Rifle Scopes So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

[srv656s]

I transferred my NXS scope from my 700P to my new GAP rifle this last weekend. I unscrewed the rings from the base, but left the rings on the scope. I placed the scope on the new rifle and got behind it in the prone position to test eye relief. I moved it back and forth a little and then decided to see how the eye relief would look from a standing position. Unfortunately I forgot that I hadn't even hand tightened the rings down or anything and the scope fell onto my hardwood floor. I caught it on the first bounce, but it left a crescent shaped dent in the floor from the objective bell.

I wasn't too worried about it, put it on my new rifle and on Sunday I took her to the range. I put the paper at 100 yards and shot three shots and they didn't even hit the paper. I figured that since my old rifle had a 20 MOA base and the new one did, that it'd at least be on the paper.

I put the target at 50 yards, aimed at the center of the paper and fired. The impact was 10 MOA to the right of zero! I turned the knob 10 MOA, and it was zeroed, but it got me pretty worried.

Doesn't it seem weird that it would be so far off left to right? It makes me worried that the new rifle's got a canted base or something. I shot the 700P at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 yards in one day and it tracked really well. I'm worried that this rifle could be so far off.

I'm also concerned that the windage is loose or something since I dropped it.

So anyways, the question. Is it typical to have such a dramatic windage difference between two rifles?

I zeroed it at 100 yards and I'm worried that when I push out to 200 that I'll be off with windage and it'll get worse the greater the distance I shoot.

Thanks

Shawn

 

[SuperSeal110]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

I wouldn't be worried about it.


Shoot it and find out, only way to find out...

 

[7mmRM]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SuperSeal110</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I wouldn't be worried about it.


Shoot it and find out, only way to find out... </div></div>

+1. NXS scopes are damn tough. I cant imagine that would have screwed up the scope. One of mine(attatched to the rifle) fell about a foot onto concrete. Landed on windage knob. Hit hard enough that the turret cap slipped and rammed into turret spindle leaving a round imprint on the outside of the turret cap! I took the cap off to make sure nothing was obviously messed up, it was fine. I loosened the ring cross bolts, and then re-torqued them. Set up a target @ 100 yrds. Fired a round.... Dead nuts. Fired a second. Same hole. Did a 10MOA box test. Perfect. Just another reason, I love NXSs so much. Ill post a pic of it in a bit...

 

[Dogtown]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

I did an unintentional drop test on a 2.5-10x NXS and it held zero just fine (fell off of a waist high bench). A year earlier I wasn't so lucky with a 3.5-15x NXS that got knocked off a table.

 

[shankster..]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

srv656s, Don't worry I have done worse to mine numerous times. You just started breaking your NXS in.

7mmRM. Nice pic. It's nice to see people use and abuse their equipment. That's why we buy the good stuff. Cheers.

 

[Rob01]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: srv656s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Doesn't it seem weird that it would be so far off left to right? </div></div>

Not at all. You went from a factory drilled base holes on your 700P to true to bore holes on your GAP. 700s are well known for having the holes drilled a little crooked requiring more windage one way or the other to zero. Putting it on the GAP was probably just moving it back towards center. Throw it back on the 700P and I bet it will be 10 MOA to the left.

If you are worried shoot a box test but I would bet nothing is wrong with the scope.

 

[srv656s]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

Rob01-

I'm not as worried that the scope is off as I am that the base holes on my Badger Action are off.

I shot the 700P at varying distances and the scope did a great job of tracking. The windage always stayed dead on. I'm worried that at different distances I'm going to start seeing some left to right problems now.

I'll be shooting at different distances later this month, we'll see...

Shawn

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

I'd be worried that the base holes on the 700P were off more than the badger.

How is a differnt zero on a different rifle going to show up as windage problems at distance (if the holes are just different)?

 

[hydro556]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

If that damaged it, I would assume something was defective prior to the fall. NF has a good reputation for durability, and frankly, I would be disappointed in my $200 Nikon Buckmaster if it couldnt take that fall without being damaged.

If you want to check, try another optic on that rifle or the NF on another, proven rifle. I bet it is the receiver.

 

[Rob01]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: srv656s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Rob01-

I'm not as worried that the scope is off as I am that the base holes on my Badger Action are off.

I shot the 700P at varying distances and the scope did a great job of tracking. The windage always stayed dead on. I'm worried that at different distances I'm going to start seeing some left to right problems now.

I'll be shooting at different distances later this month, we'll see...

