Is this typical? Trijicon Credo 3-9x40 adjustments way off, especially first shot

[raisins]

I was shooting today off a good bench and it felt good. I'm not the best shot, but I'm not bad with a rifle. This was at 200 yards shooting a 6.5 Creedmoor 143 grain Hornady Precision Hunter. I was just sighting in, this is a capped scope and I won't be dialing it in the field. If I wanted to move POI like 1 inch to the left, I would give it 2 clicks (1/4 MOA adjustments) and the first shot would be WAY to the left (like 4 inches or more). It did this in all directions, not just left. It would take several shots to settle back and reflect close to a 1 inch shift (or whatever I inputted) but it never felt like it only moved it that amount. I got to where I had a second target and after an adjustment, I would shoot 1 or 2 rounds of cheaper ammo at that second target before returning to my main target and the more expensive ammo. I've never had a scope do this. My other scopes might not be perfect with dialing in my zero, but it at least made sense and was kind of predictable.

I hate to send it in with the season a few months away and I'm about to get busy bow hunting.

Thanks for any input. I got this scope specifically because it wasn't supposed to do crap like this.

I tried just clicking then shooting and also clicking and then gently tapping the turrets with my fingers afterwards, like I've seen some people do, and it didn't make a difference.

 

[Mountainrancher]

Is everything tight on the rifle? Check all your screws action, base, ring and make sure nothing is loose. If nothing is loose I would check to make sure you didn’t pinch the scope tube when it was mounted.

 

[PineBrook413]

Assuming all your mounts and rails etc are tight....what size groups are you shooting at 200 yards? How many shots are you basing your correction off.

If you are shooting 4" groups your scope may be ok, you just may be seeing a large amount of variation due to the randomness of the grouping. 3 shot groups at 200 yards will vary a lot from group to group.

I'd shoot a 10 shot group, then adjust 3 moa any direction and another shoot 10 shot group at the same spot. that will tell you if your scope is adjusting correctly. This would be a quick way to see what the actual groups your gun is capable of and it would confirm your scope is actually doing what you ask it to do.

 

[raisins]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to go back to the range on an especially calm day, carefully shoot groups at 100 yards, and make adjustments (like the box test I've read about) and see if it is close. If it isn't, then the scope is going back to Trijicon.

 

[Formidilosus]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to go back to the range on an especially calm day, carefully shoot groups at 100 yards, and make adjustments (like the box test I've read about) and see if it is close. If it isn't, then the scope is going back to Trijicon.

“Box tests” are not going to show you real useful information. Shoot a ten shot group at 100 yards. Draw a circle around all 10 rounds- do not discount any shot. Let the barrel cool, then adjust up or down 10 MOA and shoot another 10 shot group. The measure and see if the center of each group is approx 10.5” apart.

 

[Macintosh]

@Formidilosus , I’m curious on your comment about a box test not showing anything meaningful. My idea of a “box test” consists of a minimum of 12 shots, and for me usually 20. I fire one shot at zero, dial up X moa and fire one shot, then dial right X moa and fire 1, then down X moa and fire, then back left X moa (which should be at the zero) and fire 1, then repeat 2-4 more times. Result should be 4 groups, each of which measures X moa apart, and each of which is inside the cone of fire of the gun. I always took this to show that the click value was accurate and repeatable both for elevation and windage, and in both directions. Could you explain a bit what is better about shooting only 2 groups, or let me know if we are talking about a different “box test”? The downfall of not doing this with 40 rounds in order to measure c-c from larger groups is a clear reason, just curious why not use both elevation and windage, or if that just doesnt matter?

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus , I’m curious on your comment about a box test not showing anything meaningful. My idea of a “box test” consists of a minimum of 12 shots, and for me usually 20. I fire one shot at zero, dial up X moa and fire one shot, then dial right X moa and fire 1, then down X moa and fire, then back left X moa (which should be at the zero) and fire 1, then repeat 2-4 more times. Result should be 4 groups, each of which measures X moa apart, and each of which is inside the cone of fire of the gun. I always took this to show that the click value was accurate and repeatable both for elevation and windage, and in both directions. Could you explain a bit what is better about shooting only 2 groups, or let me know if we are talking about a different “box test”? The downfall of not doing this with 40 rounds in order to measure c-c from larger groups is a clear reason, just curious why not use both elevation and windage, or if that just doesnt matter?

