How far out do you zero?

[goodgorilla]

I know it depends on many factors like what caliber your shooting, or how far you intend on shooting. But what is some reasonable numbers for different calibers? Say a .22 or 7mm rem mag? I'm thinking a 25 yard or 50 yard would be good for a .22, and possibly a 100, 200, or 300 yard for a 7mm rem mag. What about double zeros?

 

[Darkside-Six]

50 is ok for a .22

for the rest it's usually best to zero at 100. That way you never have to make a negative adjustment below your zero.
Zero at 100 and make your adjustments from there for farther distances.

The only thing I personally zero at anything other that 100 (except rimfire) is my AR's that are .223 I have them zeroed at 300 as that gives the best combat effective grouping at various ranges.

 

[CampingJosh]

The only thing I personally zero at anything other that 100 (except rimfire) is my AR's that are .223 I have them zeroed at 300 as that gives the best combat effective grouping at various ranges.

On my AR using 55 grain bullets, a 50 yard zero is also a ~225 yard zero. It's also no more than 2" off either way all the way out past 250 yards. Quite handy.

I use this setup with an EOTech. I don't have anything using a proper scope set up that way.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

If it's a hunting rifle I set zero at 200. Usually running from 2700 to 2900 fps this will put you in the kill zone of a big game animal from 0 to 250 yards. On .22 I have a 50 yard zero. Target rifles are at 100 yard.

 

[djskit]

Your question is very open ended and needs specifics on the application and scope.

Precision rifle where you intend to place shot each accurately and adjust for each and all yardages? 100 yards.
AR shooting man sized targets out to 400 yards with a dot type scope - Don't know, don't have one.
Hunting rifle where you are trying to get somewhere whithin a 8 inch vital with duplex reticle? -maybe 200 yards, or 250 for a super flat shooting round.

 

[shovelstrokeed]

Way the fuck out there.
I'm working on my OAF merit badge.

 

[goodgorilla]

Your question is very open ended and needs specifics on the application and scope.

Precision rifle where you intend to place shot each accurately and adjust for each and all yardages? 100 yards.
AR shooting man sized targets out to 400 yards with a dot type scope - Don't know, don't have one.
Hunting rifle where you are trying to get somewhere whithin a 8 inch vital with duplex reticle? -maybe 200 yards, or 250 for a super flat shooting round.

The 7mag I'm building is going to be a precision rifle with a swfa ss 5-20x50. I was thinking about 100 or 200 yard zero. I think most common zero I have read was at 100.

 

[thrusty]

50 is ok for a .22

for the rest it's usually best to zero at 100. That way you never have to make a negative adjustment below your zero.
Zero at 100 and make your adjustments from there for farther distances.

The only thing I personally zero at anything other that 100 (except rimfire) is my AR's that are .223 I have them zeroed at 300 as that gives the best combat effective grouping at various ranges.

^^^^ This

 

[goodgorilla]

^^^^ This

I guess that's what I'll do.

 

[leadbullet]

100 yds then rarely shoot that close ever again.

 

[TheGerman]

Depends on your caliber and if you have a FFP reticle that can do most of the work for you.

With my 308 that has a 5-25MSR on it, I zero at 400 because I can use all of the top portion of the reticle for anything less than 400 and get out to roughly 800 yards with the bottom portion of the reticle (I think will have to check my log book, could be a bit off here) without even adjusting the turret.

That way you aren't screwing around with your turret all day and can reference your data book and reticle data for distances quickly.

 

[tman300wm]

Depends on your caliber and if you have a FFP reticle that can do most of the work for you.

With my 308 that has a 5-25MSR on it, I zero at 400 because I can use all of the top portion of the reticle for anything less than 400 and get out to roughly 800 yards with the bottom portion of the reticle (I think will have to check my log book, could be a bit off here) without even adjusting the turret.

That way you aren't screwing around with your turret all day and can reference your data book and reticle data for distances quickly.

Sehr gut sagte, Oberleutnant!

