zero range

[Barbourcreek]

100 yards
And get a good ballistic app like Eagle ballistics

 

[Stadoc]

I won't get much shooting done with this new rifle because I'll be heading to FL for the winter and I really have no where to shoot down there unless I travel a couple hours. Even then those ranges normally only have 100 yd rifle ranges. I should take the rifle with and ask a couple ranchers nearby if I can utilize their property to shoot.

PM sent

 

[Mike D Texas]

100 yards, always for me.

 

[Rick Richard]

100 yards for me since it takes the environmentals out of the picture for the most part and reduces the effects of shooter induced error.

 

[Flatbow]

Just taging in so I can come back to this after work.

 

[Mickp7]

This may sound funny, but my rifles are zeroed at 165 yards. Reason being that is my short target on the other side of the lake behind my house. I use the Sig range finding binoculars and dial long shots and put a dope sheet in a window built into my Armageddon stock pack for when quick referencing is necessary.
I originally zeroed all rifles at 100 and used the ballistic software in the Sig's, but got tired of factoring the extra 65 yards.

Do you all see anything wrong with that?

 

[Bobcatter]

I'd go with a 200 yard zero minimum, especially in the East. But Even a 250 and 300 yard zero in the east is a aim dead on out 350 to 400 yards and DRT without calculations on any game animal hunted here for that caliber. Plus anything beyond 300 yards, you have usually got plenty of time to dope the shot make adjustments. It's just inside that 350 yard range it makes any shot a no brainer for anything hunted with that caliber, again in the East, for the west I would think even better.

But I think for the Western hunters the same holds true, But I'm a keep it under 600 yard hunter with any caliber for big game, clearly what this caliber is intended for. I believe the accuracy capability for this cartridge in a hunting weight gun dictates this is the scenario it would bve intended for.

Id make a more conscious effort working on becoming familiar with the rifle out those yardages, and less on if I am dialing from 100 or 200 to to make those shots relevant. But I never zero at 100 yards, even with my varmint riggs I use out to over 800 yards, and they are more critical because of the accuracy available and the smaller targets at longer ranges than my big game rifles are. Just how I approach it..

I'm basing this off the 1 moa comment day in and out? That means if you dope everything perfect at 600 yards with a lightweight hunting rifle, your very best hope is over 6" impact area, getting close to the kill zone ability for that rifle. This means absolutely no room for error beyond that! Making that equates to the best ability in perfectly calculated shots over 10" at 1000 and 15" at 1500 yards, ensuring wounded game, and pray and spray shots needed? Again going by your 1" day in day out accuracy comment, this is the absolute best you can hope for.

 

[kpacker]

Same as some above, I shoot regularly at 100 but group 1.5 high or whatever is needed so it's zero is 200yds. Then shoot at 200 and beyond to confirm or adjust BCs. I only have hunting rifles and if I'm zeroed at 200, I don't have to think, just aim and shoot out to 3-350. Then I dial or holdover using my reticle for anything past 350. In hunting situations, things happen fast and easily can go wrong for all sorts of things so a point and shoot out to 300yds at least eliminates user errors a bit

 

[Greatgrandad]

I have a bit of a different view on rifle zeros…..at least with our cartridges/ bullets/ velocities/ scopes.


Our hunting rifles/cartridges don't shoot as flat as those of many of you. We use the Leupold CDS scopes, and as a hunting package, we do not want to have more than 1 full turn on the turret. This will totally eliminate a possible screw-up when hunting. We also limit our shooting distances on game well within one revolution usage.

All of that said, we use a 300 yard zero! I feel that my adjustments can be just as accurate, perhaps more so, than a 100 yard zero. Example: with one click using a 1/4" or 1/4 mil adjustment has far less bullet impact difference @ 300 than @ 100. My reasoning suggests that my adjustments are more finite! This will also help minimize the differences that may be seen due to varying atmospheric (temperatures/elevations/BC inaccuracies, ect.) conditions you may experience when hunting.


As these are big game rifles, not used for small varmint or competitive shooting, this easily keeps us "holding on hair" from the muzzle to 400 yards. You merely hold a bit low from around 150 to 200 yards….on a long shot, hold a bit higher on the shoulder. This is more than adequate for cartridges/bullets that do not require "surgically placed" shots on big game to effectively take game from any angle at the ranges at which we will take a shot.

Sometimes shots offered under 400 yards have a brief window of opportunity to set-up on sticks for the shot…..taking the additional time to "range" the shot may eliminate the shot opportunity. Shots measured @ 400 and beyond can then be easily adjusted for….and "generally" offer an animal not aware of your presence.


