Ok so I took my 300wsm out shooting this past sunday. Well things didn't go as planned I had to double check my scope as I thought I sighted it in before I took it out. welp no that didn't happen I was all over the place and not on my target... so it got me thinking I do have a bore site set up to do I believe all rifles including a 50cal..

So my wheels started going.... this is what I did I will test it out to see if this is better way for me to set it I never tried this method as it maybe new and maybe the old school way of doing it.

So this is what I did I placed a bottle cap from a milk jug and back taped it to the wall... placed my rifle on it's bipod with the bolt out and searched for it on the wall through the barrel (this Part was a PITA). Once I found the cap I dialed my scope in to where it needed to be. I cross checked it with my bore sight kit and one of the 2 is way off. I will test this method out this weekend too see where I am at. but this time I will bring my bore sight kit with me just in case. I shot 8 rounds and not a one hit the board that I could tell. this weekend will be different thats for sure.

In theory this will get you on paper at least. How far away was the bottle cap? If you are zero'd out at 20' then your off by 15" at 100 yards and nearly 30" at 200 yards. (I just went through this process last week with my new scope and again yesterday).
Take this process one step further. After you do the basic alignment, set up your rifle on a table or other stable surface in your garage and find a small target at least a 100 yards off in the distance. I use a neighbors garage light bulb (its yellow). Then bore sight here. Then go to the range. You will find that you are much closer on probably on paper when you go to sight in at 100 yards at the range.

Heading there myself in about 30 minutes to do just that.

Even if one or the other was off, it would/should still shoot groups. They just wouldn't be where you were aiming at.
Was it shooting groups or was it actually shooting all over the place? You might have a scope mount or ring screw loose if the bullets were flying all over the place. Assuming you don't have a broken or floating scope reticle, the "look down the barrel" method is pretty fool proof.
.02

Good point. Sounds as if the shots were not grouped at all. Could be a scope issue.

With that being said went to the range as previously noted. Bore sighted the rifle at 100 yards. First shot was 6 inch right and 2 inches low at 100 yards. Two shots later and I was driving holes into the center of my 3" target at 100 yards.

I am thinking it is the scope as it was shipped here from Vegas and no telling how it was shuffled on the trip here I packed it in tight in the couch cushions. and bedding. but still something could of happened. I will try again this weekend and see what happens if it is still far off I will just invest in another scope I need to get one for my 7mm also.

I'd take the scope out of the rings, take the rings off the bases, check the torque on all the mount screws, then reinstall the rings and the scope. That way you know everything is put together correctly. Put it all back together with some blue loctite. Do the "look down the barrel" method of boresighting and start shooting close range at something big so you can see where your bullets are hitting.
What kind of scope is it?

ok I will try that this weekend this is a Bushnell banner I love this scope it has the wide angle for my blind self. Yeah when I was shooting this weekend cross hairs dead on the target but not even hitting the wood.... if worse comes to worse I will end up buying a new scope. after so many rounds I gave up no point wasting the rounds on air! but I tried the bottle cap method it was about 25 feet or so. and lined it up perfectly on the cap. first time any of my scopes where out of wack this much usually it is a minor adjustment that I could do at the range this I had no clue which way to go I even aimed at all 4 corners of the wood to get on to get a general area of where to start. I will probly take it down to Wholesale sports and have them remount it for me as I do not have a torque wrench with me it is still in nevada in my other tool box.

Your shortfat 300 might have broke a Banner...
The recoil on the bigger magnums is sometimes too much for those scopes. I have a 6-18x50 on my .22-250 and it's a decent scope for the money but a lot of times the big thump of the mag's will break them.

hmmm I will check into that as I think it may be the scope but the shop should be able to tell me 100% if it is or not by checking it out. if is it good i will upgrade that one to a better set up even thought I love that scope. but last thing I was is any issues when I am out in the forest chasing bambi's dad down.

I would try to bore sight the rifle at a longer distance as mentioned before and then shoot at 25 yards and adjust before moving to 100 yards.
I always hit paper using this method and takes less time and spent ammo.

I use a similar method for newly mounted scopes. I support the rifle with sandbags on the shooting bench with the bolt removed. Look through the barrel and center the bore on the bullseye. Carefully adjust the scope to put the crosshairs on the bull (without bumping the rifle). Usually works like a champ. It also helps to use a target with a large round bullseye like an SR1.

If you've eliminated scope malfunctions and loose scope mounting, one more thing to check is the action screws. Make sure they are tight. Consistency is the key, make sure you re-tighten them the same amount every time you dissassemble/reassemble the rifle. Is the barrel free floated? Has the action been glass bedded?

the Barrel I believe is free floating I have not taken it apart It is still stock other than a scope. I doubt the action has been beaded I honestly only shot it twice almost 3 times but the other time I was out hunting and broke the firing pin when I had a Nice buck in my sights that was a fail! I plan on taking it apart I may do this this weekend. or I may retire it and buy a new rifle. I have a 7mm mag also and Plan on useing that one this year for hunting.

Man! Sounds like this rifle definitely has some bad ju-ju. Something like that would drive me nuts until I figured it out. Good luck and let us know if you figure it out.

Steve

I used to have a short-range sight-in chart for various calibers and bullet weights when I was a wee lad, say 1980's-ish? It gave a distance of sighting in various calibers to 'simulate' longer distances. Anyone have a version or ever heard of it?

Example:
Say I have a 22-250 that I want to sight-in for 250 yards. If I can't find a long distance shooting range: at approximately 37 yards (example distance) it's dead on for 250. (this short-range sight in was always considered a sight-in to start with, precise sight-in is done at true distance. The idea being you were within 1/2 to 1 MOA of true sight-in with the short range distance)

I might have pulled this out of a Shooter's Bible but I can't find that one in my 'must keep' stash. SOMEBODY has to have this!

i dont have a bible, but i am familiar with this concept.
for instance just like your 22-250,
a 30-06 with a low mounted scope will shoot at point of aim at approx. 25 ft and 100 yds!
bullets always have to travel in an arc.
they have to travel upward toward the 25ft target, then, flying up above the point of aim, and falling down, in an arc to the 100yd target.
no matter what gun, however the FPS, or the ballistic coefficient,
the bullet will come straight out of the barrel, and then it will start to fall downward!