Thread: River to Ranges to sight in rifle?

@BMcB Just out of interest, how busy are these public nights? Do you get hurried along after a few minutes? Or how does it work

Also the NZDA range next door if the Handloaders doesn’t work out - I think next open day is the 10th. 10am till 4pm - $25 for non members. Can get busy but generally some helpful folks around.

Originally Posted by Jake77

Also the NZDA range next door if the Handloaders doesn’t work out - I think next open day is the 10th. 10am till 4pm - $25 for non members. Can get busy but generally some helpful folks around.

PM me if you want to go to deerstalkers during week and will work something out as retired and I believe another forum member has made the same offer on NZHA range so there are possible options locally.

I heard james does a good job , otherwise there a club down that ways that has public sight-in on a Tuesday night , Handloaders I think , always best to shoot your own rifle

The problem with turning up at NZDA range on public day with a rifle not prepared to shoot, is that you take up all the time of the two range officers getting your rifle working.
At least bore sight it in the garden using a piece of paper.
Google the trajectory of your caliber for the sighting you want, eg. https://press.hornady.com/assets/pct...tics-Chart.pdf

Set the rifle on a stand an get the eye relief comfortable when at minimum and maximum magnification.
ensuring the rifle is held not canted adjust the rotation of the cross-hairs to line up with a known vertical line in the house e.g a door or window frame.
Tighten the scope screws like a cylinder head.
Re-check the eye relief and vertical alignment.
put up a target say 25m away. Mark it with a point of aim say 1.5 inches below centre.

Set the rifle up on a stand, line up the barrel with the marking on the target paper
Look through the barrel and align it with the marking
look through the scope and adjust the cross hairs to the same place as the barrel.
Then go to the range and start at the shortest range to ensure its on the paper.
Then move out to 100m and 200m.

NZDA recently had a newbie turn up on public day.
The guy had bought a very expensive rifle and scope from a certain gunshop in chc who have big blue signs.
the gun shop said they had set it up for him already.
The rifle could not hit the paper at 50m after many shots of trying to adjust all on his own.
The scope screws turned out to be loose as a goose.
The RO's had to start from scratch and got it within reason at 50m and at next cycle, he moved to the 100m
He got the rifle zeroed on the 100m, so moved to the 200m at the next cycle.
At 200m it was all over the place again. Shooting at a completely different point of Aim. So he called the RO again.

Turns out, the newbie had told the gun shop "I want to hunt tops but I also want to hunt bush" so they sold him two boxes in two different bullet weights and didn't explain that they would have different POA.
So the newbie shot the "tops" bullet weight boxes during the 50m debacle and the 100m checks but had run out by the time he went to the 200m, so he started using the different weight bullets at the 200m and that is why his rifle was "off".

And here is why we don't like newbies turning up at the range on a public visit and not explaining why they are there.
And why some homework would have helped him - or a good gunshop!!


Th

Originally Posted by scottrods

The problem with turning up at NZDA range on public day with a rifle not prepared to shoot, is that you take up all the time of the two range officers getting your rifle working.
At least bore sight it in the garden using a piece of paper.
Google the trajectory of your caliber for the sighting you want, eg. https://press.hornady.com/assets/pct...tics-Chart.pdf

Set the rifle on a stand an get the eye relief comfortable when at minimum and maximum magnification.
ensuring the rifle is held not canted adjust the rotation of the cross-hairs to line up with a known vertical line in the house e.g a door or window frame.
Tighten the scope screws like a cylinder head.
Re-check the eye relief and vertical alignment.
put up a target say 25m away. Mark it with a point of aim say 1.5 inches below centre.

Set the rifle up on a stand, line up the barrel with the marking on the target paper
Look through the barrel and align it with the marking
look through the scope and adjust the cross hairs to the same place as the barrel.
Then go to the range and start at the shortest range to ensure its on the paper.
Then move out to 100m and 200m.

