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Rifle Scopes best way to zero a scope
- Thread starter c4boom
- Start date
Use the most stable base available to you at the time, whether it be a bench, sandbag or just prone.
From a well supported position fire one round. Start with the rifle secured, cross hair on the POA, adjust to bring the cross hair to the POI. Fire one round to confirm, done.
OFG
OFG
Assuming newly mounted scope:
Use a bull with a decent sized black. Set up on a bench, preferably at 50 yards, but you can pull it off at 100 if you're careful. Remove the bolt. looking through the bore from behind the rifle, move the rifle until you can see the bull through the bore and it's as centered as you can get it. Without moving the rifle, adjust the scope to hit the center of the bull. Double check everything.
You should now be on paper. Fire one shot. If you miss, try again closer. You will probably hit but be a little off, so adjust scope and fire again. Repeat as necessary until you're hitting where you're aiming. It shouldn't take more than 4-5 rounds.
Adjust elevation to whatever your ballistic calculator says it should be for 100, 200 or whatever it is you want to zero at. Confirm with a couple more rounds.
Done.
PS, to do this with an AR, just remove the upper for the bore sighting. For an M14 or M1, you're out of luck. Just start really close or spring for a fancy bore sighter. In my opinion, bore sighters are kind of a waste, unless you're doing lots of rifles.
Use a bull with a decent sized black. Set up on a bench, preferably at 50 yards, but you can pull it off at 100 if you're careful. Remove the bolt. looking through the bore from behind the rifle, move the rifle until you can see the bull through the bore and it's as centered as you can get it. Without moving the rifle, adjust the scope to hit the center of the bull. Double check everything.
You should now be on paper. Fire one shot. If you miss, try again closer. You will probably hit but be a little off, so adjust scope and fire again. Repeat as necessary until you're hitting where you're aiming. It shouldn't take more than 4-5 rounds.
Adjust elevation to whatever your ballistic calculator says it should be for 100, 200 or whatever it is you want to zero at. Confirm with a couple more rounds.
Done.
PS, to do this with an AR, just remove the upper for the bore sighting. For an M14 or M1, you're out of luck. Just start really close or spring for a fancy bore sighter. In my opinion, bore sighters are kind of a waste, unless you're doing lots of rifles.
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If you want to be zeroed for "cold bore", do exactly what damoncali does, but wait a few minutes between each shot for the barrel to cool. If it's warm to the touch, let it reach ambient temperature. It takes longer, but this way you won't have to worry about having a zero for a hot barrel and thus miss at greater distances in the field on the first shot.
As a side note, all of our information is based upon the assumption (I really hate that word) that the scope has been installed properly.
PRO-TIP :
If your scope allows you to remove the covers/grips for your dials, here is another thing to help with regaining zero after temporary adjustments in the field.
Once zeroed at the range, carefully remove the dial caps on your glass and replace them with the "0" on the tick mark for both windage and elevation. That way, should you have to make temporary adjustments in the field, you can simply turn the dials back to the "0" mark and you're back to your rifles "range zero".
Once zeroed and the caps placed on "0", make a few adjustments and test the accuracy of your glass after the dials have been moved around a bit and then placed back onto "0". Some glass keeps it's zero well, while others aren't as accurate in the machining of the mechanics of it's internal parts and therefor "lose the zero" after a while.
I hope we helped.
As a side note, all of our information is based upon the assumption (I really hate that word) that the scope has been installed properly.
PRO-TIP :
If your scope allows you to remove the covers/grips for your dials, here is another thing to help with regaining zero after temporary adjustments in the field.
Once zeroed at the range, carefully remove the dial caps on your glass and replace them with the "0" on the tick mark for both windage and elevation. That way, should you have to make temporary adjustments in the field, you can simply turn the dials back to the "0" mark and you're back to your rifles "range zero".
Once zeroed and the caps placed on "0", make a few adjustments and test the accuracy of your glass after the dials have been moved around a bit and then placed back onto "0". Some glass keeps it's zero well, while others aren't as accurate in the machining of the mechanics of it's internal parts and therefor "lose the zero" after a while.
I hope we helped.
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1. Bore sight at about 100 yards. I do this at home. I use a laser for AR's and sometimes for bolt, but you can just remove bolt and look through the bore. Secure rifle with bipod and rear bag, align target, adjust scope till cross hairs center on target.
2. Shot one shot at 25 yards with POA on bull. POI elevation should be calculated by height of scope and trajectory. adjust elevation and windage to appropriate settings based on actual POI.
3. Shoot one or two shot at 100 yards. Make adjustments needed.
4. Shoot 3-shot group. Should be right on by now. If not, make adjustments and shoot another 3-shoot group.
5. At this point, I would usually do a box test and a ladder test to ensure tracking and elevation calibration.
Allow the barrel to cool between strings. Make note of cold-bore POI vs. warm bore. Might want to allow all to cool down well, then shoot 5-round string noting cold bore vs. warm.
