Do you use your hand loads to get on paper?

[Buttermilk]

I typically can bore sight by pulling the bolt, eyeball the target thru the barrel, make scope adjustments, fire one shot and be on paper with that one shot.

 

[T3ninja]

I never thought much about it....most of our firearms have never had a "factory round" fired in them! So.....I guess the answer is whatever ammo is for the firearms intended use. After all, it only takes a few rounds to zero, using a different bullet will probably not zero identical to the bullet for intended future use......necessitating the "expensive" bullet to be used for zeroing anyway! memtb

Not only this, but I had an eye opening experience with my .300 WM this year. I got all my dope and was getting consistent hits out to 800 with Berger 215's. Switched to nosler 190 CC's I had loaded, just to free up the brass, Went back to the bergers and it took 8-10 rounds for it to "settle back down" to make consistent hits!!!

 

[swilk14]

Don't waste ammo. Use scrub ammo if you have to get close to POI. Than adjust with hunting/ target ammo.

What ever ammo you use, Scope cross hairs go in a straight line to infinity.
Bullet follows path of bore until acted on by another force (Let's just call this bullet drop for this close range). The BulletDrop falls to earth as it leaves the barrel.

Match the two is goal at sight distance you choose. 100? 200? Decide what range you are sighting in for. Use a ballistic calculator (App Store ballistic calculator, computer program, whatever you find) to your advantage, know what your perfect bullet path is at different range you are using.

At 200 yds Bullet and cross Hairs meet at almost 40 and 200 yds. ( so sight in for where bullet will hit at the distance you pick).

Sight in close example: 7mm mag sighted in with 175 gr NAB with BC O.648 going 2890 (picked average for 60.6 g RL 22) it's 0.1" at 40 yds, almost dead on
50 yds 0.5" high
70 yds 1" high
100yds 1.4" high
200 dead on.

So the more you know, the less ammo you waste to get where YOUR BulletDrop hits where you sight in. Examples of sighting in a different range works, but point of impact changes. Helps save ammo for those zeroing dead on, moving diff distance, zeroing dead on. Use known POI and save ammo. Fine tune group at final sight in distance (now your ammo, scope and gun live in harmony).

I love the sight in in 2 shoots. Provided you don't move.

Aim center at Target and shoot. Bullet hits target.
Aim same place center Target, now adjust scope sight line to meet where bullet hit target.

This in the beginning is confusing, as if bullet is say low left, you move dial in direction of up, but as you are looking in scope, cross hairs move down. Keep moving until the horizontal cross hair meet the bullet hole on horizontal cross hair( so now height is on, bullet is to left). Now move dial to move bullet right, scope cross hairs move left, stop when cross hairs on bullet hole.

Now in a perfect world they are now at same point. If you held without moving, and bullet hits same hole every time. But boy, when you get this, saves time and ammo.


1) bore sight (any method you have, use). Believe it or not look center down the bore does work on a small object at 50, 100 yds.
2) know ballistic drop chart for your choice.
3) use scope measurement, or sight in with 2 shots.


Here is Same data for 100 yd sight in with bullet mentioned above.

40 yds is low 0.4"
79,80,90 yds flat dead on.
200 yds -2"

 

[Alibiiv]

I'm developing loads for my 7 mag, and I just mounted a new optic on it, so she needs to be sighted in. I'm using Nosler LR Accubonds and would prefer not to have to use them to sight in. Do I hunt down some inexpensive 7mm pills and work up a few rounds for getting on paper after bore-sighting? Do you all use hand loads for sighting in'or have another system?

As for using reloads, that is all I ever shoot or hunt with are reloads. Instead of using the expensive rounds I would hunt up some inexpensive ammo in in the same grain bullet and do the initial sighting in out to 100 yards. But.....good luck with finding ammo of any kind today. No matter what you plan to shoot, you ought to be able to get on paper within a few shots, especially if you have two people and a good, soloid rest of some type. Generally I will bore sight my rifle, then I use some "red resin" paper that I get from a lumber yard; like $12, or a piece of cardboard. I use the resin paper to make sure that I have a clean backer behind my target that is set up at 25 yards. I will then rest the rifle, center up on my target and squeeze off a round. I will then "center up the target" again, which means holding the crosshairs in the center of the target on a solid rest (with the scope caps off). While maintaining that steady, solid hold I will have my son adjust the turrets of the scope to move the cross hairs over to my first shot. Another words you don't move the gun, you move/adjust the cross hairs to the first shot. After adjusting the cross hairs to my first shot, center up the target and fire another round, that round ought to be dead center or very close to dead center. This process can be done with one person, however I have found it a little difficult to keep the rifle in the same place while adjusting the cross hairs to my first hole. After this process is done I will move the target out to 50 yards, fine tune the scope, and then work the process out to 100 yards. Using this process you ought to be able to get very close on center with a minimum of three to four rounds. I mentioned resin paper for a clean back backer because I also use the resin paper to make my own targets using fluorescent target dots. The resin paper is inexpensive, like 36 inches wide and will withstand some pretty heavy winds without tearing.

 

[swilk14]

Don't waste ammo. Use scrub ammo if you have to get close to POI. Than adjust with hunting/ target ammo.

What ever ammo you use, Scope cross hairs go in a straight line to infinity.
Bullet follows path of bore until acted on by another force (Let's just call this bullet drop for this close range). The BulletDrop falls to earth as it leaves the barrel.

Match the two is goal at sight distance you choose. 100? 200? Decide what range you are sighting in for. Use a ballistic calculator (App Store ballistic calculator, computer program, whatever you find) to your advantage, know what your perfect bullet path is at different range you are using.

