Scope running out of elevation

[BigFaus]

Hey Gents. Looking for a little guidance here. I'm currently shooting a Seekins ph2 with their low rings attached. I'm having trouble finding a load that meets my standards and intially thought that maybe the scope was the problem as I stack every other shot on top of one another but with a 2in gap in between. For example, the first shot hits where I am aiming and then the second shot goes two inches left. The third shots threads the same shot as the first hole, the 4th shot goes two inches left. etc.

The first scope I had on this rifle was a vortex razor hd 3-15x50, I'm still not sure if the scope is the problem but initially zeroing this in I had to add a shim to the front because it was running out of elevation, and that solved my problem.

To verify the vortex wasn't consistent, I tried a new a scope (Leupold vx5 3-15x44). I'm running out of elevation. I had to add a shim to the front but this time I ran way out of elevation. I'm down as far as I can go but I'm still shooting 3 inches high, however my shots are consistent. Any suggestions, guidance or advise is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

I'm confused, you're adding shims to the front but can't dial down far enough to zero? You should be trying to bring the front of the scope down, not up.

 

[TxLite]

Is this at 100 yards? You shouldn’t be running out of elevation trying to zero it at 100.

Sounds like there might be something else going on with the setup

Edit to add- also, remove the shim

 

[Macintosh]

Both of those scopes should have plenty of elevation to zero with the 20moa rail that rifle is advertised as having. should not need any shims. Also, even if both scopes were bad it would be truly wierd if the result for both (alternating shots 2” apart?) was the SAME—to me this suggests the scopes are not the issue, or at least not the primary issue. Something sounds off with rings or mount.

 

[BigFaus]

Both of those scopes should have plenty of elevation to zero with the 20moa rail that rifle is advertised as having. should not need any shims. Also, even if both scopes were bad it would be truly wierd if the result for both (alternating shots 2” apart?) was the SAME—to me this suggests the scopes are not the issue, or at least not the primary issue. Something sounds off with rings or mount.

So Just to clarify only the vortex had this issue.

 

[TxLite]

Something sounds off with rings or mount.

Or cheek weld consistency

 

[ResearchinStuff]

is your rail backwards?

 

[JGRaider]

Rifle bedding issue would be my guess, assuming all scope and ring mounts are tight, as well as action screws.

 

[BigFaus]

Rifle bedding issue would be my guess, assuming all scope and ring mounts are tight, as well as action screws.

Rifle bedding looks great. All screws were tight, checked multiple times.

 

[BigFaus]

is your rail backwards?

This was my thought but verified the rail was put on facing the correct direction.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

nothing you're really reporting/doing makes sense. If those scopes worked properly to begin with (doubtful), they almost certainly don't now that you've bent them in shimmed rings. pictures might be helpful.

 

[BigFaus]

nothing you're really reporting/doing makes sense. If those scopes worked properly to begin with (doubtful), they almost certainly don't now that you've bent them in shimmed rings. pictures might be helpful.

I can post pictures later. But high level, I'm using seekins rings on a seekins rifle and both scopes I have tried with it are running out of travel before they will zero. The vortex I was able to get close with a shim, but the shots were inconsistent almost as if it wasn't holding a zero. The leupold was still shooting 3 inches high at 100 after it ran out of travel. I'm not sure if my vortex scope is faulty. I can't seem to narrow down my problem beyond that.

 

[ChrisAU]

In no world with modern equipment should shims enter the equation. As stated, you have likely damaged the scope. And adding a shim to the front would decrease the amount of up-travel you have. As you dial for a longer shot, or "up", you are pointing the erector down and thereby pointing the rifle up maintaining the same POA. Adding a shim to the front would counter-act that by pointing the scope up. And bend the tube in a rail and rings setup.

 

[keystone112]

I once ran out of adjustment with a set of warne rings. Sent them back and later found out they were out of spec.

 

[huntsman22]

I'm confused, you're adding shims to the front but can't dial down far enough to zero? You should be trying to bring the front of the scope down, not up.

Lissen to this guy. You are shimming the wrong frigging end. Undo the zero stop also......

 

[BigFaus]

Let me see if I am understanding this correctly, your vortex scope first shot is center mass bullzeye, second shot is left 2 inches, third shot center mass bullzeye, fourth shot two inches left and this pattern repeats itself as you continue to shoot. - you swap out scopes and put the luepold on and first shot punches a hole, second shot punches through the same hole, third shot punches through the same hole, fourth shot punches through the same hole and so on as you continue shooting.

Sounds like to me the vortex is not holding zero and is moving while you shoot. The luepold is holding zero and repeats accuracy in the same bullet hole. I would get rid of the vortex and only use the luepold and put the vortex on a friends rifle or a diffrent rifle and see if it holds zero.

As far as running out of elevation raising the front of the rail only brings your crosshairs further away (higher) than your impact. Raising the rear of the rail will bring your crosshairs down into your impact. Why you can’t get it within without shining or something I am not sure, something is not aligned or machined properly.

I have a Burris XTR ii 8-40x50 with 34mm nightforce rings on a 20moa rail on a savage 110ba 6.5 creedmoor and with the scope bottomed out elevation center mass windage exactly how I got it from the factory my zero is dead nuts on at 40/200yds. I don’t need to but I couldn’t even go one 1/8th click lower if I had wanted to. Everything is lined up that perfectly that I have never even had to adjust the turret out of the box to zero it in. I can take the scope and rings off and on multiple times and that my zero does not change. Maybe I just have the luckiest rifle, scope, and rings ever manufactured lol.

That's correct. Think I'm sending the vortex back to vortex, removing the rings, tossing the shims and moving forward with different rings and the leupold to try.

 

[Formidilosus]

Everyone needs to stop. There’s multiple people saying that the OP needs to raise the rear end to lower point of impact- NO.

He has a problem no doubt, but raising the front IS how you lower point of impact.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

Everyone needs to stop. There’s multiple people saying that the OP needs to raise the rear end to lower point of impact- NO.

He has a problem no doubt, but raising the front IS how you lower point of impact.

Nevermind what I just said, yep.
Treat it like a fixed sight and that makes sense. Adding dialing adjustment doesn't change the physics. me dumb

 

[Caseknife]

As @huntsman22 said, have you read the instructions on the Leupold about adjusting the zero stop?

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Looks like we have the problem narrowed down to a couple dozen different things.