Has my .22 taught me that I cant my rifle badly?

[ChrisAU]

So I’ve been pulling my hair out for a couple months as I got into competitive 22 shooting. I can print tiny bug holes with my CZ at 50 yards, but as I stepped out my groups would move to the right.

At 200 yards my POI would be .2-.3 MIL to the right. At 300 yards it would approach half a MIL right. I also noticed that shooting prone reduced the error if not eliminated it, but off the bench I bet I fired 300 rounds that exhibited this.

I leveled and checked and leveled and checked my scope so many times. All seemed fine. I even replaced the scope last week.

Shot this weekend, and it was doing the same thing with a different scope. But then I had an idea. I shot groups left handed. Now they were also off - but to the left. In near identical measurements.

Now my 200 yard correction is around 7 MILs and my 300 yard is around 13 MILs.

My thinking is that this large amount of elevation dialing is exaggerating my cant - am I on track here? I can shoot my 6.5 PRC for example out to 500 yards all day with no noticeable shift but I’m not going near 7 MILs of adjustment on it. My logic is that I’m lowering my POA so much with the large adjustments that I’m pushing POI to the right with my right cant shooting right handed and vice versa for left handed.

I ordered a Hoptic rail level and attempted to put it on my CZ today and could not get it level. Put it on a Bergara CF and it did great. Guess I’ll order some tube mount levels for other rifles.

I’m guessing I just need to get some good level indicators and watch them and practice the feel. Any tips?

 

[littlepod]

My guess trigger control is causing a little bit of a shift in your shots if you managed to do it left on the left hand and right on the right hand.

A 22 doesn't have much recoil that I'd consider this recoil management issue.

I would have said wind, given a 1mph wind, which is barely even noticeable will also introduce a .2mil to the right shift. But if you somehow are getting it to shift left when you go left handed, then I was thinking that it was trigger control.

 

[6.5SH]

JBM - Calculations - Trajectory

www.jbmballistics.com

3 degrees to either side will give .1 mil at 50 and 75 and .2 mil from 100-500 yards (assumed 2.5" sight height as some CZ setups are tall).

Given it grows at distance and seems to be the same both directions isn't spin drift either. Perhaps a parallax issue? I know I have to fight my brain to line up properly support side and often can tell I have a poor sight picture.

 

[hlee]

I’d go with wind. That little 40 grain bullet gets pushed around by almost nothing. You don’t need to be able to feel it to be affected by it.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Are you shooting with a bipod? If so, tighten the cant adjust on that thing real good, set the scope level with a bubble level on the elevation turret, and try the shots.

But agreed that the wind is a likely suspect, 0.2-3 mil windage at 200 yards is nothing for a 22LR.

 

[acudaowner]

you could try taking more of you out of your set up , or just keep at it you can do it if it was all that easy everyone would be named Jerry Miculek ...

 

[ChrisAU]

I don’t think I can blame the trigger pull. It’s set at about 10oz pull and the rifle is well over 12lbs. I’m not an expert marksman by any means, but, I can shoot my 7lb 280AI with a 2.5lb trigger all day at 400-500 yards with no perceptible shift, off the top of my head 400 is around 1.6 MILs on it, far from 7 or so MILs at 200 on the 22.

I also thought wind at first, but a buddy shot his rifle with me a few mornings where I was having the right shift at 200 and 300 and he was not. That was what clued me into a non-environmental issue. Then also seeing the error flip by changing hands (I do practice left hand with my bolt CF’s for hunting situations). This last shooting session I had maybe a 1mph headwind.

My bipod is an Atlas CAL which I snugged down super tight at level per a digital level while sitting on a pool table that was meticulously leveled.

I also got an EXD tool coming, less so for scope leveling but more so for verifying my rifle is level while installing a bubble level.

It really is just baffling me after shooting CF’s for a few years with no issue.



An idea just cross my mind while typing this though - I could not get that pic rail level to match actual level to save my life yesterday on the CZ, but I put it on my Bergara 6.5 and boom it lined up no problem. I wonder if my rail is canted a bit? It’s a Triggers by Scar rail. Could be the rail or the dovetail on the rifle? Idk. I’ll look more into that tonight.

 

[Manning5R]

I was having mysterious shifts like that a while back. Was blaming it on wind, even in very calm conditions. Went back and releveled the scope to the gun and the bubble level to the reticle, and now there's no more mysterious shifts.....

 

[Hattrick]

Same

 

[68hoyt]

A few years ago I noticed shooting at 300 meters my poi was to the right a lot I finally thought to set up a bubble on my rifle , practiced close them 300 , more hits , I was canting the rifle

 

[acudaowner]

i am sure it time you will find many many more things you do , and did not know you did practice practice practice and best of luck you can do it .

 

[AMTGMC]

 

[Bgriff008]

I’d go with wind. That little 40 grain bullet gets pushed around by almost nothing. You don’t need to be able to feel it to be affected by it.

Yep wind and don’t forget the direction of twist in your gun. RH twist is only gonna have the bullet go more to the right at further distance. If your trigger is feather light then I don’t think it’s trigger.