Drop Evaluation RTZ and “Tracking”:
For an explanation see-
Scope Field Eval Explanation and Standards
The “test” consists of three 18” drops on a mat- one left/right/top with a shot to check zero after each drop. Then the exact same thing repeated from 36”. Then three drops on all three sides for nine drops on the last part- 15 drops total. This is not “abuse”. The 18” drops are a joke really. The 36” start showing something. And when a scope make/model consistently goes through the whole thing without losing zero, and makes it through the high round count portion, failures in actual use are almost unheard of.
This one was conducted on soft soil and grass, with a 1/2 rubber padded mat top.
The rings were degreased and installed with 65 in-lbs on base screws, and 25-lbs on ring cap screws initially.
Ammunition used was Federal 308T. The 20 round proof group with this ammo was 1.1MOA.
Zeroing:
Issues started immediately. Boresighted. Fired one round, adjusted, and next round landed in the dot. However, the next round with no adjustment shifted left 1.25 MOA. I adjusted right 1 MOA and moved to the right dot. 2 rounds- it didn’t move. Adjusted right 1 MOA again- it didn’t move.
I took apart and remounted at 20in-lbs (5 under spec).
First 3 shot were in the same place, adjusted right 1 MOA, 3 shots- no change. Adjusted right 2 MOA and it jumped.
Adjusted left 1 MOA and shot these two on the bottom-
Went to drop eval.
Drop evaluation:
18” drops were fine. Left side 36” shifted left about 4 MOA. Right side 36” shifted off paper.
Kept shooting and it started walking back in to the right labeled “x1, x2, x3-
Scope was again remounted but this time at 18in-lbs- 7in-lbs under spec.
Went to the left target and fired 5 rounds at the top dot below. Then adjusted left .75 MOA and then the three on the bottom.
Adjusted right .25 MOA and went to a new dot for the second drop eval.
Everything went fine on center dot until the 9x36” drop portion- that shifted it right approx 10 MOA (far right hole).
Went to another dot, adjusted left 10moa and shot several rounds to see if it would come back. The rounds started at left and shifted right with each shot in a line.
Conclusion:
Scope failed totally with drops. Even the last one where it held for the 18 and 36” single drops wouldn’t last. At 18in-lbs on the ring caps, the scope looks like it has already slipped a tiny amount. Adjustments were not consistent or correct when zeroing.
