Why Is It So??

[p3seven]

Last week I zeroed my scope and it was shooting within 1/2 inch of the red dot in the center of the bulls eye at 100 m. At 200 m was 3.5 inch low as per the ballistic table for the Federal ammunition. Rifle was transported home cleaned and stored. No bumps or falls.

Today I fired 3 shots at 100 m same ammo all shots were 3 inches high at 100 m and 6 shots 5.5 inches high at 200 m.

The scope is a Leupold VX1 recently serviced. Any suggestions as to what might cause this change?

I have never used scopes in my shooting life prior to renewing my licence and taking up shooting again. I am at a loss to explain this.

[<<Genesis93>>]

Scope elevation,
scope mounting;

What do you mean by service? was it removed/played with??

[Baldrick314]

First suggestion is always check your mounts and rings, ensure all are sufficiently tight. Nearly every time I've had a scope issue it's come down to a loose screw.

Was there any significant weather changes between the two trips?

[Oldbloke]

Above, loose mount, screws. Or second time shooting off a hard/different rest?

[sandgroperbill]

I think the guys have nailed it. Check the mounts/rings and look for loose screws. Sometimes poor quality mounts will shift even without loose screws

[p3seven]

Service was, replacing windage knob (printing and numbers were part worn off) clip off clip on. Checked paralax and general clean, then returned.

All screws and mounts tight (just checked). I give everything a wiggle when I remove from the bag. Mounts are same brand as the scope. Used a Bipod and rear bag both times off a range bench. Weather both times a moderate, gusty, quartering wind. I waited for lulls before shooting

Could there be a lag in the movement of the recticule after adjustment? My last adjustment was right and up. The recticule may stick then move some time after the after the adjustment is made. Though I would not think this would be the case with quality brand scopes.

Thanks for your suggestions thus far.

[happyhunter]

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[Wm.Traynor]

In view of what happyhunter just posted, I was reminded of something similar of mine

enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5501
Begin reading at, "Even the dear ones..............."

Scopes can be very cruel.

[<<Genesis93>>]

The V1 isn't a quality scope .........The best way to fix a cheap scope is save up some extra money and buy a better one.

I think you started on the pi55 a bit early today, happyhunter....do you define quality by how much you pay, or by other measures?? what is it that says cheap scope to you? I have a number of Leupold and Redfield scopes, and they don't scream cheap to me while a $99 chinky whatever at the LGS does however say POS all over it ;

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https://www.leupold.com/resources/leupo ... guarantee/

Leupold Optics are built for a lifetime of performance at the highest level, plain and simple. Other companies offer lifetime warranties because they know the optics they’re selling you are going to break, fail, or fall short of expectations. At Leupold, that’s not how we do business.

With the Leupold Gold Ring Full Lifetime Guarantee, if your Leupold product doesn’t perform as promised, we will repair or replace it for free, whether you are the original owner or not—forever (excludes electronic components). You don’t need proof of ownership. Or a warranty card. And there’s no time limit. We do this because we believe in superior quality and craftsmanship, and we’re confident your Leupold won’t let you down. That’s the power of our company, and we stand behind our work.
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I don't think a 'forever' replacement warranty, regardless of whether the first owner or not, would be offered for a POS scope....

[happyhunter]

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[happyhunter]

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[pomemax]

Had a very similar problem few months ago now scope was a Bushnell Tactical elite 5x15x40 good enough scope bore sighted at the range 5 shots in the bull @ 100 so no problem cleaned gun returned to safe 2 weeks later 1 shot 2" high 3 1" low all rings and mounts were all ok the day was much the same nothing to write home about same rest .
When i checked the action screws 1 was lose by about 2 turns so tighten do all again check with borescope shoot 20 check the last 5 check the action screws they were tight all ok .
2 weeks later .Sight was were I left it last time
Dont underestimate what you can do with action screws torque you may think its your scope but it may not be seeing as how it was serviced just prior I would be looking at some other things

[sandgroperbill]

Yup. Leupolds are poor quality

https://youtu.be/7EOdTwe0K8o

And since they're such poor quality, their 'cheaper' brothers must be even worse

https://youtu.be/TM9mx711OwA

7 out of every 100,000 units have defects! How can they sleep at night selling these to the poor unsuspecting public? For shame!

