Alright guys I’m in need of some advice. Question is related to a Zeiss Conquest DL 3-12x50 with a 60 reticle (illuminated duplex). Each adjustment is 1/3 MOA
The Zeiss scope I posted about last week was dialed in like a dream last deer season and last weekend (the 16th). I was hitting a center of a 10" gong at 200 & 300 yards every time. This weekend (the 23rd) I couldn’t hit a 10" gong at 200 yards. Then I shifted to the 100 yard target to check it’s zero(I zero’d the rifle at 100 yards, 2" high, for dead on at 200 originally). Saturday was 5" low and 5" right. There was no POI / POA shift due to the suppressor so that is ruled out. The rounds were the same as last weekend. The weather was almost identical. The rifles precision was still good with tight groups. The accuracy was out the window.
Some facts about the scope that may be of help:
Sitting in Talley Rings
Sitting on a Nosler M48 Liberty 300 win mag
The elevation only had 1 MOA shift up remaining when I checked the zero (elevation had plenty of room)
I remember it being odd how little adjustment I had left when I originally zero’d the gun last year
I found mechanical zero of the scope when I got it last year and sighted in from there
The rifle was not bumped, dropped, kicked, etc. to knock it off zero between last weekend and this weekend
Possible issues:
Could it be that with the elevation up so high that the reticle is boogerd up? Stretched too tight or broken?
Would Talley rings not hold? Everything was still tight and no noticeable shift on the scope (slide marks, scuffs, etc)
Could a Zeiss Conquest DL have poor enough quality to not take a 300 win mag? Strange it would give out after a season but who knows.
I removed the scope from the rifle last night so I could start all over. I went back to the mechanical zero. It has 114 clicks of elevation and 112 clicks of windage. those are now set at 57 and 56 respectively.
Should I sight it in again and if I run up towards the top limits of elevation again, take the elevation below the mechanical zero a good bit so that it’s not up so high?
Any advice welcomed. I’ve not had a scope ever do this before. Pretty strange.
yes, shot it with the can and without last weekend. same this weekend.
I may be using the terminology incorrectly but when I shoot it with and without the holes stack on each other. it’s a crux ark30 can. I believe that’s poa/poi stuff right?
regarding metric I was referring to Zeiss using metric for their data, charts, etc. not really relevant to the 1/3… just me typing fast and not being clear. edited that part out of the original post.
This is elementary, but all of my “scope” problems with scopes costing $100 and up were in fact mount problems. Talley is excellent quality but something could still be loose. It can be loose enough to change zero and still tight enough to not move easily when you push on it with your fingers. I would double check all the mounting hardware first.
Is there a pic rail or other scope base in between the Talley rings and the rifle? Check that thoroughly, even if it came from the factory or was installed by a gunsmith.
A defect in the scope is certainly possible, but I would check out the mounting hardware and rifle first.
There is no pic rail. just the talley bases and rings. I’ll check those tonight with a torque drive.
I’ve been reading like crazy today about this and have found a post on longrangehunting… that mirrored your point. Took him several trips at the range to realize it was the base. he jb welded it and locktite’d the screws and all good after that.
I’ve contacted Zeiss about the issue to see what they may say. To a smaller point in the original post - I still find it surprising I only had 1 moa left of elevation on a 200 yard zero. In the event that is the case after I remount the scope I have ordered a larue 20moa rail. It could be helpful as I will need the extra moa anyway. If I do I’ll give that a try with their 719 rings. Their stuff has never failed me yet.
Think I found the issue. The forward most base screw is stripped. The next one on the same base was partially. You can see the silver part of the screw and how it’s smoothed out. Interestingly the fromtnbase didn’t move a bit when I tried but I suppose my attempt is not as effective as the kick of a 300 win mag. Now I need to find replacement screws.
Those screws look really, really weird. Only time I’ve seen that is when I forcefully screwed a screw into a hole that wasn’t fully threaded. I would make sure the receiver holes are fully drilled and fully threaded, and don’t have metal shavings or something blocking the threads, before putting new screws in. Best way to do this is with a tap of the correct size. Those aren’t too expensive to buy, but depending on your skills and preferences you may want to take this to a gunsmith.
Alright guys I had the scope remounted and worked on by a gunsmith yesterday. Sure enough it’s a ring issue with the talley lightweight rings. He mounted it and from it’s mechanical zero had to go all the way up in elevation just to bore sight it. So he shimmed it so we could get to a bore sight/mechanical zero at the same point. that leaves me 57 clicks up in elevation now. he shimmed it with 15 pieces under the bases and 10 in the rings.
I’m confident that it’ll work fine now but I’m not thrilled with a shimmed scope. I know it’s been done for years and years. any reason to doubt this setup?
