Problem was the scope, not the Ruger Hawkeye

I am curious.All you folks who have had frustrating scope troubles with a scope you expected to be good...
How many of you lapped the rings?Sometimes it is just a bad scope,but I have found root cause of more than one scope failure to be ring alignment.
 
Guys, I keep seeing this kind of post and I'll keep answering the question. Nikon refurbs are NOT scopes that are fixed at a later date and resold. They are scopes used for testing,sent to writers,dealer demo's and such, NOT damaged goods. If a scope can not be repaired it is replaced and the problem scope taken out of circulation. I hope this helps?
Bart
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Then your company sent me two lemons, well actually one since I bought the first one. The only other scope that I have broken was a Simmons Aatec and it was on a Weatherby .300Mag and probably had a 1000 to 1500 rounds on it before giving up the ghost. Your scope was on a 7mm-08, not really the same ballpark. I may break a scope the next time I pull a trigger but I have confidence in the Ziess, Leupold, Bushnell Elite and Burris scopes that I won't.
 
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Salty, I know how you feel about Nikon optics. If you still have these "2 lemons" in your possession I would like to help you get them fixed or replaced.
Let me know if I can be of assistance Salty?
 
I'm back...just put the new scope on the Ruger Hawkeye this morning. I went with the VX2 Leupold, 6X18 power. The load that the rifle seems to like best is the 55 gr Nosler BT, ahead of 27 grains of Varget. I want it to like the 60 Nosler Partition ahead of any powder, but I have not found the magic combination. Sinclair just emailed to say that my 65 grain Sierra Gamekings are on the way. I sure hope the rifle likes that bullet. As for the scope issue, now that the Nikon is gone, the new Leupold seems to be doing fine, and I'm very happy with it. No wild crazy 2 and 3 inch groups, thank goodness. But, the groups aren't much under 1 inch yet, and that bothers me. If I can't make the 65 grain Sierras shoot real well, I'm going for a new barrel (Shilen Match Grade, probably) and having the action squared up. My 270 shoots great, as does my 220 Swift, and I just can't settle for less from my 223.
 
I swapped it for an old Bushnell 3X12 that had a good 'work' history, and the gun then put 4 in one very small hole and the 5th just a tiny bit to one side.
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As for the scope issue, now that the Nikon is gone, the new Leupold seems to be doing fine, and I'm very happy with it. No wild crazy 2 and 3 inch groups, thank goodness. But, the groups aren't much under 1 inch yet, and that bothers me.
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It will put 4 in one very small hole, but now the groups aren't much under 1 inch yet.........:confused:
 
Well....it did put the 4 into one hole. That was the only group I had shot after mounting the Bushnell and firing a few shots to get it on target, and I was really really happy. After I shot that group, I cleaned the gun and put it up. Truth is that I was afraid I'd shoot a poor group next and ruin my good mood. A couple of days later I went back to the bench and just flat cannot duplicate that 4-in-hole peformance. For now I'll blame it on the gusty 20 mph wind that just will never stop blowing, and hope that when the wind eases I can try out the rifle again and it'll shoot tighter groups. And if it does shoot well, it'll probably be with the 55 grain bullet that I do not intend to normally shoot in it. I sure hope it likes that 65 grain Sierra. If not, I just may be at the end of my rope with this gun. I'll have it rebarreled and the action trued up. It shoots Ok, at about 1 inch, and probably as good or better than the factory promises, but Ok just doesn't satisfy me. I've got time and more bullets and gunpowder, so I'll keep working with it - trying hard to be patient. If good things happen, I'll report on it.
 
Hi Palmetto,

No problem....I deserve a good cheap shot every now and then, and I have a very active sense of humor, which comes in handy in both shooting and woodworking (and being married).

I really did like that Nikon scope. It was just the power range I wanted (4X16), and I had good history with Nikon Binocs. I could've just swapped it out for a new one just like it, but finally decided just to stick to Leupold. Now all I have to do is find the magic bullet/powder combo for the rifle, if there is a magic combo. This is a finicky rifle. How did it shoot such a tiny group and then not do it again. I just do not understand, though the wind was a factor yesterday, but how big a factor I do not know. The barrel is clean and freefloated. The stock has an aluminum bedding channel, and the action screws are tightened as the internet and Ruger suggest. The scope rings are tight and aligned, and the scope is fine. The trigger is 2 pounds and breaks nicely. The cases are all well prepped, just like I do for my other rifles, even down to neck turning and weight sorted, and everything else. I use competition dies. This all works very well for the 270 and 220, but not for the 223. If anyone has suggestions, feel free to offer them. I'm listening.
 
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