PapaScout

Ok, so I bought a Savage 111 30-06 and I put a Bushnell 3x9 scope on it.

I set up a paper target 16"x24" maybe? Whatever those measure with the five bright red targets on them. Anyway, plenty big enough to test this new toy out, right?

I backup to just past my 50 yard mark in my range, lean against a fallen tree and rest my elbows on it in a nice comfortable stable position.

<BANG> - not even on the paper
<BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG> - shooting at top, bottom, left, right of target trying to get something on paper.

I went through a box of 20 (my shoulder was a bit sore) and only got one on paper when I aimed about three feet down to the right at about a 45 degree angle from center of paper.

Now I'm not sure how much adjustment the scope will do. Can it really be this far off? Are the mounts that the local gunshop sold me not the right ones for this rifle?

Anyone else ever had this? I guess I assumed that a first mount would at least have me on that large of a target from so close in.

Help!

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"If you so much as bunny hop I'll cut your heart out!" Billy Bob Thornton in The Last Real Cowboys

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pgrass101

Yes to all. The mounts could be wrong for the gun, not installed properly etc. The scope can be off (not as likely since it was really far off but possible) was the scope setting on the 0 mark?

Did you boresight it? This could help you get on paper faster and can be done in your living room with almost no tools. Secure the gun remove the bolt, look through the barrel and adjust crosshairs on scope to match view through barrel. An even better way is to buy a cheap boresighter that slips into the bore, they don't cost much.

I am sure there are other people on the forum that has better advice than this, so wait until you hear from them.

JT

Agreed. Getting an inexpensive boresighter is a big time saver. I have this one…

http://www.riflescopes.com/products/...oresighter.htm

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craze

I would simply suggest moving in closer to say 25yards. This should get you on paper. Get close to zero there then fine tune as you move out. Most scopes 1 click equals 1/4 inch at 100yds. At 25 it will be 4 clicks per 1/4''. To try to guess when you're not even on paper is an exersise of extreme frustration.

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rocky

Even boresighting thru the barrel will get you on paper.

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Harold Green

You need to do some specific things in order to sight your rifle in, and all of these can be done at the range. You don't need much in the way of equipment, but a good, solid rest is critical.

You may want to go to a range that has solid shooting benches and sandbags. If you would like your own sandbags, you can fill ten-inch sections of old pant legs with kitty litter and sew up the ends.

To start, set up a target at 25 yards, remove the bolt from your rifle, and prop the rifle on the sandbags so it's pointing at the target. You will need it to sit on the sandbags and be steady without you holding it. Look through the barrel and adjust the rifle's position until you can look through the barrel and see the bullseye centered in the bore. Without moving the rifle, look through the scope and turn the adjusting knobs until the cross hairs are centered on the same point your are looking at through the bore.

Put the bolt back in the rifle and fire three rounds at the target before you adjust the scope. Adjust the scope to move the center of your group to the center of the 25-yard target. As the target's only 1/4th the distance most scope adjustments are calibrated for (usually 100 yards) you'll need to move the knobs four time as many clicks as would be needed at the range the adjustments are calibrated for. That means if you scope knob needs to be moved four clicks to move the group one inch at 100 yards, you will need to move the knob sixteen clicks to move it an inch at 25 yards.

Repeat this process until your group is centered on the 25-yard target, then post a 100-yard target and fire three rounds at it. Your group should be somewhere on the paper. Use the adjustment knobs to bring your group to the center of the 100-yard target.

The trajectory the bullets from most high-powered rifles take will cross the line of sight (where your cross hairs are looking) twice during it's travel. The bullet will cross the line of sight going up at about 25 yards, it will peak (at mid-range trajectory) at about 50 yards, and cross the line of sight again at about 100 yards. That's why you need to sight your rifle in first at 25 yards in order to get it on paper at 100 yards. Then you can finish sighting it in at 100 yards.

All shots should be fired from a solid, sandbag rest in order to minimize human error.

After you've sighted it in at 100 yards, you can then sight it in for longer ranges if you need to.

It's not uncommon for a newly scoped rifle to hit nowhere near the paper at 100 yards until you go through this kind of procedure.

If you still can't bring your rifle to point of aim, you may need to shim your scope. This is very uncommon with modern rifles and mounts, but does happen once in a great while. You may want to get a gunsmith's help with this.

Also, as others have mentioned, you can speed up this process by bore sighting your rifle using either an optical or laser boresighter.

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PapaScout

Thanks to all. I bought a bore sighter tonight and will try it soon.

__________________
"If you so much as bunny hop I'll cut your heart out!" Billy Bob Thornton in The Last Real Cowboys

"I carry a gun for the same reason that I carry health insurance and a cell phone - be prepared."

Matthew Temkin

After it is bore sighted shoot some groups dead center at 25 yards, which will put you about 3 inches high at 100.
Since for my type of hunting this is a bit high I go back to 100 yards and have the groups at about 1-1/12 inches high.
Many of my shots are at a very small target--such as the neck at about 80 yards, so I prefer to have pinpoint accuracy as opposed to a long range point blank zero.
PS..try the 150 grain bullets if deer is to be your primary target.

PapaScout

I'm on paper! :) Granted it's only at 25 yards but still paper is paper.

The Leipold bore sighter (the back-lighted magnetic one that sticks to the muzzle) got me closer but I still had to crank on the scope to get hits.

Went through another box of 20 (Remington CoreLok 165gr) and no sore shoulder this time. I'll go buy some more and then back out to 100 and see where I am.

$30 worth of ammo and a $70 bore sighter and I'm excited about bagging a paper target at 25 yards. Geesh! Boys and their toys.

__________________
"If you so much as bunny hop I'll cut your heart out!" Billy Bob Thornton in The Last Real Cowboys

"I carry a gun for the same reason that I carry health insurance and a cell phone - be prepared."

pgrass101

That paper won't laugh at you again

Shooting stuff is so much fun