Practicing for my elk hunt in October. I always zeroed my rifles and muzzleloaders at 100 yards. However, the farthest shot on this hunt will be 300 yards as my 8x57 bullet drops alot between 300 and 400 yards I will not take a longer shot as I am afraid I may wound the animal. I am shooting a 8x57 .323 175 grain Sierra Prohunter at 2650 fps which has a sectional density of .240 and a ballistic coefficient of .381. An article on the internet said for long distance hunting, hitting about 2" high at 100 yards is a better zero. Not asking anybody to do any calculations. I think my balistics are similar to a 308 so hoping some of you know your preference off the top of your head. Thanks in advance for all replies.
Welcome Guest!
What distance to zero hunting rifle at.
- Thread starter JR924
- Start date
Tight Lines
Senior Member
I've never actually been on an elk hunt, but for Kansas we typically zero rifles at the MPBR or 200 yards. For what you are doing, I would zero it at MPBR personally. I was scheduled for an elk hunt a while back, and set my .300 Win Mag up at MPBR, but didn't end up getting to do the hunt due to international work travel.
I ran it on the calculator (assuming you gave the G1 and at 5000 feet) and it says basically what you said...MPBR is 225 yards, and using a 4" target you should be 1.93" high at 100 yards.
shooterscalculator.com
I ran it on the calculator (assuming you gave the G1 and at 5000 feet) and it says basically what you said...MPBR is 225 yards, and using a 4" target you should be 1.93" high at 100 yards.
ShootersCalculator.com | Point Blank Range Calculator
Calculates the maximum point blank range of a firearm cartridge fired from a rifle or handgun.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
If you change the target size to 6" you get 262 yards and 2.78" high at 100...
1eyefishing
...just joking, seriously.
Data points are better than theory.
I would do it this way...
Start out trying to put it dead zero at 25 yds.
This will guarantee you're on paper when you move out to 100 yd and try to make it 2 inches high there. It should be close already.
Shoot it at 200. Refine the left/right windage. Then shoot it at three hundred to see how low you are. If you move the up/down dial before the 300 yard group, shoot again at 100 yd to see how high you are.
Now you KNOW what's going on from 0 to 300 and it's easy enough to find out what's going on at 400.
Good luck!
I would do it this way...
Start out trying to put it dead zero at 25 yds.
This will guarantee you're on paper when you move out to 100 yd and try to make it 2 inches high there. It should be close already.
Shoot it at 200. Refine the left/right windage. Then shoot it at three hundred to see how low you are. If you move the up/down dial before the 300 yard group, shoot again at 100 yd to see how high you are.
Now you KNOW what's going on from 0 to 300 and it's easy enough to find out what's going on at 400.
Good luck!
Tight Lines
Senior Member
This particular calculator doesn't have the 8x57 but this is the .308 zeroed at 200 yards using your cartridge parameters...
Tight Lines
Senior Member
I'd also want to understand what my energy was at 300 yards...I used a 4" target above where an elk is really much larger (deer is 8" at least)...I did that as I assume the energy is starting to drop dramatically at the 300 yard range...out to 225 yards it appears like a sufficient round. Hopefully someone here has hunted elk with the 8x57 and can chime in...the physics don't change, and running the numbers will help with your range work of course...good luck hope to see some pics!
mallardsx2
BANNED
Raylander
I’m Billy’s Useles Uncle.
Elk has hit some big lungs. If you hit your spot they won’t go far
pacecars
Senior Member
My procedure for sighting in most rifles from .25-06 to .300 Weatherby is to bore sight a target at 25 yards then shoot to get it centered in the bullseye. This puts me just about 2” high at 100 regardless of caliber. You may need to make a couple adjustments but it won’t be a lot. Then shoot at 200, 300 and 400 to verify. If you only have 100 yards at your range you might want to keep your shots at 200 or less (not because the calibers aren’t capable) since you haven’t practiced at longer ranges. My 2 cents for what it is worth
1eyefishing
...just joking, seriously.
Railroader
Billy’s Security Guard.
The only way to know is to do some actual shooting at 300, and do enough to feel comfortable.
Theorizing ain't gonna feed the bulldog. You gotta do some shooting.
Theorizing ain't gonna feed the bulldog. You gotta do some shooting.
Batjack
Cap`n Jack 1313
Do you practice at 100 yards when hunting around here? Then you need to practice at 300 yards for out there. And I don't mean benched on a range...that gets the weapon right, but you gotta get you right also, practice just as if you're making the shot out in the woods. Made many kill shots over 1000 yards and it wasn't because I didn't know exactly what me and my weapon would at that range. Practice makes "almost" perfect.
Jester896
Senior Clown
yep..perfect practice makes perfect...otherwise it is just controlled chaos
Last edited:
Tight Lines
Senior Member
I made the assumption he was going to the range to practice plenty, just trying to figure out where to set his zero.
If I am not using a rangefinder, ballistics calculator, and tactical turrets, I use MPBR for longer range so I don't have to think about it.
If I am using my Kestrel, rangefinder and Swaro scope with turrets, I just use the turrets as needed based on the wind and range.
If I am hunting in GA I zero at 100 yds and range it and a few of my rifles have BDC optics.
If I was staying inside of 300 yards, I'd do MPBR personally...
If I am not using a rangefinder, ballistics calculator, and tactical turrets, I use MPBR for longer range so I don't have to think about it.
If I am using my Kestrel, rangefinder and Swaro scope with turrets, I just use the turrets as needed based on the wind and range.
If I am hunting in GA I zero at 100 yds and range it and a few of my rifles have BDC optics.
If I was staying inside of 300 yards, I'd do MPBR personally...
notnksnemor
The Great and Powerful Oz
If it was me, I would sight it in 2.5 to 3" high at 100 yards with a 300 yard max range.
And practice at all ranges as suggested.
And practice at all ranges as suggested.
Big7
The Oracle
Look it up on this table. It will get you pretty close. If you have never used a MPBR chart or ballistics calculator, read it from start to finish a few times and it will hit you all of a sudden.
Big7
The Oracle
That's within a few yards of what I'm getting but on an animal that size, I would call it 300 yards.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
Agreed...I don't know the 8x57 at all though...that's why I used 4" and 6" calcs on the MPBR...
I think the MPBR on my .300 WM was 389 yards using a 12" target...and still had 2300 ft. lbs. of energy...that was 4.5" high at 100 yards...I practiced with it out to 500 yards...using 200 gr. ELD-X...
Big7
The Oracle
If you are shooting American factory loads they are powerful "enough", maybe barely 300 but European store bought and the full power load data, it's neck and neck with the 30- 06 out to about 500.
The American factory stuff is loaded down but any commercial rifle or a military large ring 98 Mauser will handle full power loads. Probably could even push it a little.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
Love Chuck Hawks information!Look it up on this table. It will get you pretty close. If you have never used a MPBR chart or ballistics calculator, read it from start to finish a few times and it will hit you all of a sudden.
