Went to the 200 yd. range yesterday.

[gt40]

Well I am learning a lot with my new rifle. I was having very bad groups, but it was not the rifles fault. The bench seats were way to low for me and I could not get comfortable. I was having a terrible time with heart throbbing from my shoulder in the cross hairs. They were jumping at least 1/4" which gave me fits pluss every time i shot the magnification on the scope would decrease about 2+ power with each shot until I saw it was on 24 instead of 32 power. Then I got frustrated and shot at the wrong target a couple of times. I also got the wrong inserts with the Burris Zee rings which made it impossible to center the cross hair at 200 yds. It was hitting about 4" low and I had to guestimate the dots on the mil-dot. Then I grabbed the wrong dot every once in a while.

Do you think I gave enough excuses????

Well I got down to the last 5 shots and decided to put the bipod on to see how it would shoot with them. I also put 2 sand bags under my butt which got me high enough to get more comfortable.

The best target was with the bipod .950-.243=.742 at 200 yds. Berger .80 gr. Match bullets. I think the horizontal string was the heart beat"?".

Here are a couple of pictures. One with my neighbor posing with my rifle.

gt40

PS: It seemed that the barrel stopped getting warm at about 24 inches. It never did get more than a little warm even right by the chamber.

 

[VarmintGuy]

Gt40: I just hate days like you had there at your range!
I've had my share.
Hope your next trip is more "relaxing".
That .607" group at 200 yards is pretty impressive!
A couple of questions: what caliber is your new Rifle and what brand of scope was that one?
And the second picture titled "best group" is also a pretty good grouping there at 200 yards in my book!
It looks like the dial caliper is reading .986" on that one - yielding a group of about .743" - again I would be happy with that kind of performance as well.
Great looking Rifle by the way.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

 

[gt40]

VarmintGuy,

You are correct .985-.243=.742 which was my best group. I guess I misread the dial. Don't know where I came up with the 850. Wishful thinking I guess.

The scope is a Bushnell Elite 4200 8-32x40mm with Mil-dot reticle. I had it on my .220 Swift and it never changed power because of recoil before. This puzzles me.

The caliber is 6mm Norma BR.

I am pretty sure I am going to ditch the Burris Zee Rings with the inserts and switch to conventional rings. I don't think I want to chase the bullet trying to get the scope adjusted correctly when all I have to do is to change the rails for 600 or 1000 yards.

gt40

PS: Thanks for liking the looks of the rifle.

 

[gt40]

Thanks for the advice Lynn.

My 26" Brux barrel is a 1 in 8" twist. The chamber is bored to put the 107 gr. into lands and I believe I have the 80 gr. Bergers touching the lands. I also use a fairly good front rest & a rear bag that I need to put more sand in it.

I may have made a mistake on the length of pull that I had Kevin Rayhill make it 14" because the other rifle that I do not like is 13 1/2". I was not comfortable because I was to low from the bench table. Once I get comfortable I think that 14" will be ok though.

I think that I am going to change the rings with the inserts. The elevation is bottomed out and the POI is 4" low at 100 yards. I have an inexpensive (I can't afford $1500 +) 10-40x50mm with 30mm tube tactical scope on order which I will try with its 30mm rings to see if it will work without needing the Burris Zee Rings. If it doesn't work I can send it back and get a refund. Then I will figure what my next option will be.

I think if I free recoil the rifle it will do much better since I won't have to put the stock against my shoulder which will eliminate the heart beat bouncing the cross hair. The forearm and the bottom of the butt stock are parallel which makes it sit on the bags different than other rifles. I really need to get my ducks in a row before I can start to get this rifle to group the best I can get it to shoot.

The stock has a rail under the forearm and the butt stock has a recessed sling swivel which eliminates the studs from getting caught on the bags.

gt40

 

[gt40]

GT40
If the POI is high at 100 you can put a -5 insert into your front on the bottom to correct this.If the POI is to low and its only 4 inches just dial it up the 4 inches and don't worry about it.
Lynn aka Waterboy

I am confused Lynn. Right now my scope is adjusted as far as it will go and the POI is still about 4" low at 100 yds. with the 80 grain bullets. I have no more "clicks" left to bring the POI up to "dead on". I do not know which inserts came with the Zee Rings, but something "aint" right. Shouldn't they be "0" inserts and still have the POI be dead on at 100 yds and the elevation adjustment "clicks" be close to having the reticle close to centered in the scope?

