Thread: Zeroing: Getting too cocky leads to cockups

So this morning I rescoped the swift, it's going south in 10 days and I wanted a more suitable scope with a bdc rather than a fine duplex.
Bore sighted at a hi viz cone at 200 yds, grab some ammo and targets and off we go.
Only 11 loaded rounds, no worry this should only take 5 or so.
The diamondback has no parallax so confident in my bore sighting I start at 100 yds.
Get comfy breath out and pull the trigger, it made the right noise but I can't see a hole in the target, I'd forgotton the spotting scope and think maybe it's cut the line so another one goes off. Still no hole.
I fire a third at a gong I have suspended in front of a clay bank at 275 yards, there is a shower of dirt to the right and high. Hmm,
Set up a target at 25 yards wind the magnification to 4 to minimise parallax and fire 1, 4 inches high, 1 1/2 right. Apply the correction and repeat, good enough.
Back to 100 yds.
2 shots 1 inch high 1 1/2 right apply correction.
The next hole appears at 6.30 1 1/4 low wind 4 clicks up and as i fire remember i forget to tap the dials like I always do after any ajustment.
The new hole appeared at 10 o'clock 2 left and 2 up.
Bollox 2 shots left do I go home now? Buggerit fire them all.
So hole 5 appears a correction is applied and lucky last no 6 appears on the line half an inch right of centre.
Now im plagued with doubt, is no 6 correct. It will be 3 days before I get a chance to find out.

Ha ha! Been there… sucks when your next outing is supposed to be a hunting trip

@Marty Henry how far South?

@akaroa1 Albury, fairlie and Burks pass at this stage still in the planning phase.

best you load up a heap more rounds and use at least 3 to check that you have it right...

and oh yes we have all been there.....more than once.

It's when it groups nicely, you apply all the corrections and fire the last three and all are good 'called' shots. Go to the target, two touching and on the right impact point, the other hole is up 4" high and 3" left right dead center of a black line so you couldn't see it from the bench. Bugger...

So yeah, we've all been there but now you have the choice no one wants - hope it is all good and take it away, or manufacture some time and load or get more ammo and confirm it.

If you need to tap the scope turrets to "settle" it I'd be inclined to look at another scope.

Been there, last time was with 11 rounds as well, but a 1.75 hour drive to the range, luckily the last two shots were side by side at the bottom of the inner bullseye

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

@akaroa1 Albury, fairlie and Burks pass at this stage still in the planning phase.

If you cant get a chance to sight in - rain etc before departing my place is 25 mins off the Motorway heading south before ChCh - use my range

@Moa Hunter That's bloody generous mate but I've got nearly 2 weeks if I can't sort it before then, I'll take up golf.

Originally Posted by NZ_noddy

If you need to tap the scope turrets to "settle" it I'd be inclined to look at another scope.

I've always done it and know a heap of people who do even with exposed turret scopes especially with small increments of 2 or 3 clicks.

same as going 2 clicks too far,then back...to take out any slack in threads...engineer told me to do this some 40 years ago..that and tap turrents....so I always have n always will.

Could you explain more about the tap scope turrets. Do you tap them on the top, on the side? How hard is it just a knock of the finger?
I get what Micky Duck says about the slack of the threads. But this is the first time that Ive heard of this with scopes.
Just interested thats all. If I learn something new cool eh.

just a gentle tap,base of screwdriver or empty case,whatever you turning dial with,not hard enough to crack n egg...I think of it as settling/wobbling the threads into centre.....tap the dial itself.

Originally Posted by NZ_noddy

If you need to tap the scope turrets to "settle" it I'd be inclined to look at another scope.

Exactly !