NZDA recently had a newbie turn up on public day.
The guy had bought a very expensive rifle and scope from a certain gunshop in chc who have big blue signs.
the gun shop said they had set it up for him already.
The rifle could not hit the paper at 50m after many shots of trying to adjust all on his own.
The scope screws turned out to be loose as a goose.
The RO's had to start from scratch and got it within reason at 50m and at next cycle, he moved to the 100m
He got the rifle zeroed on the 100m, so moved to the 200m at the next cycle.
At 200m it was all over the place again. Shooting at a completely different point of Aim. So he called the RO again.

Turns out, the newbie had told the gun shop "I want to hunt tops but I also want to hunt bush" so they sold him two boxes in two different bullet weights and didn't explain that they would have different POA.
So the newbie shot the "tops" bullet weight boxes during the 50m debacle and the 100m checks but had run out by the time he went to the 200m, so he started using the different weight bullets at the 200m and that is why his rifle was "off".

And here is why we don't like newbies turning up at the range on a public visit and not explaining why they are there.
And why some homework would have helped him - or a good gunshop!!


Th

You got any more info on that newbie? Don't really need the name but if you knew what scope and rifle it was I can look the sale up and give the staff member that sold the rifle a tickle up and make sure they are on top of the training if they are new.

Join your local gun clubs guys! They need all the support they can get!

I think its quite likely a Very experienced shooter working on their own in peace and quiet will save you $100 worth of ammo, specially if youve had any problems with the equipment in the past. If you’re even thinking about it then its almost certainly a good idea.

You should of course check it to yourself at 100m and 200m but its unlikely to be more than a couple of cm different for you.

James will do a perfect job and can shoot and calibrate to 500 on his range.
If a rifle is correctly sighted in then it should shoot the same for everyone imo. It is only poor technique that will make the difference. James shoots off bags with the rifle well held from what he has told me. I would have faith in his work.

Other way is to go to Mcleans and learn how to set it up, then give it to James to get groups confirmed and scope dialed out to distance. Perhaps he might do that part alone for a different fee if it is a quick job ?

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

James will do a perfect job and can shoot and calibrate to 500 on his range.
If a rifle is correctly sighted in then it should shoot the same for everyone imo. It is only poor technique that will make the difference. James shoots off bags with the rifle well held from what he has told me. I would have faith in his work.

Other way is to go to Mcleans and learn how to set it up, then give it to James to get groups confirmed and scope dialed out to distance. Perhaps he might do that part alone for a different fee if it is a quick job ?

no not all the same I am afraid I wont do final zero for anyone - will get it close but I know my right eye if I zero dead on at 100 yds then it will be 1 inch high and 1/2 in left for someone with normal vision in right eye dont ask me why as it seems all okay to me

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

no not all the same I am afraid I wont do final zero for anyone - will get it close but I know my right eye if I zero dead on at 100 yds then it will be 1 inch high and 1/2 in left for someone with normal vision in right eye dont ask me why as it seems all okay to me

The obvious question is 'what happens if you shoot a rifle that has been sighted in correctly and that anyone who trys shoot well' - like my 2506 AI

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

The obvious question is 'what happens if you shoot a rifle that has been sighted in correctly and that anyone who trys shoot well' - like my 2506 AI

my mates rifle shoots 4" left and 2" high for me...strangely enough MY rifles shoot 4" right and 2" low for him.....he must be crosseyed I reckon LMFAO

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

my mates rifle shoots 4" left and 2" high for me...strangely enough MY rifles shoot 4" right and 2" low for him.....he must be crosseyed I reckon LMFAO

The rifle I referred to carries a 3-12 FFP scope, FFP = no parallelax distortion so poor technique is soon identified and rectified ( unlike poor spelling). An FFP scope will soon enough show whos crosseyed

I can give you ahand at the handloaders, if we arrange a time.

Originally Posted by flock

I can give you ahand at the handloaders, if we arrange a time.

I don't actually do the job for them, I get way more satisfaction helping people learn, I'm a monkey do learner myself.