Scope troubles

Killer Kyle · Dec 22, 2017

BarnesAddict said:
If you check and re-torque you mount, make sure you use the BLUE loc-tite. No other color or you won't get them back off.

Would never say it can't be your mounts or rings, but if you believe they are tight, then the thing to do is to check your scope and make sure its tracking properly.

KNOW where your zero scope settings are currently set.

Turn the vertical adjustment up a couple turns, then back to your zero. Once you're back to its zero point, turn it down a couple turns, then back to your zero. Then shoot the rifle. If you're not back to your original zero, then the scope is likely bad. You can also do the same with its horizontal adjustment.
Its one of the positive ways to determine if your scope is junk.

That's a great idea Barnes! I didn't think about adjusting the reticle and then going back! I usually just take whatever scope comes on the fun, or whichever scope is given to me, and I honestly have very little real experience or knowledge with scopes and mounts aside from just sighting them in. Y'all have provided some great tips on this thread and I really appreciate your insight!

280bst · Dec 23, 2017

In all the years been hunting never had any thing come loose that don't mean it don't happen. What did happen tho my shots were jumping around like yours shot it and shot it finally caught movement one of the crosshairs broke and every time I shot it moved the cross hairs. The choice of scopes is yours people on here know more about them then I do have had 1 scope 35 years and the others a couple of decades if it aint broke don't fix it good luck

Killer Kyle · Dec 25, 2017

Wanderlust said:
X2 on DNZ mounts. You work to hard up in them mountains to have a missed opportunity due to an equipment failure. Good scope and mounts is a must. Glad you didn't miss that buck!

I was thinking the same thing! All that work resulting in a missed shot. That hurts! I think the issue is compounded also by marksmanship. If my scope was off that much at 25 yards, think of what a 60 or 80 yard shot would look like! Almost every shot I have taken in the mtns in the last 7 years has been free handed. Thinking about it now.....I can't remember a single shot that I've taken with a rest now that I think about it. Except on turkeys when I rest off the knee. If you combine my so-so marksmanship with a scope that isn't zeroed, that's a recipe for failure every single time!

goshenmountainman · Dec 27, 2017

Killer Kyle said:
Hey folks. I've got an inquiry. A couple years ago I bought a value priced ML (Traditions Buckstalker) and scope combo just to test the waters. I didn't know if I'd really "get into" smokepoles, so I decided not to invest too terribly much. Well, as it turns out, I love muzzleloading, so much so that I have carried mine as my primary rifle this entire season from primitive through modern firearms. I killed a buck with it on Lake Russell WMA Thanksgiving morning, and two days later, I pulled the trigger on a good bear in Union County only to have a misfire. Primer popped but didn't ignite the powder. Primers fault, not the rifle.
Back in turkey season I was hog hunting with my ML and with jBoggs from here on the forum, and took a chip shot on a nice boar hog. Took a broadside 40 yards head shot free handed and missed clean. Figured it was my aim, but checked the rifle the next day and the scope was off. When I shot the buck on Lake Russell WMA, my shot hit him pretty darned high, but dropped him in his tracks. I shot him, again +-40 yards free handed and figured the high shot was me. Then I had the primer pop on the bear. And THEN, I took another chip shot at a big hog on old Lake Burton WMA two weeks ago. Shot was maybe 40 yards, downhill, and quartering towards. I dropped the hog in it's tracks. Didn't even kick. Then about 10 seconds later, it started kicking, jumped up, ran straight at me, then veered and ran up through the gap. I followed it's tracks, and didn't find a drop of blood. Figured I dropped it by hitting it above the spine, and cut the fat on the back. I was aiming for the ear.
Took my rifle to the range at Wilson Shoals WMA, and confirmed my suspicion. Scope was off again. 1st shot was 4" high. Second was about 3.5" high. The difference was just me I guess. I'm shooting Harvester Crush Rib sabots and Scorpion Funnel Point bullets which give me consistently tight groups.
I'm having trouble with this scope falling out of zero. It is a scope with the "Traditions" brand logo on it, and came as a combo on a gun, so I'm assuming it's just some cheap Chinese made scope.
Have any of you had these troubles with a combo scope like that? I hunt the mtns, so my rifle gets worked hard, but I'm not out there banging it around.
Can you guys give me your opinions on your preferred scopes for modern inlines?! Thanks so much guys!

