I have a Kimber Montana 7mm08 that has had a Leupold VX3 2.5-8X scope for 18 years. My go to deer rifle.

It shot great for years - taken deer & wallabies out to 350+ meters. Grouped 5 inches at 400 meters club shoot.

All my groups are 5 shot. I get under 1 inch with many bullets and loads. Some are even 0.5 inch. All my loads are 2600 fps to 2830 fps. Not max or hot loads. I had not adjusted the scope for at least 10 years. Just left it as it was, put it away in the cupboard and took it hunting or to the club. It never let me down.

Here is what I did recently. I took the scope off to send the rifle for threading to put on a suppressor. Then I changed my mind and decided that I did not want a suppressor on this rifle. I had stuck a couple of bits of paper on the scope in front and behind the two rings to index the scope for reinstallation. I checked all the scope screws with a torque wrench. The lower ring bases were not removed. No change there.

I took it to the range on a friend's farm and it was a disaster. I had to adjust the scope for POI as it had changed by about 2 inches. 3 different bullets & loads which were old favourites just would not group. What used to be 1 inch groups were now 2.5 inches. I shot about 6 groups and gave up.

Rifle is sitting in the safe and I need to figure this out.

I would appreciate any thought on what happened & why. How do I go back to 1 inch groups?

I would not expect it to return to perfect zero, an inch or two is to be expected, but to loose accuracy suggests something is amiss. Do you have another scope around to swap in and shoot some groups with?

If you shake the scope, does it rattle?

Eighteen years from a modern scope is a pretty good run but if the erector system has deteriorated, Leupold will fix or replace it for you.
Just be thankful it did not collapse while on the hunt of your lifetime. That's where forever warranties cease to help.

Some old reticle-movement scope adjustments can seize up because their reliability has meant they have not needed to be touched for decades - and I suppose it is possible something analogous has happened to yours. Maybe the erector spring(s) lodged against one spot in the outer tube and didn't like the pressure to move when you had to rezero it.

There is some chance it's the rifle that's playing up, of course. Could it be the barrel is finally wearing? Maybe it didn't like the surgery, if it got that far, or that the bedding hasn't been restored properly. Perhaps if you just tighten the action screws the set-up will settle down.

Thanks guys

Rifle is fine. Shot good groups 3 times recently.

I will be meticulous about sand bag rest etc. Always under action in front of trigger guard. Never under fore end. I learned that lesson 30 years ago.

My sore neck muscles could be a possibility.

I'll check the scope. Wonder if I should vibrate the scope with a massager?

Fingers crossed

Putting the sandbag under the action is a new concept to me, NH. I can see how it could eliminate bad pressures on the barrel but worry that the bullet impact might change when you go hunting. The short distance between front and back bag is also counter-intuitive, but I guess you've proved that doesn't matter.

My experience is that any zero while resting the forend on the sandbag results in higher poi in the range and lower impact while hunting. It varies from rifle to rifle. Variance can be 1 inch to 3 inches.

Most hunting is quick off hand shots or sitting off knees at longer range. Occasionally I my rest on side of tree.

As long as I have my hand under the fore end, the poi does not change.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
Putting the sandbag under the action is a new concept to me, NH. I can see how it could eliminate bad pressures on the barrel but worry that the bullet impact might change when you go hunting. The short distance between front and back bag is also counter-intuitive, but I guess you've proved that doesn't matter.

You may well be right, NH, but my off-hand shooting is not precise enough for me to have drawn such conclusions.
From time to time I have seen shots go low, off hand, but put it down to poor trigger control.
Leaning against a tree has certainly helped me shoot the last couple of deer.

Do you float your barrels by any chance?

Most of my rifles are free floated. Sako, Tikka, Kimber are factory. Kimber is bedded.

I've owned a Rem 700 in 243 that was not.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
You may well be right, NH, but my off-hand shooting is not precise enough for me to have drawn such conclusions.
From time to time I have seen shots go low, off hand, but put it down to poor trigger control.
Leaning against a tree has certainly helped me shoot the last couple of deer.

Do you float your barrels by any chance?

Why did you you remove the scope from the rings in the first place, I would have thought just lifting the scope and rings as a unit from what has been a very stable and accurate rifle would have been the most logical process. If the turret adjustments happen to be well away from centre originally, then when putting the scope back in the rings, any slight rotation of the scope from its original position could see a big shift in POI and then changing turret settings that haven't been touched for years sets off some random changes. I would wind both turrets to the ends of their adjustments then centre each one then reshoot to set POI and check grouping. I take it you did not remove the barreled action from the stock or start to do so?

I put a Leupold Base that is not QD

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
Why did you you remove the scope from the rings in the first place, I would have thought just lifting the scope and rings as a unit from what has been a very stable and accurate rifle would have been the most logical process. If the turret adjustments happen to be well away from centre originally, then when putting the scope back in the rings, any slight rotation of the scope from its original position could see a big shift in POI and then changing turret settings that haven't been touched for years sets off some random changes. I would wind both turrets to the ends of their adjustments then centre each one then reshoot to set POI and check grouping. I take it you did not remove the barreled action from the stock or start to do so?

If Talley LW’s check they are not cracked. Hadn’t used my 84L 30.06 for a while and didn’t shoot to previous point of aim with installed Leupold 2.5-8x. Next time out of the safe I noticed it had broken across both front right hand screws. How I didn’t notice that when adjusting scope I don’t know.

Long story short might not be the scope.

I think mine are these - https://www.leupold.com/dd-kimber-84-2-pc-matte

I am not sure if they have single or double dovetail bases.

I do have to remove the scope off the rings first.

The weather was not great so I did not go to the range yesterday.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:
If Talley LW’s check they are not cracked. Hadn’t used my 84L 30.06 for a while and didn’t shoot to previous point of aim with installed Leupold 2.5-8x. Next time out of the safe I noticed it had broken across both front right hand screws. How I didn’t notice that when adjusting scope I don’t know.

Long story short might not be the scope.

Sideways question:
Did you also remove the barreled action from the stock? If so, the issue could just as easily (or maybe even more easily) be a bedding/torque issue.

If you didn't, then just put a different scope on it. If it shoots, then it is indeed the scope, if not then it's the rifle.

I personally wouldn't try massage or bump the scope. A scope that can go out of wack from small bumps or vibrations needs to be replaced or fixed as such a scope will go out from just walking with the rifle.

Thanks.

Action was not touched. Original Kimber bedding.

The vibration idea was a frustrated tongue in cheek.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter Connan:
Sideways question:
Did you also remove the barreled action from the stock? If so, the issue could just as easily (or maybe even more easily) be a bedding/torque issue.

If you didn't, then just put a different scope on it. If it shoots, then it is indeed the scope, if not then it's the rifle.

I personally wouldn't try massage or bump the scope. A scope that can go out of wack from small bumps or vibrations needs to be replaced or fixed as such a scope will go out from just walking with the rifle.