Scopes Walking Off Zero??

[Stormspiel 17]

I've got an old BSA supersport .177 that my dad bought me when i was 12 and have recently refurbed it all (new spring, polished internals, new seals etc. etc.) and it's shooting lovely at 10.5 ft.lbs.

 

When I've been taking my mate out i've been using my S200 and loaning him the supersport and wondering why he's hitting bugger all so last weekend i decided to set the zero again.

 

25 yards and first shot was a good foot high and right, finally got within 10mm but now every time i adjust for the POI difference it seems to walk another 10mm up and right (the crosshair is moving when adjusting i checked)

 

It's currently got a Simmonscopes 3-9 x 40 on it mounted on hawke (i think) medium mounts.

 

Is it worth investing in a one-piece mount to get a bit of extra bite on the rail? I assume the movements coming from the recoil as it's pretty consistant in how much it's moving. I'm not wanting to throw massive money at this as it's just a sentimental value back-up rifle.

 

Cheers

Luke

 

 

[J_Edwards 70]

Make sure the scope and mounts are fitted right. The recoil can cause mounts to "creep", so one-piece mounts can reduce this.

 

My HW97 was like this. I just couldn't get a good zero, and groupings were terrible, not good enough to hunt with. This was prone and off a bag, so it wasn't to do with my shooting skill I re-fitted my scope and mounts, and that sorted it out. Then I moved onto a PCP, and zeroing has never been a problem.

 

I remember reading about scopes, and how some cheaper scopes react differently to their turrets. Simmons should be OK, but cheap Chinese-made scopes have poor-quality components, so the turrets don't work as well as they should do. There's lots of YouTube videos about cheap scopes versus expensive and so on.

 

With cheap scopes, when you turn the turrets, it may not actually move the crosshair, but the recoil from the next shot actually makes the crosshair drop into it's new place. Therefore the first shot after a turret alteration is often invalid.

 

That's why you should always use 3 shot groups, and exclude any anomalies (ie. wild shots that are nowhere near, probably due to a dodgy pellet)

 

Experiment with your groupings, if not, re-fit your scope and mounts, if not, get some one-piece mounts. That's what I'd do

[Stormspiel 17]

The Simmons were on my S200 before i bougth a set of Hawke 4-12 x 50 for it so i know there's nothing wrong with that scope. The mounts have been on and off a few times during refurb so maybe they've pinched/dented and won't tighten properly anymore?

 

I tried chasing the zero all over before i caught on and kept aiming at the same spot without adjustment, Shot after shot gave a virtually straight line up and right.

 

i.e. always aimimng at 0

 

5th

4th

3rd

2nd

1st

0

 

I think i'll get a one-piece and try it for the sake of £15-20

Edited February 13, 2014 by Stormspiel

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

My old supersports and lightnings did me fine with cheap little 3-9x40's in my younger days before i got a hw99, then hw97

Always swore by 1 piece moints tho.

 

Good luck with the new mounts keep us updated pal

[kenj 131]

I had the same problem with my old Relum Z11 .177 springer, set the sights perfect, then started missing targets. Realised the scope was recoiling back down the scope rail. Tried a stop pin at the end, but still moved slightly. I ended up going back to open sights and He Presto, I was hitting everything again. At 25 yards, you can't miss anyway.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

When I had the Stingray Mk 2, it was set up by the gunshop we bought it from. The stupid arris who set it up put the mounts on the wrong way round and did not/could not use the arrestor pin. The result was I could not set it up and get it zeroed and the scope vibrated loose and slid off the top rail after 50 shots! Complaint to gunshop followed, I mean if I a mere novice then of a few months shooting knew which way round to set the damned mounts up, why the hell could the stupid pillock who was supposed to be a gunsmith not have learned which way round they go and what arrestor pins are for!