About every year I have to move my scope ~3-4 inches to get back on zero. I use blue locktite on my screws and torque to the correct settings per mfg. Is this normal for most folks, or just me and other city folks.

Watching a bunch of youtube and some people put a thin layer of epoxy under their mounts. Is this a decent idea or hell no? One guy waxed the underside so that the epoxy didn't stick to his rifle. I also have seen scope tape.

This is my main hunting rig. TC Venture (270), vortex viper 4-15x50. I have no plans to ever change the scope unless it breaks. I don't care how it looks, I just want it as functional as possible. I am always worried that it is going to change during the season, but it has never been a problem.

Is there some other "trick" that I am missing.

What sort of rings and bases?

I don't have that problem. Unless I bump the scope somehow, although I have noticed when I have a more "tactical" mounting system, I have way less issues, even if bumped. My 450BM feel a couple years ago in my room, landed on the scope with a laminate floor. I checked zero and it was dead on. It's a cantilever mount on top of an AR though.

My son killed a deer last saturday with a gun I sighted in a few years ago. He killed a doe last year with one I haven't sighted in for I don't know how long. I rarely check mine unless I shoot at one and just miss it.

I think that’s a bit unusual. I’ve heard of scopes moving, but I haven’t had the issue. I always assumed it was more related to older scopes and rings for back when machining wasn’t as tight of tolerances.

I could see maybe an inch due to differences in temp, humidity or something like that, but 3-4 is too much. I’d start with new rings.

I don't ever remember one being off like that. I've had some that haven't been touched in 10-15 years.
I dropped a Leupold on an A-Bolt out of a tree several years ago , it put a dent in an adjustment cap and broke a flip up cover. I went to the range , it hadn't moved any , none, nota . I hunted with it for years and never touched it till I swapped it to another rifle.


I've never put "glue" under my mounts , but do use purple loctite ( for small screws).

I don't understand waxing the barrel so the epoxy wouldn't stick . Doesn't that defeat the purpose ?

I dont recall ever being off unless bumped, chances are if its off that much by the next year you are off a couple inches during season. You either have a mount/scope issue or your a rougher on your gun than the average person.What kind of scope and mount do you have.

I learned my lesson this past weekend, bought a quik detach sling for my sons AR and somehow the button got pushed while i was climbing out of the shooting house and it fell down the ladder to the ground the scope hit the ladder at least once. Haven't had time to go shoot it yet, we will see how far its off. Its on a Burris cantilever mount.

I've got one with a 56MM Zeiss on it that I set at 2" high at a 100 when I put in on it and I havent had to touch it in 20 yrs. The rest get moved back and forth between different rifles every 2-5 yrs and once they are set, they dont have to be touched until they go on another gun. Always ride in hard cases and they arent babied by any means but they also are not abused. Unless youre just tossing it around and dropping it, you've got a scope or mounting issues if you have to adjust it 3-4" every year.

Are you pretty rough on your equipment? I normally zero mine when I first mount and every year after that I may fire 1-2 rounds to check it and dial it in, but I've never had to move it more than 1-2 clicks and most time never. I would be concerned with 3-4 inches movement on a yearly basis.

Wood or synthetic stock ? Changes due to temp/humidity may be part of the issue. Also how you sight in, lead sleds are notorious for changing poi due to pressure on forends. Don’t forget to check action screws to make sure they’re tight. Etc. Etc. Etc

The youth rifle I bought for my boys is a cheap Savage 7-08, with a cheap scope (not letting them shoot late, no need for expensive light gathering scope) - anyway - sighted in the setup year 1, and never had to touch it, not one click.

I wouldn’t be comfortable with your issue.

Something’s up with the scope, mounts or the rifle. That’s not normal. In my over 40 years of hunting, I’ve had 2 scopes loose zero. One was on a Remington 742 Woodmaster 30.06 back in the 80’s that had see through mounts. Ditched the see through mounts and never had another issue. The other time was a Zeiss Diavari mounted on a .300WM Tikka T3. Had it on my shoulder packing and elk out a few years back. Took a pretty nasty fall onto it. It was shooting 1.5” low at 100 when I checked it. Bad thing is, I shot bucks on back to back evenings with it and hit them low. Thought I screwed up on the first one. After the second one, I checked it. I won’t make that mistake again.

Dang man..i buy my scopes from walmart an they better than that🤷🏻

I always check zero before season and rarely have to adjust anything. My worry would be, when is it moving. for all you know you're hunting most of the season with a rifle that isn't zeroed how you think it is.

this. make sure the barrel is floated if it’s a wood stock

I had one get off and couldn’t figure out what was causing the issue. Went from around a 1” at a hundred yard gun to all over the place. I put a new scope on it and same thing. Finally took everything off and one of the screws that held the picatinny rail on to the barrel which the scope mounts attached to had broken off in the gun. Removed the broken screw and replaced it and re mounted the original scope and back to normal. I don’t use anything as far as adhesive or anything. Put the right torque on the screws and they will not loosen or move. Something isn’t right if you are having to reset your scope every year.

Unless your wife/girlfriend is jacking with your scope in the off season not wanting you to hurt the deer’s

i had this happen to me on a hunt . since then NO ONE is alone with my rifles. if im walking around the rifle is unloaded strapped on my back . a scope dont move 10" straight up on its own .

caused me to miss one of my biggest bucks .

Are your rings torqued to spec? If you have them cranked down compressing the tube it can effect erector movement

That’s low down.

No this is not normal.

Someone would tote a serious ass whippin over that.