What's wrong with my rifle ?

[mark hay]

I went to the range last sunday afternoon just to check my 223 . It was off just a mite . So I dialed it over and up . Bullet went 3 times as far as it should have . So I backed it up 2 clicks . The next shot went 2 inches the opposite direction .
 I sat back in the chair and started trying to figure this thing out . I was shooting the same identical hand  loads I have been using for the past 3 years . The scope is 13 years old and has been on several rifles and has never failed me . I am not rough on my shooting irons , plus this rifle spends most of its time in a padded ,hard plastic case .
 I know in the back of my mind that I shouldn't be trying to zero a rifle after working my hindquartes off all week ,,,,I just don't think as sharp as I should when I'm tired .
 I got up to walk out to the target and have a better look . As I walked the thought occured to me , ''could it be my glasses ?'' So , after closer examination of the target I returned to the truck and changed my glasses and grabbed a fresh target and walked another 200 yard round trip to get it stapled up and back to the rifle . I sat there motionless for some time before loading the rifle . When I felt calm I loaded the rifle and settled into the stock and the sandbags . Immediately I could see a difference . There was no distortion to the sight picture . It was clearer and didn't have the wavy effect any more .
 I settled the crosshair on the diamond . Then I closed my eyes for about 10 seconds . When I opened them I was just barely off the diamond . I felt comfortable and didn't seem to be in any strain . I touched the set trigger and the bullet struck right where it should have been ,,,1 1/2 " high at 100 yards . Extract ,,reload ,,,repeat.  Two bullet holes touching . I'm feeling better now and my confidence is returning. Extract ,,,reload ,,,repeat . Three holes touching. Now I remove my cap and let it out a couple notches [:D].
 End results ,,,,5 shot group , just under 5/8'' @ 100yards . Not too shabby for a worn out ol' man .
 
 I have heard older men talking about their glasses effecting their shooting . I just blew it off that they were making excuses . I was wrong !
 Don't ask how I thought about the glasses ,,,for I don't know ,,,the thought simply came to mind . You won't find me wearing those other glasses again while toting my coyote rifle either .

[kenturkey89]

Well, Mark, at least you found your problem.[:D]

It would have been a bad day if you had to go home running through the different scenarios and reasons why your gun was acting so crazy. If it were me, the first thing I would have thought was wrong was the scope, in which case I probably would have been looking for new ones online as soon as I made it back to the house. It would be another bad day when I figured out that I had just spent $100 or better on a new scope, while the same problem still persists.

I'm lucky enough (in my ripe young age) to have excellent vision, but I can understand how the wrong glasses could make a difference. And the groups you shot at 100 yards (with the right glasses) are some super tight groups. I usually get groups of about 3" or so because I don't take the time to calm down before my shots. I've gotten better at waiting a while after I've just walked 100 yards from setting up the target, but that's one thing I really need to work on the next time I go out. Maybe then I'll be able to shoot tighter groups than you[;)]

Just out of curiosity, what brand of .223 do you shoot?

[mark hay]

Thanks Brian ,,
 Confidence in any type of firearm is created by proving the gun . By proving I mean shooting it from a good rest . Sandbags are hard to beat .
 When a firearm is putting bullets on paper in a small and consistent pattern it lets you know that when you need to use it in the field it 'll be right ,,as long as we the shooter do our part right .
 I've seen too many people shoot off hand at a spot or can or milk jug and say their gun shoots great . Put them on a set of good  sandbags and they soon find out that their estimation is way off ,,,concerning their offhand shooting . Wasted ammo too.
 
 My rifle is a Cz 527 Lux . It has the European style stock . I've always like this style of rifle stock .  It is a sporter weight rifle with a skinny barrel . It amazes me that it will shoot such tiny groups . I has printed several 5 shot groups under 1/2 inch @ 100 yards .
 I load my own shells and have been doing so since the late seventies . This little rifle likes the 40 grain V-Max , moly coated bullet. Pushed by 27 grains of Accurate Arms 2230 powder and Federal #205 Match primers . She's not at all hot ,,,but hot enough at 3625 fps,,chronoghraphed.
 
 This Cz rifle weighs less than my Marlin 22 l.r.. Sweet to carry ,,,sweet to shoot . These rifles come with a single set trigger which is fine . Out of over 300 rounds I only pulled the standard trigger one time ,,it was my first shot through the rifle .
 
 

[kenturkey89]

Mark, you said it perfect when saying you gain confidence in a firearm after it has proven itself, particularly in an environment that is as controlled as much as possible to remove outside variables such as wind, extreme temperature (such as shooting on a day it's 100 degrees when you hunt in the winter), unsteadiness etc...That way you know the gun is on, and if you take it the field and miss for some reason, you know it wasn't the guns fault. It could be due to the wind or not holding steady on target or whatever.

I have a story similar to what you said that happened a few years ago. I was with a buddy of mine and he wanted to sight his 30.06 in for the up coming deer season that wasn't far away. He sat out a milk jug at 100 yards and busted it on the first shot. He asked me if I wanted to shoot it once or twice so I decided I'd try my hand at it. This time we set up one of those sticker targets on a stout piece of cardboard, and I used a heavy coat folded on top of a fire log as a rest. First shot was nearly 8" up and to the right. My buddy laughed at me and said I needed a milk jug the size of 10 gallons before I could hit it. I waited a few minutes just to keep the barrel from getting too warm and I let another round fly...2 bullet holes touching. My buddy looked puzzled for a minute and after my third shot hit the same spot, I told him to take a try...4 bullet holes within 1.5" of one another, all 8" high and to the right.

I learned a valuable lessen that day, and that's to ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use a solid, sturdy rest when sighting in a rifle, or any other firearm for that matter. My buddy never used a rest when hunting, so he didn't feel it was necessary to shoot from a rest when he could get better practice by shooting free handed. But the thing is, at least in my case, is I don't think I could hit the same mark twice if I had to shoot without a rest...I'd be swaying all over the place. It's better to get your rifle dialed in off of a rest first, THEN you can practice shooting from standing, sitting, and prone positions to hone your skills as a marksman.

Same thing goes when patterning a turkey gun. I like to shoot a few shots off of a rest from different yardages first, just to make sure the POA and POI are the same. Then I'll take a few shots sitting up against a tree or something, just like I would be doing in the woods, to simulate what it's going to be like in real time.

And as for your CZ, I've never shot one of them personally but I've heard some good things about them. But if any gun can put 5 holes in something the size of a quarter like yours can at 100 yards, deserves some high praise[;)]