I'm not suggesting this for everyone……it's merely our method, used for 30 plus years! Once comfortable with this method…..inside of 400 yards, shots are a reflex action! memtb

Except for hunting in terrain that only offers shorter shots, we've been using 300 yard zeros for 60 years, and for very similar reasons you state. We cannot count the number of game taken with this method from near point blank to 600 or so. So many times, game have presented suddenly and for a short few seconds before they may enter cover, over a ridge, down a valley, break to run, etc, etc. We've made quite a few off hand shots or rapid sitting shots that just would never allow for a prone position, ranging, dialing, etc.

There have been a few times we have lost a shot opportunity, because we dropped to set up a bipod or pack and reached for a range finder or while turning a turret. If the situation allows for time or is truly getting into LR/ELR, then by all means we will. However, that isn't always the case.

I've never had any issues using a 300 yard zero and then dialing for LR/ELR all the way to 2,000, for properly entered data, my ballistics software simply takes care of that. Just like it does for any zero distance.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

With my 270 Win, 130 Grn. Ballistic Tip, at 3020 fps ( Lab Radar) from a 24 inch barrel, I like 100 yard Zero. 200 yard shots taken with ease, as the PBR , is within the 3 inch target size I loaded into the JBM Ballistic app. Regarding elevation, I really don't need to touch the turret on the VX5 , unless the deer is 250 yards or further out. Often, in the dark , its very hard, for me , to see the tiny numbers on the turret. So 50 yards to 200 yards, no math to do. Point and shoot.

 

[emp1953]

How does one measure "scope height"? No matter what I try I feel like it is only an approximation.

 

[dirtclod]

KIS=MPBR. Keep it simple = Maximum Point Blank Range

 

[emp1953]

I have the opportunity to shoot out to 750 in practice. I will make up a long target say 96inches of butcher paper on a frame, shoot a group of 5 at 100, then let things cool down repeating the process at 100 yard intervals. It usually takes about 5 hours to get this done. When finished I have a real world ballistics chart. No ballistic app I tried duplicated my real world results. 100 to 200 was close but then results diverged. I'm sure that I screwed up one of the data setup entries, like scope height. I've used a Labradar and oehler chronographs to record muzzle velocities, both of which provide results very close to each other. My real life ballistic chart is spot on in a hunting situation.

 

[LRNut]

I have a bit of a different view on rifle zeros…..at least with our cartridges/ bullets/ velocities/ scopes.


Our hunting rifles/cartridges don't shoot as flat as those of many of you. We use the Leupold CDS scopes, and as a hunting package, we do not want to have more than 1 full turn on the turret. This will totally eliminate a possible screw-up when hunting. We also limit our shooting distances on game well within one revolution usage.

All of that said, we use a 300 yard zero! I feel that my adjustments can be just as accurate, perhaps more so, than a 100 yard zero. Example: with one click using a 1/4" or 1/4 mil adjustment has far less bullet impact difference @ 300 than @ 100. My reasoning suggests that my adjustments are more finite! This will also help minimize the differences that may be seen due to varying atmospheric (temperatures/elevations/BC inaccuracies, ect.) conditions you may experience when hunting.


As these are big game rifles, not used for small varmint or competitive shooting, this easily keeps us "holding on hair" from the muzzle to 400 yards. You merely hold a bit low from around 150 to 200 yards….on a long shot, hold a bit higher on the shoulder. This is more than adequate for cartridges/bullets that do not require "surgically placed" shots on big game to effectively take game from any angle at the ranges at which we will take a shot.

Sometimes shots offered under 400 yards have a brief window of opportunity to set-up on sticks for the shot…..taking the additional time to "range" the shot may eliminate the shot opportunity. Shots measured @ 400 and beyond can then be easily adjusted for….and "generally" offer an animal not aware of your presence.


I'm not suggesting this for everyone……it's merely our method, used for 30 plus years! Once comfortable with this method…..inside of 400 yards, shots are a reflex action! memtb

I used to use a 300 yard zero and do what you said. But with a 200 yard zero you don't have to worry about holding low. This year I shot a deer at 410 (dialed up) and one at 175 (just held dead on). The problem with a 300 yard zero is your bullets are 4" high at 170 - game at that distance is often aware something isn't right and you often have to shoot fast. That deer I shot at 175 was walking right to left, so I had to pay attention to that - I don't need to think about holding low and giving it a slight lead with a 200 yard zero.