Scope Zero Check Thread

[sargent]

Tikka T3X Lite .223, SWFA 3-9, Talley rings
I shot the four AAC 77TMK rounds that were left in the clip after hunting season.
Not the best group ever, but still zeroed (2" dot)

The zero on this rifle hasn't been touched since early October of 2023. Since then the rifle has ridden thousands of miles in the truck, shot around 750 rounds, and killed an elk and five whitetails.

 

[morgaj1]

Tikka t3x .223
Swfa 3-15x
77 tmk : 25 gr lever'
Was having issues hitting at 350yds last time out. Zero check this session quickly confirmed a loss of zero.View attachment 812541
This rifle has been degreased and torqued but never paint penned. The front action screw was slightly loose. Also, when I went to slip my turrets I noticed the cap set screw were loose and had scratch marks where they didn't quite grab while adjusting (I have 2 different practice loads that I adjust off my 77 tmk zero)
Adjusted once... not quite there
View attachment 812545
Adjusted once more...
View attachment 812548
Perfect now.
Gonna do some stock work to this rifle now. When I reassemble everything will be paint penned, even the turret caps...

What rings?

 

[Moose83]

What rings?

Burris tikka direct mount rings

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Rifle: Tikka T3X Chambered in .260 Rem. Factory 22” Stainless Fluted Barrel. Stockys VG2. Shooting 143 ELDX hand loads.

Scope: Maven RS1.2 SHR MIL.

Scope Mounting: UM Tikka Low Rings and Bases (using the provided threaded pins).

Shooting Position: Seated at portable “bench”. Plastic table and folding chair. Heavy front bag, light weight low fill rear bag.


Time/Activity Since Last Zero Check: Gun was last zero checked in mid August when I made a small correction in the scope when I switched from factory 129 SSTs to 143 ELDX hand loads. It’s since been used on dozens of field shooting days, 2 round trip flights, and bounced around in my jeep and pickup back seats like all my guns.

Zero Check and Target Results: I fired and chrono’d two 3 round magazines back to back for a 6 shot group at 100 yards. Nothing surprising. This gun has always been an absolute hammer, it’s never been cleaned since 2021 and “should” be nearing the end of its barrel life

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Rifle: Tikka T3X Chambered in .223. Rokstok. Factory 20” 8 twist blued barrel chopped to 16” and threaded. Shooting factory Black Hills 77 TMK ammo.

Scope: SWFA Fixed 10x42

Scope Mounting: Sportsmatch T084s.

Shooting Position:




Time/Activity Since Last Zero Check: I can’t find photos of the last zero check. It’s been at least 6 months. This gun was recently fully cleaned other than the barrel, scope and gun wiped down, glass cleaned, throat and action rinsed with brake clean, bolt oiled. As per usual, many field days of use and vehicles ridden in. This gun is waiting on a dedicated 5.56 suppressor to arrive but figured I’d give it a quick zero check this morning.

Zero Check and Target Results: I fired and chrono’d a 4 round mag plus 1 group of 5 at 100 yards. Looked at my strelok app and saw that I had 2680 in for my calcs. Neat!

 

[eoperator]

Defiance/bart 6cm
Baby atacr nf rings

Do not save previous zero target but it had a near perfect zero. The rifle has 4k+ truck miles 5 kills and a significant impact from slipping on a snow covered rock (with a scope coat on) since it's last on paper zero check.

3 disappointing 5 groups had me thinking something had shifted. The rail is epoxied and pinned everything has been thread locked and torqued so i decided to clean the barrel first before changing zero on the scope.

While the barrel was soaking with foaming bore cleaner I noticed the brass had dents and abnormal powder residue on the shoulders. Willing to bet when I wiped out smacking the scope on a rock it dislodged some big chunks of carbon from suppressor that the first round pushed up into the neck/shoulder of the chamber forcing the brass off center a bit. The bolt face had chucks of carbon squished into it also.

After cleaning 1st round went a bit high right and the next 9 pounded the center out like these 108eh's usually do.

 

[Jimbee]

Two Tikka 233s with SWFA 6X and Sportsmatch T084. One is a stainless superlite cut to 18" with a YHM K2(?) Supressor and Stocky's VG. Second is a stainless lite cut to 17" with a JK solvent trap turned supressor, factory stock, vertical grip. Both have Waters Rifleman mags.
Superlite has 2k plus rounds and the other has 500+ and neither has ever been cleaned. Shot prone off sandbags. 77tmk with 23.7 8208xbr and ADI brass.

 

[Tanner]

Those are slick!

Two Tikka 233s with SWFA 6X and Sportsmatch T084. One is a stainless superlite cut to 18" with a YHM K2(?) Supressor and Stocky's VG. Second is a stainless lite cut to 17" with a JK solvent trap turned supressor, factory stock, vertical grip. Both have Waters Rifleman mags.
Superlite has 2k plus rounds and the other has 500+ and neither has ever been cleaned. Shot prone off sandbags. 77tmk with 23.7 8208xbr and ADI brass.View attachment 814095

Those are slick. I’m dying to know more about the solvent trade turned suppressor.

 

[Jimbee]

Those are slick!

Those are slick. I’m dying to know more about the solvent trade turned suppressor.

I don't think it's allowed anymore but it actually works great. With the current short wait times I'd just buy a real one.

 

[KickinNDishin]

My goal is to go from 0% two years in a row for Cold Shot Challenge to 100%. The graph paper is 1/2" squares, and I think practicing with these three rifles will help me reach my goal.

"Someone" switched scopes around and I had 5 loaded cartridges left from last year. So this is to track my zero for when I load more. After those five, I adjusted .5 up and .1 left.

Weatherby 7-08 Vanguard in a Bravo chassis with a Nightforce.

This is the Tikka 22br in a Bravo chassis that @sndmn11 uses for scope writing. We put the other Nightforce on this so it's like my deer gun above. The dot by the writing is where we left the zero.




This is a T1x with a third Nightforce and normal stock. The top right dot we adjusted down .1 and left .1. The bottom left dot was the next group and where the zero was left.

 

[FLS]

12/30/24
Semi custom Remington 700 25-06
Razor LHT 3-15 in Hawkins rings
110 Tipped Game Kings over RL23
I noticed a pretty good ding in the objective end so I shot a few rounds to check zero. No idea when it happened, been hunting since Sept here in SC, NC and a week in WY. All good. Killed a doe at 275 a couple of hours after checking zero.

 

[FLS]

12/30/24 Zero check doe.

 

[Tanner]

6mm Creed and 115s on the left and 22-250 with 88s on the right. Still working up loads for these and had minimal 115s left. So far very happy with how both are shooting.

 

[SouthPaw]

Tikka .223, SM lows, SWFA 3-9 all degreased, torqued, loctite, etc. This rifle hasn't been mechanically altered for almost 2 years and nearly 3k rounds. About 4k on the barrel. Never cleaned.

the past 1200ish rounds have been the same load, 23g XBR and 80g ELDM 2760fps and zero hasn't been adjusted since starting. This includes serving backup rifle on a recent 2800mile trip across multiple states and some horrible FS roads, many more miles hunting/shooting, etc. I check zero every 2-3 or so sessions (which all generally include hiking to remote mountain spots for practice shooting). Actually took a pic yesterday after seeing this thread. Almost had a coyote but he buggered as I built position. Layed down in the dirt and shot 10 rapid fire over pack.



Gun is zeroed. Another 5 kneeling over upright pack with two hitting same hole.



Then shooting 2.5ish moa rocks at 692 and 712 yards, dope is still perfect.