Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Suddenly Scattered Shots

Hello Frankk,
Do you understand how to check parallax? I've had rifles start acting crazy with Leupold scopes. When I checked the parallax at 100 yds, it was all over the place. On one scope, the crosshair was floating around almost 8", measured on a Redfield target with 1" grid squares. It was obvious there was something wrong internally. The parallax on that scope should be set at 150 yds. You shouldn't see much crosshair movement at 100 yds. Maybe none at all. Sadly this happened to me more that once.

Good luck,
Steve

Replace the scope

Burris Signature rings will alleviate any alignment issues unless they are extremely severe.

There isn't a lot to test on the scope without burning through ammo. If everything is mounted correctly and it still shoots crappy, take the scope off and send it to Leupold as that is most likely the problem.

Bedding is not going to cause that type of problem.. Some of these threads are just fu cking funny... Or "never not funny", to quote someone I've heard here....

My exact thoughts. I'd toss the damn vertical split fuggers in the trash can and at least buy a set of PRW's. There are a lot of great options (at many price points), that will fit on that rail... I'm very suspect of the rail mounting itself, as he says it was "glass bedded" onto the rifle. Not that glass bedding a rail is a bad thing, but I'm wondering if he actually removed the screws from the rail and action and checked every one to see if it was actually grabbing the receiver. Did he use longer screws in the area that needed the bedding? If it's not the scope (which I've had those (yes that brand) go bad a few times), it's the mounting system...

In the most complex of technical terms, I think your scope has simply schit the bed. Get some Burris Signature rings with the inserts and a new scope. Get the Leupold fixed and sell it. Happy Trails

You sound like a prime candidate for a Leupold executive...

Please let me know if you have something constructive to say. I’m not particularly advocating Leupold or anything else and I certainly did not intend to sound like that.

I would just like to solve a problem

I will definitely be looking for different rings. I really wish I saw some bad reviews about them before I bought them in the first place.

On subject of bedding I find the rail to be very straight but did see a tiny gap over back bearing surface when I only had front screws in place. The gap was almost but not quite large enough to shove a thin sheet of paper under it. I could have probably inserted all screws and be done with it but I wanted to do best that I could do. So based on friend’s’ recommendation, I applied epoxy under back bearing surface only and I only had front bearing screws in place when I did that. There is no gap now and all surfaces on a rail are flat. All screws were and are now again torqued at 20 in-pds with blue loctite. I’m not sure how else I should address that rail.

I too suspect it’s the scope from the sudden and dramatic shotgun pattern it’s shooting and your apparently eliminating the other possible causes.

I’ve had a Leopold back in the day that after a controlled fall with me protecting the scope as I was going down shoot a foot to the right at a 100 yds on checking it after missing a big bull at three hundred.

Should it turn out not to be the scopes fault which I think is quite doubtful, it’s never a bad idea to have an extra scope in the safe.

On subject of mounting, I previously had aluminum Talley Rings that bolted directly to the receiver with horizontal clamp. I purchased the rail and Warne rings to have adjustment for better eye relief clearance. So what does everyone think of those Talley ring?

I think most would agree that Talley Lightweights are okay, but if you need the flexibility of the picatinny rail I see no need toget away from it. There are plenty of good rings that will work on the rail. I personally like Burris Zee rings. I'm sure you're aware of the advantages of the Signature Zee ring, too. I use those myself on one particular rifle and they work fine.

Many folks have used Warne vertical split rings without issue for years. That is simply not the problem that'll cause 2 foot damned groups. He said they weren't all loose and chit.

I will not argue those that claim problems with them. I am sure they're convinced of it. LOL

Fugg the Chinmade Burris chit. Nobody needs commie crap.

I personally have no faith in Talley Lightweights anymore, but, many people have used them for years without discontent. LOL

Your scope is bad until proven otherwise, if you say everything was bolted up good.

Boomer, I don't think Burris Zee rings are made in China. If that's the case these days, I think I'd refrain from buying anymore. I know some Burris rings---I think they're Tactical Extreme, or some such, ARE made in China. They're okay, but I'd choose something else for that type of ring.

Whoa. They ARE made in China now. Damn.

I was just going to buy Low Burris Signature Zee Rings for 1-inch scope, but I cannot find any on amazon, midway, brownells or natchez. It seems that I can only get them for medium or higher.

I buy all kinds of Chinachit, but draw the line with new rings! LOL

Crap, I have ChinkoSwfas and Burrichows in use. Whatever.

We'll need the scope tested before blaming the mounts, no?


Why was the rail epoxied?

The XTR Signature rings are dandies, but wish they'd make them incountry.

My plan of action will be to give my rifle setup another go at the range next week. I have verified all mounting and action torques, and verified alignments as best I can. I’ll have to find another scope to try if I still have problems.

I do appreciate the advice about the vertical Warne PA Rings but I decided to make them work for me. I honestly don’t think any minor misalignments would have caused damage because I kept to the specified low torque, but I decided to check that alignment. So I made some alignment bars out of some good 1-inch bar stock (I have a lathe) and alignment looks good. I may decide to lap the rings at some point but I don’t think those rings are my problem.

Thank you all for your comments and please wish me luck going forward.

Talley LW’s suck.


Burris XTR (aka Horn) rings are retard high and made by the communists.