My buddy brought his 7mm PRC topped with the 3-18 Amplus to hunt with me. First thing we do every year he comes up is take his rifle to 400 yards to verify he is shooting right. Set the steel at 375 in an area with low winds. Had him try my suppressed 6.5 Creedmoor since he'd never shot a suppressed rifle. He hit the steel first shot. Shot his rifle and was way high. Took his elevation back to 0 and he shot again and he was still over a foot high at 375 yards. We stopped shooting and I took him to get a paper target and shoot at 100. At 100 he was 4" high and 3" left and the group was super inconsistent with a 3" pattern. Had him shoot a 3 shot group with my 6.5CM just to make sure it wasn't him and he printed a 1/2" group with 2 of the 3 in the same hole.
This experience does not give me super confidence in the Amplus scope. The random grouping didn't scream rifle or ammo to me since the more he shot it the higher the groups got. I set him up with my loaner 223 for the rest of his hunt. He shot it sub-MOA on a 10 shot group with AAC 75gr Sabre Blade Black Tips. He was pissed that a $500 Ruger American Gen 1 that came with a free scope shot better than his $3k rifle and scope combo. He didn't get a chance to fill any tags but he was ready to. I've got him talked into either a Maven or a Trijicon Credo on a Tikka (6.5 PRC or 6.5 Creedmoor) or Ruger American Gen 2 (6.5Creedmoor or 22CM).
Moral of the story, always proof your rifle when you get to the hunt and always bring a backup rifle when you are on a hunting trip far from home. Even if that backup is a lowly 223 (or 6mm if required).
Jay
