Best way to sight in new scope

[David Zimprich]

Hello I have read a lot of different ways to sight in a new scope. I have a Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50 CDS-ZL2 That is going on a 375 h&h Magnum. I would like to have it zerod in at 100 yards. Maybe even 200 Yards. Any suggestions?
Thank you,
David

 

[Barrelnut]

It can get as complicated and as far down the rabbit hole as you care to venture.
A big determining factor is the min and max ranges that you plan on taking game.
What are those?

 

[David Zimprich]

Most likely 100 to 200 yards for Brown Bear and moose.

 

[Barrelnut]

That makes since. Couple guys I have know who owned them used them for knocking down trees. Never shot at any animals that big, but I see no reason not to zero at 200 yards. I cannot imagine 1 1/2 inches making a big deal on a brown bear at any distance in that range But I would probably have too much chicken crap in my pants to shoot anyways. So what do i know.

 

[WyoHunter1]

Watch some U-tube videos. Lots of people will have opinions, but going from opinions to practical use is hard to do. Watch the videos and it will make more sense.

 

[Dosh]

Starting with a good laser boresight will save some ammo to get on the paper. The muzzle blast from that 375 will kill many even if you miss!!

 

[Deleted member 107796]

IMO, no need for a laser. Find a good target at 100 yards. I use a red "danger" oval that's on a utility fence near me. Take the bolt out and secure your rifle on a sandbag or other. Look down the barrel until the bore lines up with your target. Take your time and keep it concentric with the darker outer ring of your barrel. Then move the reticles to match the target. Over the last several rifles I've boresighted by eye, they have been off by no more than 2" either way.

 

[ChrisAU]

A Bushnell collimator is my favorite tool:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002LWWBW/?tag=lrhmag19-20

The coolest thing about one of these is when I swap scopes I simply put the collimator on before hand, note where the crosshairs are, and then put the new one at that location. I'm usually within a inch or two at 100 yards.

I also prefer a 200 yd zero on most rifles, takes all the thinking out of shooting here in the Southeast.

 

[claybreaker]

IMO, no need for a laser. Find a good target at 100 yards. I use a red "danger" oval that's on a utility fence near me. Take the bolt out and secure your rifle on a sandbag or other. Look down the barrel until the bore lines up with your target. Take your time and keep it concentric with the darker outer ring of your barrel. Then move the reticles to match the target. Over the last several rifles I've boresighted by eye, they have been off by no more than 2" either way.

THIS !! Works great for me too, it gets me close every time, the first time.

 

[Almondgrower]

IMO, no need for a laser. Find a good target at 100 yards. I use a red "danger" oval that's on a utility fence near me. Take the bolt out and secure your rifle on a sandbag or other. Look down the barrel until the bore lines up with your target. Take your time and keep it concentric with the darker outer ring of your barrel. Then move the reticles to match the target. Over the last several rifles I've boresighted by eye, they have been off by no more than 2" either way.

Fire your first shot once you are bore sited and on paper . Assuming your rifle is in sand bags . After the first shot , anchor the rifle and put crosshairs directly on point of aim from first shot , then without moving the rifle at all... move the crosshairs directly under the bullet hole about 1 1/2" or what ever you need to be zeroed at 200. This way you save the shots from chasing bullet impacts all over the target while trying to dial in turrets . With this method I normally have it zeroed in two shots , sometimes 3.

 

[rogerstv]

I installed all of mine without any sort of additional equipment. I draw a long vertical line on the 100-yard target butt to align the cross hairs. Use a four-foot level or a plumb bob. I generally shoot once at 50 to get an idea where it is on paper then move out. Always use large sheets of paper. 200 yard zero then shoot at 100 to know where bullet hits.

Have a friend who bought shims for his rings before attempting to install a scope. His thought is to avoid using too much scope adjustment to zero. Two trips to the range and he still isn't zeroed. Waste of money IMO.

 

[Will Gray]

IMO, no need for a laser. Find a good target at 100 yards. I use a red "danger" oval that's on a utility fence near me. Take the bolt out and secure your rifle on a sandbag or other. Look down the barrel until the bore lines up with your target. Take your time and keep it concentric with the darker outer ring of your barrel. Then move the reticles to match the target. Over the last several rifles I've boresighted by eye, they have been off by no more than 2" either way.

That is how I do it..

 

[Greyfox]

I sighted my 375H&H in at 200 Yards with a 270gr SP which was good for thin skinned game from 50 to 300 yards with a high shoulder hold. This rifle would also would shoot 300 gr solids/soft points dead on at 100 yards with no change to my scope setting(also had back up iron sights) The beauty of the 375H&H! I used the rifle for everything from impala to Cape Buffalo (at close range)....about three decades ago.

 

[SavageHunter11]

Hello I have read a lot of different ways to sight in a new scope. I have a Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50 CDS-ZL2 That is going on a 375 h&h Magnum. I would like to have it zerod in at 100 yards. Maybe even 200 Yards. Any suggestions?
Thank you,
David

My preferred method is to get the rifle solidly set up on the bench, if you have a lead sled great, if not I use a Harris bipod for the front and a bag for the back with great success.

1. Look down the bore of the rifle from the breach and center it on a high visibility target at 100 yards (you'd be surprised as how easily you can focus on a target at 100 yards through the bore).
2. Now, as carefully as you can and without moving the rifle, shift your head up from looking down the bore and transition to looking through the scope.
3. Adjust your reticle accordingly so that is centers on the target you have your bore centered on.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you're satisfied the bore and reticle are aligned (usually 3 or 4 times repeating these steps).
5. Fire a round at the target, you should be within 4 to 5 inches of the center of target in my experience, adjust the scope accordingly
6. Fire another round(s) to verify adjustments ,your scope should be zeroed at 100 yards now.

Been doing it this way for over a decade now and it's pretty rare I need more than 2 rounds to be 99% of the way zero'd with all my scopes at 100 yards.

NOTE: Even if my second round is smack center on the bullseye I will usually (always) fire an additional 2 to 4 rounds to verify zero and check grouping. Like my geometry teacher once said: 1st time is just luck, 2nd time is a coincidence, 3rd time is the charm, and anything after that is just good data.