2. Shot one shot at 25 yards with POA on bull. POI elevation should be calculated by height of scope and trajectory. adjust elevation and windage to appropriate settings based on actual POI.
3. Shoot one or two shot at 100 yards. Make adjustments needed.
4. Shoot 3-shot group. Should be right on by now. If not, make adjustments and shoot another 3-shoot group.
5. At this point, I would usually do a box test and a ladder test to ensure tracking and elevation calibration.
Allow the barrel to cool between strings. Make note of cold-bore POI vs. warm bore. Might want to allow all to cool down well, then shoot 5-round string noting cold bore vs. warm.
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-Bore sight by removing the bolt at 25 yards (or 100 yards, it doesn't really matter).
-Fire a single round at a decent sized target at 25 yards.
-Measure the offset with your reticle and dial in the corrections. Keep your POI just a bit low (about a mil low). It doesn't have to be precise.
-Fire a single round at a decent sized target at 100 yards.
-Measure the offset and adjust to move POI to the POA.
-Fire a 3-shot group to verify.
You can skip the second and third steps if you're confident in your bore sighting capabilities.
-Fire a single round at a decent sized target at 25 yards.
-Measure the offset with your reticle and dial in the corrections. Keep your POI just a bit low (about a mil low). It doesn't have to be precise.
-Fire a single round at a decent sized target at 100 yards.
-Measure the offset and adjust to move POI to the POA.
-Fire a 3-shot group to verify.
You can skip the second and third steps if you're confident in your bore sighting capabilities.
Large paper with dot in the middle at 25 yards.
Take one shot and adjust off of it using the reticle as a ruler to tell you how much to move so that your POI is 1.5" low
Take another shot and confirm
Move to 100 and shoot on target.
Again use the reticle to tell you how much you need to move and use the knobs
Shoot to confirm
Done.
Take one shot and adjust off of it using the reticle as a ruler to tell you how much to move so that your POI is 1.5" low
Take another shot and confirm
Move to 100 and shoot on target.
Again use the reticle to tell you how much you need to move and use the knobs
Shoot to confirm
Done.
https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...672&sa=X&ei=UecbUpG2PIeqiALQxYFQ&ved=0CCoQrQQ
I use the Leupold boresighter. it will put you on paper everytime.
i put a level on the rifle and the top of the bore slighter. Align the reticle with the grid. Run the elevation up and down to ensure the reticle isn't canted.
I use the Leupold boresighter. it will put you on paper everytime.
i put a level on the rifle and the top of the bore slighter. Align the reticle with the grid. Run the elevation up and down to ensure the reticle isn't canted.
He never mentioned doing it "cold bore", as I described in my way of getting a zero.
He describes a constant shooting type of zero.
He describes a constant shooting type of zero.
here is what I do-
-I tape 20 cleaning rods together and insert it in the bore
-I tape a #2 pencil to the end
-at 25 yards I attempt to draw a stick figure with my rifle on a piece of all white paper 25 yards away
- if I can see the stick figure through the scope it's pretty close to on the money
- here is when i get nekkid except for my tactical armbad that isnt on my arm but on my schlong
- I start wailing away on my cold bore cock and nutts
the last two are only needed as a celebritory action for achieving a perfect zero
-I tape 20 cleaning rods together and insert it in the bore
-I tape a #2 pencil to the end
-at 25 yards I attempt to draw a stick figure with my rifle on a piece of all white paper 25 yards away
- if I can see the stick figure through the scope it's pretty close to on the money
- here is when i get nekkid except for my tactical armbad that isnt on my arm but on my schlong
- I start wailing away on my cold bore cock and nutts
the last two are only needed as a celebritory action for achieving a perfect zero
I Removed the bolt on my TAC338, looked down the barrel, centered barrel on target, secured rifle, dialed score to line crosshairs on bull. Fired first shot at 100 yards - close enough!
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
I don't think that came out right...
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
PCR/XLR/TAC338 http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111453_255_zps1b498f0d.jpg http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/bodywerks/IMG_20130816_111325_951_zps290ebdd0.jpg
I use the Bushnell Grid Boresighter that's been checked for true zero for the shorter pistol lengths I use most frequently. That also allows me to see how much MOA I have for vertical, and allows me to check turret click value. I can adjust Burris Zee rings right at home and be set up right even before I go to the range. If it's varmints on the menu I often bypass the range, and go straight to the field.
+ 1 on what oldfatguy said. I take bolt out and center target at 100yds. Fire one shot and then place reticle at Point of aim, secure rifle and then move reticle to point of impact. Quick and easy.
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