Rifle Scopes nightforce not returning to zero

[coach4christ]

Hi guys, I have a brand new nightforce 5.5-22x50 withthe moar reticle with zero stop. Anyway, when I dial elevation, the scope is spot on, but when I dial back down to my 100 yard zero, I am always 1 minute low. It is always exactly 1 minute and is always low. Why is this? Should I roll back to the zero stop and then roll back up to zero? Before anyone asks, rings are torqued to specs (NF rings ad base) and they have not moced. Checked action scres and they are tight. Rifle is a remmy 5r. Thanks for the help.

 

[Twitch2120]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

maybe you set the zero stop 1 moa low by accident?

 

[3oh8er]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

It sounds like you've got a scope with some lash in the reticle. This is not good and you should contact CS to get this corrected.

 

[coach4christ]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

Im not dialing back down to the zero stop, I am dialing back down to zero on the turret.

 

[Ledzep]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

Have you ever corrected it?

If yes,
Does it still do it after you correct it?

I would do a tracking test at 100yd. Shoot your 100yd zero, spin the turret as far one way as you can without damaging it, put it back on "0" and shoot again. Now go the other way as far as you can and back to "0" and shoot again. You should have a tight 3 round group. If not, contact NF.

 

[shoot4fun]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

I set my zero stops on NF scopes (mil) about 6 or 7 tenths below zero. I have made a habit of going all the way down and then back to zero. I don't have a clue if that makes any difference. It is just an "idiot syncrocy (sic)"

I suggest you do a box test at 100. If the scope won't pass then contact NF about warranty.

 

[coach4christ]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ledzep</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have you ever corrected it?

If yes,
Does it still do it after you correct it?

I would do a tracking test at 100yd. Shoot your 100yd zero, spin the turret as far one way as you can without damaging it, put it back on "0" and shoot again. Now go the other way as far as you can and back to "0" and shoot again. You should have a tight 3 round group. If not, contact NF. </div></div>

Yes, I have had to correct it every time out. I have been shooting longer ranges and then reshooting at 100 to verify. 1 min low after every session. I emailed nfcs to see their take on it. Waiting on reply.

 

[jdmartin]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

OK, I just had a glass of homemade wine so my brain is in simpleton mode,but if it does this consistently then rezero the the elevation turret to the 1 minute low impact point and crank in your elevation from there.
Maybe with another glass of wine I can come up with another solution.

 

[coach4christ]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jdmartin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK, I just had a glass of homemade wine so my brain is in simpleton mode,but if it does this consistently then rezero the the elevation turret to the 1 minute low impact point and crank in your elevation from there.
Maybe with another glass of wine I can come up with another solution. </div></div>

Yes, but when you drop 2 grand on it, you want it to work properly.

 

[Ledzep]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

Yeah, that's interesting. However, it would seem you would eventually run out of elevation adjustment in one direction (albeit 1 MOA at a time) if you continually fix it, and it happens again.

Doubting that is the case, I tend to think something is slipping somewhere.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll be taken care of by NF.

 

[00bullitt]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

Coach4christ......I'm almost 99.5% certain that there is not an issue with your scope. I left that .5% open because scopes are mechanical and mechanical things do break. But my thought process is that when we sell the quantity of scopes that we sell and only see roughly 3-4 scopes per week back for warranty repair as a result of the intensive QC process that every scope receives prior to going out the door, its easy for me to question whether the scope is an issue or not. Your scope would have not been allowed to leave the factory if their was any backlash or tracking issues. The QC process that our scopes go through are the most rigorous in the industry. And its not a batch test. Each and every scope is tested prior to receiving the QC label.

I'm thinking you may be dealing more with atmospherics or hot chamber temps causing a velocity increase that is changing your point of impact. Things of which can be very repeatable and must be known variables when considering predictive solutions for long range shooting. My 300 Win Mag will shoot exactly 1moa high after I fire 20 rounds through it in less than 5 minutes time. What is your DA when you start shooting and what is your DA when you return to Zero?

I'm also curious as to how you set your ZeroStop just to work through and eliminate some variables? Did you zero the rifle at 100 yards and then slip the scale back to zero or did you adjust the ZeroStop as per the instructions?

Are the opposing turret cap screws tight enough so that the turret cap is not slipping? Are the 4 screws atop the ZeroStop clutch assembly tightened to 4in. lbs each?

Since I'm rather positive that it is not an issue with the scope, I'm just trying to work through other possibilities.

 

[QuietM4]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

I agree with 00Bulitt about the chamber temp. Cold bore vs warm bore will definitely change POI. I doubt any atomospherics would change fast enough for you to see any change in once range session, but a hot chamber would change it almost instantly.

 

[coach4christ]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

Coach4christ......I'm almost 99.5% certain that there is not an issue with your scope. I left that .5% open because scopes are mechanical and mechanical things do break. But my thought process is that when we sell the quantity of scopes that we sell and only see roughly 3-4 scopes per week back for warranty repair as a result of the intensive QC process that every scope receives prior to going out the door, its easy for me to question whether the scope is an issue or not. Your scope would have not been allowed to leave the factory if their was any backlash or tracking issues. The QC process that our scopes go through are the most rigorous in the industry. And its not a batch test. Each and every scope is tested prior to receiving the QC label.


I'm thinking you may be dealing more with atmospherics or hot chamber temps causing a velocity increase that is changing your point of impact. Things of which can be very repeatable and must be known variables when considering predictive solutions for long range shooting. My 300 Win Mag will shoot exactly 1moa high after I fire 20 rounds through it in less than 5 minutes time. What is your DA when you start shooting and what is your DA when you return to Zero?

I'm also curious as to how you set your ZeroStop just to work through and eliminate some variables? Did you zero the rifle at 100 yards and then slip the scale back to zero or did you adjust the ZeroStop as per the instructions?

Are the opposing turret cap screws tight enough so that the turret cap is not slipping? Are the 4 screws atop the ZeroStop clutch assembly tightened to 4in. lbs each?

Since I'm rather positive that it is not an issue with the scope, I'm just trying to work through other possibilities.

I followed the instructions to the T. 4 in. lbs for the screws on top. I tried to feel for slippage, but didn't feel any. I hear what you are saying about barrel temp and all, but if that were the case, the rifle wouldn't be zeroed the next time I shoot it. When I start my shooting sessions, my rifle is dead on every time.

For example, A week ago I had this problem. I rezeroed my rifle and went home. Here is a pic if my first 5 round group. If it were barrel heat, they would not have been dead on, they would have been high.

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac172/coach4christ/5r.jpg

 

[00bullitt]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

So maybe I'm not understanding your situation properly.Tell me if the following is correct?

You start your shooting session zeroed dead on at 100 yards?

You dial on elevation and shoot extended distance?

You then dial back to your zero and shoot at 100 yards and you are 1moa low?

Next range session you are back dead on at 100 yards?

 

[coach4christ]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 00bullitt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So maybe I'm not understanding your situation properly.Tell me if the following is correct?

You start your shooting session zeroed dead on at 100 yards?

You dial on elevation and shoot extended distance?

You then dial back to your zero and shoot at 100 yards and you are 1moa low?

Next range session you are back dead on at 100 yards? </div></div>

After shooting extended distance, I dial back to zero. I recheck @ 100. I am 1 min low. I dial up 1 min to get back to zero. The turret is now on 1 instead of 0. I then have to loosen the screws in the cap and spin it to zero to reset it. I am now zeroed for that day. The next day it is still zeroed when I start. This is not my original zero. Reason I stated that was to eliminate barrel heat.

On a side note, when I first zeroed my scope and set the ZS, when I dial back down it doesn't stop @ zero. I was talking to a guy @ the range and he said that was normal. Is it? Thanks for the help. I hope it isn't the scope. I hope that maybe I am doing something wrong.

 

[00bullitt]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

If you set the ZeroStop properly, you would dial down to a hard definitive stop wherever you set it.

The NF ZS has the ability to be set below Zero.

I'm assuming you loosened the 4 screws on top of the clutch assembly, rotated the top clutch face clockwise until the top clutch face met the bottom clutch face? While holding the two clutch faces in contact with each other, you lightly tightened the 4 screws on the top of the clutch assembly to 4 in. lbs.
You then replace your turret cap so that it lines up with Zero and tighten the two opposing screws?

 

[coach4christ]

Re: nightforce not returning to zero

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 00bullitt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you set the ZeroStop properly, you would dial down to a hard definitive stop wherever you set it.

The NF ZS has the ability to be set below Zero.

I'm assuming you loosened the 4 screws on top of the clutch assembly, rotated the top clutch face clockwise until the top clutch face met the bottom clutch face? While holding the two clutch faces in contact with each other, you lightly tightened the 4 screws on the top of the clutch assembly to 4 in. lbs.
You then replace your turret cap so that it lines up with Zero and tighten the two opposing screws?



</div></div>

Yes. I am going to try a box test on it this weekend to see if it is tracking correctly. I called the NF customer service and we are trying to eliminate any errors I may have made.