Edge,
TO be honest, when I fine tune my rifles I generally do not dial up at all once they are set where I want them. That greatly depends on the rifle and the purpose of that rifle. For this rifle, when I finally get things tuned where I want them I will zero the fourth mil reference point up from the main crosshair for a 1000 yard impact.
Then I will leave the scope adjustments where they are and develope a drop chart using several test reference points from there out. I will compare the actual impacts at actual ranges of several different test groups and then develope a drop chart off those numbers.
I will then revarify with actual range testing of that drop chart model and make any minor adjustments needed to tweak the drop chart to match the trajectory of the bullets.
Once that is finished I will have reference points that will work from 1000 yards out to around 1950 yards without ever touching an adjustment turret on the scope.
For +2000 yard shooting I will dial in the adjustments.
It is ALWAYS better to zero at long range, even if you find there is some error on your shot placement at closer range. I have found with many rifles that when a rifle is zeroed at 1000 yards and then checked at say 300 yards, often the groups will be slightly off impact from where they should be, generally this is horizontal.
it is generally not much at all and it has never been enough to really worry about.
BUT, if you go the other direction and zero at say 300 yards, the variation that is off at 1000 yards will be siginificant which is the problem I ran into. Just a lack of preperation time is all it comes down to. The rifles need to be ready before they go to the field. Had the rifle been zeroed at long range, I suspect there would have been very few rounds fired down range.
Good Shooting!!
Kirby Allen(50)
