Advice on dropped gun

chr103yod · 12-04-2006, 07:44 AM

When I was rifle hunting last week I dropped my rifle while pulling it up into my tree stand. I didn't have it hooked on my pull rope correctly, stupid mistake. It fell about 3 ft and landed flat on the ground. There were no scratches and the scope looks fine. I shot it yeasterday and it was hitting about 3 ft to the left and 2 ft high. I got it dialed back in and it's shooting good but do you think it will be reliable? I was wondering if any of you had similiar experiences? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Garminator · 12-04-2006, 07:48 AM

While I haven't dropped any of my rifles from that height, I have dropped them on ocassion. If you dialed the scope back in and it's shooting as good as it was before I don;t think that you need take any further action, you should be ready to rock and roll.

statjunk · 12-04-2006, 09:56 AM

Keep shooting it at the range and see how it behaves.

Tom

mossy33oak · 12-04-2006, 10:20 AM

I would look the scope over REAL good to see if there is any damage, if it moved that much the scope or mounting system had to have been hit. One of my good friends dropped his rifle out of his stand (15') and it ended up bending the eyepiece. Not enough to notice right away, but after looking at it, it was definatley bent.

Pawildman · 12-04-2006, 01:33 PM

You may want to check it to see that it doesn't fog up for you. There is the possibility that a seal may have been ruptured, also.

DM · 12-04-2006, 03:05 PM

Personally, if it was that far off after the fall, i'd take the scope off and check the screws holding the mount. I'd want to see if any of them were stretched or partially pulled out. I look the scope over realwell too....

If everything looks fine and checks out, i'd put it back on and sight it back in. After that, i'd shoot it off a bench every once in a while to build my cofidence back up that it's holding it's sighting...

DM

RegimentalStalker175 · 12-04-2006, 03:33 PM

What brands are you using, what quaility? Ive got a Rem 700 and a Leupold VXII, I sliped the other day on an icey trail landed on my rifle that was slung on my back. I weigh 220, so it wasn't pretty. My gun wasnt even off 1/4 min. I use to be in the military and I found myself landing on my gun all the time-(Remm 700 police and Leupold) during jumps (static line parachuting) and never had a problem. Something went wrong with your gun and you need to identify what it was, if you just sight it back in, that's not going to help

I won't go into the woods without a rifle that I know I can tie a rope to and use it as a grappling hook, then take a 500 meter shot.You say it was only a three foot drop, if the gun sliped out of your hand standing up right it would have been further. Something is probly loose or cracked causing looseness.

tourangeaud · 12-05-2006, 06:36 AM

I dropped my brand new TC Encore 7mm rem mag with Nikon Buckmaster BDC scope, about 30 feet from the tree stand. The sling broke as I was lowering it to the ground. flipped twice and bounced twice. All that broke was my heart for the time being. I had the local gunsmith give it the once over and bore sighted it again. No problems, no issues.

chr103yod · 12-05-2006, 12:54 PM

Thanks for the advice everybody. I'm shooting a Remington 700 7mm mag with a 6x18 Bushnell scope. I can't remember the model but I paid about $250 for it. I mounted it with Leupold dual dovetail mounts so I really doubt the mounts moved. I think it fell about 3ft it may have been 5 or 6, it's hard to tell when you're looking staight down and it's getting dark. I think it's OK but I think it will take me a while to trust it again. If it won't stay sighted in I'm going to send the scope back to Bushnell and see if it can be repaired.