Zeroing your rifle

Re: Zeroing your rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: laforumreader</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I zero my AR in at 50 yards. I am new to the precision world and have a LTR in 308. What range should I dial my rifle in at? </div></div>
Zero at 100 yards - that way most (if not all), of your shooting will require dialing "UP" or holding over. I "zero" the turret at 100 yards, but I leave a .5 MIL below zero so have the choice between dialing "DOWN" or holding under for closer shooting if necessary.


Keith
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Aries64</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I "zero" the turret at 100 yards, but I leave a .5 MIL below zero so have the choice between dialing "DOWN" or holding under for closer shooting if necessary.</div></div>

You will find that unless the laws of geometry don't hold true for your rifle that even at closer than 100 yards you will be "holding over" or dialing up with a 100 yard zero.

Try it sometime. You can even win some money off of your friends. We did some close range shooting a couple months back and even with some very experienced shooters they did not believe me when I told them they would need to dial UP or hold over to hit the mark.

It's not trajectory at short range, it's "mechanical offset".

I zero at 100 because that is how zero stops are made to work. On the EREK on my SN-3 I allow for .5 mils below zero so I can adjust for how some different loads shoot in the M700. On the AI I have the stop set at zero because most of the loads I have run through it shoot the same elevation at 100 yards.
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Aries64</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
laforumreader said:
I "zero" the turret at 100 yards, but I leave a .5 MIL below zero so have the choice between dialing "DOWN" or holding under for closer shooting if necessary.</div></div>

You will find that unless the laws of geometry don't hold true for your rifle that even at closer than 100 yards you will be "holding over" or dialing up with a 100 yard zero.</div></div>
<span style="font-style: italic">LoneWolfUSMC</span>, I wasn't disputing that a shooter <span style="font-style: italic">typically</span> needs to "hold over" or "dial-UP" when shooting closer than 100 yards when said weapon is zeroed at 100 yards. The height differential between the bore height and the scope height needs to be compensated for. That is obvious.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Try it sometime. You can even win some money off of your friends. We did some close range shooting a couple months back and even with some very experienced shooters they did not believe me when I told them they would need to dial UP or hold over to hit the mark.

It's not trajectory at short range, it's "mechanical offset".

I zero at 100 because that is how zero stops are made to work. On the EREK on my SN-3 I allow for .5 mils below zero so I can adjust for how some different loads shoot in the M700. On the AI I have the stop set at zero because most of the loads I have run through it shoot the same elevation at 100 yards. </div></div>
Same here, although I apologize for not making the distinction clear between using the Elevation dial and/or "hold over" to compensate for the mechanical offset between the bore height and the scope height versus the compensating for the POI of different ammo. My bad, and I believe that you and I are "on the same page", so to speak.

I sight-in" at 100 yards, then set the Zero Stop on my S & B 5-25X MIL to "Zero", leaving another five (5) clicks (.5 MIL) below a the indicated "zero" of the Elevation Knob. This leaves me .5 MIL to dial "DOWN" to compensate for different ammo. I usually shoot FGMM 175s' but occasionally shoot FGMM 168s', which have a higher POI than the 175s'.

My two PMII 5-25X Gen 2 XR CCWs' came from the factory with .6 MIL under the "zero", and from what I've seen from other PMII 5-25Xs' that I've platyed with, the PMII 5-25Xs' seem to have about .5 MIL "extra" travel below zero by design.

Off topic, but you might edit your post and remove "<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">laforumreader</span></span>" from your original reply to me. It looks weird:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Aries64 said:
laforumreader said:
I "zero" the turret at 100 yards, but I leave a .5 MIL below zero so have the choice between dialing "DOWN" or holding under for closer shooting if necessary.</div></div>


Keith
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

I think that sighting in at a distance that is about halfway to the max distance you will be shooting will give a better working zero. You can still have your turret set for a 100 yard zero but I would set that with the dope. If your actual POI is off .5 moa at 100 yd so what? better than being off that much at longer ranges.
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

My .308 is "zeroed" at 100 exactly 1.5" high which puts me dead on at 200. So I guess I am zeroed at 200 even though I've done it at 100...hmmm...
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

I was just reading some specs / tips on scope set up that came with my .308 and they had alot to say about this topic. illustrating POI as compared to the bullets path / arch (fairly general as they listed a table to estimate for non mag and mag rounds). If you zeroed at 100 yds it meant you typically set it up for your POV zero to intersect at the peak of the bullets arch at 100 yds.

zeroing at 200 yds basically gave you 2 zero points as your POV intersects with the bullets arc closer up and then again as it's beginning to drop @ 200 yds. this also allows you to estimate / calculate and compensate for further distances / bullet drop within the capacities of your scope with your elevation adjustment and or mil dots / moa. I hope this makes sense / helps.
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

What distances do you shoot? I rarely shoot my TRG22 under 300m unless Im chronoing or group shooting a new load, so I have a 300m zero and dial down as needed. If you dont shoot much above 100m then zero at that range. If you shoot longer ranges regularly then have a longer zero....simple.
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

Mountains out of Mole hills.

Get out and shoot and zero the rifle how you need to zero it.

With tactical turrets and accurate tracking there is no reason to zero at anything other than 100 yards.

If you still have coin adjustable turrets on your deer rifle or you have no idea what the clicks actually stand for then zero at your most common range.

Add some stress and you see some interesting things happen.
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Add some stress and you see some interesting things happen.

</div></div>

Bingo!
 
Re: Zeroing your rifle

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rob01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shawn do less reading and more shooting and you will have a 100 yard zero. </div></div>
I couldn't agree more also! Thanks for the advice.