Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

[TNT]

50 yd or 100yd?

Searched, came up with nothing, would like the counsel of wiser minds than mine and any method behind the madness.

My thought is to zero my .22 rifle at 50 yards, so as to be able to shoot it zeroed at a local indoor range when I can't make the longer trip to an outdoor facility (also easy to get initial zero at the indoor range).

The only hesitation I have is that all my other rifles (centerfire .223 and .308) are zeroed at 100, and the goal of this rifle is to mimic my .308 - Rem700 5r. I've taken a look at the comparison tables and am stuck on my initial idea of a 50 yard zero, but I'm probably missing something obvious that I was hoping someone here could point out to me, particularly w.r.t. the comparison with the .308.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[JoeMartin]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

I to was torn between a 50 and 100 yard zero with my Savage Mark II FVT that carries a Mil-Dot 6-24x42 Tasco Target/Varmint Scope with a 20 MOA EGW Base.

I was told to zero at 50 yards and with the 20 MOA Base I would be able to reach 200 yards (my personal goal) with what I have. Some say I'll be able to go a bit further and I should be able to with the Mil-Dots.

So, I zeroed at 50 yards and now it's just a matter of setting the AO at the desired range I wish to shoot - then crank my elevation turret to the predetermined minutes I will need to reach a particular yardage I wish to reach.

From a 50 yard zero I need 21 minutes to reach my 200 yard target, (I'll make any adjustments needed once I see where I'm marking at 200 yds). I'll test my figures tomorrow morning provided it isn't raining.

Don't know if this helps or not, but that's my setup on this particular rifle.

On my Marlin 795 that carries a 3-9x32 Bushnell Scope, I am currently zeroed at 25 yards, though I will work for a fifty yard zero even though there isn't a whole lot of difference between where I'm hitting at 25 and 50 yards.

Naturally, ammo will be everthing depending on the ranges you are shooting to. Subsonic will work for all ranges, and where I live I've found that Standard and High Velocity is pretty good out to 100 yards with the Standard getting the edge over the HV stuff.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

Whether you zero at 50 and dial for 100 or zero for 100, you are going to have to use up mechanical elevation getting there.....
The zero distance only matters if your base or shims can get you where you want to shoot mainly in the center of the scope's travel to maximize windage and elevation adjustment.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

i like the idea of a 50 yard for the reasons you mentioned.

are you just talking about keeping the elevation / windage knobs at "0" at 50 or 100?

i don't know if i'm misunderstanding , but why not just set it the turrets at on "0" at 50 and if it takes (for example) +28 clicks (1/4" adj.) to be on at 100, you know your turret should be on 7 (the math is probably off as i'm tired).

at that point if you want your turret to read "0" at 100 ( to match your other rifle /scope combos )make a note of how many clicks up (+28) it took you to get there and re set the turret to 0. then when you want to go back to 50 and have your turret read 0, click down (-28) and reset turret to 0.

that works well with my .308 switching from 110gr heads for woodchucks to 165gr for deer then folowing the seperate dope for each of the weights. (just keep good notes)

probably easier to just keep the turrets set on 0 at 50, then follow your dope up through the different ranges and noting how many times you pass 0 through a full turn (i pass "0" 4 times going from 50 to 200 yards with the 22, 1/8" adjustments)

sorry if i went into left field on this one, i gotta get some ZZZZ's

 

[J.Boyette]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

I run a 150yd ZERO on my CZ 452.

My 25 and 50yd hold is 4 mil over ZERO.

Works like a champ.

200yds is 2.6 Mil hold.

No dialing, no fuss.

John

 

[Gunfighter25]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

In other threads here, people have set their zero distance at 50 or a hundred yards but use one of the vertical dots above the cross hair as the zero point to gain more range. This will give you more hold over points on the lower part of the reticle. If you set your zero at the first dot above the cross hair at 50 yards, you can reach out further out. Just remember, wind and mirage will mess you up the further you go out and the hotter/windier it gets.

