Black elk

One thing a guy should never do is tighten scope ring screws during a hunt without going to the bench to check zero. Also the difference between Colorado and Kansas zero is 1.5 to 2" lower in kansas because of air density. This I have checked out personally. If you sight in for kansas you will be off in colorado. I make all my clients zero when getting to colorado for the hunt.Might explain alittle difference but not enough to hitas low as you were saying.Might have bumped the scope.

bronko22000

black elk, thats true. I always insist on checking my zero when I arrive in a hunting camp. On my last hunt in WY (I live in PA) my 270's zero moved about 1 1/2" high and and inch left from my PA zero, while my friends '06 moved 1 1/2" high and slightly right. I'm not sure why the left to right, but I understand the vertical movement.

iloveto4x4innc

I zeroed at sea level in NC, just checked it when I got to CO. Since it made that trip without moving the zero, I figured it would still be ok in KS it was in the same case loaded in the same spot in the car both times. I only checked the rings to make sure they were tight after the 3 misses. I'm going out tomorrow and check the zero(haven't had time since I got home). Assuming it's still zeroed, my only guess is the wind was tossing the bullets around like a ping-pong ball. It just stumped me because I don't miss very often and never at that range(I'm zeroed at 200), and haven't suffered from buck fever in 16yrs. Thankfully mom had a bunch of meat in her freezer that she gave me, plus the buck that she got in KS, so I atleast brought meat back with me.
Wife might have been a little unhappy with me if I came home empty handed after I drove 2000 miles each way and stayed gone for 3 1/2 weeks. Thankfully, she realizes this is an addiction for me and doesn't get mad when I have to get my fix.

Big Guy01

Sounds like a case offlinching to me. How long have you been using the .300 wm ? It has a lot more recoil than a .270.

bigiron

I dont think the wind would move the bullet that much Ive shot deer with both my 300's when its been windy and have had very littie poi change.You may have just pulled one we all do it. But I do feel that any time you drive that far to go hunting you should check your zero no matter how careful you are.

stubblejumper

You said that the third shot struck at the bucks heels while aiming for the from shoulder,a difference of a few feet.At 250 yards a 20mph crosswind will move a150gr bullet out of your 300winmagaround 8", so I wouldn't blame it on the wind.

sheabird

the prb of a 300wm is 0 to 375 does not matter where u zero sea level to pinedale wy it's always good to re zero but learn ur point blank range of ur gun &ammo and don't change with out re zeroing because each lot is different and it will cause a windage and elevation difference , thealtitude change should only effect the elevations but not to much

iloveto4x4innc

Thanks for all the replies! I still haven't had the time to go to the range. Work's been crazy and my weekends almost as crazy. I guess that's what I get for taking a 3 1/2 week vacation. My boss and I are planning on going to his farm to do some duck hunting next week and I'll toss the 300 in the back seat and check it's zero at his range.

I've had the rifle about a year now and the recoil doesn't bother me unless I spend a lot of time shooting it from the bench. After about 20-30 rounds, I start getting sore and it's not much fun any more. I limit my range sessions to 10-20 rounds.

Maybe I pulled 'em without realizing it, or wasn't as steady as I thought I was. Who knows? It's just agrivating to miss 3 shots at the same deer at a range that I can put 5 shots into less than 3 inches at. Maybe next season, I'll get to go out there again and have better luck. All around the trip wasn't very productive. I was hunting damage control for elk on one of mom's neighbor's place. Before I went out there, they'd been seeing 30-50 head in a bunch. Got there and didn't see a single elk. Gave up and drove to grandparent's in KS. Saw plenty of deer, usually running 5000mph at 500yrds. Missed the one that I did have a good shot on. Tried my luck on the pheasants and discovered I'd bought a case of bad shells. Only every 3rd round or so would actually fire. ended up driving 4100 miles round trip for 2 pheasants and 3 coolers full of meat from mom's freezer. But I had a blast and that's all that really matters I guess.

iloveto4x4innc

I finally made it to the range yesterday. It was a calm, cool day and shooting off a bench. I've come to the conclusion that my scope went south on me. At 100 it was shooting about 5 inches low(I had zeroed it to shoot 2 high at 100) I adjusted and it was where I wanted it, but groups were UGLY!! Moved back to 200 yrds and it was shooting about 3 inches low again. Made the adjustment and tried again. I'd get 2 shots almost touching and the 3rd would be 4 high and 3 right. Tried 2 differant brands of ammo with similar results. The last group was 4 shots with 150gr corelokts on one target and 4 shots 180gr partitions. I had 2 almost touching 1 high right and 1 I couldn't find with the partitions. All 4 of the corelokts hit the target but strung from the top of the target to the bottom perfectly centered left to right. We were using the 10in shoot-n-see targets. I guess that's what I get for putting a cheap scope on something that has that much recoil. Since it does have a lifetime warranty on it, I"m going to take it back and get it replaced. Then find something better to put back on the 300 and save the cheapie for something else.

Thanks for all the replies.

James B

What kind of scope? I would stay with the 180 grain bullets for everything in the 300 Win Mag. Performance will be more consistant and you will get less excess meat damage.