How to zero at long range ?

59..baba

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Minuteman
Jun 26, 2013
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France
Hello everyone, how can you zero a scope at for example 600/800m ? Can you help me? :confused:

I normally zero my scopes at 200/300 m but I want to prepare a specific gun for ELR with a very far zero...

For information, the rail would be a 40MOA picatinny rail with Nightforce Beast on it.

Thanks a lot! :)
 
Zero at 100 and come up required amount of MOA to get there. Make sure you have a good handle on your FPS, BC and environmental data. Should put you very close. Many of the programs and apps now are pretty accurate. Keep in mind, crap in, crap out.

One other thing I have done just for testing (some may question this). Zero at 100 on a large target like 2 ft high with a dot at the bottom for the target and a vertical line to the top. Mark off in 1" increments from the bottom. So if you wanted to shoot 600 yards (using data from my rifle) you would need to come up 14.5 MOA. Take a shot at the target and you should impact around 14.5" above your POA. If not, figure out why, double check your data. Once you get a handle on your data, the shot should impact pretty close to what dialed in for elevation. That will serve to illustrate your math and data adds up and also, if your scope tracks well.

Once I'm zeroed at long range, I pretty much leave it there and adjust for conditions. That is, unless I'm testing loads.
 
Tempest is on the right track. Something to keep in mind is that it's always going to be easier to shoot groups at 100m vs 500m, all things considered. Instead of trying to shoot zeroing groups at distance, just shoot them at 100m with the expected POI to match your drop at said distance.
 
When you shoot ELR, or any range beyond your actual "zero", you are effectively zeroing your rifle for each new distance, only your not setting your turret at "0". I know its a basic concept, but many shooters that are new(er) to the game are under the misconception that setting a zero at a further distance will get you additional MOA of travel, this is not the case. If your optic has 120 MOA of internal travel (fictitious #) and its mechanically centered, you have 60 MOA up and 60 MOA down, but you only need the UP MOA. The best advice is get a 100 yard zero and roll with it, if you run out of turret at ELR you need a base with additional cant, changing your zero won't do anything.


Kirk Roberts