Shawn</div></div>

Once zeroed it wouldn't be off. The windage would stay dead on all the way out. It's just the zeroing process you would see the crooked screw holes come into play on the 700P. Don't confuse canted reticles with crooked base holes. I would bet a paycheck the 700P was off and the Badger is right on.

 

[srv656s]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

Thanks for the responses guys. Just to clarify, I was concerned that if the base was straight on my 700P, which it definitely seemed to be, then having to move 10 MOA on the new rifle would indicate that the new rifle's base may be canted.

I'm concerned about this because, although I'm zeroed for 100 yards, I'm concerned that moving the targets out further will cause my groups to move laterally. In my mind, the scope is pointing to one place at 100 yards, and the rifle is as well, but if they're not in line, then they'll diverge side to side as the distance increases.

In the awesome paint image I put together below, the rifle and scope on the left are in line. They blue line is the scope's line of sight and the red line is the flight of the bullet. In the rifle on the right, the scope and bullet flights intersect laterally at 100 yards but after that they go different directions.

Hopefully the 700P was just off, but I shot it at many different distances and it was always great.

Shawn

 

[Rob01]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

Listen to me.....once it zeros it will shoot fine at distance even if there is a small base offset. I had my 700 the same way before I had the holes opened and trued to the bore. Don't sweat it. If there was a problem it was with the 700 and not the GAP built Badger.

 

[SHOOTNBLANKS]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

The scope is obviously broke beyond repair. Send it to me and I will dispose of it properly for you.

Seriously, Its good to hear quality equipment survival stories like these.

 

[srv656s]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

Thanks Rob, just wanted to explain what I was worrying about since it may have been unclear.

Shawn

 

[csgw]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: srv656s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Doesn't it seem weird that it would be so far off left to right? </div></div>

Not at all. You went from a factory drilled base holes on your 700P to true to bore holes on your GAP. 700s are well known for having the holes drilled a little crooked requiring more windage one way or the other to zero. Putting it on the GAP was probably just moving it back towards center. Throw it back on the 700P and I bet it will be 10 MOA to the left.

If you are worried shoot a box test but I would bet nothing is wrong with the scope. </div></div>

+1

Most rifles will not have the same elevation 0 and wind 0. I have seen a few rifles have the same 0 but it is not common.

Nightforce scope will take a lot so I would not worry about it.

Mike

 

[19Scout77]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

I have always been reluctant to swap scope and rings with the rings left on the scope. My fear is that if the second scope based is tweaked, when you crank down to mount the rings you will transfer said tweak to the scope tube.

 

[Swamper]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: srv656s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Doesn't it seem weird that it would be so far off left to right? </div></div>

Not at all. You went from a factory drilled base holes on your 700P to true to bore holes on your GAP. 700s are well known for having the holes drilled a little crooked requiring more windage one way or the other to zero. Putting it on the GAP was probably just moving it back towards center. Throw it back on the 700P and I bet it will be 10 MOA to the left.

If you are worried shoot a box test but I would bet nothing is wrong with the scope. </div></div>


More likely that the barrel is out of round and not drilled perfectly concentric. Could be many reasons why a factory barrel is not in perfect alignment with the scope base mounting holes.

You also might just have a shitty base. I have seen one of THE BEST regarded and expensive tactical bases have its slots out of alignment. The BEST I have seen and tested with precision measuring gear was from Near Manufacturing. Near guarantees their gear is within .0003", that is three ten-thousandths, of perfect. One side slot of the base in question was about .025" out of alignment with the other.

Have a Winchester 70 am having same problem with right now. Also have 3 LaRue LT 101 risers that are off center from the AR A4 rails they ride on. With those the offset is consistent, or seems to be.

If you own a scope collimator/bore-sighting tool with grid you can diagnose many problems.

I had an $100+ prone position base on the Win 70 and was out about 20moa when transferring a scope mounted on a Near scope base to that rifle. Filing the slot to correct the angle is a workable solution, but... Anyway, found a cheap B-Square base in town the other day and found that the 20moa offset was improved by 10moa. I will have to spend more time on this soon because I like to be able to swap scopes between rifles. If you have a grid collimator like the Bushnell 74-3333 it makes it easy.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: So let's say I drop my NXS scope... (I did)

At the Nightforce booth at a trade show, one of the reps went to beating a scope on a table. I felt so bad, but he beat at least 20 times, and said it would hold up fine.
Like already said, don't worry about the zero shift from rifle to rifle. It is very common they have different zeros, up/down or right/left.