Having major problems with scope

[RUGER]

Went to sight my father-in-law's new rifle in earlier today.

Savage .17 hmr

It came with a Bushnell scope already mounted.
My first mistake was to assume the screws were tight before we left.

Couldn't hit anywhere close to the same spot two times in a row.
Came back to the house and sure enough the ring screws were loose and the screws that hold the rings to the base could have been tighter.

Fixed all that and went back.
Same story.

Hit a 12" target, next shot missed completely.
Next shot missed the target AND the 18X24" box we had the target attached to.
Distance of like 10 yards too.

The rifle has "bases" that are attached to the top of the receiver and then the rings attach to that.
Could those be loose enough to effect accuracy that badly?
I am leaning towards a bad scope, but I guess I will take it all off and check those screws and go from there.

Used Federal, CCI and Hornady ammo.
Shot the same ammo through my .17 and it performed perfectly.

I sure hope it is the crap scope and not the rifle.

Another thing that concerns me is 3 different times the ammo didn't fire. It was like it only had primer in it and no powder.
All the bullets cleared the barrel and one of them I actually SAW it fly and hit the target, like a cheap BB gun.

Never had an ammo failure in my rifle either.
That can be easily explained by a dirty spring due to it not being cleaned before firing for the first time.

Dunno.

 

[MattZ9]

I'm having trouble out of my Savage .17. Not that bad tho

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Bushnell nough said


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[Hardwoodmaterials]

Are you sure the ammo hasn't gotten wet? If some of it is going off but leaving the barrel so slow you can see it that is definitely an ammo issue. Nothing the gun could do would cause that.

 

[RUGER]

Are you sure the ammo hasn't gotten wet? If some of it is going off but leaving the barrel so slow you can see it that is definitely an ammo issue. Nothing the gun could do would cause that.

Yes I am sure it hasn't, but I wasn't really worried about that issue as much as the lack of accuracy from 4 different brands.

I am leaning more towards the problem being "bushnell"

 

[RUGER]

Bushnell nough said


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Yep, that's what I'm thinking.
Any other time I have had this problem it has been with, oddly enough, bushnell scopes.

 

[Jcalder]

Any time you get rifle with rings and/or bases already attached take them off and make sure. Especially if it was put on by a Walmart employee. My savage 308 had bad rings when I bought it that wouldn't allow me to get them tight. About the 5-6th shot the scope came off


Big or small, kill em all

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

Make sure the action screws are snug

 

[varmint1111]

Make sure the barrel is clean, it don't take much fouling to make a .17 throw shots in my experience.

 

[GOODWIN]

Bushnell nough said


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Yep, that's what I'm thinking.
Any other time I have had this problem it has been with, oddly enough, bushnell scopes.

Still doesn't explain the bad ammo or ignition problem. Firing pin hitting enough of the rim? Sounds like more than one issue.

 

[DaveB]

I thought not all 17 ammo was interchangeable with other 17 ammo

A "squib" is the term for bullets that have insufficient (or damp) powder. But you fired the rounds through another 17 and all was correct.

10 yard target misses tell me the bullet is tumbling instant it leaves the barrel.

The implication is the rifle itself is at fault.

I would sure like to see what is stamped on the barrel of that Savage.

 

[RUGER]

DaveB,
You are very correct, the bullets were indeed tumbling.
I got to thinking back and went and looked.
Sounds like he has some major issues.

Bad part is he bought it at Dicks in Paducah.
I doubt they will do ANYTHING about it and he will have to deal with Savage with the issue.
Should be interesting.

Glad I bought a Marlin.

 

[RUGER]

Dave B,
You have a pm.


Wow is about all I can say.

 

[mr.big]

what is it a 17 WSM rifle and 17 HMR ammo or 17 HMR rifle and 17 Mach II ammo??

 

[RUGER]

what is it a 17 WSM rifle and 17 HMR ammo or 17 HMR rifle and 17 Mach II ammo??

Worse than that.

I honestly feel like an idiot.
After all these years you would think I would know to check EVERYTHING.
Lucky I ain't blind or dead if it had gone the other way.

He bought and paid for a Savage model 93 .17 hmr.
He got... a Savage model 93 .22 wmr


When Dave typed the word tumbling everything clicked in my head.
The realization that it wasn't cutting holes and then when I read, stamped on the barrel, it hit me.

I feel SO stupid.

amazing

Another reason I don't shop for guns at places like that.


So the next question:
Did shooting the .17 out of the .22 damage the rifling at all?
Heck I figure I might give him the cash he paid and let him go get him another .17 and I keep the .22

 

[infoman jr.]

Bushnell nough said


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That clearly explains the failures to fire.


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[mr.big]

I saw Daddy shoot some 243 rounds through a 260 one time and it didnt hurt it,,I would clean the bbl good and make sure there isnt any chunks of copper stuck in the bbl and try some 22WMR ammo,,

 

[TRIGGER]

Dave B is the man. He called it. I would have never thought about it being the wrong caliber.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I saw Daddy shoot some 243 rounds through a 260 one time and it didnt hurt it,,I would clean the bbl good and make sure there isnt any chunks of copper stuck in the bbl and try some 22WMR ammo,,

I would just take it back to dicks... And beat them over the head with it for good measure


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[MUP]

Good gracious! What an egregiously dangerous error! I guess Richard's is aptly named!

 

[GOODWIN]

It be a lot worse if it was a 22 cal in a 17. Good find. Take it back. Hard to find 22 mag ammo.

 

[mr.big]

you would have never gotten it loaded if it had been the other way around,,I just meant it shouldnt be hurt if you want to keep it,,but if you want to take it back they would give me another one one way or another,,

while your there make them give you a CZ 455 in trade for your trouble,,pain and anguish,,heck you could be mentaly scared for life with that near death experience ,,

 

[Huntaholic]

Use the right boolets in it! :tu: