Ruger 10/22 Target first day at the range.

[instructor]

Yesterday was sunny and temperature was near 60 degrees so off to the range for the rifles first shots. Ammunition varied from Ely, Lapua, to Browning match grade ammo and scope was a 4-24 50mm Vortex. Accuracy at 50yds was pretty much one hole, BUT extremely high on the target board, off the target itself?? Tried adjustment on the scope to solve the problem but no success in doing that. Strangely enough was that some groups would require holding over the target in order to get on target?? Other than this problem the rifle performed as it should, and each brand of the ammunition basically shot the same accuracy. Friend of mine with me and he owns a custom built 10/22 with thumb hole stock same as mine and it did very well also accuracy wise. Running short on time and returned home where I took my 10/22 apart to inspect and clean and found that the single screw holding barreled action and stock together was super loose, very little effort to turn the screw with Allen wrench. I am guessing with this loose screw the action was moving in the bedding and creating the problem. I tightened the screw but disappointed that a new rifle was sent out to the buying public with this flaw. Will re visit the range later on this week and see if the screw was really the problem.

 

[Mobuck]

I sort of assume that everyone follows the practice of giving a new firearm a good 'once over', cleaning, and lubing before shooting.

 

[hittman]

I dont have a lot of experience with scopes but know for sure I've never adjusted or sighted one in at 50 yards.
50 FEET, yes. Good place to start at least for me.

 

[Mobuck]

Since I don't have to deal with public range rules, I can start whereever I choose. Usually a 2' x 2' @ 25 yards is good enough to get close and then move the target out to 50 yards which is a good distance for 22 LR. ZERO or 1" high @ 50 gives a good POI within the ranges for which a 22 is suitable.
Generally speaking, if a scope/rifle is showing widely varied POI or POI can't be properly adjusted, it's time to look at all the connections for mismatch or looseness.
For the OP: IMHO, the 4-24x50 scope is tremendous 'overkill' for a 22. I suspect this is meant for much longer range and part of your wildly changing POI issuses may relate to 'parallax' at short range.

 

[instructor]

Reason for the "overkill" scope it was the only one not already committed to other rifles and not a fan of removing them from other rifles. Temperature today is in the teens and supposedly warming up a bit next week and will give the rifle another chance.

 

[WAYNO]

There is no overkill for scopes. That's a personal preference call. I use extreme scopes on some of my .22's. Makes it easier to see tiny little eyeballs out in the alfalfa fields. And I would assume a 4x24x50 scope has an adjustable objective, eliminating parallax issues.

But I am confused. You say your point of impact is extremely high. And also I read you are having to hold way high just to hit the target. Something doesn't figure.

If you are measuring tiny little groups but they are off the target without correctability, I would question a lot of things. Maybe the MOA on the rail is excessive, or maybe improperly installed. And if that's not the issue, I would next question the scope itself. I don't know which model of Vortex it is, but I've found them to be just another mediocre Chinese scope. Maybe something is amiss internally and the adjustment limits are out of balance.

It's good you tightened the bedding screw, but there's something else going on.

And because I am interested, which Target model do you have? They've called many models, Target.




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[kmoore]

Is the scope base a 20 MOA? or other long distance base?
I also follow Mobuck's tip: the new firearm or even a new to me one. Gets taken down, inspected and cleaned. Many times, fixed or adjusted. Heck in 2016, I ordered a Ruger Hawkeye "FTW" in 6.5 a long range target model. While apart I noticed 2 cracks extending out from the from action bedding screw. That was a brand new 1200-dollar rifle. Who knows how that happened, but the screw was set way too tight. The complete rifle was returned to Ruger and a new stock was put on it. Turn around time was 4-5 weeks as I recall.
S&W, Colt are some new handguns that needed repair that I have dealt with. I am sure others have stories about other brands.

 

[instructor]

My version of the Ruger 10/22 is the one with laminated thumbhole stock and torsional tube covering the actual barrel. Also includes the upgraded trigger offers for the 10/22 rifles and smoother and easier than the stock triggers for the common 10/22 rifle. Included is a short version of a rail (flat one, no elevation rise) and at this time have Eotch RD mounted for the next trip to the range. As mentioned, weather is improving next week and looking forward to seeing any improvement. I have a multiplyer of 3x and usually use that with the Eotech but the rail is not long enough to use both on this rifle with the supplied rail, so will install one somewhat lengthier, the combo of the multiplier and Eotech works out quite well at 50 or even 100 yards.

 

[kmoore]

My version of the Ruger 10/22 is the one with laminated thumbhole stock and torsional tube covering the actual barrel. Also includes the upgraded trigger offers for the 10/22 rifles and smoother and easier than the stock triggers for the common 10/22 rifle. Included is a short version of a rail (flat one, no elevation rise) and at this time have Eotch RD mounted for the next trip to the range. As mentioned, weather is improving next week and looking forward to seeing any improvement. I have a multiplyer of 3x and usually use that with the Eotech but the rail is not long enough to use both on this rifle with the supplied rail, so will install one somewhat lengthier, the combo of the multiplier and Eotech works out quite well at 50 or even 100 yards.

I believe my 20 MOA base on a Bergara target rifle is flat, just taller than a 0 MOA base.