I always check the zero of my rifles before taking them hunting. This year I had two scopes fail. One was an older Leupold 1.5-5x on a Savage 99. I wasn't sure if the problem was the rifle, the load, or the scope.
I took scope off the Savage and put it on a Winchester Model 70 which is very accurate. The Model 70 started shooting big groups, proving that the scope is bad. I put the original scope back on the Model 70 and accuracy returned.
Another scope, a 2-7x Burris on my very accurate Remington Model Seven, also went bad. I switched to a 4x Leupold and the rifle's normal excellent accuracy returned.
It's good to know if your rifle will shoot to point of aim with a clean, cold barrel. It's not terribly important if you are hunting in woods with shots under 100 yards, but it's good to know your firearm.
