Goin Nuckin Futs!!!

[J300UM]

Does anyone know if poi can change when you sight your rifle in on a lead sled verses resting the rifle on sand bags? The reason I ask is I have managed to miss 2 elk and 4 antelope so far this year thus making this the worst hunting season of my life!!!! The only thing I have done different this year is use the lead sled to sight my rifles in. All of my misses were high. All shots were between 200 and 500 yds. I was on a 5 year run without a single miss. I have always been very confident inside of 500 yds. I dont know what the hell I'm doing wrong but I have fired more rounds this year than the past 5 yrs combined and I'm more than ready to give up for the season. I'm going to the range this weekend with my sand bags and hoping its not me. If it is then I apparently have no business shooting at animals anymore. Sorry for the long post but I had to vent to someone who may understand my frustration cuz the wife just doesn't get it. Thanks!

 

[JD338]

If the rifle has a different point of rest or harder/softer resting point, it could change your point of impact. Even sling tension can change POI.

I would sight in off the sand bags.

JD338

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I gauruntee your misses are due to the difference in what your sighting in and later shooting off of.

I myself use a lead sled for development and real serious accuracy testing to give me an idea how the load performs. If I zero the rifle with the lead sled, then shoot off a bipod, I'm always shooting high. Doesn't matter what rifle, results are still the same, shooting high. I read about this problem from others and put it to test myself. My experience was what everybody elses was. Good thing I knew about it and tested it out before I went hunting or I would have been in the same boat!!

I now zero my rifles laying prone with bipod because thats how I'll be shooting the rifle during hunting season. You'd be surprised how stable a 6-9" harris bipod with a rear bag can be. Dam near as good as a bench rest. I have no problems hitting 15" steel plate at 800 yards laying prone with bipod with any of my bigger centerfire rifles.

Just something to think about...

 

[Guest]

I think JD & Rem25-06 have it covered pretty well, but I'll chime in. I use a set of sandbags when working up loads, and for accuracy practice. I switch to my steady stix when I get ready for hunting season, since that's the most likely type of rest I'll be using. How you sight in should be very close to how you shoot, or the harmonics will change. I've even seen a load that was more accurate in a 'bench' situation be less accurate than another load when shooting off sticks kneeling. There's always a little bit of 'ghost' in the machine, so to speak. I bet you find that your sled has bitten you a little. Nothing wrong with them, but sight in how you're going to shoot.

 

[Desert Fox]

If your stock is very stable and been properly bedded, it won't change much. With that said however, it's always better to sight in your rifle with whatever rest your going to use in your hunt.

 

[FOTIS]

Your rifle freefloated or pressure pointed?

 

[Harpersend]

Bench for accuracy......

Recreate hunting situation for sighting in and practice.......

 

[J300UM]

Your rifle freefloated or pressure pointed?

my waever is floated and my 264 is pressure pointed. The 264 seems to be the worst of the two.

 

[old #7]

Sorry, I can't help it.

Take your lead sled with you :lol:

 

[FOTIS]

As stated before try to take shots at the range simulating field stances. See if there really is that much of a difference to make you miss an elk!

Let us know.

 

[J300UM]

I think the rest was the culprit. I went to the range and both of my rifles were way high when I shot over sandbags. My 264 was 7 inches high at 100yds and my 300 was about 5.5 inches high. I got the 300 squared away but I think the scope on the 264 is trash. I adjusted it down 18 clicks and it moved to the right about 3.5 inches. I fired again and hit 4.5 inches left!

 

[jtoews80]

Just a side note as you seem to have your issues resolved, if I shoot my 308 varmint off os a bipod and don't make sure to load the bipod legs a little bit the accuracy suffers noticably. By loading the legs I mean to push forward into them a little bit to give a uniform physical reaction in regards to rearward momentum VS mass. It brings groups from 1 MOA to 1/2.

CC.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

The lead sled is a pretty high rest. In addition, the lead sled brings the rifle about 3/4" off your shoulder. These can change your cheek to stock weld. If there is any paralox in your scope at all, this will change your point of impact. It will also change you point of impact when using iron sites. When I shot small bore in college, we had to adjust our site when changing between offhand, prone, and kneeling positions.

 

[FOTIS]

I think the rest was the culprit. I went to the range and both of my rifles were way high when I shot over sandbags. My 264 was 7 inches high at 100yds and my 300 was about 5.5 inches high. I got the 300 squared away but I think the scope on the 264 is trash. I adjusted it down 18 clicks and it moved to the right about 3.5 inches. I fired again and hit 4.5 inches left!

What brand is the scope?

 

[J300UM]

Its a Redfield Tracker 4-16x44. I put my old cheap Bushnell Sportview back on and everything seems fine at the range now. It will have a VXIII on it next year!!!

 

[FOTIS]

Smart move

 

[Ridge_Runner]

over 100 yards which is during load developement is off a bipod with a rear bag. My zero is 300 and I work up from there, the most important thing is, after load developement and tweaking the drop charts. is verifying comeups from field positions.
RR