I really need to take it apart and check everything out. Maybe I even have the Picatinny rail on backwards. It was supposed to be a "0", but right now everything is in question.

gt40

 

[VarmintGuy]

GT40: These latest pictures show the "reptilian" like paint job even better.
I think your instance of "power changing" of the scope while being shot is the first incident of that kind I can recall.
Could it have been an evil step-child or a prank playing friend that may have been twisting your dials when you weren't looking?
Keep up the good shooting with your 6mm Norma BR!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: How about the nickname "Cobra" for your new pet Rifle?

 

[gt40]

The earliest I'll have time to try to figure out what is going on will be Saturday afternoon.

I really appreciate all the help everyone is giving me.

I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

"Aim small miss small",

gt40

 

[gt40]

I just got done taking everything from the action off and measured everything. (rail, Burris Zee rings and all the inserts are "0") Everything seems to be correct. The scope adjustments work because when I turn the turrets the reticles move. The problem is the vertical will not bring the POI "up" to dead on at 100 or 200 yards. There is no more adjustment left in the scope. I have had this scope on my Ruger and Winchester without this problem.

With 80 grain Berger bullets I have to hold the "first" Mil-dot that is under the cross hair on the bullseye at 200 yds to hit dead on. For the 105 VLDs I have to hold the "second" dot under the cross hair on the bullseye at 200 yds to hit dead on.

First I will center the cross hair in the scope by counting the total clicks from top to bottom then divide by 2 and adjust that many clicks.

I am thinking of using layers of black electrical tape on top of the rear Zee insert (under the scope tube) to shim the scope to point down which will raise the barrel up.

I will bore sight the scope at 100 yds. and keep adding layers of tape until the POI is dead on at 100 yds. with the cross hair centered in scope. Then I can measure the thickness of the tape and put the corrected Zee inserts to correct the problem.

What do you think of my idea or is their an easier way?

gt40

 

[gt40]

GT40
Is the rail on backwards? If not do a web search for your model of scope and see how low in MOA those dots are.This will tell you how much you need to be dead on but I would go whole hog and use all +10 and -10 inserts or +20 -20 if you have them available.You want to be able to use the scope at all the ranges you will be shooting it at and you don't need to be using Kentucky windage at 100 yards.
On the front ring put a minus 10 or minus 20 on the bottom of the ring and a +10 or +20 on the top.Do just the opposite on the rear ring and your all set.

For a fast check take a soda or beer can and cut some shim material out of it and place it under the rear of the rail.2 or 3 pieces should get you shooting just fine unless the scope itself is bad.
Lynn

The rail is on correctly. I do not have the other set of inserts for +-10 and +-20. I'll ask one of my boys to see if he could get the other inserts since he lives 2 blocks from Bass Pro Shop.

I'll get back with you later this afternoon.

Thanks,

gt40

 

[DR4NRA]

Bushnell Elite 4200 8-32x40 Riflescope 42-8324M

Power x Obj. 8-32x40

Reticle Multi-X

FOV, ft.@1000yds. / m@1000m 14/4.7@8x / 3.75/1.3@32x

Exit Pupil, mm 5@8x / 1.25@32x

Eye Relief, mm 3.3/83

Click Value, in@100yds. / mm@100m .125/3.5

Adj. Range, in@100yds/m@100m 26/.7

Mntng. Length, in./mm 8.0/203

Finish Matte

Weight, oz./g 22/623

Length, in./mm 18/457

With older models I found range of adjustment to be 20 in @ 100 yrds, distance between the dots, center to center should be exactly 1 mil, MOA depends on which style of dot used i.e


ARMY: 360 degrees = 1 circle
6400 mils = 1 circle, 360
17.8 mils = 1 degree
360 degrees divided by 6400 = .0563 multiplied by 60 = 3.375 MOA or
1 mil = 3.375 moa



USMC: 360 degrees = 1 circle
6283 mils = 1 circle
17.5 mils = 1 degree
360 degrees divided by 6283 = .0573 multiplied by 60 = 3.438 MOA or
1 mil = 3.438 moa



Therefore:
ARMY: 3.375 moa multiplied by 1.047” = 3.53” @ 100 yards
USMC: 3.438 moa multiplied by 1.047” = 3.6” @ 100 yards

** Note: 1 Minute of Angle = 1.047” @ 100 yards (True)

 

[gt40]

Bass Pro Shop did not have any of the inserts in stock.

I guess that I will use it as is with some shims until I get my new scope in 2 weeks (I hope).

gt40