Rifle/Scope question

[Guest]

I just got back from the range, and I have great news! The 270Wby I bought a while back (and finally got around to shooting) puts three shots into a little clover under .5"! Actual measurements and photos forthcoming. That said, my problem is that it does this about two inches under the bullseye, with the scope dialed all the way up on the elevation knob. What gives? Bent barrel? Bad scope? Bad scope mounts? I have the option of changing the inserts on the Burris Signature rings out, and gaining back as much as 40" of elevation, but I hate to do that if it's a scope problem. Anybody else have troubles like this? I'm shooting 150gr's at about 3000fps, if that helps. Could the gun be bent and still shoot amazingly consistently? Or could the gun just not like the bullets/loads I have built, as far as point of impact is concerned? I may have to send this scope back, but I hate to do that right before deer season! Help!

 

[JD338]

What scope do you have on the rifle?

JD338

 

[Guest]

Here is the group. As you can see, it ends up measuring .526" outside spread, which makes it a .249" group after you subtract the bullet diameter. Needless to say, I am extremely proud.

To answer your question, I have a Bushnell Elite 3200 in 3-9x40 on it. I have other rifles wearing the same model scope, which I find to be a good scope overall. This one might be a dud, I suppose, but it tracks well, as far as moving up correctly every time I moved the adjustment, and it tracked properly regarding windage, as well. This is my first time out with this scope, so I am curious as to what it could be. Based on the group, I am hesitant to think bent barrel, but I am open to all suggestions.

 

[JD338]

dubyam,

Nice group for sure. Looks like you have a shooter.
I am assuming that you bought the rifle with the scope. You may have to shim the scope to bring it up to the correct axis with the bore.
As an experiment, you could try a different scope and see what your results are.
If it is the scope, I would suggest a Leupold VXIII 4.5x14. There are places to get these scopes at very good prices. :wink:

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

Are your bases/rings the same height?

 

[Guy Miner]

The rifle and load are great!

It's just that your scope mounts/rings need some help.

The scope has run out of adjustment. That happens. Not all scopes have an equal amount of adjustment avail, some have considerably more.

If you have a one-piece mount, you can put a thin metal shim between the rear of the mount and the receiver. This will likely cure the problem.

Since you have those Burris rings with the adjustable inserts though - I'd start there - that's the advantage of those rings! That's what they're made to solve! Mess with the inserts, and you'll get that thing shooting where it's supposed to.

Leave the rifle and load alone and hunt with it forever. Most of us never touch a hunting rifle that shoots like that in a lifetime. PM sent.

Regards, Guy

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the PM, Guy. My main concern is that I have not run into a situation where I ran out of adjustment before, and that made me exceptionally nervous, as there was some question about this rifle being dropped 'muzzle down' at some point in shipping before it was sold to me (I bought it new). I think I am going to use the inserts for now, and see if I can get it up where I want it until after deer season. After that, I'd like to get a different scope anyway (a little higher power range) so I think I'll test different scopes to see what happens.

I don't believe there is a problem with the bases, but I didn't check them with anything more than my trusty eyeball gauge! I think it's accurate to roughly .1", but then again, I'd only have to be about .03" out of level for this problem to be happening, as the scope has 50" of adjustment total, so 25" would be above the center point, which is as I adjusted before hitting the wall, so to speak.

I have done some figuring, and with a .020" in one ring, and a .010" in the other, I will end up with 30" of correction in the rings, which will put me just about dead where I want to be in terms of elevation zero, if I position the scope adjustment at the center of the range. That ought to get me the best light transmission/sight picture, and allow for sufficient adjustment for other loads. I may try some 130's I have on the bench (which will be moving a bit faster than these 150's) first, though, now that I think about it, just to see what happens with the existing setup. Either way, sounds like, according to y'all, I should be alright with some adjustment of the rings, so at least I can make this shooter a decent hunter.

 

[Guest]

Leave the rifle and load alone and hunt with it forever. Most of us never touch a hunting rifle that shoots like that in a lifetime.

