hometheaterman

Any tips for getting a gun sighted in? I'm having a heck of a time getting my Browning BAR with a Leupold VX-1 scope sighted in. I shot 2 boxes through it today. I had it right where I wanted then knocked if off the stool by accident and it was off a little after that so I tried to get it back perfect and it kept getting further and further off. At $15 a box this is getting expensive. I had it in a gun vise but it still moves somewhat. I'm thinking I may switch from 165 grain to 150 grain as it's a lot easier to get here. The second to last shot I hit half an inch above the bulls eye and the last shot hit about 3" above and that was without adjusting anything. This is ticking me off. The barrel seems to get hot every 2 shots too so you have to let it cool down after 2 shots so it takes forever. After 2 shots it seems to shot all over the place if you keep shooting. This is the hardest scope I've ever sighted in and it's starting to make me mad. I hate this Leupold.


Also I've been shooting 165 grain Winchesters but thinking of switching to 150 grain as they are a lot easier to find around here. Will I notice much of a difference? This dear gets used for mostly just deer. Maybe during bear season.

153

Let the gun/barrel cool down between groups.I have a BAR with Boss,06,it will place the first three shots under an inch.If I keep shooting the groups will open up.My bolt action will open a little after about five shoots but the Bar will start at about three shoots.I would give the gun a good 20-30 mintues between groups.

hometheaterman

I've noticed that too. I seem to get about 2 shots then it starts to go wherever. It's annoying because it's taking hours to sight in something that should take 30 minutes. I may try some more to get it sighted in.

driftrider

You said that you knocked it off the bench, so I suspect that the impact may have damaged the scope or mounts. Check the mounts first to make sure they are tight and not bent or turned causing the scope to bind. If they are tight and straight then I'd guess that you damaged the scope itself. Riflescopes are precision instruments that, while designed to take a great deal of longitudinal shock (i.e. recoil), they are vunerable to damage from side or front impact. Hold the (UNLOADED) rifle with the scope by your ear and shake it. If you hear a rattle, your scope is toast for sure. But even if you don't there is a chance that the turret mechanism or one of the lenses was damaged or dislodged and every time you fire the rifle the recoil slightly shifts the position of the damaged part, causing the POI to wander. I remount the scope first (or have a gunsmith do it for you). If that doesn't fix the problem, I'd say it's time to send the scope back to Leupold to see if they'll warrantee it. If not, chalk it up to a hard lesson learned about careful gun handling and go get yourself a new scope.

Mike

hometheaterman

The thing fell maybe 5" if that. To me it was very unlikely it hit the ground hard at all. If it can't stand up to that I don't want it. The Tasco's I've had in the past and even a Simmons I have on a 22 have been beat on a lot harder and never had a issue. If it gets broken this easily I hate to see what will happen with it riding around in a vehicle. I'm going to do some more testing but I'm highly doubtful that it falling broke it but I could be wrong. If it did break it I don't want a scope that would break that easily anyway.

driftrider

You didn't mention how far it fell, so I figured it fell off a table or chair (2-4'). But no, I wouldn't THINK that a 5 inch drop would damage it, but if it landed just so and took the full force of the scope and rifle, who know. Like I said, precision instrument. Check your mounts first before you ****can the scope. And if you do find that the scope is the likely culprit (if you have a spare scope lying around you could switch to see if the same thing happens with a different scope), I'd send it to Leupold first. They might warantee it.

Mike

hometheaterman

I guess I was just a little upset but in all honesty it probably fell more than 5". It may have been 2 feet but it wasn't that high. It was off a bench thing. I was sitting on the ground shooting it with it resting on the bench. The mounts seem tight and the scope doesn't make a noise at all when I shake it. I think I'm going to try to sight it in one more time and if I don't get it to do any better I'm going to try another scope and see how it does.

Swampdog

Had one in .270. Would not zero come to fnd out the stock was loose.Might try to check that.

hometheaterman

I did notice the front part of the stock was slightly loose when cleaning it. Not the stock but the part you put your hand on towards the front. I can't think of the name. How do you tighten this thing down? Would that have made a difference in how it shoots?

hometheaterman

Well, looks like that thing is as tight as it is going to get so you can't tighten it more. I think it's because the only bolt that holds it on is at one end of it so nothing at the other end holding it on.