Thread: Sighting in your hunting rifle

Where I grew up, the kill area on a deer was at least as big as a dinner plate - so 300-400mm across. I always sighted my hunting rifles in to be 50mm high at 100 metres - and the kill area on a deer at 100 meters is still the size of a dinner plate.

If I cant hit a dinner plate at 100 - I should stay home .

You guys overthink every thing these days ....

Originally Posted by sportco62

Where I grew up, the kill area on a deer was at least as big as a dinner plate - so 300-400mm across. I always sighted my hunting rifles in to be 50mm high at 100 metres - and the kill area on a deer at 100 meters is still the size of a dinner plate. If I cant hit a dinner plate at 100 - I should stay home . You guys overthink every thing these days ....

@sportco62 I watched a NZ deer hunting video a while back where the deer popped out at (ranged with a rangefinder) 200m. They took so long messing around dialing for 200m that they missed the shot. I just thought; that since the rifle was probably sighted in to be dead on at 100m if they were dialling it; just aim 2" or 3" higher at 200m! Not a tricky calculation.... I could understand them dialling if it was for a long shot though

I usually do the X-inches high at 100m for X-metres zero method. Not a long range shooter, no rangefinder or fancy scope so it suits me. My 303 and 223 are sighted in for 180m and the 308 for 200. And usually that works out around the 2 or 3" high at 100 (about 1" high for the 223 & 1.5" for 200m zero).

But I also use the Nikon Spot On app to check zeroes. It's not a super duper flash ballistic calculator; but has most factory ammo (and you can put in custom load velocities etc) and is a good basic free app. It was very helpful when I first bought the 223 as tere was so much conflicting advice about zeroes. You can scroll through the (Nikon) scope models in the app to get something that matches what you have. All mine are basic Bushnell Elite 3-9's and a 2.5-10 on the 223, so pretty easy to find a similar scope. The app might not be everyone's cup of tea; but works well for me. Cheers

https://spoton.nikonsportoptics.com/...spoton.html#:4

Had a blast with @stagslayer 12 zeroing the remmys at 100 yards and yes stagslayer confimerd the distance with his range finder.

4 Shots with his new scope to zero.

3 Shots and mine was on.

Originally Posted by Dundee

Had a blast with @stagslayer 12 zeroing the remmys at 100 yards and yes stagslayer confimerd the distance with his range finder.
Attachment 236941
4 Shots with his new scope to zero.
Attachment 236942
3 Shots and mine was on.

Bloody spring grass, makes shooting from a bipod a pain in the arse!

I just set my 308 tikka at 2 1/4" high at a hundy =2 1/4" low at 260yds,5 1/2"low at 300yds from line of sight.No need to be adjusting scope every hunt,most deer are inside 250yds.Bit different for the long range hunters,400-600yds they gota range and dial.And have a lot of practice behind them.

The info you get out of a hunts coarse,range days and club hunts is priceless.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Dead on at 200 yards

Attachment 236829

Ya missed ,,the old saying, anywhere in the eye

having to stop and dial scope to shoot an animal at 200 yards-250 yards is plain old bonkers

Gilty as charged

But only I dial in meters, I guess I just like to twiddle and fiddle.

If Im walking around I will have my riffle zeroed at 100 meters but if sitting and waiting I usually range a few different areas so if an animal walks out its just a very quick twiddle and fiddle.

If I was using a non dial up scope then I would seriously look at your method MD as it makes perfect sense

I can get a rifle to stay below line of sight until hundy....just no

take note of velocity to achieve it.......
now make it 1" high at 100yrds and it becomes near as damnit to 1" low at 200yrds and 4" low out around 275yards.
make it 2" high at hundy..zeroed for 200..good to 300 near enough.....

For my centerfires I go figure out the 2" square Point BlanC (<- note the C... it's french you heathen) range. That is a range from looking at the crosshairs the bullet will be within 1" vertically or horizontally. A PBR calculator will tell you what your zero should be.

For my rims fires that's a 1" square PB.

After that I use a BDC or mildot scope. I have it loaded it to strelok, and when I'm off for a hunt I right the drops in permanent marker on the inside of my arm. So for example my 300BLK PBR starts at 30m, ends at 110m. First drop mark is 160, second is 200, 3rd is 250. 17hmr is 35 to 100, first mark is 130, 2nd is 160, 3rd is 200.

Originally Posted by vulcannz

For my centerfires I go figure out the 2" square Point BlanC (<- note the C... it's french you heathen) range. That is a range from looking at the crosshairs the bullet will be within 1" vertically or horizontally. A PBR calculator will tell you what your zero should be.

For my rims fires that's a 1" square PB.

After that I use a BDC or mildot scope. I have it loaded it to strelok, and when I'm off for a hunt I right the drops in permanent marker on the inside of my arm. So for example my 300BLK PBR starts at 30m, ends at 110m. First drop mark is 160, second is 200, 3rd is 250. 17hmr is 35 to 100, first mark is 130, 2nd is 160, 3rd is 200.

What happens if you wash your arm, or get caught in the rain? Maybe a tattoo might be the go, but it would make changing loads or even rifles painful.

permanent marker takes a bit to get off (usually requires soap). I also have plenty of room and two arms

A great range of opinons and thoughts. Try one that will suit what you are trying achieve and then put it to the test.