Kyle, I have a hawk scope on my ML, it is a very good scope for the money. I think I gave about 160.00 for it and it has been on my Accura V2 for 3 years with no adjustments made. Nice and clear and has scratches on it from dropping it, never left zero. If you can find the one piece bases, front and rear are joined, they hold true better than anything. All my deer rifles have one piece redfield bases. None have been turned a click for over 20 years. May be a coincidence but two weeks ago on Monday I was on the head of Wildcat creek, looking for deer sign up under Bramlett ridge and found a blood trail in the snow, big hog tracks.. could have been yours, I just figured he had got in a scuffle with another that had bigger tusk. My dad got a big ten point up there a couple days later, wasn't much sign but enough feeding sign for us to sit and wait some. But come to think of it there hasn't been all that much anywhere this year, seems off a little to me.

rance56 · Dec 27, 2017

my mz was all over the place. came home, remounted and made sure everything was tight, solved my issue right away

Killer Kyle · Dec 31, 2017

rance56 said:
my mz was all over the place. came home, remounted and made sure everything was tight, solved my issue right away

My issue is that my rifle will drive tacks (for it's pricerange) while at the range. I can cloverleaf my groups at the range with no problem. The problem arises when I've hunted a month or two with it, miss or foul up a shot, then go to the range to check it, and it's off. Do you think it still could be the rings and mount? Maybe I'm getting good groups, but a slight bump throws it off? I guess I'll maybe go to the range, make sure my zero is good, then maybe do a light "torture test". Maybe knock the scope around a little, shake it, handle it, and take it back to the range to try again? Buying some powder and some bullets is a whole lot cheaper than buying a new scope. Maybe I'll give that a shot and see what happens. I did already look at some scopes at Academy the other day. Put my hands on a lot of them, and liked a lot of them. If I do have to go with a new scope, I think I am going with the Nikon Pro Hunter 3-9x40. It is small and light, has a great reticle, won't break the bank, and has the Nikon warranty. I really liked that scope a lot, and the clarity I saw from it was like night and day from the scope I have on the rifle now.

tree cutter 08 · Dec 31, 2017

I guess its possible, I know it is on centerfire but I wander if the stock is warping some due to temp changes and throwing you off. U say it shoots good at the range but off later on. We all sight in and shoot in advance to deer season. Its warm weather then. When season roles around its a good bit colder. Maybe change in temp is flexing stock and changing poi. I free float all my hunting guns for that very reason and have had that happen in the past. Also some powder can be temperature sensitive and may shoot differently with different temps. Not sure if that would apply to muzzleloader but its definitely things to look at with a centerfire. But I still think scope would be a good place to start. Its money you won't regret spending next time you cut down on something!

Killer Kyle · Dec 31, 2017

tree cutter 08 said:
I guess its possible, I know it is on centerfire but I wander if the stock is warping some due to temp changes and throwing you off. U say it shoots good at the range but off later on. We all sight in and shoot in advance to deer season. Its warm weather then. When season roles around its a good bit colder. Maybe change in temp is flexing stock and changing poi. I free float all my hunting guns for that very reason and have had that happen in the past. Also some powder can be temperature sensitive and may shoot differently with different temps. Not sure if that would apply to muzzleloader but its definitely things to look at with a centerfire. But I still think scope would be a good place to start. Its money you won't regret spending next time you cut down on something!

That's true. I might just go ahead and sight my rifle in with a new scope and the BH209 powder I've had and been meaning to use. Guess I need to get a scale so I can measure the powder precisely.
You're right cutter. Most of the game I've cut down on this season has run off! Ha! After all the energy spent and miles walked, I can't afford to be doing that anymore!

Scope troubles

Killer Kyle

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280bst

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Killer Kyle

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goshenmountainman

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rance56

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Killer Kyle

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tree cutter 08

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Killer Kyle

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