Rifles 108: Drop Test Protocol
This test borrows heavily from the optics testing work done by @Formidilosus and others on the popular western hunting forum Rokslide. I encourage the curious to read this original protocol/rationale as well as peruse the dozens of completed optics zero retention tests on the forum.
Source a closed cell foam surface such as a wrestling mat which is large enough to contain a bouncing rifle and firm enough to prevent the rifle from penetrating through to the ground below.
Fire a 10 round group to establish a cone of fire.
Drop the rifle 3 times from 18” (knee height).
Once on the left (parallax) side, once on the top (elevation turret), and once on the right (windage turret) side.
After each drop, fire a round at the target.
Drop the rifle 3 times from 36” (waist height).
Once on the left (parallax) side, once on the top (elevation turret), and once on the right (windage turret) side.
After each drop, fire a round at the target.
Drop the rifle 9 times in a row from 36” (waist height).
Three times on the left (parallax) side, three times on the top (elevation turret), and three times on the right (windage turret) side.
After all 9 drops, fire a single (seventh) round at the target.
Evaluate the 7 drop test rounds against the 10 zero rounds.
If the 7 rounds all fall within the cone of fire of the 10 zero rounds, the system passes.
If any of the 7 rounds fall outside the cone of fire of the 10 zero rounds, the system fails.
