Cast boolits finally ate my scope...

[Tripplebeards]

Lol, not really, my hot loads did...

My third trip to the range with my Ruger American 450BM and my 460 s&w charges yesterday finally started taking a toll on my optic and magazine. I have been loading all the way up to 460 s&w loads in it with no pressure signs but it's showing the outcome. My magazine started falling out half way through my shooting session and kept repeating itself every couple of rounds. Ruger is going to send me another to try.

My Nikon all of a sudden dropped vertically over a foot when shooting. It did this two more times but only in about 4" drops. I couldn't move my optic by hand but it looked like at one time the scope moved and the front bell banged against the ring. Nikon asked to send it back for repair. I drew a line on the first shot drop string. Looks like it would have been a tight group if they wouldn't have shifted down. I was using warne rings.

I've had a lot of optics that just won't adjust and lock up but never one that did this.


203004

[Eldon]

L-e-u-p-o-l-d

[Smoke4320]

Likely
Energy
Under
Pressure
Optics
Likely
Dead

[Texas by God]

Be sure to leave the "hot loads" part out of your conversations with Ruger & Nikon......

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[white eagle]

L-e-u-p-o-l-d

buy a Ziess and never look back

[Buzz64]

Ziess...under $800?? Don't think so.

[Tom W.]

I had a really good Burris with their rings that had inserts on my Encore pistol. It had barrels for a .454 and a 30-06. They never budged.



I kept the Leupold on my .480 Ruger.

[fredj338]

I pretty much only run higher Leupold on all my rifles, especially those with recoil, like 338winmgs & my 404j. I have broken Nikon & Burris. If you are going to run those, spend the money for the higher end versions.

[bbailey7821]

I also can recommend Leupold. I seriously doubt your subjecting it to anymore stress than this monster does...

203029

[Tripplebeards]

Lol, I do have about a dozen leupolds. It's just the Nikon glass pulls more light. I did leave out the hot load part for warranty purposes. I might have to go leupold in the future for my high recoil rifles. I would assume when the scope some how shifted and hit the front scope ring it did it in.

I might upgrade to a trijicon.

[runfiverun]

Luckily Zeiss has a scope on sale right now for 800$

I would upgrade my scope brand and lap the rings in this time.
I'd also not work the American to death they are kind of not too stoutly built.

[Cold Trigger Finger]

The American rifle IS NOT like the M77 Mk ll . They can be accurate and have some nice features. Push feed rifles all seem to encounter many more mishaps than crf rifles. But , your mag troubles aren't subject to the receiver's design . Most likely recoil stock flex is the underlying culprit . Or a weakened mag catch. In essence you are up in the 45/70 recoil area. Unless you have a break or muffler on your rifle.
I'm very happy with my SWFA scopes. Having had Nikon , Burris , Leupold scopes all **** out on me. . What bullet weight /velocity are you getting ?

[Hickok]

I also can recommend Leupold. I seriously doubt your subjecting it to anymore stress than this monster does...

203029Wow, that looks like an 88 Magnum!!!:bigsmyl2:

[bbailey7821]

Wow, that looks like an 88 Magnum!!!:bigsmyl2:

Ha! Yessir, it's only a little 500, but for some reason, it really likes a 600g bullet. It's hands-down, the most accurate revolver that I've ever owned. Downside is that it's got a little kick to it...

:guntootsmiley:

[woodbutcher]

:) Hi bbailey.Just what kind of armored vehicles do you hunt:roll:?Hmmmmmm.The same might be asked of tripplebeards:roll:.Snicker snicker.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[Lloyd Smale]

Id say leupold too but then ive had them go bad too. A Nikon for the most part is a good scope. Id send it in and proudly put the replacement one they will send you right back on it. Like runfiverun said id lap the rings for sure though. Personaly though I wouldn't give you 200 bucks for one of those cheap ziess terras. The old conquest's were good scopes though but no better dollar for dollar then a comparable leupold or Nikon. GOOD rings lapped and torqued properly will take care of a good percentage of scope failures.

[Tripplebeards]

I lap my leupold rings but never tried to lap warne runs as they clamp from side to side and not up and down. I'll get out my lapping compound and 1" lapping rod and give it a go.

[EMC45]

Nikons are a good scope. I would suggest an M8 fixed 4X Leupold. The new VX1 3X9 is under $200 at Optics Planet. I got a couple of older M8s off a buddy when I lived in GA. Got one on my NEF .223 and one on my .270 Rem 700. Lifetime warranty no matter what.

[MT Chambers]

I have a Leupold Competition scope here waiting to go back as it never has worked right. I'd say Swarovski is a much better scope, it least mine is!

[Texas by God]

Is there a benefit to butting the rear ring up to the W&E boss on heavy kickers? I've heard yes
and no. Definitely keeps the scope from slipping.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[knifemaker]

My father in law shot the reticle loose in a high end Leupold scope on his 300 Weatherby magnum. He replaced it with a 3X9 Nikon Monarch and that scope is still doing fine 5 years later. He also felt the Nikon was a brighter scope at dusk or dawn shooting. After Leupold repaired the scope, he put it on a lesser recoiling rifle.

[Artful]

The American rifle IS NOT like the M77 Mk ll . They can be accurate and have some nice features. Push feed rifles all seem to encounter many more mishaps than crf rifles.

Ok, I'll bite - what you talking about Willis? I have both kinds of rifles and only had to replace parts on CRF Mausers - though I grant they have 75 or more years on the push feed ones.

[Tripplebeards]

Nikon told me there was nothing wrong with my scope! They are sending it back and it will be here tomorrow. I supplied the photos of the dropped strings and talked with them on the phone about it. I asked if they would replace the optic since their tech couldn't find anything wrong with it...and they refused. I ordered another from the original supplier I bought it from and will be returning the defective optic to them. I told Nikon I was going to do this if they didn't replace it and they would get it back anyways in the long run. I hate to do it to the retailer but there is no way I'd trust to use this optic again after they didn't fix anything. I should have just did this right off the bat and will my practice from now on out in the future.

The new scope I ordered from the supplier showed today. I lapped the rings, cleaned rings and screws afterwords with carb cleaner, and literally painted the screws from head to toe in blue loctite. I hand torqued them with good force till they wouldn't move. After cleaning off the inside of the lapped rings the ring closest to the butt had about the front third of its bluing lapped off and the foward ring just a little spot half the size of a dime in the middle. I would assume that was the cause of my slippage.