Checking scope before every hunt?

[crl]

Me and some friends got to talking the other night and the topic of checking to make sure your scope was dialed in before every hunt came up. I was quite surprised to find out about half the room just assumed their gun was dialed in. Is that normal, and am I just being paranoid?


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[fisherman983]

I shoot my gun year round. I know long before any hunt if my gear is jacked.

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[crl]

I shoot my gun year round. I know long before any hunt if my gear is jacked.

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This is definitely the real answer.


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[longshot3631]

Why risk it? We all love to shoot!

 

[Elkhntr08]

I know guys that check their guns the evening before season. You should see them scrambling when something is wrong.
I shoot year round gun and bow. It’s one of the advantages of livin’ in the country. Have my own ranges.

 

[madcalfe]

id say its defiantly a must. i was on a elk hunt with my brother in law, first night he shot at a 5 point bull elk and it ran off. we looked for it for 2 days and couldn't find it. i told him we should check his gun and sure enough it was shooting 6" low and 5" to the left. he figures it must have got bumped on his previous moose hunt.
I shoot year round so i know my stuff is always good to go.

 

[Danny Hoey]

I check it once a year. It doesn't change. If I took a spill, dropped it, banged it on something, dropped it off my roof, ran it over, used it as a walking stick, then I'd probably check it more often.

 

[DANNY-L]

I shoot year round but not so much with my deer rifles so I check prior to season and if I happen to bump it. Although you know your rifle was good when ya put it away and probably still is your body changes a bit year to year and the way ya shoulder it may be slightly different and can change poi.

 

[elkguide]

Like everything else in life.... there are those that love what they do and those that do what they have to do.

I love to shoot and I love and respect the animals that I hunt. My weapons, whether it be a rifle, pistol, muzzleloader or bow are a part of me. I'm shooting one of them weekly if not daily. I'm very fortunate to have chosen to live where I have a range set up that I can shoot to 500 yards right behind my house. While guiding I saw many "hunters" (and I use that term very loosely) that had a hard time keeping 3 shots on paper at 100 yards before we rode into camp. Even had one that bought a new rifle on his way to the camp. It was bore sighted so that should be good right?

My weapon is an extension of me.

 

[MallardSX2]

I sighted in my 300 WSM in 2002 and have never moved the scope 1 time.

I clean the bore at the end of the season and check it 1 time before the season with 1 bullet and hunt.

I like it so much I dont want to wear it out. lol

If I want to practice shooting I shoot something that isn't so loud....

 

[Therealmccoy]

I also shoot year round and never needed to move my scope (leupold vx3) while shooting the same rounds. Would double check if I hit it hard.

 

[Rich M]

Whatever makes you happiest.

I couldn't hunt without at least checking the zero with 3 shots before the season. Check rifle again if miss anything or fall, drop, etc..

I couldn't travel across the country to hunt without shooting 250 or more rounds for prep.

 

[madcalfe]

I sighted in my 300 WSM in 2002 and have never moved the scope 1 time.

I clean the bore at the end of the season and check it 1 time before the season with 1 bullet and hunt.

I like it so much I dont want to wear it out. lol

If I want to practice shooting I shoot something that isn't so loud....

lol i think i have close to 800 rounds down the tube of my 300wsm ridgeline in 3 years.
just gives me a reason to get a 20" bartlein carbon barrel for it over the holidays

 

[mcseal2]

Every day during whitetail I put 1 round downrange in my yard on my 100yd range. It only saved me once but is worth doing.

 

[Piranha37]

Like a lot of guys here I try to take time to shoot it pretty frequently and I definitely check after any travel. I’ve had it knocked off a decent amount even at 100 yards once even in a nice hard case. I’d rather not have that in the back of my mind when I’m about to pull the trigger.

 

[Rich M]

Your gun, scope, and mounts will dictate if the zero will shift at all.

 

[KChunter71]

Whitetail I shoot it before season to check zero. On bigger hunts I get out more times to the range or MCSeal2 place or the farm in hunt positions so I’m not shooting off a bench.

 

[wind gypsy]

Guy on the internet: Been using Leupold (or countless others) for years, they are rock solid, track well, and always hold zero.

Same guy on the internet: I make sure my zero hasn't shifted every time before i drive 20 miles on paved roads to hunt my deer lease.

For guys who only shoot a few rounds to check zero and 1 or 2 at deer a year, why are they concerned about zero shifting if they aren't banging their rifle around?

 

[PathFinder]

If your mounts and optics are any good, it's entirely unnecessary.
Any optic/mount that can't hold zero under normal use and abuse is a major liability. If it can't hold zero in between hunts, what are the odds it holds zero in between days of hunting?

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[WCB]

I shoot hundreds of rounds year round. When hunting season starts I know my guns are on. If I don't drop them or nothing concerns me no I do not before every hunt. Last year I shot a buck in WY drove home to MN then drove back out to MT a week later. I did not check my gun because there was no reason to.