[<<Genesis93>>]

think you started on the pi55 a bit early today, happyhunter..

Never touch the stuff. Not good for your health in my line of work

Brain surgery

[happyhunter]

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[anthillinside]

How old/new is the rifle?
What cal?
How much of a clean?
How many rounds fired "before" the zero?
Could be your barrel running in.
Or something along these lines.
The first 2-5 shots from my .22LR Anschutz, using the same batch of bullets are always off by a varying amount after a good clean.

[Wm.Traynor]

Just to set the record straight, it is my opinion that you cannot trust a scope 100%.

Fifteen years ago, my Leupold was being sent back to the US about every two months because the adjustments took two months of weekly shooting to go haywire. Since then, a Lynx, Weaver and another Leupold have all had to be returned. Late last Century an old Kahles 2 X was refurbished for more than its purchase price. It too, stuffed up in spite of the money spent on it.

You pays your money and you takes your chances.

[sandgroperbill]

Marketing material? Quite definitely. But even taking that into account, I find it a bit of a leap to come in and say the vx1 isn't a quality product, and their quality control and manufacturing processes in these videos help to make that point. Is it at the lower end of their line? yes, but still doesn't mean it's not quality. Are there better scopes out there? quite definitely, yes, still doesn't mean it isn't quality.
Is it possible the scope is shifting or sticking? yes, but there are a lot of links in this chain, and the scope isn't the first place I would start simply as it is a vx1.

[Rifle realist]

I have to agree with happyhunter, huge difference in performance & quality between VX1 & VX111 I have both. The VXI does not have the same precision in the adjustments there is no audible or tactile click when adjusting, unlike the VXIII they are positive as you adjust enabling counting.not to say the VXI is a bad scope, just a bit cheaper and you get what you pay for. I run VXIII on my center fires & VXI on my rimfires, I am happy with the way they perform.

[Oldbloke]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7nX-yMr0__Q

Ha Ha like most, parts are made in china

[Strikey]

Last week I zeroed my scope and it was shooting within 1/2 inch of the red dot in the center of the bulls eye at 100 m. At 200 m was 3.5 inch low as per the ballistic table for the Federal ammunition. Rifle was transported home cleaned and stored. No bumps or falls.

Today I fired 3 shots at 100 m same ammo all shots were 3 inches high at 100 m and 6 shots 5.5 inches high at 200 m.

The scope is a Leupold VX1 recently serviced. Any suggestions as to what might cause this change?

I have never used scopes in my shooting life prior to renewing my licence and taking up shooting again. I am at a loss to explain this.

Whats happened here is the erector tube in the scope has moved to where the turrets have been dialled, if the spring inside is a bit weak or the internals of the scope are a bit sticky then after a period of time everything will move to where the turrets are adjusted ( which may not be where you want the rifle sighted to ), if this makes sense, an old Bushnell scope of mine, if it has been sitting for any length of time I need to wind the turrets in and out before it will track reliably. I have several Leupolds, Sightrons, Nightforce scopes and after many years shooting various competitions I have learnt to always wind the turrets past where you want them and come back, the adjustments are much more precise and reduces the effect of any backlash in the turrets/erector tube assembly

[Wm.Traynor]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7nX-yMr0__Q

Ha Ha like most, parts are made in china

I like the comment by rusty nuts.

[p3seven]

Thanks all. This topic has opened a can of worms as to personal preferences and experiences,etc. I will pay attention to the movement of the recticule when adjusting and make sure it is settled and repeatable before I lock it down.

