Did I just ruin my scope?

[gemini1]

I have a 3-9x40 Bushnell Banner scope that I use on my AR15 to check groupings on my reloads. The scope is zeroed at 100 yards, and I used to take it off the rifle after checking my loads, and continue shooting using irons. Never had any issues when re-mounting it and taking it off again on succeeding range trips, it has always held its zero, or at least even when it moved, it was just less than an inch. Last I used it was several months ago.
On Friday, I brought it me to try some new loads for my LR308. After shooting a couple of rounds to warm up the barrel, I mounted the scope and shot the first 5 round test loads at 50 yards. Shots were about 3" low at 4 o"clock, as were the three other 5 round test loads. I did not make adjustments since I also have the AR15 with some test loads as well. Moved the target at 100 yards, re mounted the scope to the AR15, where I had it zeroed before. When I fired the first five rounds from my usual load, I couldnt even find any hit on my target. Shot another 5 rounds, and still, not a single hole on paper. WTF?!
It was running late, so I didn't get a chance to move the target back to a closer range and try again. But I figured, if it had worked the last time I used it, on on the 308 it was just a few inches low, how can it be totally off, when I used it on the 223?
So, did I just ruin the scope when I used it on a 308?

[Kwikvette]

No offense but, isn't the Bushnell Banner one of those free scopes that came on the Savage 11VT (DSG special)?

Anyway, all I can think of is since you didn't have much more time to shoot you probably left the mount a bit loose. Either that or the fact that you mount and dismount it so often maybe the ring came loose and the scope moved a bit between the rings. Keep in mind that if the mounts have screws on each side, you probably screwed one side in shorter than the other causing the scope to point more left/right.

[mycrstuff]

.308 and .223 won't hit any where close to the same. You need to start from scratch and sight it in for .308.

Another thing to check is to see if there is an play with the scope mounts. I had a gunsmith install a mount on a Mosin Nagant and he used regular scope mount screws which were smaller than the ones that came with the mount. Well this allowed the mount to move until the screws sheared off and the scope went flying. It landed on the next shooting bench over.

Lastly I recently killed one of my scopes. I took it off on rifle and mounted it on another. Now the elevation won't adjust it seems the cross hairs have become disconnected from the turrets. Time to buy another scope.

[Justinoff]

Buy a better scope. Not saying a usoptic or trijicon but spend a couple hundred and get some better glass.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jeepergeo]

I doubt you ruined your scope. Most likely is that you don't have a zero with it in its current configuration.

If you are using quick mounts on a Picatinny rail, you may have not gotten the scope repositioned and snugged down tight. Fixed rings and bases give you the most soilid hold....the flexibility of quick mounts is great, but comes at a cost, though many find the quick mounts very repeatable where others don't.

I'd suggest you recenter the scope, mount it, bore sight it, and then try again at the range.