Turrets sticking

[stevec]

Last year I purchased a Leupold scope second hand and when I tried to zero it, I found that the reticle did not move with turns of the turrets. I took it to a local gunsmith who advised me to return it to Leupold.

I also have a Meopta, (15+ years old) which I have never had an issue with. I lent it to someone, helped them to zero it then when they returned it, I found the same thing again when I fitted it to my own rifle, this time only on the windage turret.

Any idea if I have done something wrong? My other scopes are Swarovski and I have never had this issue with them. I really like the Meopta otherwise.

I spoke to a local gamekeeper who tells me that he always taps the turrets with a toffee hammer after each adjustment, as this has happened to him before.

 

[User00040]

Last year I purchased a Leupold scope second hand and when I tried to zero it, I found that the reticle did not move with turns of the turrets. I took it to a local gunsmith who advised me to return it to Leupold.

I also have a Meopta, (15+ years old) which I have never had an issue with. I lent it to someone, helped them to zero it then when they returned it, I found the same thing again when I fitted it to my own rifle, this time only on the windage turret.

Any idea if I have done something wrong? My other scopes are Swarovski and I have never had this issue with them. I really like the Meopta otherwise.

I spoke to a local gamekeeper who tells me that he always taps the turrets with a toffee hammer after each adjustment, as this has happened to him before.

Sometimes the erectors can bind, never a good thing!

Yes, send the scope back to Leupold, but you'll have to use their online ticket system which can be a real pain!

Helps if you have the original box too. They seem to be cracking down on people buying a secondhand or broken scope and sending it in for the hopes of getting a new one, but by the sounds of it, you should not have an issue.

A more crude method is hitting the scope with a phone book around the turret area. Not mounted to the rifle but holding it loose in one hand and smacking it with the other!

I bought a Bushnell boresighter/collimator thingy which goes into the barrel and allows you to check zero/scope adjustments/tracking. Not cheap at nearly £150 delivered but I'm sure it'll save more than that on ammo!

 

[English Rifleman]

Try loosening the rings a fraction? see if it frees up.
Also if the windage knob was zeroed the grub screws may have been done up to tight??

These are just shots in the dark, but you never know.

 

[Jamesy13]

out of interest, do you torque the screws on the rings? I had on issue a few years ago when I over tightened a set of werne rings which resulted in the side focus getting stuck. Since then, I torque everything.

 

[stevec]

out of interest, do you torque the screws on the rings? I had on issue a few years ago when I over tightened a set of werne rings which resulted in the side focus getting stuck. Since then, I torque everything.

No, never touched them. Rings turn easily

 

[Jamesy13]

No, never touched them. Rings turn easily

sorry what do you mean they turn easily? I’m talking about the scope rings that attach the scope to the rifle. The screws will have a torque setting.

 

[gixer1]

Sometimes the erectors can bind, never a good thing!

Yes, send the scope back to Leupold, but you'll have to use their online ticket system which can be a real pain!

Helps if you have the original box too. They seem to be cracking down on people buying a secondhand or broken scope and sending it in for the hopes of getting a new one, but by the sounds of it, you should not have an issue.

A more crude method is hitting the scope with a phone book around the turret area. Not mounted to the rifle but holding it loose in one hand and smacking it with the other!

I bought a Bushnell boresighter/collimator thingy which goes into the barrel and allows you to check zero/scope adjustments/tracking. Not cheap at nearly £150 delivered but I'm sure it'll save more than that on ammo!

This is where it pays to go German! No arguments on sending back and you don’t have to hit your scope with a single phone book before you shoot a deer..

Would an Argos clubby work the same??

 

[User00040]

This is where it pays to go German! No arguments on sending back and you don’t have to hit your scope with a single phone book before you shoot a deer..

Would an Argos clubby work the same??

Aye, and they will be wating £300+ for parts and Turkish/Hungrian labour...

 

[gixer1]

Aye, and they will be wating £300+ for parts and Turkish/Hungrian labour...

Never….had to send back 3 German items, once for a dropped scope that damaged a turret, second time for a scratch on a lens and RF not consistently pinging and third time for a drop that messed up the Collimation and haven’t paid a penny yet, exceptional service.

 

[User00040]

Never….had to send back 3 German items, once for a dropped scope that damaged a turret, second time for a scratch on a lens and RF not consistently pinging and third time for a drop that messed up the Collimation and haven’t paid a penny yet, exceptional service.

Ziess? Would not touch them with a bardgepole.

Swarovski Optik of Austria makes good spotting scopes and bino's but they need to hire a consultant for scope designs (i'm available!)

 

[gixer1]

Ziess? Would not touch them with a bardgepole.

Swarovski Optik of Austria makes good spotting scopes and bino's but they need to hire a consultant for scope designs (i'm available!)

I’ve had a duralyte for about 13 years and it’s never skipped a beat - a no frills scope but does exactly what it’s supposed to, swaro’s are the same and have lasted even longer - and the newer Z series ones have been great so far!

And you would have a hard time knocking customer service for them.

 

[stevec]

sorry what do you mean they turn easily? I’m talking about the scope rings that attach the scope to the rifle. The screws will have a torque setting.

Sorry, no rings are very tight, I thought you were referring to the turrets

 

[User00040]

Sorry, no rings are very tight, I thought you were referring to the turrets

Might be the cause of your problems

 

[NullMac]

Swarovski Optik of Austria makes good spotting scopes and bino's but they need to hire a consultant for scope designs (i'm available!)

They are in house over at Kahles. Looking at the Swaro line up there has to be a brand differentiation argument within the group or they would have some of the Kahes features. That SFP turreted disaster of a thing had to have come from the same issue, the rest of the world was jumping on board FFP and they come out with that. Sold 3. The very detailed reticle is only correct at 25x. Who shoots a hunting scope at 25x FFS, so who needs a reticle like that. Brain fart.

You must be getting milder in yer old age; passed up the opportunity to mention the dS . Got mine sorted, bowling things over for fun. Now, Tier One pic rings that's another story....