HELP! SWFA scope issue?

Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
473
Location
Idaho
I've got a tikka stainless superlite 6.5 creedmoor in an MDT lss chassis, with side port muzzle break. Swfa 10x42 MOA in DNZ 1 piece game reaper rings. All screws and rings and the threads cleaned and decreased before mounting. Scope was leveled, blue locktight on threads, and all screws have a dab of fingernail polish after install to indicate whether any of them move.

There is no indication that any ring or base screws have moved (fingernail polish still intact). Action screws are all tight. Muzzle break is on tight. Turret screws all tight.

This setup has been a reliable half moa shooter with factory Hornady 143gr eldx. Avg 2650fps. Dopes verified out to 600 yards. Shooting prone, with front bipod, rear rest under the stock.

Now... here is my problem...

Out of the blue, the last 10 rounds have been going further and further to the right. 10 shots ago, my last group at 400 yards was 1.75 inches wide, dead center. The next two shots (a different day, cold barrel each shot) were 4 inches to the right. The next shot was 5 inches right, the next was 6 inches right. The next two shots didn't even hit the target, so I moved into 200 yards. Elevation is spot on, but last shot was 5.5 inches right at 200 yards. There was a bit of wind left to right, so even accounting for an inch or two of drift, it is still way to the right.

I only dial for Elevation, so the windage turret doesn't even get used... what am I missing here? This is supposed to be my ultra-reliable rifle for a deer hunt I'm taking a half dozen youth hunters on next week. I've had about 100 rounds through it in its current configuration. Haven't cleaned the bore, but seeing no pressure signs on the brass.

I would normally just figure a zero shift... and reset the windage 7 or 8 clicks to the left.... but it seems to be getting progressively worse. What could be causing this?
 

wapitibob

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
5,366
Location
Bend Oregon
Did you mark the scope location in the rings? My 20x swfa moved with 30# of ring torque. Tossed it and replaced with another swfa and it’s solid.
 
OP
P
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
473
Location
Idaho
Yes it's marked with a dab of fingernail polish. As is where the base meets the top of the action. It hasn't moved.
 
Joined
Jan 26, 2017
Messages
2,655
Location
PA
Could be the scope, could be something stranger. My brother had horizontal stringing over the weekend, turned out to be a broken picattinny ring.

I'd give that entire dnz a thorough inspection before and after pulling the scope.media-1666307925352-Oct_17_2022_1_36_PM.jpg
 

Attachments

  • media-1666308070356-Oct_17_2022_1_36_PM.jpg
    media-1666308070356-Oct_17_2022_1_36_PM.jpg
    44.9 KB · Views: 76

KenLee

WKR
Joined
Jun 9, 2021
Messages
1,715
Location
South Carolina
Could be the scope, could be something stranger. My brother had horizontal stringing over the weekend, turned out to be a broken picattinny ring.

I'd give that entire dnz a thorough inspection before and after pulling the scope.View attachment 465897

I'd be shocked if a DNZ one piece broke on a Creedmoor without body slamming the rig scope first, but freaky things happen.
 
OP
P
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
473
Location
Idaho
Hope you have a good backup rig. Scope needs to be sent back
I've got my 300win mag, but it's pretty lightweight and the younger kids don't like shooting it... nor do they shoot it as well as the creedmoor. We will make do of course. Just frustrating when this happens at the 11th hour.
 
OP
P
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
473
Location
Idaho
I called swfa this afternoon, they said send it back. I asked if they had encountered this sort of thing before, his response was not in the 8 years he has been there.

I dialed it left 9 clicks to bring it back to zero. Only got a few shots off before the wind picked up, so I'll have to shoot a few more to see if its still walking more to the right.

Guy at swfa mentioned the turrets have a lot of extra grease inside... says that's what accounts for the sometimes mushy feel to the clicks. Implied that some folks have had to leave the scope in the sun a bit to let the grease warm up, then turn the turrets back and forth a bunch to break it in... thought maybe somehow this could help, albeit a long shot.

This is a relatively new scope, brand new in April. Only dialed the windage a few clicks when I was zeroing the rifle... so who knows. Maybe excess grease somehow messed with the spring inside or something.
 

KenLee

WKR
Joined
Jun 9, 2021
Messages
1,715
Location
South Carolina
I called swfa this afternoon, they said send it back. I asked if they had encountered this sort of thing before, his response was not in the 8 years he has been there.

I dialed it left 9 clicks to bring it back to zero. Only got a few shots off before the wind picked up, so I'll have to shoot a few more to see if its still walking more to the right.

Guy at swfa mentioned the turrets have a lot of extra grease inside... says that's what accounts for the sometimes mushy feel to the clicks. Implied that some folks have had to leave the scope in the sun a bit to let the grease warm up, then turn the turrets back and forth a bunch to break it in... thought maybe somehow this could help, albeit a long shot.

This is a relatively new scope, brand new in April. Only dialed the windage a few clicks when I was zeroing the rifle... so who knows. Maybe excess grease somehow messed with the spring inside or something.
I'd pay him exactly zero attention and pack up the scope. If you can't trust a scope, you're playing Russian roulette every time you take it hunting.
 

KenLee

WKR
Joined
Jun 9, 2021
Messages
1,715
Location
South Carolina
I've got my 300win mag, but it's pretty lightweight and the younger kids don't like shooting it... nor do they shoot it as well as the creedmoor. We will make do of course. Just frustrating when this happens at the 11th hour.
If you're close to Upstate SC, I have a youth stocked TC Venture 308 you're welcome to use for the kids next week. It's a great shooter and the recoil with 150 gr factory ammo isn't bad.
 
OP
P
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
473
Location
Idaho
If you're close to Upstate SC, I have a youth stocked TC Venture 308 you're welcome to use for the kids next week. It's a great shooter and the recoil with 150 gr factory ammo isn't bad.
Thanks! But we are out west
 
OP
P
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
473
Location
Idaho
We got it done. Just shared my rifle a bit more and used a backup rifle. 7 kid's tags filled. 5 does and a couple 3 and 4 points. I'd like to say I'm done packing meat for a while 😉 but several of these kids also have cow elk tags this next couple months. At least our prep and shooting practice this year didn't go unheeded... all but one of the deer were one shot kills. Considering all but one of the shooters were 13 or younger, and only one had previously harvested big game... thats not too bad.
 
Top