So many guys running a precision rifle have no idea how to take advantage of the reticle and the usefulness of the 400 yard zero. We generally do much or our instruction with students running a 100 yard zero on their rifles, but there are segments of our course where the 400 yard zero is a necessity. The utility of it can't be underestimated, and it really takes full advantage of the usefulness of the tactical reticle. That being said, it is better (more accurate) to dial your scope to hit an object at distance. You don't find many (if any) competitive shooters running 400 yard zeros on their rifles. The 400 yard zero certainly has it's place, but I'm inclined to think of it more like a battlefield zero, which has a limited degree of practicality for the ordinary shooter who is punching paper at 300 yards.

I'd recommend a 100 yard zero. I'd also recommend learning how to hold over using only the reticle as well as dialing. A complete knowledge of your rifle and optics capabilities makes for a well rounded marksman.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

My 223 rifle has a reticle with BDC aiming points out to 500yd and I back that up with a Laser Rangefinder. This allows me to get an accurate distance, and the reticle allows me to use an aiming point that is reasonably consistent with the likeliest trajectory curve. Recognize that some error can be expected, but for minute of Venison/Badguy, some kind of first round hit should be the result. Also bear in mind that the terminal effects from a 223 round can be expected to drop off rather sharply beyond 200yd. Personally, I'd temper my expectations for meaningful damage on anything larger that a woodchuck beyond 200yd.

Since the aiming points within my available practice range distance of 250yd are at 100yd and 200yd, I would prefer to use the farther distance and aiming point for my zeroing, since errors at 100yd should be the smaller consequence as opposed to 200yd errors from zeroing at 100yd.

For long range rifles and applications I also prefer a 200yd zero. BDC reticles can be helpful but most of us probably don't have many or any scopes that employ such reticles.

Besides knowing actual distance and zero distance, a reasonably precise trajectory chart based on that zero distance can be especially useful. I use the Pejsa chart program, and print out the Stock Table, which gets laminated onto the near side vertical surface of my butt stock using clear package sealing tape.

Greg

 

[Graham]

How far out do you zero?

I don't get it:

"How far out do you zero?"
I'm zeroed at every distance that I shoot.

 

[bunsen27]

Depends on your caliber and if you have a FFP reticle that can do most of the work for you.

With my 308 that has a 5-25MSR on it, I zero at 400 because I can use all of the top portion of the reticle for anything less than 400 and get out to roughly 800 yards with the bottom portion of the reticle (I think will have to check my log book, could be a bit off here) without even adjusting the turret.

That way you aren't screwing around with your turret all day and can reference your data book and reticle data for distances quickly.

Finally, somebody else who "gets it"! I run a 300yd zero and a Vortex XLR FFP reticule on my competition guns. I'm a holder not a dialer, however I do know exactly what I need to dial down to anywhere between 100yd and 250yds for shooting dot's, eggs, cold bore, ect. I see nothing wrong with dialing up from 100yds other than the potential loss of time dialing and dialing in the incorrect DOPE. I know that the weakest link in the chain is me when on the clock so I eliminate as many ways for me to screw up as I can. I'm a firm believer in more than one to skin the cat on this one, but most guys at precision matches look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language when I tell them I run a 300yd zero and hold over from there. Some of the guys that shoot the designate marksman match (DMM) also get it.

 

[emdeucee]

I zero everything at 100, too lazy to walk all the way to 200+ to put up/retrieve my target...

 

[evilcoon]

Finally, somebody else who "gets it"! I run a 300yd zero and a Vortex XLR FFP reticule on my competition guns. I'm a holder not a dialer, however I do know exactly what I need to dial down to anywhere between 100yd and 250yds for shooting dot's, eggs, cold bore, ect. I see nothing wrong with dialing up from 100yds other than the potential loss of time dialing and dialing in the incorrect DOPE. I know that the weakest link in the chain is me when on the clock so I eliminate as many ways for me to screw up as I can. I'm a firm believer in more than one to skin the cat on this one, but most guys at precision matches look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language when I tell them I run a 300yd zero and hold over from there. Some of the guys that shoot the designate marksman match (DMM) also get it.

I'm game!

 

[Deerhunter 28]

100 yards


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