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Fieldcraft What distance is your zero?

#12
Re: What distance is your zero?

100 yards. Although I've found that at some comps where you have to engage multiple targets with a time constraint, a 400 yard zero works well. With the 400 yard zero 100 to 700 yards is a matter of 2 mils up and 3 mils down.
 
#14
Re: What distance is your zero?

100 yds,

Simply because I can accurately poke a bullet into an X at that range at any time. I can also set a zero or BZO from that range that will allow me to hold over or under out to 1K+ just by dialing on. 100yds is the base and all others are judged from there.

Cheers, Doc
 
#16
Re: What distance is your zero?

I guess I'm just weird, my zero is 200yds. The main reason for this is because I use my rifle for hunting as well as LR shooting, and when hunting I like the 200yd zero; anything from point blank to 250yds gets a dead-on hold and it's close enough.
 
#18
Re: What distance is your zero?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Trigger Monkey</div><div class="ubbcode-body">100 yards. Although I've found that at some comps where you have to engage multiple targets with a time constraint, a 400 yard zero works well. With the 400 yard zero 100 to 700 yards is a matter of 2 mils up and 3 mils down. </div></div>
Do you dial in your 400 yard dope or do you actually zero your rifle at 400 when shooting these comps?

JO
 
#19
Re: What distance is your zero?

100yd.

My base is custom bedded to put the 100yd zero 5-6MOA off the bottom end of my elevation adjustment range. This allows me to be certain that when I back it all the way down, I'm the correct number of turns (zero, just 5-6MOA) from bottom.

Greg
 
#21
Re: What distance is your zero?

300yds all day because its better.

I like a point blank zero over a 100yd ZERO to me, shooting under 100yds is a waste of ammo. I do shoot under 300yds but its not much.

After looking at how my bullets fly and all that crap 300yds is way better than 100yd ZERO.

But,

If all I had was a 100yds range than that changes up the story some.

John
 
#22
Re: What distance is your zero?

When I'm shooting a conventional mildot scope with 5 mils of marks below the main crosshairs, I use a 100 yard zero.

I can use mil holdovers from that zero to shoot out to 600 yards without touching the elevation knob.

Beyond that, I'll dial elevation for precision.
 
#23
Re: What distance is your zero?

100 yard zero!!!

John i know you dont like to woast ammo and rather shoot long and all with your ammo alotment.

But i would say the comment of waisting ammo under a 100 is a waist of ammo is not true!!

Look at teh LEO avg distance>
Look at alot of the matches that do short range drills.
Look at how many people dont kn ow what there rifle dope under a 100 really is.

The list goes on.

As a shooter nothing will ever replace live fire training and real world data!!
 
#26
Re: What distance is your zero?

With a 100 yard zero, all other distances, whether short or long, are come ups or hold overs, not down. Eliminates possibility of a brain fart of forgeting to hold under or adjusting down.
 
#30
Re: What distance is your zero?

I guess 100 yard is traditional. I start the practise with 100 yards to see how I'm holdin, then practise 300 to 600 n then finish by confirmin I am back on 100 yards by shootin it.

If ya hunt with a different 'zero' ya can just dial to that dope n leave it on the rifle while huntin.

100 yard practise does have a place... its very difficult to blame the wind for poor groups at 100 yards!!!!!

But I have done just that
blush.gif
 
#33
Re: What distance is your zero?

Just curious....
What elevation setting (zero) gives the .308 shooter the greatest point blank range against an E-type?

1. Depends what your velocity is.
2. Most prefered dope to put on your weapon to do MBR will be 300 or 400 yards to do mil hold overs or unders to get you to 1000.
3. With a 100 yard zero you would dial your 400 and do your hold over.
4. I see no reason to zero at 300 yards!!


Please expand on your question.




 
#34
Re: What distance is your zero?

I zero at 200yds because I usually never shoot anything closer. I hunt ground squirrels way out in the open and I almost never shoot under 200yds. It's just easier for me that way.
 
#35
Re: What distance is your zero?

I'm old army I guess, I sight all but my High Powder Rifles at 250 yards. I have three or four zeros depending on which gun in high power, 2,3,6 and on some 1000 yards.
 
#38
Re: What distance is your zero?

Tony,

I understand you point and I am with you 100%.

I am not a LE Sniper, or a Military one. Never have been. When I go practice I shoot 300yds + When I do a train-up I shoot 25yds to 1000yds.

But IF I am not training for a match I do not worry about stuff under 300yds.

John
 
#39
Re: What distance is your zero?

RGR John i am tracking with you as well.

I was just focusing on the OP's question about what distance and we have taken this a few different ways.

Which does open up more questions of why someone would rather zero at 300 yards verse 100.

 
#40
Re: What distance is your zero?

I like a 300yd ZERO for real world usage if the zombies come over the hill.

With a 300yd ZERO I can hold center mass and drop that bitch from 0-550yds. So to me it makes since.

