The Zero Check Thread

[Beavis]

8/2/25
Howa Mini Action 6.5 Grendel
123gr ELD Hornady Black factory ammo

Zeroed it off the bench doing 4x3 shot groups into a 12 round group, giving it a few minutes between strings as the barrel is pencil profile.




Adjust .3 mil up and .2 left I think

Fired 8 rounds in a single uninterrupted string to confirm 100m zero



Recorded all my shots fired including sighters to get on paper



Friend borrowed the rifle over the weekend for a new hunter to use. "One neck shot at 220m , 2 at 124m , and 1 Behind the shoulder at 20m"

Just using the hash marks in the reticle, not dialing.




It would of been knocked around on the quad I imagine so will need to recheck.

[Beavis]

Missed some details

Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2
EGW rail
Nightforce ultralight rings

Everything torqued to recommended specs with Fix-it Sticks and the action screws torqued to 45in/lb as recommended by Howa to prevent the bottom plastic splitting

[Tahr]

I was anxious when I bought a day/night scope that it might not hold zero. The cantilevered mount was a worry as was all the electronics inside of it.
The last time I checked this scope (sytong ht-70) was prior to a wallaby shoot 6 months ago. Fired 250 shots and since then a lot of deer hunting and banging around in vehicles and on quads. I would say 300 shots all up since the last zero when it was 1” high at 100. Today I fired 8 shots. The wayward one I called to Brian, but it’s still on there so on the record. 80 grn Targex.

Tikka T3. Carbon stock. DPT. Uncut barrel.

[Trout]

I was anxious when I bought a day/night scope that it might not hold zero. The cantilevered mount was a worry as was all the electronics inside of it.
The last time I checked this scope (sytong ht-70) was prior to a wallaby shoot 6 months ago. Fired 250 shots and since then a lot of deer hunting and banging around in vehicles and on quads. I would say 300 shots all up since the last zero when it was 1” high at 100. Today I fired 8 shots. The wayward one I called to Brian, but it’s still on there so on the record. 80 grn Targex.

Tikka T3. Carbon stock. DPT. Uncut barrel.

Attachment 270512

Good for 250yds,pointnshoot.Dont touch.

[Gibo]

Was worried the 308 mod 7 would have rusted away in the safe but shes still on.
289 yards. Just placed the gong and drove off in the gig a few clicks then jumped out.
Cold bore first shot. Happy with that if i get a hunt in later this month
Yellow area about the size of a spray can cap
Bottom shot is a mates 708

[Mintie]

I don't have time to give an awesome full report like what I am seeing in other posts here, but I can report back on my real world findings. Using my rifles every day for work puts a fair amount of load on them, in and out of the safe twice a day, in and out of the car multiple times a day and they do about 100km on the road (and off road in some pretty bumpy places) around my trap run every day. It probably all adds up to a normal recreational hunters yearly use across a 2 week period. Back in the beginning I was using some pretty budget to mid level gear, Hawke, Leapers, Simmons, Tac Vector, Nikko etc and was often having issues with the zero wandering around a bit as the rifles got bumped or fell over in the car etc.. I ended up buying a Burris scope and a Leupold scope and some decent quality rings to go with them and the issues stopped immediately. Rifles that used to zero fine at the range and then miss animals on the next outing were transformed into rifles that hit every animal and haven't been adjusted since. After this revelation I sold all of my cheaper scopes and picked up a bunch of Leupold, Burris and Minox scopes and possibly just as importantly started using quality mounts every time. It also helps knowing that these brands all have no questions asked warranties, even when purchased second hand, but I am now starting to hear some stories about the new Leupold NZ agent not playing nice.

[sneeze]

It seems I have some data of a sort be it non conforming with the OP.
We shoot a few pigs off the back of our property.


Fed with beef fat and whatever, they come out of the forestry and get fat. Iv got a table I shoot from so its consistently 100 yds and the aim point is the ear, base , just under or just behind depending on the position of the target. Rifle is a Shultz and Larsen legacy, S&L rings holding a vortex HDLH 3-15. Its been on a few wallaby trips down south, a few trips to the batch in the sounds. Success from this shooting position has been 100% and the last shot was pinpoint on the POA at the base of the ear so Im happy the set up has maintained zero for some years.

.

Thats as close to collecting data as I get, even now I feel a little dirty.

[Dreamer]

Put a different scope on and the brass is once fired now so wanted to see how that shoots…
Dot is 1.1cm



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[gimp]

Put a different scope on and the brass is once fired now so wanted to see how that shoots…
Dot is 1.1cm



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Looks like a precise system... have you made any adjustments to set zero? Interested to see how it holds. What are the scope & mounting etc details?

[gimp]

Missed some details

Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2
EGW rail
Nightforce ultralight rings

Everything torqued to recommended specs with Fix-it Sticks and the action screws torqued to 45in/lb as recommended by Howa to prevent the bottom plastic splitting

Thanks. Interested to see how it holds.

[Dreamer]

Looks like a precise system... have you made any adjustments to set zero? Interested to see how it holds. What are the scope & mounting etc details?

Going to leave it as it is. Checked it at 430m. Had to make adjustments to the BC to get it to line up.
Talley lightweight rings Swarovski Z5 on a T3x. Will be interesting to see how the Swarovski holds up.


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[gimp]

Going to leave it as it is. Checked it at 430m. Had to make adjustments to the BC to get it to line up.
Talley lightweight rings Swarovski Z5 on a T3x. Will be interesting to see how the Swarovski holds up.


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Hmm interesting. What bullet are you using?

[Dreamer]

Hmm interesting. What bullet are you using?

6mm Creedmoor 108eld-m. Thinking about it the swarovskis are known for not tacking true to MOA so could well be that?


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[gimp]

6mm Creedmoor 108eld-m. Thinking about it the swarovskis are known for not tacking true to MOA so could well be that?


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The cut-rifled match barrel clearly gives the expected results !


At 430m you'd have to be using a tremendously wrong BC value to see any difference in drop - it's substantially more likely a variable input issue in the app or scope tracking error.

I've used Applied Ballistics and 4DOF default values for the 108 out to well past 800m with no issues

[Dreamer]

The cut-rifled match barrel clearly gives the expected results !


At 430m you'd have to be using a tremendously wrong BC value to see any difference in drop - it's substantially more likely a variable input issue in the app or scope tracking error.

I've used Applied Ballistics and 4DOF default values for the 108 out to well past 800m with no issues

I’d go with the scope tracking error. Had a Maven on to start with and it was spot on tracking wise. I found it a bit chunky is the only reason I changed. I’ve come to like mil’s as well.


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