VX-III 1.75-6X32MM. While zeroing for the fist time, I had to adjust the scope up by 10 clicks because it was shooting low. After the first adjustment, it was still shooting low. When I went to adjust again, I found that the elevation was maxed out and I could not adjust any more.

Most of the time a scope that creeps off its zero, has a loose mount screw and or loose mounting ring. Check the mounts all screws. Some times the opposite is true. The mounts are to tight and in a bind. Then during firing the receiver heats up an tweaks the scope enough to cause creep. If the scope is always on zero when cold and creeps off after a few shots, she is in a bind. Make all adjustments to the scope base and rings with a cold gun. Loosen the front ring screws first then re-tighten then loosen the rear doing the same. Then try and re-zero the gun. If the gun never comes back to zero, you end one day shooting hi to the right and try again the next day shooting in the same spot try to re-tighten all screws. Screws from mount to gun then scope rings to scope body.

this could be a scope mount fault,,,but to lift the scope up with some strips of 35mm film under the eye end will raze its point of aim

16 clicks is about 4" at 100 yards not 25. did you try shooting it at 100 yards? remember the scope is mounted at least an inch and probably higher than that above the barrel. at close range you will always hit low with a scope because the bullet has to climb at least an inch or more before it will be right on at 25 yards. if it is dead on at 25 it should hit way high at 100. (or the scope/ mounts are bad).

this is an excellent article on zeroing a scope.

http://www.outdoorpros.com/How-To-Guides/How-To-Zero-A-Rifle-Scope/5

You may try to bore sight it first. Pull the bolt and setting the gun on a good rest sight thru the barrel at a dot on the wall within ten feet. Then adjust the scope to that dot. As you adjust the scope tap the bore of the scope with a screw driver handle, tap it after each adjustment not hard, but enough to give it a sharp jolt. Once you are close here, move out to the range and shoot at 15 yards. Using a rest, again tap the scope after each adjustment. Then move out to 50 yards and you will want to be shooting high 1.5 to 2 inches here. Shoot slow keep the barrel cool and try for 2 shot groups till you have got the scope dialed in. Then move out to 100 yards for your preference of zero. Remember use the same ammo you will hunt with or at least the same bullet weight. If you can't get her to get on paper you can try to loosen the scope in the rings, one at the time once the gun is a little warm. Loosen the barrel ring first then snug it back down and then the receiver ring. If your group moved now, she was in a bind due to a cold gun at set up / installation.

its a bad mount thats doing this,,,you can get over it easly by letting off the rear top mount of the scope (the mount near your eye) and pushing under your scope a strip of 35mm film this will lift the eye end of the scope giving you more range,,(elevation) only put 2 or 3 strips of film under the scope any more that this could bend the scope tube when you tighten it up
but a strip of film is about 25th of an inch and 1th will give you 1/4 of an inch at 100 yds ie:1 click! so you should easly get 10 inches at 100 yds or more with 3 strips of 35mm film under the scope even with bullet drop, the only other way to sort this out is to buy an adjusterbal mount witch is very pricy and 35mm film is cheaper, i do this all the time with my scopes

O.K Your gun packs a good kick, but you might try to first, tap the scope with the handle of a fair sized screw driver, after each adjustment. Next do not adjust it so many clicks at the time just 3 clicks and see if she moves the point of impact. Try a few clicks and tap the main shaft of the scope kind of rap it then shoot for group, fair 2 rounds to see if it has settled down, then adjust a few, tap and fire. work slow with a older scope and try to stock up on the bullets you decide to go with and zero for them. Any other round you use do not zero, but use go old windage to pratice with. 

When adjusting a scope just move a few clicks at the time, after every few clicks tap the scope with a screw driver handle. Fire 2 rounds for group tap and fire the third round it should be in line with the 2. Keep that up till on target. Let the gun sit till cold and re-fire for grouping, 2 rounds, wait then the third. To keep shooting round after round can get the reciver warm enough to wedge the scope in its bases, causing your problem. 

Real simple Scott.
You can 'Zero' your scope/rifle even if you don't have a laser bore-scope device.
All this is assuming that your used rifle has not had the barrel shot out and that the head-space is still within specs for that rifle. Have all this checked by a gunsmith first. You can dress up a piece of poop and it will be pretty, but still be poop. Make sure yours isn't to begin with. As for the scope, it's hard to tell unless there's obvious damage or it's an antique past it's prime. Try to get as good a quality scope as possible to start with. You would not put one ply tube tires on your mustang and expect to get the best performance, so...
Most rifles are capable of shooting quite accurately, and all things being equal, it's the shooters job of making it happen.
Ammunition should be considered as well. Toss your old military ball ammo and junk from overseas, both of'em. If you want to shoot accurately and consistently, you must spend the bucks for the best ammo you can afford.
You MUST KNOW what the BALLISTICS are for the Cal./type/weight ammo you will be shooting and the corresponding distance it will be shot from.

