how hard is it to knock a scope off zero? [Archive]

Thunderroost

11-14-2007, 06:40 PM

how hard is it to knock a scope off zero?.....

just wondering....i hear people blame missed shots on that alot. But in 25 years of hunting with as many as 10 different rifle/scope set ups I have never knocked one off....feared I had many times, but always checked and shot true afterwards.

I don't think I baby 'em....any good stories about taking a licking and still ticking?

corndogggy

11-14-2007, 06:54 PM

Dude, I have a 25 year old scope that isn't too great, I've fallen flat on my face in creeks/fields/woods with the gun hitting the ground, I'm 31 and haven't sighted it in since I was 16 or 17 and in high school, yet I always kill with just one shot, including one at 210 paces on Saturday. Due to this I've got to say that it's probably pretty friggin hard, most people saying that are just making excuses.

Multidigits

11-14-2007, 07:07 PM

I've knock one loose that I know of. Dropped my shotgun out of the tree last year doing some move related to videoing with a double stand and two guys miscommunicating. Anyway, the scope appeared to be fine on inspection, but that evening, missed a nice buck badly with 3 shots and knew it was a result of the fall. Went to rezero it last week and ti was shooting 5' high at 50 yards. Couldn't adjust it out, so pulled the scope off. Once it was off, you could clearly see that the tube was bent slightly in front of the first ring. trashcan material.

CardsFan84

11-14-2007, 07:21 PM

I have had experience with the rings coming loose on a side mount scope for a 30/30 lever action. As for knocking the scope off of zero, I had my sling come out of the front of the stock and the gun hit the ground very hard. I thought for sure that it would have been off, but sure enough it was still dead on.

killinmammals

11-14-2007, 07:42 PM

If your buddys are saying they missed because of the scope or gun. do like I did last year when my buddy missed 2 does...take him out after season and let him shoot from your shooting bench and see what he says when he is dead on!:D I had to give him hell on it this year before opening day too, because he always said it was a junky rifle and scope..old 700 243 and a bushnell. Of course he gives me hell for the miss on the first good buck I ever saw.:D

notimlmit

11-14-2007, 08:50 PM

My daughters scope was knocked off last year when some dogs knocked it over onto a hard floor. Lucky for her she used her brother in laws 30-06. I took it out after she told me and it was shooting a foot high and a foot to the left. I know it was dead on before because I'm the one that sighted it in.

150PandY

11-14-2007, 08:56 PM

My father in law ran over my rifle and scope last year and it was dead on this year. I think alot of it has to do with what type of mounts and rings you use.

GunCat

11-14-2007, 09:31 PM

.... I think alot of it has to do with what type of mounts and rings you use.

...and the quality of the scope being used.

TROPHYTAKER308

11-15-2007, 12:21 AM

i always make sure everything is tight,and even put clear fingernail polish on every screw,and lap my rings and i also put some clear silicone on the upper and lower rings and let dry,just put a small amount and rub it out evenlly with your finger, and then put my scope on,it helps to eleminate scrathes from the scope rings and it also makes the scope stick in the rings real well,like a bonding agent.
i garuntee the scope is in there and not moving from the rings and bases when im done,so i know if something is not right, its the scope that is not working properlly....
this is all considering the ammo is on par with the rifle also.

C.L.Button

11-15-2007, 09:23 AM

About 10 yrs ago I dropped my 44Mag out of a 20ft tree stand. It hit scope first on a rock. It knocked the eye piece crooked on the threads. I walked out and called the mfg, asked them what to do.

The tech told me to knock the eye piece back straight if I could, but not to force it. So I tapped it pretty good and it went back 2 or 3 threads the opposite direction. :eek: So I smacked it again and it lined up. I screwed out the eye piece, checked the threads, ran it back in, re-focused it then fired it. It was still dead on and has never been re-sighted. ;)

newshooter05

11-15-2007, 11:03 AM

i always have to locktight the front eyepiece on the scopes i use on my pellet gun. i have used a bsa for a year now on it with no problems. i think the older scopes were not as tough as they are now at least the cheap ones. now even the cheap ones are pretty durn good compared to 40 years ago.
david

TROPHYTAKER308

11-15-2007, 11:11 AM

newshooter05

11-15-2007, 04:07 PM

i kinda figured we might not be but a pellet gun will damage a scope faster than a high power rifle.im sure u know that tho and just had nothing else to say.
david

11-15-2007, 05:08 PM

Assuming you have a quality scope, I would say it takes more than you would be willing to inflict upon it. I recnet ly went on a hunt where they strapped my rifle to a wooden box on teh front of a 4-wheeler. We spent three days doing some pretty hard driving and the scope never moved.

