You mentioned that you aren't a fan of scopes and usually shoot iron sights. Scopes are like iron sights in that you have to look thru it exactly the same way everytime. Make sure you have a full, clear sight picture. No fuzzy black ring around the edges. Also if you are having to adjust your head position to find the scope or get a full, clear picture it will cause the problems you describe. It is a common problem that I see when trying to teach someone to use a scope. The various dot, holographic,reflex type sights eliminate this problem. With them if you can see the dot or whatever you should hit where it is at. Traditional scopes aren't that way. You have to look straight thru them. If the sight picture seems to be floating around or it has fuzzy edges then adjust the scope position, not your natural head position. Sometimes trying to figure out why one won't hold zero will make you pull yout hair out.

Stupid question but you are getting proper scope alignment right ?

Also if you prefer iorns but don't like scopes look into LPVO's basically just lower powered, kinda like how people used to do with pistol scopes a while back. Once you position them right as soon as you shoulder you gun and open you eyes it's like you looking down a hall way with aiming points .Nicer then iorns but not as finicky or big as actual full size scopes. From you lat posts a while back a 1-4 or 1-6 would probably be great for you.
You can also get most of them with an illuminated option and all that is is your reticle is lit up which for snap shooting or low light it really good especially on lower settings

Chuck the lead sled? As in get rid of it?

Using a different scope definitely crossed my mind but it just makes more sense to check it using the iron sights than to take a good scope off another gun then have to resight that one in again too.

Ammo is factory Federal 150 grain.

No idea what a cheek weld is.

Explain what you're calling "scope alignment" wolfie. I don't like scopes, in general, remember? I don't know the terminology, lol.

The picture I posted . Top left showing a completely clear scope , no real black from edge to edge shows proper alignment, bottom right where you have like that black shadow real bad around the edges is improper. Really it's the same as iron sites. Seems when people come to me with scope problems 50% of the time it's improper scope alignment. My buddy absolutely hates scopes. Said he could never hit anything till I showed him what it's supposed to look like. Then moved the scope to where he had a nice clear image and now he loves them

If your confident with doing a check with iorns definitely go for it.
Personally I have a good scope I use as a floater. If I think I have a scope problems I'll take that one off but the floater on and try it again.

As far as cheek weld , I know you hate videos too but this one is only 2min and explains it pretty good in that time.


But basically it's having firm contact with you cheek to the stock. Not floating or adjusting your head around .


If your guns set up right , with the right rings and all yours would be able to get on the gun close your eyes could to ten one you eye and be looking though the scope and have almost a perfect view with little to no head movement

Another thing is just because something is perfect is good for someone doesn't mean it will be good for you. For example this is my girls dad's .270. guy was a gun nut and pretty serious so I know he had this set up perfectly for him self. Me however.
This is me with a comfortable stable cheek weld.


How ever due to it being set up for him and not me I have to float my head up (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) my neck a bit ect to see though the scope but it's not comfortable at all and trying to shoot it semi accurate just doesn't work.

Thanks for the clarification, wolfie. My cheek alignment I believe was fine as I've been doing it the same way for 30+ years now and never had this issue.

But the scope alignment.... shooting with a rest, it seemed fine to me, but in the lead sled it was definitely off, and from reading WSD trappers post and and now yours I'm wondering if that might be the difference.

UPDATE: I now know the make and model.

I took off the scope, and hidden under the scope... base? I guess it's called... the part that's screwed to the receiver.... was the make and model number. I took off the "base" too, and now know that it's a Remington model 1903!

And as far as the lead sled....... Big can of worms but all imma say is with talking to guys who live eat and breath precision rifles, yeah you even mention a lead sled to then they just say don't. Lotta stuff can be said about them breaking scopes and what not but when you look at these FClass PRS and bench rest guys rigs and you NEVER see a lead sled , that should say something. Front rest and rear bags yes but never lead sled deals.
Shoot talked with one guy who's bad groups at 200yd look like most people good 25yd groups and he point black said he'd rather use some old sand bags and a sand sock before a lead sled.
If it works for y'all that great but we'll....

