Overlook the drop portion- why are people not tracking their zero, or can not show their zero targets? “Here this target was initial, this target was a week later, this target 3 months later,”. Etc.
The Cold Bore Challenge is a perfect example of it. Look how many people questioned or found out their zero was off. And not being rude, look how many people missed at 400-450 yards. People can make whatever excuses they want, but people are missing a lot and part of that is their rifles aren’t zeroed or staying zeroed.
Agree with people being surprised at their own lack of awareness of their own actual results. But I think its the norm for people to not keep targets. No one I know keeps targets except the few who are REALLY into shooting. I dont keep targets, I keep notes.
Would it be easy for anyone to conduct a running zero check on the same target starting now to “put their money where their mouth is”? Something like: zero the gun at 100 yards and shoot a 10 round group, and keep the target. On the same sheet of paper paste or draw 2 circles just larger than the first group—I would go so far as to say the circles could be 1/2” larger diameter (1/4” per side) than the initial 10-round proof group to allow up to 1 moa-scope click (.25moa) allowance in any direction. Without touching turrets for any reason—no re-zeroing, this is a zero CHECK— on your next range session on a different day shoot one 5 round group at circle 2. Then next shooting day another 5 round group—again without re-zeroing—at the last clean circle. Thats 3 targets on 3 different days, a “proof” and 2 tests, that can realistically be done at any rifle range, on one 8 1/2 x 11” sheet of paper, with 1 box of ammo, that would show a scope holds the absolute most-basic zero under very light handling and travel to/from the range. Info including transport distance and conditions, if rifle was cleaned between groups, time between targets, etc. then you post your completed target and info. Any shot landing outside a circle is a FAIL, that scope did not hold even a loose zero under cupcake conditions (i.e. no drops or bumps, small group sizes, built-in allowance, etc).
It’s really not challenging at all, but I call it the “leupold zero challenge”.

I’m betting many wont pass. But I’d love to be proven wrong.
The problem with this^^ is it doesnt compare to a proof group from a known-good scope, so if scope error is captured in the initial proof group, but there is a similar amount of error in each group, it wont show up and a bad scope could pass. If anyone has a better way to easily show this throw it out there.