[45-70 nut]

I have been having some trouble with my ruger international .308 with leupold 2-7 scope. From the bench I can get some really good groups but lately have been missing animals with it, 3 woodchucks and a fox ( 2 shots) all at just over 100 yds. in prone position.
At this distance I instinctivly turn the power up to 7 and the wobble is horible. I know being a carbine this gun is not the best varmint rifle or most easy to shoot but after I missed I felt like tearing of that scope and throwing it across the field. Am I the only one with this problem or is this gun with scope set on 7 a bad combo. I am starting to get frustrated as I rarely miss when hunting

 

[ribbonstone]

Without sugar coating: it's you.

The wobble is still there at low power, you just don't see it as well. At higher power, can see the wobble. Not seeing that motion may give a shooter more confidence, and confidence is a part of shooting well. Even the best off hand shooters never get rid of the wobble, they just learn to hold that wobble into smaller and smaller patterns.

Practice is the only real cure, but it doesn't have to be expensive full-charge ammo at 100 yards to get that practice, can learn to control it less expensively.

Most of us can't get to a rifle range often enough to get the amount of practice needed, just too far to go, too few days of free time, and too expensive. If we could, then even lite-lead loads at 25 yards would serve fine for practicing off hand, sitting, or prone shooting.

Lite loaded lead bullet centefire ammo, .22 rim fire, or a pellet gun at down-the-hall distances; enought non-bnech rest trigger time with any of them will make for better shooting.

 

[Saskshooter]

Whatever "wobble" you see at 7X is there at 2X as well, you just can't see it at 2X. Your problem is not the scope; it's technique.

My suggestion is to spend lots of time at the range shooting from various positions, not just from the bench. Practice proper trigger and breath control until you can shoot well enough from other positions, and until you know what you can actually do from various positions.

If you can't shoot a group smaller than the animal's vital area at any given range from any given shooting stance, you shouldn't shoot at that animal at that range or with that stance.

 

[PSG-1]

I concur with the others....the wobble is there, no matter what the power setting is. I see it when I shoot too.

That's why I think I do better with iron sights than I do with scopes, because the wobble area is less magnified, which looks like a more steady hold, and this instills confidence in taking the shot. When you've got that scope power cranked up, even breathing incorrectly results in a wobble area roughly the size of a county, unless you're using a bench rest, or a shooting coat and sling, or you have absoloute muscle control (which is nearly impossible)

Not much you can do about the wobble area, except for doing some shooting with iron sighted rifles, ESPECIALLY from the standing position (as this creates the worst wobble) and then going to a scoped rifle, but keeping the power set fairly low, but high enough to be able to see the target. In other words, you need to be able to see the target, but you don't need so much magnification that you can give him an inner ear exam.

By practicing from the offhand position....you'll be controlling the wobble area more, so, when you shoot from more supported positions, like prone, that wobble area will be even smaller.

 

[UnCruel]

I agree with everyone's comments here about "wobble". If you can see the wobble, then you can learn what works to reduce it, in terms of hold, trigger control, breathing, etc. Practice at the range at the highest magnification so you can see what is effective.

I will also point out that the difference of position (sitting at the bench versus prone) will effect point of impact, particularly due to muzzle climb. It's hard to say how much, but if you have the opportunity to shoot prone at the range, you should give it a try.

Also, if you use bags or other rests at the range, but not hunting, that can explain why your groups are good at the range but missing in the field. Get some practice at the range using positions and hold techniques that are similar to what you will be using in the field.

 

[PAShooter]

I have the exact same combination,Ruger RSI,308 win,2x7 Leupold. This is my favorite woods still-hunting gun. I practice off-hand shooting and the little gun shoots extreemly well. Many deer in freezer using this gun. However for pests and varmints I use a lighter caliber.