Did You Ever Drop A Scoped Firearm?

I just did.  My Mk III Ruger has a Bushnell Shotgun scope on it and it does amazing things.  I hold it in close when I shoot, and with the 6" eye relief of that model it was easy to adapt to a stance that works for me.  It fell off the seat of the utility vehicle last week; it fell maybe 2 feet or less and clunked on the floor.  I checked it yesterday at a long 25 yards.  I set this target at 80 feet and fired one round (Number 1).  It was cold, so I just worked from the bench and did not go out and measure to get the numbers perfect.  It was 2 1/2", and from the bench I estimated 3" high, and 1" left. (Click On The Target to Enlarge.)  I cranked it way down and a bit right to check if the scope was tracking OK, and did Shot #2.   Back up for a group, and then back down for the zero.  I then shot group 5 carefully to see if I was on.  After that, I cranked it up 2 quarter minute clicks, so it should be right on at 25 yards. All shots were fired with my wrists rested and the pistol supported only by hands.  The pistol has a stock trigger, but it is well broken-in and breaks just under 4 pounds.

The front of the scope rail is unsupported and I think the gun landed on the front bell of the scope, putting a little bend in the scope rail forward of the receiver.  The gun was in a Midway Tactical Pistol Case, so the change surprised me just a bit.  The moral is ABC; Always Be Checking.  Or ABZ; Always Be Zeroing!