?

 

[archer66]

Shooting from sandbags just like I do once a year when I check my 7mm. I'm using a Powder measure preset to 100 grains...tapping the measure to settle the powder and leveling with cap. Every bullet came from the same package as did every primer. The scope says 1 click = 1/4 inch at 100 yards and has an arrow showing which way to move it......yeah I'm doing that part right.....Either the crosshairs aren't moving, or the scope is moving, or poor valley is right and I'm rushing things too much.

I'm gonna start over tomorrow....I'll let ya'll know.

 

[archer66]

Forgot to mention that I made sure to tap the barrel and make sure the powder went to the bottom where it belongs. Bullet seemed to be seated correctly with the same pressure every time but I'll admit to being a beginner at loading the thing and there is some margin for error just in my inexperience.

 

[inkwithattitude]

here's how i get mine close to bore sited, pul your breech plug wile setting firmly in the bags and set a target out 50 yards with a 3" dot on it now adjust your gun so when you look through the barrel square you should see the dot in the center of bore. note if your looking at rifleing then your not centered, should see through clear just like a scope.
now look through your scope and adjust till is on the same spot and you should be real close.
now fire 3 or 4 shots and reset scope back to center of target and you should be able to adjust to your center of group. fire again and see where you are, if that still dont do you try another scope.

hope that helps! good luck!

 

[rangerdvr]

My father in law had all sorts of troubles with his Omega for the first 3 years he owned it. Long story short his scopes (2 of them) were bad. He get it zeroed and then it was like a wandering bullet after that. He was about to burn that dang thing. So scopes really do just go bad. Usually the sighting in part is quite simple. It sure seams you know excatlt whatb you are doing. I bet your scope is just getting screwy on ya. Best of luck

 

[rangerdvr]

Might be a good reason to get you a BDC reticle for christmas and be done with it

 

[Mailman]

Did some comparisons on different types of mounts and rings on a couple of my rifles.

OK...you didn't say what type of bases and rings you are using. If you are using the Weaver style bases and rings your adjustments on your scope will have to be done with the windage and elevation knobs on your scope itself....unless you want to go to the trouble of shimming up your bases for elevation adjustments which can be a bear. The Weaver style are in the first two attached photos. As you can see the only screw there is the one that clamps down your rings to your bases.

The other type that I have are the Leupold type which have two large slotted adjustment screws (one on each side). These will move your scope from left to right only on the rear base. Your scope cross hairs should be centered internally prior to making any adjustments to the base adjustment screws. Use these two screws to bore sight your scope as close as possible. You can make final adjustments with the adjustment screws on the scope itself to get it sighted in. You can see the two large screws one on each side in the bottom two attached photos

IMHO.....I have a gut feeling that you have a bum scope and no adjustment that you do will make your rifle shoot in the bullseye.

[file]84982[/file] [file]84984[/file] [file]84986[/file] [file]84988[/file]

[Edited on 12-17-2009 by Mailman]

 

[JimH]

i agree with mailman, also keep in mind that sometimes receivers are so bad that no amount of adjusting without the aid of an adjustable mount like mailmans second one will help. i took mailmans set up one step further when i did my A-Bolt this summer. i used the Burris Signature Rings with the plastic inserts. after ajusting the windage with the rear mount i then swapped out the plastic inserts with the offset inserts they sell that got my rifle within 2" verticaly of POI without even useing one click of internal adjustments. if you don't have the rear adjustable mounts you can rotate the offset inserts such that you can adjust for both windage and elevation. so if it turns out your rifle's receiver is such that no scope can be adjusted enough, then you may want to look into one of the two options mentioned. but i'm betting it's the scope. do you have an extra scope you could try to eliminate the variable?

[Edited on 12/17/2009 by JimH]