At 200 yds Bullet and cross Hairs meet at almost 40 and 200 yds. ( so sight in for where bullet will hit at the distance you pick).

Sight in close example: 7mm mag sighted in with 175 gr NAB with BC O.648 going 2890 (picked average for 60.6 g RL 22) it's 0.1" at 40 yds, almost dead on
50 yds 0.5" high
70 yds 1" high
100yds 1.4" high
200 dead on.

So the more you know, the less ammo you waste to get where YOUR BulletDrop hits where you sight in. Examples of sighting in a different range works, but point of impact changes. Helps save ammo for those zeroing dead on, moving diff distance, zeroing dead on. Use known POI and save ammo. Fine tune group at final sight in distance (now your ammo, scope and gun live in harmony).

I love the sight in in 2 shoots. Provided you don't move.

Aim center at Target and shoot. Bullet hits target.
Aim same place center Target, now adjust scope sight line to meet where bullet hit target.

This in the beginning is confusing, as if bullet is say low left, you move dial in direction of up, but as you are looking in scope, cross hairs move down. Keep moving until the horizontal cross hair meet the bullet hole on horizontal cross hair( so now height is on, bullet is to left). Now move dial to move bullet right, scope cross hairs move left, stop when cross hairs on bullet hole.

Now in a perfect world they are now at same point. If you held without moving, and bullet hits same hole every time. But boy, when you get this, saves time and ammo.


1) bore sight (any method you have, use). Believe it or not look center down the bore does work on a small object at 50, 100 yds.
2) know ballistic drop chart for your choice.
3) use scope measurement, or sight in with 2 shots.


Here is Same data for 100 yd sight in with bullet mentioned above.

40 yds is low 0.4"
79,80,90 yds flat dead on.
200 yds -2"

 

[Almondgrower]

I do use a handload I'm going to want to use to work up a load , I'll start at MY minimum charge where I want to start so I can work up in charge weight to use that info also . I'll use bolt out method at 100yds and chronograph too. I'll fire one shot with the rifle in a vise type stand . Once I find the first shot poi , I then hold directly on target as the first shot AND WITHOUT MOVING RIFLE I'll adjust the crosshairs 1" directly blow the first shot bullet hole ( I normally set up 1" high @ 100 ) . Then I fire another at dead center of target to confirm . This method normally gets me dead on in 3 sometimes 4 shots @100

 

[Paulstarr]

Never use cheap heads to zero, it won't work,always use the loads you intend to shoot with.You can zero at 100yds with the info supplied ie,remove bolt, bore sight from rests back and front, look through the scope and see if it's looking at the same p.o.i.as the the bore if not adjust it to suit, take the shot and then trim the scope in from your first shot.Job done.

 

[Gater]

I'm developing loads for my 7 mag, and I just mounted a new optic on it, so she needs to be sighted in. I'm using Nosler LR Accubonds and would prefer not to have to use them to sight in. Do I hunt down some inexpensive 7mm pills and work up a few rounds for getting on paper after bore-sighting? Do you all use hand loads for sighting in'or have another system?

I shoot nothing but hand loads from my rifles I'll shoot factory .45s

 

[amadjuster]

You can sight in with handloads or cheaper factory logs, but you will still have to do your final sighting in with whatever you will be using to hunt. You will be amazed at the different point of impact.

 

[Kaleb1120]

I keep a supply of factory around for all of my calibers as I know as soon as I upgrade my glass on a LR rifle I will be using it just for the purpose of getting on paper

 

[Starlite]

I'm developing loads for my 7 mag, and I just mounted a new optic on it, so she needs to be sighted in. I'm using Nosler LR Accubonds and would prefer not to have to use them to sight in. Do I hunt down some inexpensive 7mm pills and work up a few rounds for getting on paper after bore-sighting? Do you all use hand loads for sighting in'or have another system?

It really depends on how you develop your loads. If you use a chronograph to find flat spots while using the ladder test method then you can use your hand loads.

 

[skipglo]

I'm developing loads for my 7 mag, and I just mounted a new optic on it, so she needs to be sighted in. I'm using Nosler LR Accubonds and would prefer not to have to use them to sight in. Do I hunt down some inexpensive 7mm pills and work up a few rounds for getting on paper after bore-sighting? Do you all use hand loads for sighting in'or have another system?

This is an honest question... not rhetorical....is there actually a cheap brand of 7 mag down there that costs less than good reloads? Or any other shells with the exception of .223 and 50 BMG! Only bullet I can't reload here for FAR LESS THAN retail...is 50 bmg. To answer your question I use reloads. Sight in shouldn't take more than 4 shots what are you going to do with the other 16 unless you like the brass and intend to use it!

 

[FEENIX]

I'm developing loads for my 7 mag, and I just mounted a new optic on it, so she needs to be sighted in. I'm using Nosler LR Accubonds and would prefer not to have to use them to sight in. Do I hunt down some inexpensive 7mm pills and work up a few rounds for getting on paper after bore-sighting? Do you all use hand loads for sighting in'or have another system?

Do you have enough Nosler LRAB for your load development and sight-in?

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I typically can bore sight by pulling the bolt, eyeball the target thru the barrel, make scope adjustments, fire one shot and be on paper with that one shot.

Everyone should have this exercise down as it is also something that can save the hunt of a lifetime, after traveling with a rifle.
Over the last several scope mountings, I've yet to be off more than +/- 2.5" from zero at 100 yards, when bore sighting by eye.