Rifle Scopes Zeroed for the first time - Problems

[FreedomFeens]

So i am a complete noob to shooting with scopes. I had no problems zeroing the aimpoint red dot at 36 yards for the 223 then i moved to the 308 which wears an SWFA 1-6HD. I did a good job mounting the scope, used a plum bob and set the reticle level properly. So the scope is definately not mounted crooked.

For the 308, i placed the target at 100 yards first. NONE of my shots hit it. I aimed up, down, left, right, and even feet off the target in these directions. So we moved to 50, again, no hits. Then to 36, finally got on paper. Before i shot this scope, i counted the number of Complete revolutions of the elevation and windage dials, then dialed in to 1/2 of the total revolutions with the idea that this should put the reticle in the middle of the scope-boy was i wrong. Finally after i burned through all my ammo, i got a decent grouping.

At 36 yards with the 308 i was trying to move it a few inchs up and maybe an inch or two left after i finally got it on target, but HOW do i know how far to turn the dial on the windage and elevation? I seemed to put myself back off the paper in the opposite direction by turning it too far at times.

Any advice for a noob?

 

[sentry1]

Read the manual, it will tell you what your click values are. Might be helpful to use grid lined paper as well so you know how much to adjust. Start in close, get on paper, then move to 100 or where ever you want your zero.

 

[Kruger21]

Now your on paper!!! It's a FFP scope Mrad adjustments that match the reticle. Use the reticle like a ruler to measure your corrections from your POA easy.. 0.5 mil mark is 5 clicks 1 Mil mark is 10 clicks etc etc.
Try to understand the subtensions of your reticle and how it relates to the markings on your turrets.
Get inches out of your head. If using Mrad scopes
That scope has 35 Mrad of elevation, so when you put the reticle in the middle of total revolution would have had you really high, out past 1000 high depending on what MOA Base you have

Good luck

 

[kor]

Also from a complete noob:

Do all this from a stable position, I use sandbags from a bench because it's what my range has. This is how I zeroed my cheap ncstar scope several times while finding rings that gave me a good cheek weld.

Bring the target in close (my preference is 25 yards), don't assume it's mounted perfectly in line. Once on paper, fire once at a small dot (I like half inch), put the crosshairs on the spot you aimed at. Measure the difference between the hit and the dot with the reticle in angular units (looks like .5mrad per line, your manual should have a dimensioned picture or 3), and remember this measurement.

It appears you have .1mrad turrets, so turn them 1 click per .1 mrad measured in the direction per the markings on the turret. Fire again at the same dot.

Fire again. Happy with the results? If no, understand what changes you made and repeat armed with more info. If yes, take the target to 100 and expect to be high because you set the (nearly straight) line from the barrel to intersect the line from the scope at a very short range.

I like using an 18 inch shoot n see with a repair paster in the middle of the huge bullseye at 100 yards. Repeat the 25 yard instructions, and when close, shoot a group. If YOU have accuracy issues (doubt it's the rifle or scope unless it's loose), you'll spend all day fighting yourself for a zero, so get it close enough to start shooting groups and work on your form. When you can do your part (might be a few sessions), finish zeroing.

Pay attention to your breathing and trigger work, note how everything changes POI, note how any sway throws POI off, note how cheek weld makes a difference, and understand that just because the crosshair is on the dot doesn't mean that's where the POI is, you still have to do your part (you just get more feedback and information).

Almost all of this should be in a manual at that price point, I extrapolated this from the manual of my $40 scope.

From another noob, good luck and enjoy!

 

[kor]

Bad phone! No double posting!

 

[shovelstrokeed]

The key to a quick zero of the scope lies in getting a repeatable position for the gun. It helps to have a buddy there to turn turrets for you if your scope needs a coin or screwdriver to make the adjustments.
I use a bipod and a sandbag under either the grip or the butt of the stock, depends on the gun. My REPR is easiest as I have an adjustable monopod under the but stock so I can adjust the gun to exactly the same position as I fired my first shot from.
Now, fire a shot and look for the bullet hole.
2 schools of thought on what to do next. With the setup I described above, I return the gun to the original firing position, and original point of aim.
I then adjust the turrets so that the crosshairs line up with the bullet hole from the previous shot. DO NOT MOVE THE GUN.
Fire another shot after resetting point of aim. POI should equal POA by now if you are consistent. Repeat as needed.
I you don't have the advantage of having a solid 3 point support for the gun, use your buddy and have him adjust your turrets for you under your direction.
If you know your ammo MV and bullet, any ballistic calculator worth its salt will give you the relationship between 25 yards and 100 yards, adjust elevation turret as needed to move out. Likely down at 100 if you zeroed at 25 unless your shooting std velocity 22 LR.

