New Member/ Issues With My Bsa Ultra Se

[Bigdog88 6]

Hi all,

 

I am a new member on here so thought i would post and introduce myself/ hopefully get some help!

 

I started shooting a year ago after i was in physio for 6 months and could not train so i needed something to help keep me occupied. As with everything i became hooked and have been hunting since. My first rifle was a second hand Stoeger X20s which bagged me a decent amount of rabbits but forced me to stalk up to them to within 30 yards at the furthest and sometimes 15 yards as i could not shoot the thing accurately from any further!

 

As the rest of the title suggests i recently went PCP and bought a new BSA Ultra SE .177 with beech stock and bipod (plus a 50 quid nikko sterling scope - ao side IR i think?). I have not been out as much with it but i bagged my first wood pigeons with it and i have shot about 6 rabbits in the last couple of months. I found that JSB Exacts are the best in it and i am currently testing the 4.53 version which seem to be accurate also.

 

The problem i am encountering is a strange one and i apologize if it is an obvious solution as i have limited experience with Air Rifles. After zeroing at 37 yards (recommended range on chair gun App) i then shot at a variety of ranges in order to find my hold under/over. Every time i subsequently come back to my zero range it seems my pellets land a full mil dot left and my zero has shifted! Similarly the zero seems to sometimes hold throughout the day but almost without fail the next day it will be again shifted left of my zero! Is this an issue with the unregulated power output of my Ultra or is there something wrong with the scope? I read an article on scope alignment and spiralling and i do not think it is that as the thing wont hold its zero.

 

As added infomration my scope is on a two piece mount, i use a debens tilting bipod, i fill the rifle to 190bar and fire 30 pellets before refilling.

 

Any help would be hugely appreciated as i know there is a wealth of knowledge on here which will hopefully prevent any lengthy send offs to BSA, etc...

 

Kind regards.

 

 

[Rez 4,957]

It could be something to do with your set up mate, but I found that zero shift is actually down to me, or the shooter. Even now, with a PCP, if I change my shooting technique, position, breathing then the pellet doesn't strike the first hole. If it holds zero all day, then appears to change the next day, the problem doesn't point at your set up, are you doing anything different?

 

Things seem right re the filling and shot count. As you may already know, people get there cocks out over the Ultra its so good.

 

37 yards zero it a bit far mind, what are your intended ranges covered by that? Furthest being out to nearly 70 yards with the dots in your NS? Bring it in to 25-30 and see what happens. Chair gun is numbers, not real life.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Rez

[jamesS410 106]

Hi. I had a similar problem after changing scopes where I would zero the rifle, think I had got it sussed and then the zero would suddenly shift or on occasion it would be fine one day and miles out the next. In my case I think it was the reticle sticking slightly when I adjusted either the elevation or windage and then "jumping" as the rifle was used. I now lightly tap the turrets after each adjustment to help set the reticle and this seems to have solved the issue. Other possible causes are things like canting the rifle after you've zeroed, the zero shifting if you adjust the scope magnification (which can happen especially on cheaper scopes) or parralex error exaggerating any change in eye position.

[Bigdog88 6]

Thanks for your swift replies. I'm off back into the garden to zero at a closer range. The groups i achieve with the JSB Exact are incredible even out to 50 yards so i just want to sort out the zero now!

 

I think you could be right that i need to tap the turrets and also that it may be me as I fire from a bipod off of a shooting mat and I have potentially gotten lazy with my marksmanship since switching from Spring to PCP. I will update you when i figure it out.

 

What has everyone found best in their BSA Ultra? 5.52 or 5.53? I know it is barrel specific but just interested.

 

regards

[Rez 4,957]

"I have potentially gotten lazy with my marksmanship since switching from Spring to PCP. I will update you when i figure it out." This often happens.

[Bigdog88 6]

 

Hopefully the photo upload has worked. This is a 10 shot group @ 30 yards with JSB Exact 4.53 off of a bipod in the prone. As i already stated I have shot pigeon and rabbits already but I am not sure how this group compares in the world of hunting...i..e is it decent enough for me to be content with, or, with my rifle should i be getting much tighter groupings at that range?

 

I will post the same pic with the 5.52 for comparison after i have fired a few through the barrel.

 

On a tangent how does everyone clean the BSA Ultra barrel as I only have experience with cleaning weapons which have much easier access to the barrel and can be pulled through with a bore snake or pull through?

 

Kind regards

Edited July 23, 2014 by Bigdog88

[Bigdog88 6]

My groups were significantly better using the JSB Exact 5.52 over the 5.53...not entirely sure why this is the case but I am not complaining! I will re-check my zero tonight and tomorrow AM to see if it shifts again significantly.

 

The more I think about it it can not be marksmanship entirely as it shifted 4 mil dots left from yesterday and that is not a minor change! Im leaning more toward JamesS410 explanation of the reticle sticking (more in hope) and hoping that tapping the turrets will mean my zero doesn't shift again!

 

thanks again

[Bigdog88 6]

 

This is the 10 shot group @ 30 yards with 4.52 which I am a lot happier with! Zeroing at 30 yards was a great suggestion as at 15 through 40 yards (my max range) there is very little variation- thanks Rez.

 

Regards

[Cedric 132]

You could try borrowing a different scope and see if your zero continues to shift, that will elliminate the scope from the equation. I have two identical Hawke HD scopes and one has a definite creep beore the turrets clicks, when adjusting I turn an extra clcik then back one to settle it.

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

Im saying its eaither due to the scope being a cheap model. Maybe parralax error.

My advice. Get a hawke panorama EV . Best 150 quid you will spend mate. There brilliant. Dont mean to sound like a snob but you need good quality scopes.

[Bigdog88 6]

I emailed nikko sterling and their reply was "Sorry I dont understand whats your problem, Im Chinese" and that their spec is for 0.75inch movement over 37 yards so I'm not overly impressed with the customer service! I will be shooting at 30 yards again soon and checking if the zero has shifted.

 

Regards

Edited July 24, 2014 by Bigdog88

[Bigdog88 6]

Shot at my zero range with no issues this afternoon. However, I tested adjusting the AO at 30yards and any shift above the correct range shifted the POI right and any shift below moved it left. I think I need to get my judging distance bang on or it's going to significantly affect my accuracy...probably why I missed a rabbit from 20yards at dusk last night...hopefully

 

Regards

[Cedric 132]

Sounds as though the scope is faulty. Adjusting AO should not alter POI laterally. Altering my AO only makes a difference to the focus.

[Bigdog88 6]

Great. The shop I bought it from is at the opposite end of the country!

 

Oh well..

 

Thanks

[bigmac 97kt 13,735]

You shud all ways check zero eny way be fore going hunting as zero can change ,ie , your rifle could be knocked with out your knowledge and even the best of scopes will lose zero at some point.

 

And i cant use a tilt bipod as the slightest cant will put my zero off i lock mine in place so it cant move its probably just me and as for your rifle you could of not got your self a better rifle mate up there with the best and will match the best eny time don't under estimate it it may be little but its got some hitting power and will take out your pray just as good as a hw100 and the rest .

 

Nice shooting on the targets and good groupings to i would be happy at that atvbmac :thumbs: