Zero at 100 Yards and Leave Turret at 200 Yards for Hunting?

[TexasSportsman]

Which is why getting adequate trigger time in at the range before the start of the season. Your drop will vary when shooting at an upward or downward angle.

Most range finders calculate the additional +/- distances automatically for those angles.

I'm not good at those calculations on run which is why I use a rangefinder.

The range is a controlled environment. From a rock steady bench and a thick line of trees on left/right and back that nearly eliminates wind drift.

So get out into the field and practice. Find areas where you can practice at various shooting angles.

It'll take time to be able do know how much you need to hold over.

 

[General RE LEE]

Clark, the OP hasn't posted since he started this thread. I don't think what any of us say matters much....

maybe I'm reading the replies

 

[emp1953]

For my .270win shooting 150gr Nosler partitions and ABLR at 2885fps I zero 1.5" high at 100yds, that gives me nearly
dead on at 200yds and at 300yds with the same point of aim on a deer, I will still hit the vitals. The only time I mess with my elevation turret is on shots 400yds and further. I have a ballistic table tacked to the inside of my box stand for quick reference.

 

[7mmTikkaShooter]

I like to get my ballistics calculator in the mix. Once I've got a load developed I like to make my zero so that my bullet apex is equal to it's lowest point within 300 yards. Meaning for instance say that I was at most +2.5" from zero, then the lowest point at 300 yards would be -2.5". The idea being you can hold on anything within that yardage bracket and know you'll be within a 5" window. Once you know about where that load should be hitting at 100 yards you can then try to zero as close as possible to that spot. Depending on the load you're shooting and the acceptable "window" you can make your zero whatever you like. An example I can give you would be one of my guns, under no wind, will apex around 150 yards at +2.7" and is -2.3" at 300 yards. This is with a zero of +2.18" at 100 yards. In addition I will set my 100 yard zero slightly left to mitigate spin drift. In the given example gun I also have the zero set at 0.28" left. This has my horizontal apex left at about 0.5" at around 300 yards and the same distance right at about 660 yards. Of course you need to shoot all of this stuff at distance to verify but it's been working great for me. Not sure if I've ever heard of anyone else using a similar method but I doubt I'm the first to think of it. Just don't know what to call it. Apex equivalent drop method?

 

[Pro2A]

Does anyone zero at 100 yards but set their turret for 200 yard shot or MPBR and just hold on vitals out to a max range for simplicity? I can see how a 100 yard zero is convenient and with an elevation turret leaving it set on 1.75 MOA for example when hunting so it's an easy viral hold out to 250 yards or so. Anything further can be dialed.

My observation is when the zero is other than 100yds, individuals tend more to make bad shots in a sudden situation. The further the zero, the higher the probability of error. When zeroing at 100, one only has to manage for being low. Knowing your drops allows quick hold offs for a quick shot opportunity. Also, 100 zeros are typically more precise, and it is usually easier to find a 100yd target to confirm zero post-travel, unfortunate dropped firearm, etc. At 100, all the other ballistic components are not entering the performance equation as at further zero distances. Brian Litz at Applied Ballistics pointed me in this direction years ago. I've become a believer. For me, it is easier to manage. I've never been a fan of MPBR. However, whatever works every time for one should be used regardless of what works for others. One is always responsible for their own success or failure.

 

[bassassassin104]

100 yard zero and Dial up 2 inches before I walk into the field, that gets me to point and shoot to 300 yards. Anything past that, I prefer to take my time and dial it up. If I don't have time, I don't get a shot.

 

[clark33]

My observation is when the zero is other than 100yds, individuals tend more to make bad shots in a sudden situation. The further the zero, the higher the probability of error. When zeroing at 100, one only has to manage for being low. Knowing your drops allows quick hold offs for a quick shot opportunity. Also, 100 zeros are typically more precise, and it is usually easier to find a 100yd target to confirm zero post-travel, unfortunate dropped firearm, etc. At 100, all the other ballistic components are not entering the performance equation as at further zero distances. Brian Litz at Applied Ballistics pointed me in this direction years ago. I've become a believer. For me, it is easier to manage. I've never been a fan of MPBR. However, whatever works every time for one should be used regardless of what works for others. One is always responsible for their own success or failure.

Brian Litz! Another professional advising 100yd zero with a modern scope, the name of the game is eliminating or mitigating any possible error when shooting long range. 100 yard zero is the advised method. Obviously if scope had a BDC reticle follow manufacturers instructions, but if shooting MOA or MRAD 100yd and dial

 

[User4302021]

30-28 Nosler 215 at 3100
Sea level 100 zero - 1000 yards drops
223.38"
5000' 100 zero - 1000 yards drops 205.83
223.38 - 205.83 = 17.55"
Sea level 200 yard zero 1000 yards drops
211.08
5000' 200 yard zero - 1000 yards drops
193.90
17.08
17.55" 100 yard zero difference
17.08. 200 yard zero difference
Your arguement don't compute

You don't even understand enough to know what @clark33 is saying.

