What zero range for .22 matches?

[300ATT]

I was curious what range shooters set their zero's at for .22. 50 yds/meters or 25? I understand that this will vary depending on the shooting discipline. I am interested in your thoughts on an appropriate zero range for Nrl .22 and ELR (beyond 200 yard) type competitions.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

A 50 yard zero is going to serve you just fine whether you are shooting a NRL match that doesn't exceed 100 yards or one that pushes the distances out to 200-300 yards. If you have a 50 yard zero that is the apex of the trajectory, similar to shooting a center fire cartridge zeroed at 100 yards, everything closer then the zero range and everything beyond it is going to be a hold over. It makes it a little easier, for me at least, knowing that I'll always have to dial or hold up to shoot a target. My dope with a 50 yard zero is 100=1.6 mils, 200=6.8 mils, and 300= 13.4 mils so as you can see it drops off quite a bit so make sure your scope has plenty of adjustment. I use a 20 MOA base with a NF 2.5-10 so I have just enough to dial for everything.

 

[missed]

I zero mine at 50

 

[Slowfire]

What Trigger said

 

[ratton]

50 yrds for sure

 

[Rob01]

50 yards.

 

[300ATT]

Thank you ... 50 yard and a hold over for everything else makes a lot of sense, I am sighted in at 25 will change this. It's interesting that my dope from a 50 yard zero is 1.6 mils to 100 and 6.7 mils to 200 (have not gone beyond 210). Trigger Monkey you must be using Eley or something similar that shoots a 40gr bullet at about 1,080 fps. Makes you wonder if it is possible to come up with a universal dope chart (.22 FDAC out to say 400 yds in 10 yd increments) - I believe that it could be done. Now there's an idea for some enterprising ELR .22 shooter.

FWIW, I chrono'ed Eley Edge and Eley Tenex (10-shots ea. )in my Sako range the other day and found that tenex had a velocity of 1,084-1,090 fps (ES=6) and an SD of 2. Eley Edge had 1,066-1,081fps, ES=15 and and SD of 4 ... not too shabby. 42 degrees wind 2-3mph DA 4,650 ft.

 

[47guy]

25 for me...and my FPS,ESs and SDs are right in line with yours...eley edge is what i shoot myself.

 

[Nik H]

50 yard zero with a 20 MOA base for me. No issues out to 300 yards

 

[300ATT]

Eley edge seems to be able to hold 1" elevation at 200 yards. Eley tenex can hold 1/2" elevation at that distance. 1" seems to work well enough for now. I look forward to taking it out past 300.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I was shooting CCI mini-mags on a really cold day so the DA was probably down around zero and the temp was about 30-ish so the velocity was probably low too.

 

[NOMAD]

I use a 50 yard zero on my Vudoo V22

 

[Sig Marine]

I think it depends on how the matches you shoot are setup. We have stages with targets at anywhere from 25 to 225 with several between 25-50 yards at targets as small as 1/8". I run tight times so there's no time to dial; zeroed at 25 makes everything a hold-over past 25 yards and makes it easy for new shooters to remember. If I were shooting out past 225 yards, then a 50 yard zero would probably be my choice. With a 25 zero, my elevation at 225 is 8.4 MIL so there's not much left in the tank for going much farther considering the way a .22 drops in elevation so quickly.

 

[300ATT]

Thanks, SIG. Match format should be the determining factor whether to use a 25 yd zero or 50.

 

[47guy]

agree with Sig Marine...our matches have been from 25 out to 170-200yds. im hoping they go out to 300 this year...i shoot out to 280 300 pretty regularly.

 

[pucker]

I think it depends on how the matches you shoot are setup. We have stages with targets at anywhere from 25 to 225 with several between 25-50 yards at targets as small as 1/8". I run tight times so there's no time to dial; zeroed at 25 makes everything a hold-over past 25 yards and makes it easy for new shooters to remember. If I were shooting out past 225 yards, then a 50 yard zero would probably be my choice. With a 25 zero, my elevation at 225 is 8.4 MIL so there's not much left in the tank for going much farther considering the way a .22 drops in elevation so quickly.

Both the ballistic calculators I tried show a hold-under some distance past 25 (with 25yd zero)...unless I shrink the scope height all the way to 1".

As Trigger mentioned, finding the apex distance, and making that the zero, is the only way (I can see) to prevent having a hold-under somewhere. This should benefit the shooter regardless of match distances. The only reason I can see to zero at some distance other than the apex, would be in an effort to extend your 'point blank range', where small misses are ok in the name of speed. (hunting) https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2017/7/17/learn-your-maximum-point-blank-range/

What am I missing?

 

[delfuego]

Don't overthink this, just run a 50y zero.

Also, come out to the Pueblo Rimfire Matches

 

[quickdraw]

I go with a 25y zero on my NRL22 match rifle. I get the same or a +.1mil setting at 50y, 1.0mil at 75y and 2.0- 2.1mil at 100y which are the most common target distance. Looking in JBM to zero at both 25 and 50y distances have a hold under at certain distances. With a 25y zero it is -.1mil at 30-40y and zero's again at 45y which is close enough that I seldom even dial for 50y unless the target is submoa. Any other oddball distances that Ty throws into the COF can be verified at the prematch practice and verify 30 minute session.

For me I'm at zero at the 2 closest distances and 1mil and 2mil at the next 2 common distances which is very easy to remember under match conditions. I just know what works for me.

 

[Hookturnr]

50 seems to be the concensus and I'll plug for it as well. I'm shooting PRC and we run from 25yds to 300.
The key is making sure your optics will get you where you need to go.
I'm running a Vortex Viper midway special 5-15x on a 25moa rail and that lets me dial every range we've run into. I set my zero stop a little light so I can dial .8mil past my zero for close precision targets and everything else dials up.

 

[bunsen27]

50yds is a very practical zero for both field and match use. 25yds does have it's merits if the targets are small and inside 50yds.

With a 50yd zero the bullet apex is actually NOT 50yds but around 35yds (dependent on sight over bore height). JBM does have Eley, RWS, and Lapua/SK/Wolf projectile data:

 

[darth_ritis]

I would love to zero at 35 yards at the top of the apex, but ranges near me only have 25 yards and 50 yards so I zero at 50.

 

[scalian]

50 Yard

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Fiddy
It's the gold tooth standard.

If there was something like a DM Match then for time constraints you may not have time to dial, and work in hold overs and hold unders. 300 yd zero for centerfire soooo.....your zero might be odd number. Then again looking at Shooter app.....it might be.......Fiddy.