Anyone that knows me well knows I'm not a big fan of scopes and usually shoot open sights. But my dad gave me his 30-06 a couple months ago and it came with a nice old Redfield scope so I thought what the heck, my eyes aren't what they used to be so maybe try a scope.

I soon found out one of the scope screws was a replacement and wouldn't tighten down right. A nice member on here sent me a replacement screw at no cost and I set about sighting in the gun. It was shooting well over a foot high, but I finally got it fairly close and called it a day. The next time I went out, it seemed as if it was off further than what I'd left it at but I thought it was my imagination and began sighting it in again. This time I had it very close when I ran out of ammo and daylight. Like, within an inch of the bullseye. That was a week ago.

I go out today and... 3 inches high, 3 inches left. What the heck! So, I go about re-sighting it in. It seems to just not want to adjust right, but finally I give it a good ol crank and realize I am out of right adjustment which I find very odd. But I try a shot and it's dead on in the bullseye. The next two shots also in the bullseye. Well, I leave the gun in the lead sled and we run up to check the mail. When we get back, I still have 2 shells in the gun so decide to see if I can screw up my perfect record by missing the bullseye, lol.

3 inches left, 4 inches high...both shots.

WHAT is going on?? It must be the scope, right? Think it's just junk? My dad claimed it shot great! I don't get it!

The time I had that happen it was the mounts, they were slipping, I put new mounts on and it fixed it.

Start by checking the barrel to the forearm fit. Wood stocks warp after while. Cause weird things to happen as the barrel is touching the stock making it vibrate different every shot. Should be able to slide a dollar bill under the barrel all the way back to the action. Some fore ends were made with a little hump at the end. The barrel sits on it. If yours has that hump a dollar should slide to the action behind the hump.

Another possibility is loose screws that attach the action to the stock.


To check the scope put the gun in something solid. Look through the scope. Move your head a bit without moving the gun, The crosshair should not move.

Sounds like scope is loose to me.

At what range is first question . Hold the gun in your right hand and see if the scope wiggle up or down then left or right . I picked my 270 up to put it away for the season and felt movement. One of the bases had worked loosed I’ll have to remove the ring to get to it .

3 low left at what distance ? 25 or 50 yards it would be hard to belive the stock is pushing it a consistent 12 or 6moa off

if the scope isn't moving , the internals are happens on old scopes when you adjust them the springs that hold the retical don't hold the cross hair tracking to the turret screws.

if it just keeps changing and nothing else is moving then scope

an easy way to see if anything moves , on your rings to base , base to gun , ring to scope connections put a dab of nail polish it will come off with nail polish remover later if after it has hardened and you shoot cracks appear in the laquer things are moving under recoil.
clear works , I asked my wife a month ago if she had any she said nope not in years so there I was at the family dollar buying nail polish to mark a sight in my slug gun. clear is hardly noticeable so you can just leave it

I was shooting at 64 yards. I guesstimated 100 and was more than a little bit off when I measured it out last week, lol.

I like the nail polish idea.

But to narrow it down further, I'm pulling the scope off and sighting in the iron sights tomorrow. At least that way I can determine if the gun or scope is causing the issues.

Sure the crosshairs aren’t broke? Had that happen before and it was doing exactly what you’re describing.

I would start by checking all the mount screws. If they are good then the scope is bad.

How many rounds through that gun over the yrs ?

Chuck the lead sled, use a different scope, that you know for a fact hold zero. Double check all connection points .

Here's a tip I've learned. Site in , take you gun put in in the back seat and drive around a good bit..back roads are better. Take it back out and shoot the same target. If it's a different point of impact it's a wast of time and money ,chuck it and get a new one.

Could also just be some really crappy ammo. You got a good cheek weld ? Because if you don't on a scope it will cause that

Brother had one do similar.
Low mounts, eye relief slid rearward, objective bell clamped down slightly onto the top of the barrel near the thick chamber area.
Just enough to warp it the at the mid tube joint. Didn't take much ..... scrap.

Check the parallax in your scope also.

If your shooting the same brand ammo, it's gotta be the scope/ mounts.

Shoot the square. Group X clicks right, group X clicks down, group X clicks left, group X clicks up. Should return to zero after making a neat square. If not, the internals are shot.

But there are many other possibles. Stock movement whether that be expansion contraction due to humidity or poor bedding or improper torqued stock screws. Scope base or ring movement is also a possible.

sounds like stock contact to me. it can be adjusted and it groups. Then it cools down and the POI moves. Are you adjusting after the first shot ? If so try a group before adjusting. It would be unusual for a rifle to group then move after cool down with a scope issue. First real question is what kind of rifle is it bolt action semi auto pump single shot? Brand and model would be helpful . What kind of stock does it have ? Synthetic or wood? I'm not sating it isn't the scope but it kinda isn't acting like the scope. When you changed that screw did you loosen the others and then tighten all of them evenly?

Lots of questions, lol.

Usually I shoot a group before adjusting. Some adjustments were made after a single shot though after spending over a hundred bucks already trying to get this figured out, lol. So, it varies. The last one was the kicker though. Adjusted, shot a group of three all of which were within 1 1/4" inch, waited 10 minutes and then group of 2 (last two shells) were both 3" high and 3" left.

It is an older bolt action, probably 60s-70s manufacture if I had to guess but I wish I could tell you make and model. There's no freaking marks on it other than (I believe) 5 numbers. Nothing else. But that's a post for another day. Wood stock.

Yes, I tightened all bolts evenly when I put the scope back in the rings.

nothing but a SN# sounds like a sporterized Mauser they would grind the stamping off there was plenty of metal for it

a picture would be great

anything made in the 60s -70s for commercial manufacture should have a make and model
by 1968 they required a make model and Sn# be pressent on every gun manufacured of imported

however mauser actions were often cleaned of anything but a SN#

Don't think it's a Mauser. Will get pics tomorrow.

Just take a scope off one of your other guns and switch them out,sight in both and then you will know right away if its the scope or not.