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Can't zero scope on new Impact

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S

steeve

Member
Nov 1, 2015
218
2
ca
So I finally got a few minutes to try my new 30 cal Impact. I bought a pre-owned Hawk 8-32 x 56 scope and a new set of Hawk medium rings which I installed yesterday. This evening I set up a quickie paper target stapled to the porch rail at 10 yards and took the first shot...I missed the whole paper, so got a big cardboard box. another shot showed 5 inches low and 4 inches to the right. So I started cranking on the turrets. I ran out of adjustment with my shots still 3/4 inch low and right. Hope I didn't hurt the scope. So what could be so far off that I can't get on target with a two thousand dollar gun, a 400$ Hawk scope and rings? I know I could stick some shims under the right lip of the dovetail on the Picatiny rail on the front mount, so when I tighten the ring it pulls the scope down and right, but that would put the scope tube in a bind with the rear rings.
So I went back and cranked both turrets from one end of their range to the other and set them roughly at their halfway points. Then I took a couple more shots........2.5 inches low and 2 inches right. I cranked both turrets about half way around and it only moved the POI about half an inch (still at a range of ten yards.) I think there is something basically wrong here. What could be off that much?
 
The scope is placed higher on an Impact than on a "regular" airgun. Try to zero your scope on a more recommended range like 25-30 yards/meters and im sure your scope will do what you want.

On my Impact, the center of the barrel to center of scope is 69mm, and that is with the lowest useable mounts for me, i doubt i can zero my scope at that range even with 26 mils of travel.

Youre just too close.

Offcourse there is always a small chance that the scope is broken, even 4000$ scopes have glitches now and then, but from what i have heard, Hawke have a pretty good customer service, but try the above first.
 
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I have the same scope on mine, with med or high mount I can zero at 20y, I use this scope for accuracy testing with all the tunes.

i just make sure the mounts have equale clearance front to rear on the impact slots then tighten then check if both have the same height then I mount the scope, the bad part I can't just remove and mount on another BP---slot spacing are none standard from cricket, Edgun, Vulcan, mutant, Ataman, Jeger, 

 
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This might be remote but doesn't really hurt to try. But I recently scoped my powder buner gun and couldn't get it to zero. The scope came from another gun and was zeroed before. What I did wrong was, I had flipped the tightening bolts from right to left. I didn't think that would make a different but it does. I was able to zero the scope again after I had flipped it back. 
 
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That's a better method:
07-31-13-04-optical-centering-fixture.jpg
 
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I agree with 'Gixxer' - start your zeroing at around the 25 yard mark (for .30 and its' required FPS), establish the Scopes' opitcal centre (whichever method) then start shooting.
Dont expect to be 'dead on' straightaway and remember that you are adjusting the scope (reticle) onto the point of impact (of the pellet), not the other way around (I have been there/done that - its an easy mistake when you rush things).

It actually doesn't matter if the POI (point of impact) is not exactly matched by the scopes' crosshairs (as long as the POI is in a consistent area of the target) more than half of what you are doing is establishing your correct hold and control/handling of the Rifle...at this time.
 
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Ok, The range I am checking at is not the issue, since both elevation and windage are out of the scopes range of adjustments. I do not have another scope to test at the moment, but I might try flipping the rings around....They are brand new hawk rings, so I would expect them to be machined properly. The slots in my impact weaver/picatiny rail should be standard as my gun is the newest version.
for information, my center line difference (barrel to scope) is 66.9mm, or just 2.1 mm less than Gixxers minimum height.
Not sure how you guys are using a mirror or notched cardboard box to find optical center, but I just split the difference between maxed out turret adjustment limits. 
Just shot it again with the shroud removed and it is still off in the same direction, more than 2 inches in windage and elevation. plus the 2 shot group is sloppy about 5/16" centers, (.312"). not looking good. When/if I get the scope problem sorted I will go down to the barn and shoot off my indoor bench rest at 30 yards. I am thinking I might have got a bad scope off the yellow classifieds.
 
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Are you trying to use the center cross hair at that close distance? If so move the turrets back to the center of range and shoot the target see the area it is hitting, I assume you have mill dots and the shots are hitting on the bottom dot. Now use that dot to sight in on the target. I think you are just out of travel similar to longer ranges. Get some no limits adjustable mounts if you want to use the cross hair that close or farther away.
I bet that you are probably on at 35 yds.
 
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Hi Steve - I think it may have been previously mentioned, but make sure the mounting screws that tighten the rings to the rail are on the same side of the rail.

You may need to shim to get it shooting on target. You can use photographic film negative material, a cut up aluminum can. I have used thin copper sheets.

You should check what the recommended torque is for your scope. The torque is a lot less than most people think.

Good luck - KZ
 
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I'm not basing the problem entirely on the elevation adjustment, although I'm sure it is hitting too low at any range, even at the top of the trajectory, certainly at 100 yards plus where I will be doing most of my shooting; Normally, you should be able to get the Windage (left/right),adjusted somewhere reasonably near the center of the scope adjustment range; which of course would be the same at any range with no wind, but the POI is still way to the right of target center when the scope is maxed out to the left. at ten yards with the maxed-out turret adjustment, it is still hitting 3/4" to the right and the farther out you go, the farther off it will get (on any gun).
Whatever is causing this is no doubt going to be the same cause of the elevation adjustment problem. I am not going to worry about the poor grouping for now, until I get the scope zeroed. I am borrowing another scope to try this weekend, so will just wait til then.
I am a machinist and have plenty of steel shims on hand.
I have never had this problem before when zeroing scopes. The range I am shooting is not the issue. The POI is much farther off than the short range could cause....you can't even see where the POI is in the scopes field of view at mid turret adjustment range.
Focus is not an issue; it focuses very clearly at less than 10 yards on 8x magnification. 
The ring screws are both on the same side......I'm not that dumb. The torque on the mounts is correct also, even on the light side. These rings also have a compliant material on the inside to grip the tube without making a mark and allow for a slight misalignment between rings no doubt. I tried to buy the FX no-limit adjustable rings when I bought the gun, but AOA has none and will not have any for a very long time. I am pretty sure that they will be to high anyway for my liking, as the other adjustable brands are, so will probably have to make my own eventually if I can't get enough range out of the fixed versions. Either way, I am not paying 150$ for rings.

One surprising good thing I have noticed so far is the amazing shot count. I have shot 26 pellets so far and the gauge is reading only 25 bar less than when it was full. It looks like I will get well over 50 shots before hitting the Reg at 150 bar., that will be amazing for a .30 cal. (the test slip from AOA says the gun is averaging 855 FPS with the 44 grain JSBs.) I hope to be able to get that up over 900 without loosing accuracy. Outside of the zeroing problems, I am pleased with the gun so far. I plan to remove the cheek plate and make another one with a hole or depression for my cheek bone, so I can more easily use the medium height scope rings and also provide a repeatable cheek-weld position. 
Thanks for all the suggestions so far; I am putting my money on the problem being a bad scope.
 
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Kris, did you miss the statement that windage is also off too far to correct?

OP,
Your used scope may well have a problem, or?

Should you be anywhere near Nashville TN I would be happy to lend you a test scope. Have a Walmart handi? Might be worth buying there least expensive scope just for testing?

Please do keep us posted when you figure it out.

John

 
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The problem with the elevation has already been explained. But the windage issue could easily be the rings. I had a pair of rings that caused the scope to not sit correctly and was leaned over. Unless you buy quality rings you will run into this occasionaly. The windage issue could be from the rings or scope but if you have a known good scope just swap it using the same rings and see what happens. That should answer the question. 
 
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