TROPHYTAKER308

11-15-2007, 07:46 PM

i kinda figured we might not be but a pellet gun will damage a scope faster than a high power rifle.im sure u know that tho and just had nothing else to say.
david
??????????????:confused:..ok what ever you say.:)

treerat

11-15-2007, 08:05 PM

well several years ago i had a 338 ultra mag,,,,as many times it hit my nose and eye:eek::eek: it never went out of zero,,

Hunter

11-15-2007, 08:10 PM

C.L.Button

11-15-2007, 11:29 PM

I have a luepold on my 270 winchester I dont know but for some reason it seems to get of zero very easy even though i do not abuse the gun. All is good and tight with the correct rings, but I've never had much luck with this scope. About time to get rid of it.

Send it back and tell them what it does,,,,,IF you are sure the mounting is correct ? They will check the scope and repair/replace whatever it needs. ;)

treedweller

11-22-2007, 08:22 PM

Depends on the quality of your rings, bases and scope. Rings and bases are critical, do not go cheap on these. Quality scopes are made to withstand recoil. Then you also want to lap your rings on your scope with a lapping bar to insure proper ring to scope contact (midway USA). The ring screw torque is the next step...not to loose and not to tight (15 in lbs). All this and you will have a scope you can bang around and worry about your zero.

AMR40509

11-26-2007, 01:57 PM

About 10 years ago I climbed up in a home made stand before day light. I loaded up and then went to lean my gun against the tree to get my gloves back on...and dropped it right out of the tree in the dark. It fell about 15-20'. Put a nice scratch on that pretty Browning wood stock, but the scope stayed dead on.

treedweller

11-28-2007, 06:12 PM

Your mounting is everything. Its what connect the scope to the gun. Sorta like your tires on your cars.If they're bad your car doesn't handle as well. The same with your gun. A quality scope helps but is not always needed. Using the proper mounting technique will insure the best mount possible. At the begining of every season always check the torque on mounts. 15in-lbs on the scope rings and 65in-lbs on the ring to base screws. Use a lapping bar on your rings to insure total ring contact. You can also use a neoprene scope cover when storing and transporting your gun. This will absorb a large amount of impact should the scope be hit.
It doesn't hurt to buy the more expensive ring either. After this it should be very difficult to knock your scope off zero.

Ky'sFinest

11-28-2007, 07:56 PM

my stock savage 243 with simmons scope some how caught a dent on the very front lip in front of the sight glass. it was a pretty good knock i would say by looking at the dent. i didn't notice until the sun came up on the first day of modern gun. later that day i gave it a try but i was shooting dead on.

Bray

11-29-2007, 12:41 AM

??????????????:confused:..ok what ever you say.:)

The sharp recoil from a pellet gun does more damage than the recoil from a high powered rifle. It seems hard to believe because of the force from a high power rifle blast but the nature of the recoil from a pellet gun is more devastating to optics.

That's why they recommend not using regular rifle scopes on air rifles. The recoil from the spring can tear a scope up in no time. That's why they make scopes specifically for airguns.

http://www.straightshooters.com/documents/choosingascope.html

newshooter05

11-29-2007, 10:34 AM

Ky'sFinest

12-01-2007, 07:07 PM

thank u bray, i know we were not discussing pellet guns but if a scope will hold up on a pellet gun then it has to be pretty tough..i also know scopes are tougher now than when i was young but they should be checked often.
david

Being in the military i haven't always had time to go home in time to check my scope alignment before opening day. Whenever my time is up and i move back home i will get back to my old habit of checking it before every season. That is if i haven't shot it in awhile though. When i lived back home i would break it out at least once a month to have some fun practicing my aim. but just piggy backing off newshooter check it often for total confidence.