Make sure your rifle is CLEAN inside and out. A clean rifle is a happy rifle.
Make sure that your rifle 'fits' your body's frame and that you are familiar and practice good rifle shooting techniques.
'Zeroing' is best done from the prone position as that is the most steady position to shoot from.
Do you have a bi-pod attached? Whether you do or not, sandbag your rifle securely but still able to make small adjustments to the rifle position itself.
Set up a target with a 1" black dot at 50rds.
Remove the bolt.
Lay down with your rifle but stay OFF of it, touch it as little as possible at this point.
With out disturbing the rifle look through the bore downrange to your target. Locate the black dot and if necessary adjust your rifle from the **** end until you can see the dot through the bore. Keep making minor adjustments until the dot appears to be centered in the bore. Make sure rifle is secure and steady at this point.
Then without moving or touching the rifle, look through the scope using the correct eye relief distance and locate the black dot. Now using the Vertical(Elevation) and Horizontal(Windage) adjustment knobs, move the reticles(crosshairs) until they both are centered on the dot.
Again look through the bore to make sure that you have not moved the rifle and that the dot is still centered in the bore. If not, adjust the rifle again to center the dot, then go back to the scope and adjust as necessary to move the RETICLES to the center of the dot. It may be necessary to repeat this a few times before you have achieved this particular goal.
You do not mention brand/model of your scope. It probably adjusts the reticle or crosshairs in 1/4minute increments (1/4 inch increments with each individual click movement of the turret knobs at 100 yard distance). IT IS CRITICAL for you to know how your own scope adjusts.
Now, bolt back in and load 3 rounds of quality ammo.
You are going to shoot 3 rounds in succession without getting off the rifle or making any adjustments to the rifle or scope. You are looking for a 3 shot group to determine a rough average of how far and where the rounds are impacting initially. Use good shooting techniques, breath control, relax, sight picture, squeeeeeeze the trigger, follow through the scope, there is no need to take your eye off the scope while doing this, hold your shooting position for all 3 shots.
You will now have to make adjustments of the scope unless you are hitting the black dot already which is quite possible.
Remember that if your scope is a 1/4" adjustment at 100yds, it means that for each 'click' that you adjust either Vertically or Horizontally at 100rds, the reticle/crosshairs will move accordingly 1/4 of an inch Vertically or Horizontally. At 200yds, one click will move it 1/2 inch, at 300yrd it will move it 3/4 of an inch, at 400yrd, it will be 1 inch.
Right now you are at 50yrds distance from your target. Each click from here will move the RETICLES about 1/8 of an inch so estimate the distance that your most central shot of the 3 you fired, is from the black dot and adjust accordingly. You're not moving the RIFLE here, you are simply moving the scope RETICLES so that your point of aim and point of impact coincides.
Now load 3 more rounds of ammo and repeat as above. You should only have to use about 9 rounds to get on target, the black dot.
Once you are hitting the black dot at the 50yrd line, move back to the 100yrd line. Put a fresh black dot on your target and repeat the steps from above. Your first 3 shots from the 100yrd line should be about 1/2 to 1 inch low. Don't follow the bullet strikes! Keep your point of aim and the crosshairs ON the black dot no matter where the bullets are striking on the target. Remember, now at 100yrds your RETICLES will move 1/4inch with each 'click' of adjustment of the turret knobs.
Adjust the scope as needed at this point. Once you are 'ON TARGET'(hitting the black dot), you now have your 100yrd. 'ZERO'.
Now that you have this 100yrd ZERO, you must loosen the turret knobs , both the Vertical(Elevation) and the Horizontal(Windage) turrets and align the '0' on the knobs with the '0' on the scope at the base of each knob. Now tighten the set screws and you are set to go. If you want to know your 200yrd 'ZERO', simply move back to the 200yrd line, your 'come-up' or elevation adjustment should be about 7-9 clicks, at least for .308 168grn HPBT, but you will figure it out for the Cal./brand/wght ammo you are using. WHATEVER the 'come-up' you need to make at 200, 300,400yrds or wherever, be sure to make note of the number of clicks you used to find the Zero for that distance. Use a fine point endelible marker and actually write the ZERO info on thestock of your rifle. You don't need to mark anything for the 100yrd ZERO, it's a given already. Write; 200/9, 300/18 and so on. You should also get your ZERO for the intermidiate, 150yrd, 250yrds etc, distances as well.
Remember that weather conditions, source and intesity of light conditions, your own body condition at any particular moment or day can have an affecf on how you and/or your rifle shoot. Good luck.

Keep in mind Diane this is for a set distance. if you are taking a shot at a target further than your are set for (ie a target you wont get 3 shots @) remember how the bullet is travelling as it goes down range

one idea would be to set your rifle up down range and zero it in on a target (preferably paper) now adjust 1 MOA (try and have target @ 100 yards and 200 yards)

see how far the bullet moves for each moa adjustment. then check it against the next range.

this should remain constant @ a set number of inches per 100 yards.

so if you zero in @ 100 yards and then move 1 moa any direction and it adjusts (lets say and hope it is 1.047 inches") then you do the same for 200 yards. it should be twice as much movement. ie 2.094"

once you know what 1 moa represents on your scope you can adjust alot more accurately.

REMEBER the total inches of movement / adjustment per MOA is directly related to range (a precise range helps in shooting) so if your squirrel is 150 yards and your first shot is off 9" to adjust you divide 9" by the inches per moa so 1.5 (150 yards /100) X (Inches per 100 yards per moa you measured hopefully 1.047") its 9" divided by 2x1.047 = 9" / 2.094 = 4.29799

this number needs to be rounded to the nearest click on your scope (most are 1/4 MOA scopes and you can tell by looking at how many clicks/lines are inbewteen each large number on your windage and elevation dials

so to turn this into an adjustment we round 4.29799 to 4.25 which is 4.25 MOA or 17 clicks on a 1/4 min scope.

GL and any questions just post and ill help

not please rate this as fixya :)

Note i can provide EXACT information that would allow you to determine range, and windage and elevation adjustments by looking through scope and estimating range
then factoring in weather variables. NOTE you hafta enjoy math or just want to know how to shoot really well. :)