According to Remington's site, I was off about as far on the age of the gun as I was my guess of 100 yards, lol.

It was made in September, 1942.

It looks just like this one...



Well, except for that back sight's been moved further up the barrel to allow for a scope.

But you've been shooting with iorns for most of that time right ? If so it's not quite the same. Iorns are lower and more in line with the stock so usually you never really need to do much ,just slap you face down on the stock and their just there. Personally lined up.
Honestly now that I think about it I don't think I've ever had to do any stock.mods when shooting with iorns ,just pick it up and go shoot. Well have to zero them and that's about it.

Scopes, well, you have. The sightings device raised up higher then you iorns you you just plain not going to have the same cheek weld like you would with iorns 9/10 times. Usually you need to add something to the stock to give yourself a rised part to set your cheek on and line you eye up better. That being called a cheek riser. And if you using a sporterized old war horse, your probably gonna need to do something because most of those guns stock where not made to be shot with scopes ,only iorns . That's why if you see old sniper conversions of a lot of these guns you'll see added cheek pieces or super low scopes
The Enfield's are a good example.
As you can see the regular ones ment to be shot with iorns are pretty straight stock but the snipe ron ment for a scop has a extra raise cheek piece to help give a better higher cheek weld


Honestly now that I think about it when Dad gave me his , now my , chopped m1917 sporter I honestly could shoot it to save my life because I just couldn't get a good cheek weld on it because it still has the original but modified stock on it . We're I needed to put my face for a good cheek weld and where I needed to be to actually get a good site picture where just two different things. Finally did something to raise it up and get a good check Weld and it was better and more accurate to shoot till I got a better stock set up

No a pretty easy but ugly solution is to raise the pace you put your check your eye is more line up with to stock by adding some material. Cheap and easy way is a little foam and some tape or vet wrap. Was a super common thing for solder and Marines to do to the older sniper / DMR rifles before all the super nice chassis systems. Some examples




And here a short little one minute video explaining how to make a easy cheek riser


[video:youtube]https://youtu.be/0zawFeasiik?[/video]

And here's one that explains how you want to have you scope set up. Again it's only 2min long. And you can skip to about 0:19 to skip the intro

Yep if the sock is about the same that's what id figure a bit. Great for iorns not to great for scopes . What scope do you have btw ? Age model make ? You very could just have a scope that's just plain gave up the ghost. If so there's a lot of good options now days for $150 or less , the whole spending as much or 2x on the optic as you do for the rifle is just plain not necessary anymore with most modern optics. Especially if your just setting the scop once and shooting. If your cracking dials constantly that's a little different. But heck to get the quality of games and components alot of these sub $200-150 scopes have now days you HAD to pay an arm and a leg back in the gap.
Today....egh got to look at some higher dollar glass front he 80's , well taken care of scope , Japanese tasco if I remember right guy said it cost as much as his gun when I got it..... The $120 sig 3-12 I just put in my dad's 45-70 had better glass then that and they get noting but good reviews so... Anyhow I'm ranting now lol

The scope is an old Redfield, no idea on age or model.

Thanks for your all your posts as you explained some topics (even without your videos I didn't watch lol) in a way I didn't understand them before.

Tomorrow is sight in the gun with iron sights and go from there day.

those are excellent rifles

Since its already drilled and tapped, not original. I am assuming you gave the old gun a real thorough cleaning? Sweets is great for copper removal. It IS hydroscopic. Bonds with water from humidity. It must be completely removed after you use it or it will cause rust.

Well I don't think I'll get to try sighting in the iron sights today after all. The rear sight is froze up. It's supposed to be able to move by hand but it wouldn't budge. After a bunch of tap tap tapping with a punch I got it to move finally but it's still so tight it'll only move by punch, not hand. Soaked it down good with some Hoppes oil and letting it soak. Sighting in rescheduled to Wednesday now.

Any updates?

Not yet... soon.