 

[KTDLS7]

Too bad you wasted ammo. Bore sight first (remove bolt, look down barrel < I used a knot on my fence in back yard>, adjust scope accordingly. BTW, this can be done at range.) Go to range, fire a shot. Use the reticle to calculate correction and dial adjustment. My last scope (Bushnell G2HDMR) took 2 shots to be POA.

Ahhh - The beauty of FFP and an outstanding reticle with matching turrets.

 

[scudzuki]

In a perfect world, with a flat base, a scope would zero at 100 yards with the windage centered and the elevation a mil or so (3 MOA) below centered.

In this world, the base is not perfectly in line with the barrel bore (in either the vertical or the horizontal plane) and the reticle is not perfectly centered when the turrets are centered.

Once you have it on paper it is pretty easy to get it zeroed, just remember that the directions on the turrets indicate the direction it moves the POI. If your POI is to the left of the POA, turn the windage dial towards the right. For a 100 yard zero, it should be roughly one and a half inches low at 33 yards, then move out to 100 yards and finish it up.

Joe

 

[Redmanss]

Bore sight first (remove bolt, look down barrel < I used a knot on my fence in back yard>, adjust scope accordingly. BTW, this can be done at range.) Go to range, fire a shot. Use the reticle to calculate correction and dial adjustment.

Best method to saving time and ammo, both of which equal money.

 

[farmerbrown]

Gi'day...

The old trick (used many times) is to bore sight at 22 yds and it will be very close at 100.

 

[HD1911]

Too bad you wasted ammo. Bore sight first (remove bolt, look down barrel < I used a knot on my fence in back yard>, adjust scope accordingly. BTW, this can be done at range.) Go to range, fire a shot. Use the reticle to calculate correction and dial adjustment. My last scope (Bushnell G2HDMR) took 2 shots to be POA.

Ahhh - The beauty of FFP and an outstanding reticle with matching turrets.

This post right here, follow it.

 

[Flynn]

Always start at 25 yards, not 100 and working backwards..

So i am a complete noob to shooting with scopes. I had no problems zeroing the aimpoint red dot at 36 yards for the 223 then i moved to the 308 which wears an SWFA 1-6HD. I did a good job mounting the scope, used a plum bob and set the reticle level properly. So the scope is definately not mounted crooked.

For the 308, i placed the target at 100 yards first. NONE of my shots hit it. I aimed up, down, left, right, and even feet off the target in these directions. So we moved to 50, again, no hits. Then to 36, finally got on paper. Before i shot this scope, i counted the number of Complete revolutions of the elevation and windage dials, then dialed in to 1/2 of the total revolutions with the idea that this should put the reticle in the middle of the scope-boy was i wrong. Finally after i burned through all my ammo, i got a decent grouping.

At 36 yards with the 308 i was trying to move it a few inchs up and maybe an inch or two left after i finally got it on target, but HOW do i know how far to turn the dial on the windage and elevation? I seemed to put myself back off the paper in the opposite direction by turning it too far at times.

Any advice for a noob?

 

[KTDLS7]

Gi'day...

The old trick (used many times) is to bore sight at 22 yds and it will be very close at 100.

Always start at 25 yards, not 100 and working backwards..

^ ^ ^ Exactly!

As I said, I use my fence. Distance from back porch to fence is about 65'. Have bore sighted both red dot and telescopic - works every time.

 

[ashiha]

I had to go a little extreme when I last zeroed my scope after mounting. I was off paper at 50 yards and have padding taped to the stock to raise the comb which prevented me from being able to just remove the bolt and look down the barrel (bolt comes out, but no line of sight). So I actually took the action out of the stock, set the action on a sandbag and held it in place, boresighted and adjusted accordingly, reassembled and fired. It got me on paper and I adjusted from there.

 

[Pinecone]

Too bad you wasted ammo. Bore sight first (remove bolt, look down barrel < I used a knot on my fence in back yard>, adjust scope accordingly. BTW, this can be done at range.) Go to range, fire a shot. Use the reticle to calculate correction and dial adjustment. My last scope (Bushnell G2HDMR) took 2 shots to be POA.

Ahhh - The beauty of FFP and an outstanding reticle with matching turrets.

Easier way.

Bore sight, fire one shot.

Put rifle on rest with reticle on point of aim. Without moving rifle, adjust reticle to bullet hole.

No measuring or calculating.

 

[smschulz]

Get yourself a bore sight tool.
Start in close and move out to your desired zero length.

 

[Mayhem52]

Easier way.

Bore sight, fire one shot.

Put rifle on rest with reticle on point of aim. Without moving rifle, adjust reticle to bullet hole.

No measuring or calculating.

+1

 

[samnev]

Always start at 25 yards, not 100 and working backwards..

+1

25 yards to start your zero. As others have said first bore sight,. Fire 1 shot then using initial point of aim move the reticle to point of impact without moving the rifle. I always adjust my 25 yard zero 1.5" low. Then move to 100 yards to complete your zero.