Scope Zero Check Thread

[Wiscgunner]

Next up …
Hawkhill talon feet on Atlas PSR
1/2” rubber matt on top of concrete bench

 

[Wiscgunner]

Next up…
Slightly compromised prone with bipod feet just off the front of the concrete firing line, Gitlite gamechanger rear bag.


All in all, I would say she is fine after the flight. Next time, I will test it with a more accurate barrel or load to remove some of the large cone of fire from the equation.

The only time I need to adjust this scope has been changes in ammo or barrels even when removing the scope from the rifle as I often do. These rings return to zero very repeatably.

One exception is when I accidentally kicked the rifle over on the bipod straight onto concrete. Not sure that is within the standards of a Rokslide Drop Test but it sure nocked the zero off by about 2mils. The recommendation (and solution) at the time was to hit the scope from the opposite side as the erector can get stuck on the extreme end of the spring when such a sudden hard stop like concrete occurs.

 

[pathnz]

6GT
Remington 700
18" brux
108 berger eh @ 2742fps
March F 3-24x52
Talley ultralight torqued to 20inlb
Zeroed a while back, check today

 

[Macintosh]

New oem tikka barrel cut and threaded thanks @NSI !
Spun my old barrel off, torqued this one on, checked headspace, and went to the range to zero it and get baseline groups. My first suppressor hopefully clears atf jail this week () so should hopefully be able to see any poi shift and change in groups with this.
The first group was pretty tight except for the one, guessing less mirage on that group as I was sending all 10 for each group more or less as fast as I could reload and get steady. 2” dots.

9 rounds with the old zero.



Adjust up a click and left a click and fired 10 round groups.

Hornady factory loaded American gunner



And factory loaded Hornady Match 140gn eldm

 

[NSI]

New oem tikka barrel cut and threaded thanks @NSI !
Spun my old barrel off, torqued this one on, checked headspace, and went to the range to zero it and get baseline groups. My first suppressor hopefully clears atf jail this week () so should hopefully be able to see any poi shift and change in groups with this.
The first group was pretty tight except for the one, guessing less mirage on that group as I was sending all 10 for each group more or less as fast as I could reload and get steady. 2” dots.

9 rounds with the old zero.

View attachment 905915

Adjust up a click and left a click and fired 10 round groups.

Hornady factory loaded American gunner

View attachment 905916

And factory loaded Hornady Match 140gn eldm

View attachment 905920

Great shooting!

-J

 

[Nine Banger]

I was checking lands on 80 ELDM last night and needed a thin brass rod to tap one out; this item is also known as a cleaning rod in circles outside of Rokslide.

I leaned my rifle on a folding table to get both hands available to reach for the box and it slid and smacked the concrete slab. Marks on the objective bell, eyepiece and the stock. The level got ground up.



22 Creed, PBB Group Buy barrel
SWFA 6x Gen2
McMillan Tracker LR
77gr SMK handloads

Target 1


Target 2...dialed R .4mil and slipped turrets



I attribute loss of zero to the action moving in the stock. I retorqued at 60lbs and had rotation on the front screw. I think they were set around 50 before the drop.

 

[Bluumoon]

I was checking lands on 80 ELDM last night and needed a thin brass rod to tap one out; this item is also known as a cleaning rod in circles outside of Rokslide.

I leaned my rifle on a folding table to get both hands available to reach for the box and it slid and smacked the concrete slab. Marks on the objective bell, eyepiece and the stock. The level got ground up.

View attachment 908308View attachment 908310View attachment 908311View attachment 908312View attachment 908313

22 Creed, PBB Group Buy barrel
SWFA 6x Gen2
McMillan Tracker LR
77gr SMK handloads

Target 1

View attachment 908307
Target 2...dialed R .4mil and slipped turrets


View attachment 908306
I attribute loss of zero to the action moving in the stock. I retorqued at 60lbs and had rotation on the front screw. I think they were set around 50 before the drop.

Remind me not loan you stuff.

 

[Wiscgunner]

I was checking lands on 80 ELDM last night and needed a thin brass rod to tap one out; this item is also known as a cleaning rod in circles outside of Rokslide.

