bbrown
WKR
This spring I decided to break out my little safe queen - a Rem 700 .243 with a Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14 x 42mm for some action for my 3rd season deer tag. This gun has always been plenty accurate and I shot it several times over the summer getting it dialed in with my hunting ammo. Shot it out to 300 using my shooting sticks with 3" groups and less than an inch at 100 - more than good enough for me.
Now the painful part - after stalking in to 80 yards on a nice bedded mulie buck only to miss and then missing 3 more times at 120 - 300. Had a solid rest laying prone on a rock face and did not feel like I rushed it or had a case of the shakes but no excuses. To make things worse he only crossed the little canyon we were in and calmed down, feed and re-bedded 450 yards away - time for redemption right? Well get back into 120 yards of the buck and miss again and again and again. The area was pretty brushy so I never got a good look at where I was hitting but I was convinced the gun had to be off since I was on my sticks and felt goodthis time.
As if things couldn't get any worse, "my" buck and his does are now 350 yards out trying to figure out what all the commotion is and out of no where a bigger buck shows up hair standing on end and begins posturing and pushing my buck around. There I sit, disgusted and out of bullets (not that I would have shot anymore anyways) watching all this unfold.
Convinced somehow my gun has to be off (Kind of hoping because otherwise I was going to have a BIG slice of humble pie) get back to town and head out to my in-laws where I have a little range set up. First I had to chase this lil guy and his girlfriends out from in front of my target - more salt in the wound.
*Sorry for the crappy cell phone picture - he was just lucky he is in a different area or I may have shot him out of spite.
Here is the first 3 shots:
Had a pretty good crosswind but these where @ 18" right and 6" high. At least now I know why I missed...
After a few more rounds I got her back on - about an 1-1/2" high at 100.
So long story short, I took a fall a couple days before but did not think I landed that hard or even on the rifle and I have never had a scope get bumped off this far. I figure since its still grouping it must have just been bumped and is probably fine now but my confidence is a bit shook. I really like this scope and have the same one on my 300 win. and neither has really been off more than a bit when changing ammo. I did double check all the screws at the rings and bases and everything was tight.
What do you think - is it good to go or should I go back to my 300 that has never let me down.
Now the painful part - after stalking in to 80 yards on a nice bedded mulie buck only to miss and then missing 3 more times at 120 - 300. Had a solid rest laying prone on a rock face and did not feel like I rushed it or had a case of the shakes but no excuses. To make things worse he only crossed the little canyon we were in and calmed down, feed and re-bedded 450 yards away - time for redemption right? Well get back into 120 yards of the buck and miss again and again and again. The area was pretty brushy so I never got a good look at where I was hitting but I was convinced the gun had to be off since I was on my sticks and felt goodthis time.
As if things couldn't get any worse, "my" buck and his does are now 350 yards out trying to figure out what all the commotion is and out of no where a bigger buck shows up hair standing on end and begins posturing and pushing my buck around. There I sit, disgusted and out of bullets (not that I would have shot anymore anyways) watching all this unfold.
Convinced somehow my gun has to be off (Kind of hoping because otherwise I was going to have a BIG slice of humble pie) get back to town and head out to my in-laws where I have a little range set up. First I had to chase this lil guy and his girlfriends out from in front of my target - more salt in the wound.
*Sorry for the crappy cell phone picture - he was just lucky he is in a different area or I may have shot him out of spite.
Here is the first 3 shots:
Had a pretty good crosswind but these where @ 18" right and 6" high. At least now I know why I missed...
After a few more rounds I got her back on - about an 1-1/2" high at 100.
So long story short, I took a fall a couple days before but did not think I landed that hard or even on the rifle and I have never had a scope get bumped off this far. I figure since its still grouping it must have just been bumped and is probably fine now but my confidence is a bit shook. I really like this scope and have the same one on my 300 win. and neither has really been off more than a bit when changing ammo. I did double check all the screws at the rings and bases and everything was tight.
What do you think - is it good to go or should I go back to my 300 that has never let me down.