I use a SS 10X42 with mil-dots and a 20 MOA EGW rail. Once I'm dialed in, I can hit a 36" steel plate at 450 yards - if I read wind and mirage correctly. I use the dial-ups from Exbal tables on my PDA and they usually get me close. Somewhere around 82 MOA...for 450 yards using CCI MiniMag 36 gr HP. I have to use the dots below the cross hairs to hold on target but it works.

I gave up trying to mimic my Rem 700 .308. Focussing instead on the basics and trying to get a consistant and predictable hit.

Keep looking here, there were a couple of threads discussing how they were able to duplicate long range ballistics with .22 LR rounds.

my 2 cents,

Gunfighter

 

[coldbeerchief]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

What kind of scope do you have ? and what do you intend to do with the rifle?

On my hunting rimfires, (fixed objectives and covered knobs), I zero at 18 Yards (yes, 18) with subsonic ammo. This gives me max PBR.

Those with target-type scopes get a 50 yard zero. I can dial from 10 to 350 yards with no problem.

 

[TNT]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

That's part of the issue, I have a leupy mk 4 3.5-10 and a USO is on it's way, 3.2-17x. Right now the leupy is on my .308, and my plan was to put the USO on the .22, since it's the rifle I'll be shooting almost exclusively while I am in PA - only have access out to 100 yards at the moment, and am in the process of scouting out a 300 yard range. I'd like to be shooting primarily at 100 with the .22 and then at 300 if this new range works out.
Once I'm back in VA and can mosey on down to Quantico, the USO will probably go on my .308, but I never know how these things will turn out.
I also don't have any subsonic ammo at the moment (at least I don't think I do, but I've never bothered to chrono anything - all federal GMM or wolf match/sk jagd)
I may also give up on the idea of mimicking the .308, as the most important thing for me to do is just assemble a good dope book for each rifle and use them.

Thanks for everyone's input, decision will be made this weekend I hope, additional input always appreciated.

 

[hifly78]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

Just an idea about zero settings on your scope. I have my zero set to zero. For elevation thats all the way to the bottom and for Windage its all the way left.

My scope is a busnell elite 6500 2.5-16x50 mil dot. I cant set a bottom stop midway and found that I was loosing where I was with the rimfire because usually using more than one turn. 12MOA per revolution of the turret.

So I know that my setting for 100 yard zero with my 300 win mag (with a particular ammo) is 28MOA up 46MOA right from stops. That means that with 12 MOA per revolution which is marked on the turett, my turret will be two full turns and 4 min up 3 full turns (36) and 10MOA Right.

When switching the scope to my savage rimfire its 50 yard zero is 30 up (2 turns and 6.0 on the knob) and 42 right 6.0 on the knob after 3 turns.

If I get lost is easy to go back

just my two cents, hope it helps

 

[GCMxVeGeTa]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

I zero my .22 LR at 150 in summer time, so its zeroed at 100 in winter.

Same with .223, I zero at 200 in summer for 100 winter zero.

Larger calibers might need a little tweaking tho...

 

[TNT]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

USO hasn't showed up yet, so the Leupy went on the .22. I can't complain one bit. I set up for a 50 yd zero, at 100 yds comeup was 5 MOA (1-2 less than I had anticipated).
Still not sure if my scope is really aligned right - tried using the feeler gauges to level it and think I did a decent enough job. In any case, I didn't have to dial windage between 50 and 100, so it seems fine to me. Next time I'm out I think I will zero at 100 and then see what the hold under is for 50 and decide which I like best. Only problem is that I won't get to try out longer range for a while, which is the true determining factor for what zero I will settle on.

 

[remsps243]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

Insert Name Here, what are you hold overs or come ups with a 18 yd zero? whats the advantage.

I sighted a .22 at 15 yds once and was damn near zero at 100yds. using federal champion ammo.

 

[coldbeerchief]

Re: Opinions on Scope Zero Distance

With subsonic HPs, an 18 yard zero gives me max point blank range. In other words, POI is within +/- .5" of POA out to about 60 yards. The advantage is that you don't have to worry about hold overs or come ups within that distance.