I leaned my rifle on a folding table to get both hands available to reach for the box and it slid and smacked the concrete slab. Marks on the objective bell, eyepiece and the stock. The level got ground up.

View attachment 908308View attachment 908310View attachment 908311View attachment 908312View attachment 908313

22 Creed, PBB Group Buy barrel
SWFA 6x Gen2
McMillan Tracker LR
77gr SMK handloads

Target 1

View attachment 908307
Target 2...dialed R .4mil and slipped turrets


View attachment 908306
I attribute loss of zero to the action moving in the stock. I retorqued at 60lbs and had rotation on the front screw. I think they were set around 50 before the drop.

If the loss of zero was from the shift in stock it should have changed back when you retightened the screws.
Poor stock to action fit causes just as many if not more changes than loss of zero from the scope because the gun is getting uneven pressure and is not really "zero'd" but adjusted off zero to appear zero with the uneven pressure included. When this singular point of assembly is moved from impact or reassembly, the "zero" shifts every time. The scope didn't lose zero, the rings didn't shift...it just all bent together differently.

If a rifle sits evenly in a stock or chassis (ie bedded properly) it can come in and our without losing zero every day of the week. The scope is zeroed to the barreled action not the stock. Stress free bedding removed the variable warpage and even stressed bedding will at least make the bending together of the system more consistent.

In this particular case, I would say the concrete was more durable than the SWFA despite its deity like following but that's only if the stock is bedded. Otherwise is is likely a combo of the two.

Did you happen to check to see if the zero returned back after the stock was retightened, requiring the removal of the .4mil adjustment? If it did then the scope didn't lose zero, the stock just lost pressure.

If the zero didn't return, requiring the .4mil shift to stay put then I would say the scope lost zero. Not surprising hitting concrete though...experienced that myself. As scopes are rally just fancy spring-loaded micrometers, it will likely bounce back .4mils unless something inside has deformed or unseated.

Thanks for sharing either way.

 

[Castle Rock]

If the loss of zero was from the shift in stock it should have changed back when you retightened the screws.
Poor stock to action fit causes just as many if not more changes than loss of zero from the scope because the gun is getting uneven pressure and is not really "zero'd" but adjusted off zero to appear zero with the uneven pressure included. When this singular point of assembly is moved from impact or reassembly, the "zero" shifts every time. The scope didn't lose zero, the rings didn't shift...it just all bent together differently.

If a rifle sits evenly in a stock or chassis (ie bedded properly) it can come in and our without losing zero every day of the week. The scope is zeroed to the barreled action not the stock. Stress free bedding removed the variable warpage and even stressed bedding will at least make the bending together of the system more consistent.

In this particular case, I would say the concrete was more durable than the SWFA despite its deity like following but that's only if the stock is bedded. Otherwise is is likely a combo of the two.

Did you happen to check to see if the zero returned back after the stock was retightened, requiring the removal of the .4mil adjustment? If it did then the scope didn't lose zero, the stock just lost pressure.

If the zero didn't return, requiring the .4mil shift to stay put then I would say the scope lost zero. Not surprising hitting concrete though...experienced that myself. As scopes are rally just fancy spring-loaded micrometers, it will likely bounce back .4mils unless something inside has deformed or unseated.

Thanks for sharing either way.

Scope tube bending is a thing, they really are not all that strong

 

[Nine Banger]

Did you happen to check to see if the zero returned back after the stock was retightened, requiring the removal of the .4mil adjustment? If it did then the scope didn't lose zero, the stock just lost pressure.

The McMillan Tracker LR mold leaves the barrels off center and really close to the left side of the inlet.

I took a quick glance at the gap when I picked up the rifle and knew something was off.

Just a hair, literally, but you know that feeling when something's off.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Tikka action with a 308 barrel I got from another member and installed myself. Shooting Nosler 165 grain whitetail country ammo. Shoots about 1.5-2 moa typically. Scope is NXS 2.5-10x42. Zeroed on five rounds and then tossed in a case and traveled by plane to South Africa.



