Sighting in a rifle

[Core Lokt]

I'm sure it has been discussed just like the processing threads....


Many people shoot out to 100 yds, 200 yds sighting in a gun. Nothing wrong with that.

I have followed my dad's steps and zero my gun at 25 yds. It is 1" high at 100 and dead on at 200. always took his word for it. Works for my .243 and .06. Never had an issue. Granted my furthest shot I have ever made (once) was 265 yds and it DRT, hit where aimed but it is rare for me to shoot over 100 yds at a deer. Have made several just under 200 over the years.

Does anyone else do like I do when sighting in a gun? Been doing it this way for over 35 years when getting a new scope. If it ain't broke I don't fix it.

 

[antharper]

Yes exactly the same for me

 

[TonyP62]

I do the same at 25 yards but i have never killed one over 100 yards. I dont hunt any open places only woods. I have missed before but not the guns fault.

 

[Ohoopee Tusker]

I have an old Leupold bore sight, it has a magnet that attaches to the end of the barrel. When you look through the scope you see a bulls eye with lines. I use that to get it close, then zero it at 25 yards. Usually only takes a shot or two. Then I'll shoot it at 100 yards.

 

[Kev]

I sight mine in at 100 and then shoot it at 25 to see what the difference is before I hunt with it.

 

[kmckinnie]

I sight mine in at 100 and then shoot it at 25 to see what the difference is before I hunt with it.

What is the difference?

 

[gma1320]

Yes, I do mine the same way. Zero at 25 yards. I will shoot two shots at 100 to verify nothing crazy is happening down range.

 

[Core Lokt]

I sight mine in at 100 and then shoot it at 25 to see what the difference is before I hunt with it.

If you zero at 100 your 25 will not be zero though.

Now understand it all has to do with the weight of the bullet too. 165 g in my .06 and 100g in the 243. Never had an issue this way.

Dad had an .06 that would only pattern180g and it was a little different. Dropped a lot faster.

 

[Kev]

If you zero at 100 your 25 will not be zero though.

Now understand it all has to do with the weight of the bullet too. 165 g in my .06 and 100g in the 243. Never had an issue this way.

Dad had an .06 that would only pattern180g and it was a little different. Dropped a lot faster.

I don’t zero at 100. I sight it in about 1.5 inches high at 100 and at 25 yards it usually shoots low. How low depends on parallax, weight, and velocity. My number one goal is to group at 100 yards. Once I do that, I check close range (25 yards) and if there is a problem I evaluate.

 

[wm742]

We have always done 50yrds. That usually kept us with in a couple inches up or down at 25 and at 100

 

[Lilly001]

If you zero at 25, or 50 or some other range, you may be zero’d at 100 also. That depends on the cartridge and load you are shooting. There will be variations with each different load. But you will most likely be “minute of deer”.
I start at 50 yards after setting the scope with a Lazer bor sighter. It usually only takes a couple rounds.
Then I shoot at 100 yards and verify my “hunting zero” which is usually 1.5 or 2” high.
I find that even with a 50 yard zero I am often an inch or two off on windage at 100 yards.
But I would still be “minute of deer” probably @ 200 yard+.
I shoot targets at 200 yards or more if I have the rare opportunity. It just fine tunes my zero.

 

[bear claw]

What is the difference?

75 yards

 

[kmckinnie]

75 yards

I’m glad I asked.

 

[Hickory Nut]

Same for me, Core.

 

[Mauser]

I get it real close at 25 and move on to a hunnerd and get it dead on or if it’s a rifle I’m shootin to 200+ I’ll put it 1.5-2

 

[Core Lokt]

If you zero at 25, or 50 or some other range, you may be zero’d at 100 also. That depends on the cartridge and load you are shooting. There will be variations with each different load. But you will most likely be “minute of deer”.
I start at 50 yards after setting the scope with a Lazer bor sighter. It usually only takes a couple rounds.
Then I shoot at 100 yards and verify my “hunting zero” which is usually 1.5 or 2” high.
I find that even with a 50 yard zero I am often an inch or two off on windage at 100 yards.
But I would still be “minute of deer” probably @ 200 yard+.
I shoot targets at 200 yards or more if I have the rare opportunity. It just fine tunes my zero.

I agree. I’m speaking for the bullets I shoot. If I were to go up or down in weight it wouldn’t be the same

 

[rstallings1979]

I'm sure it has been discussed just like the processing threads....


Many people shoot out to 100 yds, 200 yds sighting in a gun. Nothing wrong with that.

I have followed my dad's steps and zero my gun at 25 yds. It is 1" high at 100 and dead on at 200. always took his word for it. Works for my .243 and .06. Never had an issue. Granted my furthest shot I have ever made (once) was 265 yds and it DRT, hit where aimed but it is rare for me to shoot over 100 yds at a deer. Have made several just under 200 over the years.

Does anyone else do like I do when sighting in a gun? Been doing it this way for over 35 years when getting a new scope. If it ain't broke I don't fix it.

Zeroing that close runs the risk for a high shot at 100 yards with some loads and calibers. I would be willing to bet a 25 zero with a 6.5 may have you as much as six inches or more high at 100 based on trajectory of the bullet. Zeroing at 50 would be better in my opinion. That would still put you a little high at 100. Maybe 2-3 inches with most calibers but closer to 0 at 200.

 

[B. White]

Zeroing that close runs the risk for a high shot at 100 yards with some loads and calibers. I would be willing to bet a 25 zero with a 6.5 may have you as much as six inches or more high at 100 based on trajectory of the bullet. Zeroing at 50 would be better in my opinion. That would still put you a little high at 100. Maybe 2-3 inches with most calibers but closer to 0 at 200.

When I put the scope on a Grendel it was about 6” high at 50. Got it dead on and moved to 100 and it was still a good bit high. I’ve never had any problems with close or further shots hunting when zeroed at 100, but 150 is about the farthest shot I have.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

I do that same on a new scope sight in, start at 25 yards, I like it one inch high at 25, then do one final shot at 100 to confirm. Always worked for me with .308, .243. 30-06, 7mm-08.... I never start out any further than 25, can waste some shells that way. Every year I shoot all my rifles I intend on using for deer season and I shoot at 50 yards on those given they already sighted in, just confirming they are still good to hunt with.

 

[Core Lokt]

What I do with my gun and load may not work for the next but it’s been good to me for 35 years and it looks like others so I’ll keep doing like I have