It’s because the adjustments in a “box test” are too small. It’s usually never more than an 8 MOA box, and you just can’t see anything but massive, gross errors in adjustments. On top of that, whatever a “box test” is showing, simply zeroing the rifle correctly will show whether there are gross errors in adjustments.

 

[ChrisAU]

"I'm not the best shot" and "I was just sighting in at 200 yards" do not mix. You can't learn much of anything from that.

 

[Marbles]

I can see a lag, were the adjustment is less than what is made until the erector settles. But, an adjustment being significantly more that what is dialed sounds more like the shooter.

You are clearly on paper. Shoot a 30 round group at 100 yards with no adjustments. No fliers, all shots count. That will give you a baseline for what you and the rifle with that ammo can do. Anything within that baseline is on target. I.e. if the 30 round group is 3 inches and centered on the PoA, than any shot within 1.5 inches of PoA is on target and stop trying to adjust for those variances.

 

[raisins]

"I'm not the best shot" and "I was just sighting in at 200 yards" do not mix. You can't learn much of anything from that.

It is a literal statement. I am not the best shot. Which means "I know people that can shoot better than me". I am, however, a pretty good shot (better than average). I know that usually when people say "I'm not the best" they mean "I suck". That was not the case when I wrote that though. I was being a bit humble. You cut off the part where I said "but I'm pretty good with a rifle" right after that.

But, wow, you really got me.

 

[raisins]

Just came back from the new range I am using this year (private, finally).

The issue is that my range does not have wind flagging (currently? maybe it got pulled down) and to the immediate left of the benches is a clubhouse and a tall wall made of barrier blocks that segregates the pistol range.

I could not feel the wind and wait between gusts. I realized that today and fashioned some windicators out of thread I pulled out of the trash and some leaves. I placed these at 100 and 200 yards. I shot between gusts.

I shot 5 shots at 100. Dialed 6 MOA right. Shot 5 more. Perfect displacement. Dialed back, shot another round and it hit with the original 5. I then dialed up 6 MOA, same result. Dialed back. Same. Scope is actually incredible. I'm sorry I doubted you, Triji.

Shot at 200 yards, between gusts, and put 5 shots into 1.5 inches.

So, I was shooting in gusty wind and didn't realize it because I could not feel it on my body. Lesson learned.

 

[ChrisAU]

It is a literal statement. I am not the best shot. Which means "I know people that can shoot better than me". I am, however, a pretty good shot (better than average). I know that usually when people say "I'm not the best" they mean "I suck". That was not the case when I wrote that though. I was being a bit humble. You cut off the part where I said "but I'm pretty good with a rifle" right after that.

But, wow, you really got me.

What I meant by that is that you didn’t know what was happening but for some reason tried to establish initial data on a setup at 200 yards. Just not the place to see what a new setup will do. Zero it at 100 and if you want a 200 yard zero just adjust it up per what your calculations say and then verify. You’ll have a much more accurate zero then. There is literally no reason to zero a rifle at 200 yards by shooting groups at 200 yards.

 

[raisins]

What I meant by that is that you didn’t know what was happening but for some reason tried to establish initial data on a setup at 200 yards. Just not the place to see what a new setup will do. Zero it at 100 and if you want a 200 yard zero just adjust it up per what your calculations say and then verify. You’ll have a much more accurate zero then. There is literally no reason to zero a rifle at 200 yards by shooting groups at 200 yards.

Good call. I looked up Hornady data and went 50, 100, then 200. Dead on at 50 was close to same at 200 and like 1.6" high at 100. This was around my 3rd range trip with the new scope. I was also using new Protektor bags and so was hoping for better accuracy.