Problems sighting in a scope

Amon458 · Apr 18, 2015

I just bought my first scope and I can't get it to hit paper it is a trijicon accupoint on a 300 weatherby it is always shooting to high and it was supposedly laser bore sighted but I still couldn't hit paper at 25 yards. I am very frusterated as I can shoot it way better iron sights but I want the range that a scope can offer any advice would be much appreciated.

lcq · Apr 18, 2015

pull the bolt and put the gun on bags. look through the bore at an object 100 or more yards away (centered in the bore) then without moving the gun look through the scope. If they are both lined up you are properly bore sighted and will have to start looking for other problems. the mark one eyeball will get you on paper everytime

tarbe · Apr 18, 2015

Just curious....if it is not on paper, how do you know it is shooting high?

Is someone spotting your impacts in the backstop for you? I know the recoil of a 300 WM will not allow you to spot yourself.

lcq's advice is good.. I have used this technique for 39 years...since I learned it in the USMC to bore sight a 106mm recoiless rifle! It works if you are careful.

Big5 · Apr 18, 2015

lcq said:
pull the bolt and put the gun on bags. look through the bore at an object 100 or more yards away (centered in the bore) then without moving the gun look through the scope. If they are both lined up you are properly bore sighted and will have to start looking for other problems. the mark one eyeball will get you on paper everytime

tarbe said:
. . . I have used this technique for 39 years...since I learned it in the USMC to bore sight a 106mm recoiless rifle! It works if you are careful.

+1 . . . been doing it this way for more years than I care to remember.

AkMike · Apr 18, 2015

The next step if the above doesn't work is to bring the target to 25 yds and try to get it on paper.

Since this is your first scope, I've got to ask, did you install it yourself or someone else?

Scott Slough · Apr 18, 2015

Buy a bigger piece of paper

!

Seriously, lcq's advise works most of the time, a commercial bore site works most of the time, a bigger piece of paper (really cardboard works even better) with a black magic marker dot in the middle ALWAYS works!!!

Rob404 · Apr 18, 2015

lcq is on the money I true bore sight all my Bolt guns before I hit the range, I also set a target close maybe 50yds, also have you tried to adjust the elevation adjustment on the scope, if you've run out of adjustments then you either need to replace your mounts with a lower set or use a shim. Myself I use Burris Z rings as much as possible as they have a shim system that Aids in most cases

kudu1 · Apr 18, 2015

Check out this video on YouTube:

Amon458 · Apr 19, 2015

tarbe yes someone was spotting for me and i had the elevation cranked all the way down and it was still shooting high.
Akmike no the store I purchased the scope at installed it for me.

PHOENIX PHIL · Apr 19, 2015

Amon458 said:
tarbe yes someone was spotting for me and i had the elevation cranked all the way down and it was still shooting high.
Akmike no the store I purchased the scope at installed it for me.

Sounds like you may have a broken scope. Do you have any from friends you could borrow? If so, I'd swap another scope in and use the trick to bore sight it mentioned above.

TokkieM · Apr 19, 2015

It is hard to help without knowing or seeing what your setup looks like. A photo will help a bit. Could be the mounts are too low and the front objective is making contact with the barrel,could be mount that is too high as well and it may be that the scope is not correctly fitted. As it is your first scope could also be that you may not have a clear sight picture,no black around the edges of the scope. Try and post a photo and let's see what we all can come up with. Should not be a major issue unless the scope is a dud.

Areaonereal · Apr 19, 2015

Set a target, large enuff you can not miss, at 25 yds., then shoot till you are on the center X and then you should be on close at 100 yds. If not you do have a mount or scope problem. Depending on who mounted it (I would never trust some clerk to mount it) you may have the wrong bases or something could be loose. Good luck, I know the frustration first hand that you are experiencing. IF, you can not get on the X at 25 yds, too high, etc, you have a problem, stemming from the mount ring combo or the scope itself, return it to the vendor.

Ryno Botma · Apr 19, 2015

hi , had the same problem on my 300 wby and leopold vx3 mine was just shooting to low and scope was set to max in up position , used peace of cereal box as a shim under scope on the rear ring and started at 25 yds grouped moved up to 100 yds still grouped never had problems with it since , shot kudu at 580 yds so im happy with it

hope it helps

JimP · Apr 19, 2015

What brand of scope?

It may sound strange but I have seen a scope that had the turret directions reversed from what was marked on them.
So to go up you had to turn it clockwise or opposite of what the arrow that was marked on the turret said.

That scope was one of the higher grade Tasco's.

Spooksar · Apr 19, 2015

Try swapping the rings around, if that doesn't work you may have to shim the back. Use a piece of beer can to do it.

Big5 · Apr 19, 2015

Spooksar said:
Try swapping the rings around, if that doesn't work you may have to shim the back. Use a piece of beer can to do it.

I agree, that would be my next step.

Rob404 · Apr 19, 2015

Post some pics of your set-up, I have some spare Burris Z-rings that may help. I just finished mounting a Nikon on a wildcat build and had the same problem so I slipped a 20 Moa shim in the rear mount,Problem solved

Diamondhitch · Apr 19, 2015

kudu1 said:
Check out this video on YouTube:

Excellent, but for those who do not shoot perfectly (most) and guns not capable of 1/4" groups (most), a 3 shot group is preferable to both determine where your gun is shooting as well as to confirm that your new zero is such. Same principle, just use the center of your group as your adjustment point.

Diamondhitch · Apr 19, 2015

Rob44 said:
Post some pics of your set-up, I have some spare Burris Z-rings that may help. I just finished mounting a Nikon on a wildcat build and had the same problem so I slipped a 20 Moa shim in the rear mount,Problem solved

Shimming your scope so you start out near the center of adjustment is quite important to repeatability of adjustment.

greyfox · Apr 19, 2015

STOP, Before you shim or reverse ring, First take it off, completely, What rings? If Leupold: using a wooden dowel 1 inch (1 Inch scope??) turn the front ring to aline the dowel with the bore,' (Assuming you don't have a leupold ring wrench??) Now set the rear ring loosely in the rear base. (If using weaver style, set both finger tight only) Lay the dowel in the ring bottoms (top removed) and spin if, does it spin freely and cleanly? now set the scope in and tighten (do not "monkey torque" the scope ring bolts)
now remove the bolt and look down the bore at a SPOT on the wall, or a paper target 25 yds away (or across the room) start tightening the bases alternately until they stop, checking the alingment of the bases. Aline the cross hairs with the top of the bullseye or mark on the wall (Electrical tape works great !!) At 25 yds (+/-) the cross hairs should be about 1 inch high. Using a laser boresighter, the "spot" should be about 1" low. Check the torque, Here, I suggest loctite on bases only not on ring screws,
For shiming, take it to a gun smith with the proper shims, or make sure you have the correct bases.
It's been a while but I saw a similiar problem, I believe, If I recall correctly, the Remington 700 bases has the same hole spacing but the rear is thinner or not as tall as the Weatherby.

Problems sighting in a scope

Amon458

lcq

tarbe

Big5

AkMike

Scott Slough

Rob404

kudu1

Amon458

PHOENIX PHIL

TokkieM

Areaonereal

Ryno Botma

JimP

Spooksar

Big5

Rob404

Diamondhitch

Diamondhitch

greyfox

Members online

Forum statistics

Proudly sponsored by

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Share this page