Accuracy is not what I typically accept but this hunt was all 300 yards and under so this would work just fine.

We checked zero the first morning and everything was good to go. My wife and I shot a total of 9 nine animals on the trip. The rifle/scope held zero throughout.

This kudu was the farthest shot animal at 284 yards.

 

[1000yards]

Custom CZ 550 in 30-06
24" barrel
Leupold VX-7 2.5-10x45
Talley Screw lock rings ~22 in lbs and purple nail polish
130 TTSX
100 yards, resting on a bag of corn over the hood of my truck.

80F at sea level

I'll be happy enough if this thing holds zero driving down limerock roads.

 

[littlebigtine]

Thats 12 shots, the 6 creed is still on!

 

[1000yards]

Another day on the range with:
CZ 550 30-06
130 TTSX
Leupold VX-7 2.5-10x45
Talley Rings

I came to my range with high hopes after that last group I shot, but that mood didn't last long. First thing I did was dial up five MOA to shoot a hog at 370 yards. The hog never materialized so I dialed back down. First three shots were high and left. That's not where I left it. I attempted to re-zero but because I'm a dumbass I twisted the elevation knob in the wrong direction and fired six more rounds.


Finally realized my mistake, re-zeroed again and fired ten rounds at a new target. The first three were high and center, then the last seven were a full MOA to the right. I know I shouldn't be reading into groups this small, but that just seems weird.


I adjusted one MOA to the left and fired my remaining seven rounds.

There was no more shifting within that group, but there's definitely something going on and I don't think it's my shooting. I could put a proven scope on this rifle, and a proven rifle on this scope. And that should help me pinpoint any problem. But now I'm wondering if it's worth the time and effort. Any advice from the smart people here?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

man that's just a typical day in the life of a rifle with a leupold and talley ultralights. remember to tap your turrets with an empty case to get them unstuck after an adjustment, but don't tap too hard or they'll over adjust.

or you can swap out for stuff that holds zero and dials reliably.

 

[S.Clancy]

man that's just a typical day in the life of a rifle with a leupold and talley ultralights. remember to tap your turrets with an empty case to get them unstuck after an adjustment, but don't tap too hard or they'll over adjust.

or you can swap out for stuff that holds zero and dials reliably.

The Talley ultralights have been great on my gun (Kimber 6.5 Creed), but I bonded them to the receiver with 2-part epoxy.

 

[1000yards]

man that's just a typical day in the life of a rifle with a leupold and talley ultralights. remember to tap your turrets with an empty case to get them unstuck after an adjustment, but don't tap too hard or they'll over adjust.

or you can swap out for stuff that holds zero and dials reliably.

You're probably right about the Leopold. But I've had good luck with these rings before on two other rifles, I don't think these are the ultralights? https://www.talleymanufacturing.com/product/cz-550-screw-lock-detachable-for-dovetail-setup/

 

[ResearchinStuff]

oh wow, vertical split rings. those have almost certainly broken your scopes internals, or they are loose/slipping on the rail. there's really no goldilocks zone with how thin leupold's tubes are. i had a vx3 in vertical split warnes, when trying to dial for windage the entire turret fell out of the scopes body.

 

[1000yards]

oh wow, vertical split rings. those have almost certainly broken your scopes internals, or they are loose/slipping on the rail. there's really no goldilocks zone with how thin leupold's tubes are. i had a vx3 in vertical split warnes, when trying to dial for windage the entire turret fell out of the scopes body.

Are we talking about the same type of rings? There's two types of vertical split rings. Warne has a style that uses the same screws to tighten to both the action and the scope. These tallys have a separate screw to attach to the action. I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not when it comes to holding zero and not damaging a scope, but there's definitely a difference in the design.

 

[flyfisher117]

You're probably right about the Leopold. But I've had good luck with these rings before on two other rifles, I don't think these are the ultralights? https://www.talleymanufacturing.com/product/cz-550-screw-lock-detachable-for-dovetail-setup/

Don’t worry I can shoot the same kind of groups with my Tikkas wearing UM rings and both a Maven or SWFA scope.