Regards, Guy

One last thing I have to tell you regarding this load is that it was a known safe load I put together for barrel break-in. I built 25 of these to shoot the barrel in with. They are 150gr Speer SP's (flat base) that I originally bought dirt cheap to use in my brother's 270Win. I decided to use them here rather than burn through my interbonds and accubonds (which are pretty pricey compared to the Speers on sale!). I stacked them on top of 82gr of AA8700, which is dead in the middle of the range of loads for that powder, but guaranteed safe as 8700 is so slow you run out of room to compress before generating anything over 57Kpsi with 88gr of it. So I built these loads as cheapies, just to break it in. My singular complaint about the load is that it only generates 3000fps. I will be playing with this combination some more, inching it upward to that 88gr level, to see if it is still accurate at closer to 3200fps. I am also going to go after 3500fps with some 130's, using IMR7828SSC, as their data shows it to have the potential. Either way, I have a 275yd point blank range with what I have, and if nothing else shoots worth a crap, I'm still in pretty good shape.

I just wish all of my handloading efforts worked out this well right off the bat!

 

[JD338]

dubyam

You have yourself a very good "starting" load. Just think, it might even get better! :grin:

JD338

 

[Guest]

A man has to have his dreams...

 

[270fan]

I had a scope like hat once. I sent it, the target and an explanation of what was happening back to the manufacturer and they adjusted the scope. Worked perfectly when I got it back.

 

[Guest]

If you don't mind me asking, 270fan, what brand of scope was it? Mine is a Bushnell, as mentioned above, and as I have not owned it for more than a year, I can actually get my money back on it, if I choose to. I don't really think that's the route I want to take, as I think it's the mounts, or at least an alignment problem, based on opinions from a variety of people I trust. For reference, what was your experience, exactly?

 

[rick smith]

I am going for the erector system going bad in your scope. Been there with several different scopes. Return the scope to the manufacturer. Anything else will be a temporary fix.Rick.

 

[Guest]

Tell me about your experiences with erectors going bad, Rick. I am having trouble believing it could be that, as the thing tracks beautifully, it just tracks high in relation to point of impact, so to speak. Every time I adjusted it, it adjusted exactly what I meant for it to, it just took all the adjustment to get the scope up to where I was close the the bull. Seems to me if the erector were going bad it would have other symptoms. I am heading back to the range at some point (probably next week) to re-shoot this, and see what happens. If point of impact has moved significantly, I will be pulling the scope. If it is still zeroed, I am going to swap the ring inserts to fix the elevation problem. I'd love to share you experience if you have time to post it, though, as it might change my plans.

 

[JD338]

dubyam,

Why don't you just put the ring inserts in and rezero. If you can make your adjustments to move your point of impact and maintain your zero through the power range of the scope, I would think you would be fine.

If this doesn't work, you might want to consider a Leupold.

JD338

 

[Guest]

I guess my post was misleading. I will be changing out the inserts at the range if the thing is still zeroed, JD. Otherwise I will be pulling and returning the scope. I may call later today about getting a Leupold, just to see what the deal is.

 

[JD338]

dubyam,

I'll be glad to help. :grin:

JD338

 

[HiWall]

Shooting groups like that would pretty much indicate your scope is just fine mate. Change out the inserts in the rings (that is why the system was designed), sight her in and go hunting.

 

[FOTIS]

Like I said........................

Are your bases/rings the same height?

 

[Guest]

I just haven't wanted to disassemble it yet, POP. I will check them with a straight edge when I swap the ring inserts out, if everything is still consistent with the first range outing. Otherwise, I don't want to go to the trouble of disassembling and reassembling things only to find out the scope is bad, and have to disassemble it a third time. It's hard on the rings, I think. Anyway, I will (hopefully) know soon enough. My wife has filled my calendar this week, so it will be next week sometime, but not sure when, as my work next week takes me out of town. Perhaps Thursday or Friday of next week? We'll see.