help/advice on scope/maybe?

[snipereye]

hello folks,i bought a new savage 223 12 BTCSS about 6 weeks ago,put a used bushnell banner 6-18 x50 that i bought form a site.(all i could stretch to at the time) got it zeroed well hitting well inside an inch at 100 yards,went hunting, shot a few rabbits head shots at 150 -170 yards,i was well pleased,next day went hunting again,missed everything,checked zero,was off 2 1/2 ins to left ,,reset again,put 3 into an inch,went off shot a few more rabbits,all good,next day same thing missed 7 in a row,checked zero,was off by 2/12 inches to the right and inch high, ***,?? and so this has been the norm for the last 4 weeks,having to zero ever shoot,now im using the same horndy 55 grain factory rounds,the gun was not dropped,or banged in any way,its cleaned after every 100 shots to date,everything is tight,hawke mounts,no wind,prone off a bipod,on the same land,one day it groups well,next day its way off,do you think the scope is jacked,? i think so,i cant think of any other reason,was thinking of getting a new hawke vantage 6-24x50,any opinions on that scope? i used hawkes before with no problems on a hmr and 22lr.thanks in advance for help/advice........has anyone else ever had a similar issue?

[astjp2]

hello folks,i bought a new savage 223 12 BTCSS about 6 weeks ago,put a used bushnell banner 6-18 x50 that i bought form a site.(all i could stretch to at the time) got it zeroed well hitting well inside an inch at 100 yards,went hunting, shot a few rabbits head shots at 150 -170 yards,i was well pleased,next day went hunting again,missed everything,checked zero,was off 2 1/2 ins to left ,,reset again,put 3 into an inch,went off shot a few more rabbits,all good,next day same thing missed 7 in a row,checked zero,was off by 2/12 inches to the right and inch high, ***,?? and so this has been the norm for the last 4 weeks,having to zero ever shoot,now im using the same horndy 55 grain factory rounds,the gun was not dropped,or banged in any way,its cleaned after every 100 shots to date,everything is tight,hawke mounts,no wind,prone off a bipod,on the same land,one day it groups well,next day its way off,do you think the scope is jacked,? i think so,i cant think of any other reason,was thinking of getting a new hawke vantage 6-24x50,any opinions on that scope? i used hawkes before with no problems on a hmr and 22lr.thanks in advance for help/advice

I believe that you are correct in thinking that the scope has a problem. Tim

[snipereye]

I believe that you are correct in thinking that the scope has a problem. Tim

hi,yes i think so,but i cannot see any viable faults,maybe the cross hairs are faulty/loose

[CFJunkie]

Just to be sure that the scope is the problem, which I think it well may be, you might want to just check to see if you are having any problems with eye relief and getting in the center of the optical plane.
It will save you having to buy a new scope.

Set up on aim point that is about the distance you intend to be hunting. It would be wise to shoot from a bench to be sure the hold is steady.
After you are sure you are comfortable and set up as you would be on your aim point, close your eye for a few seconds and then open it.
If the reticle has shifted away from your aim point, you probably not setting up on the center of the optical plane at a consistent eye relief distance.
If that is the case, the reticle was not the actual POA, so you were not aiming at your precise target.

Too close to the scope and your Point of Impact will be higher than your Point of Aim.
Too far back and the POI will be lower than your POA.
If you stray to the right or the left of the center line of the optical plane, your POI will be right or left.

Either too little or too much eye relief and being off the center line will cause your POA to be off, even if you thought reticle is right on the target.

To check, first I set up in a steady position and then move my head (very slightly) back until the black ring appears around the edge of the scope image.
If the black ring isn't concentric, you are not in the center of the optical plane.
I move my head until the ring is concentric and then move my head back until the black ring remains concentric as it just disappears.
Then I know I am in the center of the optical plane and in the right eye relief position.
Then I do the "eye close and open" test.
I think you will probably find that the POA is still on target if you have done all those steps.

If you do that and still have bullets go astray, it is most likely your scope and not you.

[Dave Hoback]

Cannot say it better than that!

[snipereye]

thanks cf for that write up,dont think i have eye relief problems,if i were would i not be able to get good groups at all?like i said each time i set the scope its grouping good,then ill fire 5 to eight shots at my targets,(rabbit)it seems to knock em ,then next session,its off 2-3 inches,and i have to re zero,its like that every shoot,im just gonna buy another scope a hawke,and see what happens,one should not have to zero for every shoot,wasting alot of ammo