Do you use your hand loads to get on paper?

[DJ Fergus]

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 try to get on paper with the cheapest components I have on hand.

 

[Philward]

I use the same loads I plan using in the rifle for hunting or whatever. If you bore sight the rifle you should be able to get pretty close at a 100. It shouldn't take too many shots to be sighted in. I just pull the bolt and use the bore, usually gets me with 6 inches or so at a 100. Easy to do.

I'm usually pretty close at 50 after bore sighting but the other day, I installed a new scope on a buddies rifle, bore sighted at home and again at the range and it looked right on. At 50yds it was 8" low, which it took 4 shots to figure out. Had to dial up 15 moa to zero at 100. I think the scope was set as low as possible from factory. Maybe should have got a 10moa base.

 

[ndking1126]

I once bore sighted at 20 yards and had a perfect zero at 100. It was more luck than skill, and I'm sure itll never happen again. But point of me saying this is you shouldn't need more than a few rounds to get on paper and reasonably close to zero. Seems to me buying even the cheapest box of bullets wouldn't be very cheap if you only plan to shoot 5-8 of the 50. Just burn some of the Accubonds if you trust your ability to boresight. If you already have cheap ones sitting on the shelf with no real use for them.. sure start with those.

 

[smokey3]

If you are going to work up a load anyway, sighting in is a good way to work on load development and sighting in the rifle at the same time, in essence, killing two birds with one stone so to speak. I generally bore sight my rifle, use a poster paper in bright green or bright pink that cost a dollar each at Family Dollar or Dollar General. The reason for the colored poster paper is that the bullet holes show up much more vividly at a 100 yards than either cardboard or white paper. Shoot one shot which should be on the paper which I believe is 30" square. Keep your crosshairs on the bullseye in the original holding point and adjust your turrets until you are aligned up on the first shot. Your second shot if you do it correctly and your ammo is accurate, should be on the bullseye or at least really close. I usually take no more than three shots to zero a scope/rifle combo. There is usually some fine tuning once I have determined my ammo is giving acceptable accuracy. This is just what has worked the best for me without wasting precious components. Any of the suggestions on here will work very well if done properly. For me, sighting in really close up is just not something that I have ever needed to do. Your mileage may vary, good luck.

 

[smokey3]

I use my hand loads. If you have a good system you should be on paper in less than 5 rounds. I don't buy 50, 100, 250 etc of ANYTHING as it applies to reloading. In times of plenty it's 1k minimum bullets and 5k minimum primers, 200 if rifle and-1k HG or 223 brass and once I find a powder I like it's 5-8lbs minimum. I have at worst lost 5%-10% on re-selling bullets never have lost a penny on the very little powder I have ever re-sold have never even considered re-selling primers or brass.
And I am not hording at all rather long long ago I sat down and figured out my average of how much first myself and now including my sons shoot per firearm and caliber a year and bought accordingly and as there is essentially no shelf life on reloading components It is only wise and prudent to stock up in preparation for the when the inevitable times of famine replace times of plenty.
Jacob of the bible taught such a lesson to the Pharos of Egypt and it was not lost on me.

Very good advice.

 

[MOOSE39465]

I always reload my own ammo. This gives me an opportunity to form new brass.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Tip for getting started:

Staple blank paper completely around your target. This way if you totally miss the target you will (hopefully) still see get an impact which will tell you which direction you need to move the turrets to get you on the target.

 

[338 dude]

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?

Yes I bore sight and then use my hand loads because that is all I have I do not shoot factory ammo in any of my rifles also you may be hard-pressed to find what you need nowadays

 

[Hard rock]

After bore sighting, if you shoot one round at 25yds, adjust, shoot one round at 50yds, adjust and then shoot at 10oyds, you'll easily be "on paper" with only 5 rounds expended. Maybe 10 rounds if you spin the turrets in the wrong direction. lol

It's only the guys who start out at 100yds or more that can't figure out where the bullets are going and shoot up boxes of ammo trying to get on paper.

It's reall easy to look down the bore at a100 yds and bore sight too get on paper I use this method over a colliminator I think it works as good if not sometimes better

 

[Arkansasdad]

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?

If you have a ballistics calculator you can check this but with a scope 1.68" above center of bore, the sight in point is 28.5' to be on at 100 yds., 26' to on at 200 yds. That is with a 150 moving around 2950 ft/sec. I used to load Remington CoreLokts for sighting in because I could get them for 15¢ apiece.

 

[Trm82]

I always shoot at 200 yards for load development and I'm usually on paper in no more than 3 shots with when I mount a new scope .