Is it me or the scope?

[OldFlyRod]

Shroud on, shroud off....Sounds like a line from Karate Kid"s Mr. Meogee (spelling?)

All joking aside, I'm going to take your advice. This gun has already shown me it's potential. Thanks for your help.

[mobilehomer]

I didn't even think of the Mr. Miyagi reference, good one!!

[OldFlyRod]

Got my new Hawke mounted on my freshly rebuilt NP2. Thinking about pulling it off for the first 10-20 shots until the deasiling stops. I don't want to take any chances. Man, this scope is twice as clear as my first one. I would not have thought there would be this much difference between the Sport HD and the Sport HD IL.

I took a shot out over the water before work and noticed it was a good 8" high at 50'. I pulled the shroud off and noticed the bow in the barrel for the first time. I put a call into Hawke to thank them for the deal they gave me and asked if the scope came optically centered. They assured me it was.

Before I ruin this scope, I'm going to review posts on barrel bending to get it as close as possible to center before ajusting the scope. There should be something on barrel bending in the library. I'm also going to look back on some of my post to refresh me memory. I got to say I'm some what intimidated to do this.

[OldFlyRod]

After two strings of ten disappointing shot sets, my gun is averaging less FPS with my new gas spring and JM seal than it was before the tune. I decided to put it to the paper. With a shotgun spread of over six inches plus at least six inches low at forty feet, I shot another 20 rounds trying to get a feel for the gun. My frustration was building up along with the South LA heat. I felt this was as good a time as any to give barrel bending a try. I found a good place to wedge the barrel and gave it a few light to moderate  pushes to bend the barrel up. Well, I learned it is much easier to bend the barrel up than it is to bend it down. It was now shooting ten inches high.

I felt like the Airgun Kid, taking Ken, the Mobilehomer, Miyagi's advice, "Shroud on Shroud off" for more times than I would like to remember. When all was said and done for today, I had my spread down to one inch over the bull at 40 feet. The scope still at the factory set iso center. The caps have not been removed from the turrets. Hopefully it will start shooting a little harder after the seal breaks in.

Time now for a little Saki

[condor22]

"Along with the South LA heat and Time now for a little Saki", don't forget some wasabi to warm the soul? 

[OldFlyRod]

At this point, I'm thinking on mixing up a little Saki- Wasabi mix in the lube😜

[mobilehomer]

Miyagi: We make sacred pact. I promise teach karate to you, you promise learn. I say, you do, no questions.

[OldFlyRod]

Yes "Sensei"

[OldFlyRod]

Between the dieseling starting to subside and several more sessions of "shroud on, shroud off" my groups are on their way to matching the groups I was seeing with my old scope, gas piston and seal. Got my best groups yet today sense this most recent tune. I must be just topping a hundred rounds. I still have not touched the turrets. All adjustments have been made by manipulating the barrel. This scope is still at factory optical center. You might say, it is still sealed.