When I returned to shooting it was a decision to help with feral control on the rural properties I tend to be invited to farm sit. I can't walk far anymore so I tend to set up a hide and lurk by a track or waterhole. Ranges between 50 and 200 m, 243 W was caliber of choice.

The scope choice was for something that would be within my budget and do the job at the ranges chosen. 3-9 x 40 seemed suitable and, had settled on a new NikoStirling when I noticed a second hand Leupold on this forum for more money but offering better clarity and quality. I will persevere. Once it is right I will not touch the turrents and just lead or lift to adjust for the distances to the target animal and their movement.

[happyhunter]

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[bigfellascott]

Got M8 Leupold that's around 30+ year old that's still going fine, same with a cheap and nasty Jap Tasco's they've never let me down despite the cheap pricetag, I do also have a readfield or two and they work fine (not my favorite scope by a long shot) glass turrets aren't as good as my Nikons and cost twice as much.

My mate who owns all high end equipment has used my cheap scope (Nikon) and wondered where the $$$ really was between them - he was amazed at how good the Nikon was in comparison to his Swaro we were using the same night.

Infact the cheap little Nikon/Howso outfit well and truly outshot the Swaro/Sako outfit that night not the first time that cheap scope has been compared to the more expensive euro scopes either with all amazed at how good it goes for the $$ they go for.

Oh yeah it comes with a lifetime warranty too (obviously a bad sign I guess of impending failure) so does the the 30+yr old Tasco (I wonder when it will finally give up the ghost?) I wonder if I got value for money or not when purchasing that little jap tasco all those years ago for around $20 I feel I've blown my money

[happyhunter]

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[bigfellascott]

Did I mention anything about Chinese Rubbish? Nope. Just the fact that the Jap Tascos were a cheap scope compared to others of the day and the cheap one's still going as strong as the day it was bought.

I hate buying anything that''s made in China, usually that means it will fail sooner than later no matter the brand name on it. I refuse to buy Sony products anymore because they are made in China now and it is rubbish compared to the Jap made Sony products of old which lasted years and years and never gave trouble unlike the TV, Laptop and Vid camera that are all Chink made and have crapped out after a year or so.

I know of a pro shooter who only buys the cheap chinese scopes (Tasco) because they have a full lifetime warranty, he runs a few at a time and when one fails he puts a new one on and sends the other one back and they send him a new one

If I had to buy in the cheap end of the market I would only buy the Nikons now, they are way better than the Redfields I own (clarity is way better and the turrets s**t all over the Redfields by a long margin) the redfields are mushy and the clarity is very poor in comparison to the Nikon which I have found to be slightly better than my Zeiss Conquest which cost 6x as much! Go figure.

My way of looking at scopes is if you want to turn the dials all the time and shoot things at long long ranges, buy something quality it will handle it better, if you're a set and forget type person who only hunts at average ranges, some of the cheaper ones will do fine for the most part, especially if they have good clarity and work well under the light.

[Gwion]

I'm also lead to believe that if your scope is mounted such that, if by zeroing, the elevation or windage have been adjusted out to ward the extremities of the capacity, the issue of backlash and unreliable settings is exacerbated. Some thing to check; how far is your zero from the scopes mechanical or true zero?

Ideally, to zero the scope, you should only need a few MOA (at most) from the scopes mech.zero (center of it's adjustment range).

[Chronos]

Something some of you may not have heard of it to "run in" a new scope by dialling both her elevation and windage turrets through their full adjustment range a few times when you first mount them. It's supposed to help get rid of the excess assembly grease and stop this "lag" some sense to get.

I was told about this technique by a silhouette shooter after I mentioned to him that my new scope seemed to always take more adjustment than I calculated then ended up going past the point of aim and requiring a correction in the opposite direction

Since then I always wind a new scope back and forth a few times before mechanically cantering it ready for sighting in.

Chronos

[bigfellascott]

I don't even run in my rifles and now we're supposed to run in our scopes! Any scientific/solid evidence to back it up Steve or is it just some blokes theory?