Zero issues and seating depth test

[pitdog85]

So I thought I had zero'd my rifle last time I went out I seem to be having a heck of a time to get it zero'd properly.

my first question is today was my first time using my red tac rear squeeze bag prior to this I was just using a couple of blocks of wood or some novels with a heat pack I had here in the house. Would changing to this redtac bag cause my groups to shift almost 1-1.5 inches left of poa??

following on from that if it is not the bag causing the shift maybe I turned the windage turrets the wrong way? My swfa scope has an arrow pointing clockwise saying bullet impact R turn that way which is what I did. Just to clarify the impacts are to the left of the target and I want to move them right so I should dial it a couple of clicks clockwise right ?? I'm getting myself confused on that windage turret.

lastly I have attached an image from seating depth test I did today. I'm going to go with 10 thou off the lands but I'm a bit concerned with how much difference in group size there is by only a few thou if seating depth change does this seem right? Maybe it's me And not the gun but going from 10 thou off to 18 thou off was a big increase.

thanks

 

[Sogan]

If you changed your body positioning at all from using the wood/books to using the rear bag then there may be a slight zeroing difference due to a different recoil management approach. As for the turrets, you move them the way you want the bullet to go - If you are missing left by .2 mils then you turn the turret to the right to bring the bullet impact to the right. Not to confuse you, but if you look through the scope while moving the windage to the right it will actually move your reticle to the left so your POA/POI is the same.

 

[pitdog85]

Thanks mate that is clearer now can you also please explain once zero'd dialling for wind. I only use the reticle as it's easy enough if the wind is coming from right to left I hold to the right of the target and the wind blows it onto the target so to speak.

with dialing for wind let's say the wind is coming from right to left do you dial to the right own clockwise as you want the bullet to blow into the target. Would it be correct to simplify by saying you should dial into the direction the wind is coming from ie a left to right you dial left on the turret ??

 

[SubOptimal]

Don't do both. I tend to leave my windage set to my zero value and then use the reticle. I will quite often do the same for elevation if I'm working at short distances. I even estimate holds using nothing but a duplex reticle, even irons when I am playing with one of my 22s. Yes, you hold into the wind, you dial as well. A 22 at 100 yards is a great way to learn wind and you never have to worry about where your turrets are set, provided you did your zero on a calm day.

 

[Sogan]

Thanks mate that is clearer now can you also please explain once zero'd dialling for wind. I only use the reticle as it's easy enough if the wind is coming from right to left I hold to the right of the target and the wind blows it onto the target so to speak.

with dialing for wind let's say the wind is coming from right to left do you dial to the right own clockwise as you want the bullet to blow into the target. Would it be correct to simplify by saying you should dial into the direction the wind is coming from ie a left to right you dial left on the turret ??

I usually don't dial for wind since its always changing - most on here will say the same. However, if you do want to dial for wind the same applies. If its a right to left wind and you want to hold .2 mils right - Then you simply dial .2 mils right. Don't over think it. Its actually exactly how you think it is for the turrets - however inside the scope the reticle is going the opposite direction (but again don't over think this and don't let it confuse you)

Another simple example with using the elevation. Lets say at 500 yards you are aiming center mass but are missing 1 mil low. So in this example you want the bullet to come UP 1 mil. So you would dial up 1 mil on the elevation turret and will get the correct results. Why this happens is because when you are dialing 1 mil UP the scope reticle is actually moving down. As a result you will now be holding the gun at a higher angle than you were initially and will now hit POA/POI. Hope that helps.