New Scope Day

[Xptical]

Hi all,

Nothing special.  But I was at wally world with the wife and I picked up a Barska 3-9x32.  I already had one on my Benj Prowler and I was considering stealing it to dress out my QB-78.

I really wish I could lock in a sight picture on my QB.  The best groups I get are with me sitting really far back on the stock to actually maximize the scope shadowing.  I'm glad to see the rifle holding a group, I just wish I could feel a lot better about my position on the rifle.


Now to some questions:

1.  Do all scope mounts have some funkiness to them?  I had to flip the mounts on my new Barska/QB to get the scope on the rifle straight.  Does it get less or more funky depending on tightness?

2.  Am I hurting my shooting by opening up my relief until the scope shadow almost touches the cross-hair step-down?  I shoot better groups when I can keep my head centered.  It seems like moving way back helps me to center my head.

3.  Should I just zero from a comfy position with a solid cheek weld and focus on trying to re-attain that position?  Or is it better to try and center my eye behind the scope and build out the stock to my cheek?

4.  There's a healthy dog-leg between my receiver and barrel.  The barrel tweaks maybe a degree or so off to the right.  The barrel is straight, the receiver is straight, the hole is probably crooked.  I needed maybe 30 clicks left to correct.  I'm assuming this will present as a left/right drift in the zero with respect to a range change?  Ballistic profile and line of sight will only intersect once, right?


I want to be able to relax and shoot.  Right now, I spend most of my shooting time just getting my eye centered and the rifle positioned.  I feel like I should just *be* in the proper place when I get down on the rifle.  Shooting a 3/4" group at 15 yards is just no fun.  Gotta be tighter...

[bandg]

Lots to consider there.  I've never tried to shoot without a full view through the scope.  Trying to draw the "shadow" in isn't something I've ever considered.  Consistency is key for most types of shooting but that only comes through practice.  You can purchase various slip on pads for the stock to aid in cheek position but the concept of cheek "weld" is foreign to me-seems to be way too much variation in tissue density and sensitivity from hot to cold but still consistency is important.  A scope adjustable for parallax would probably help you more than anything.  Mounts vary greatly in quality.  I'm sure you will get lots of opinions on these issues and these are just mine.

[ranchibi]

Xptical, consistency in the sight is the most important no matter how “your” vision works for you. Sounds like you found what works for you! I have quite a few mounts and there is a noticeable difference between less expensive mounts ($10) and expensive mounts ($40) as these are made to much tighter tolerances....smoother locking and easy to tighten bolts evenly (more even distribution of pressure on scope tube).

[Yogi]

Cheap scope rings often use a three piece clamp type system to grab the dovetails.  If one of the pieces is off, it will not fit right.
Boy, wonky scope rings, a rifle that bends to the right, how can you hit anything?
Send the rifle back!  Get a straight rifle.  To shoot springs accurately, you want to have as light a hold of them as possible.  Think many shooters have a light trigger grip, forehand grip, butt rest, AND THEN MASH THEIR CHEEK INTO THE STOCK TO GET A CHEEKWELD!  I think you have the right idea, get a set back set of rings.  This will move the scope closer to your eye while maintaining your relaxed cheek weld.
But get a straight shooter first!

-Y

[Xptical]

This scope was for a CO2 rifle, but i do have a springer as well.

I say springer, but its really uses a piston.  Still playing with hold styles, but it seems to respond well to a tighter hold.  Shooting benched, so YMMV.

I'll be getting a straighter rifle soon.  But i (try to) never blame equipment when i know it's a skill issue.


I've moved that darn scope everywhere and tried every possible combo of head position, scope relief, and hold styles.



My best grouping is when I'm relaxed behind the scope.  Just being all Zen.  But i tend to see 3 groups then; centermass, low-right, and fliers group.


Is it weird that my fliers tend to group as well?  They usually go way down and right on my CO2 and high-right on my springer.
The centermass is awesome.  The low-right is probably me repositioning wrong.