If I was hunting I would run a 300yd ZERO because 100yds is the first mil above the cross hair and 600yds is the third below.

So knowing this it is rel fast to find the kill zone on a deer or what ever I am hunting.

Now as always if I have time I dial. If its a slap shot I have found the 300yd ZERO is better than 100yds for this

John
 
#41
Re: What distance is your zero?

RGR John i cant agree more with what you said above.

Example when we zeroed our M40's we zero at 100 yards.

When i patrolled or was in the bush working i set my dials on my 300 yard zero to achieve exactly what you just said above.

So does that mean i have my 300 yard data on my gun or 300 yard zero on?

But what we are talking about is what range did you zero your gun at? 100 yards or at 300 yards?


Zeroing at 100 yards will give you a much more solid and precise zero at 100 which when you go further back to long range 1000 yards your data will be more precise.

Zero at 300 you have added error you build in that zero and thus more error at longer ranges. When i say error i mean fundimentals, adjustment error and also some wind effects.

Then moving to the point of using hold over's. Rock on if you want to hold no problem. Just dial on your MBR range and make it happen. Nothing wrong with it.

Take it one step further you are patroling in the open desert and you zeroed your rifle at 300 yards, now your team is fraged to go into a city to support a operation and there is no time to rezero your rifle for the short range urban environment you are about to be put into. No how many problems come out with the current 300 yard zero? A bunch.

Why not just get a 100% sold zero at 100 yards and then knowing your weapon put on your MBR or 300 yard zero and you now have 100% full use of your weapon system.

 
#42
Re: What distance is your zero?

I have everything set at 100 yards. But for anything I'm not shooting in competition I carry it set for 250 yards. That give me the longest "zero hold" for the loads I'm shooting. With that I'm good for practical shots out to 375. Shooting from a bench or prone is different than what ever you come up against in real world. If the shot is longer then reset and go from there. Watch your knobs and notice your log book for wind and drop.
 
#43
Re: What distance is your zero?

For many of the reasons Nomad stated, I use a 100 yard zero. Though I have a few personal reasons as well.

1. Precision. In todays world, Mil or LE, you must be precise. In the LE world you are dealing with one or two bad guys and tons of friendlies running about. In the majority of Mil engagements today you are dealing with urban situations with friendlies living and working on the battlefield. Every time a civi is killed you lose ground with the civi population. I shouldn't have to say it but I will.... The only thing worse than being killed is killing a buddy. Precision is key. With a 100 yard zero I feel you own more of the AO in the catagory of precision.

2. Ease of use. I have instructed numerous LE and Mil and I find the same thing to be true with each operator. When the shit hits the fan their ability to work out complex problems goes down the tubes. During run and guns (mainly with carbines) I see operators get confused with 200 or 300 yard zeros because the stress level goes up and they can not remember if they need to hold high or low. During the shit the chances of you having a 40 inch target to hit are slim and none. You will have small body parts to hone in on and hit.
 
#44
Re: What distance is your zero?

What CB sites about ease of use is one of the reasons why I have gone from using a 400 yard zero to a 100 yard zero for multiple-target engagements at reasonable distances, i.e., 600 yards or less.

With any mil-based reticle with 5 mils of marks below the main crosshairs, I can use only holdovers to shoot out to 600 yards.

So, there is no danger of getting confused about whether to hold over or hold under. It's all holdovers.

There is more than one way to skin a cat - but this one works for me.
 
#45
Re: What distance is your zero?

Why not do both? I think it depends on the situation. I zero at 100yds and know my hold overs. If there are multiple steel targets to engage at random distance and have a time limit... I dial my scope to my 300yd zero and use the reticle. Chances are the targets are further than 300yds and at least 1-2 moa in size. I will be .8 mills high on a 100yd target and I only need 2.1 mills to hit at 600. For me its dirt simple to hold for any target 100-600yds. About any distance gets a 1/2 or 1 mill hold @ center mass.

If there is no time limit and i have the time i will dial for a dead nuts zero. I hold for windage if it is under 1 mill.

its the wind that kicks my but.
 
#46
Re: What distance is your zero?

Tony,

I see your point now. This is what I do.

I ZERO my optic @ 100yds windage and elevation. Then go out to 300yds and adjust elevation. At that time I set my turrets to )-) reading @ 300yds.

So when I want to shoot 100yds its a -4.5 MOA below ZERO.

But like I posted before. If I can dial I will. If I cannot I hold center mass.

Lindy,

I like the 400yd idea too. I need to look at that
 
#48
Re: What distance is your zero?

RGR John!!

You were confusing everyone by saying you are zeroing at 300 yards.

When in fact you were zeroing at 100 yards and putting your 300 yard dope on the weapon!!

Big difference LOL!!!

Easy fix and i think we can all say that we all do zero at 100 yards for the most part!!

 
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