He isn't talking about the difference in drop between various zeroes, he is talking about the atmospheric offset differences between a 100 yard zero and a 300 yard zero as you change altitude.

A 100 yard zero will still be a 100 yard zero from sea level to 10,000ft ASL....because the difference in atmospheric conditions at that range won't even be enough to dial going from 0-10k ft.

If you had a solid 300 yard zero at sea level, then by the time you got to 10,000 ft ASL, your zero would be noticeably off. If you failed to correct it, then that same percentage of error would continue to compound as you went further out.

You can hunt with whatever field zero you wish, but your initial zero should always be at 100 yards.

 

[clark33]

You don't even understand enough to know what @clark33 is saying.

He isn't talking about the difference in drop between various zeroes, he is talking about the atmospheric offset differences between a 100 yard zero and a 300 yard zero as you change altitude.

A 100 yard zero will still be a 100 yard zero from sea level to 10,000ft ASL....because the difference in atmospheric conditions at that range won't even be enough to dial going from 0-10k ft.

If you had a solid 300 yard zero at sea level, then by the time you got to 10,000 ft ASL, your zero would be noticeably off. If you failed to correct it, then that same percentage of error would continue to compound as you went further out.

You can hunt with whatever field zero you wish, but your initial zero should always be at 100 yards.

Thank you, you sir explained it WAY better than I did

 

[orifdoc]

I get the arguments, but I'm perfectly happy with my 200 yard zero. My rationale is this.....

Within 300 yards, my ability to quickly estimate range is decent. Out past 300, I'd rather use a rangefinder. Far away, animals aren't usually aware and aren't usually moving. Up close, you might not have time for more than a quick shot. Out west, 200-300 yard shots are common. If I zero at 200, I know I'm golden for everything up to 300 or so. No thinking, no ranging, no turning turrets. Even here, in wide open country, 80% of the critters I've shot have been inside of 300 yards. For hunting, I'm happy turning knobs out to 600.... maybe 800 if conditions are perfect and the animal is calm. Errors between a 100 and 200 yard zero are pretty negligible out to 800. 1/2 MOA at 800 is still a dead deer or elk. Beyond 800, ALL of the little errors start to stack up and it ALL starts to matter.

Zeroing at 300..... not a big fan. It only extends your PBR another 50 or 100 yards, and beyond 300, I'd rather range it anyhow. It's too easy to guess poorly. It also puts you several inches low at 100 or 200. For meat animals, I like headshots, and that's just too far off.

Zeroing at 100 and leaving it set for the 200 mark is a reasonable compromise, but it's nice to just to go the zero-stop and know you're good to go out to 300 (80% of my hunting situations).

 

[73driver]

30-28 Nosler 215 at 3100
Sea level 100 zero - 1000 yards drops
223.38"
5000' 100 zero - 1000 yards drops 205.83
223.38 - 205.83 = 17.55"
Sea level 200 yard zero 1000 yards drops
211.08
5000' 200 yard zero - 1000 yards drops
193.90
17.08
17.55" 100 yard zero difference
17.08. 200 yard zero difference
Your arguement don't compute

Sherm, when you go up to 5000ft DA with a Sea Level DA zero you are no longer zeroed at 100 yards or 200 yards for that matter. Now the amount of error in the 100 yard zero is smaller than the error in a 200 yard zero. Lets for example say that your 100 yard zero at your higher Density altitude has your bullet hitting .25 MOA hi and your 200 yard zero is now hitting .75 MOA hi (I use these numbers as example only for illustration real world will be something different). For your 200 yard zero from sea level you now have an error of 2 mills or .5 MOA that will not be corrected for when using whatever ballistic solver you use. Your ballistic solution is based on a 200 yard zero which is no longer a 200 yard zero so that 2mill/.5moa error is there for a 700 yard shot, let us see that is 7 X .5 inches = 3.5 inch error. Aim small miss small. Now numbers for different cartridges and bullets vary and might not add up to as much as the numbers used for this example, but it is to illustrate the concept. A 100 yard zero will introduce a smaller error, that error might not add up to squat, but is not what we do is to work hard to eliminate any error?

 

[JAYgs8163]

 

[CoachChris]

Zero at 100
I never take shots that I can't get in a solid field position for.
Use the reticle inside 400 if I absolutely have to

 

[Blue Ridge Rifleman]

Does anyone zero at 100 yards but set their turret for 200 yard shot or MPBR and just hold on vitals out to a max range for simplicity? I can see how a 100 yard zero is convenient and with an elevation turret leaving it set on 1.75 MOA for example when hunting so it's an easy viral hold out to 250 yards or so. Anything further can be dialed.

We have seen on this forum several reports of significant and mysterious misses at longer ranges that are eventually sorted out as misdials. The shooter had forgotten to reset back to zero and added clicks resulting in a high shot. If you will never forget in the heat of the moment that you have already dialed some elevation into the shooting solution, then your method should work.