Rifle Zero

[Trapper7]

I have a friend who elk hunts with me every year. He shoots a 7MM Mag. He was telling me that he thinks hunters who zero their rifle at a distance of more than 50 yards are foolish, since there's much more margin for error at greater distances. He zeroes his in at 50 yards. He wants it to shoot about an inch high at 50 yards.

He might have the right idea, as I've seen him kill elk at distances of around 300 yards several times. In fact, checking with a range finder two years ago, he killed one at 387 yards. Anyone see any problems with this theory?

[fabsroman]

Yeah, and tight groups at short distances don't mean that the rifle, or your ability, should justify taking the 300+ yard shot. If you cannot sight a rifle in off of a bench so that it hits the target every time at 100 yards or 200 yards, then you shouldn't be shooting at game around 400 yards.

Now, if you zero a rifle in at 50 yards, and the group is an inch (for arguments sake), shouldn't that equate to a two inch group at 100 yards and a four inch group at 200 yards and an 8 inch group at 400 yards. All of a sudden, what looked like a good group at 1" at 50 yards could turn out to be not so good at 400 yards.

Best case scenario, if you have the land/range length, site the gun in at 50 and then practice with it out at 100 yards, 200 yards, 300 yards, and 400 yards so you will know whether or not you can make those shots.

Me, I site my guns in for 1" high at 100 yards. I think Rocky Raab or somebody else on here has said that 1" high at 150 yards is dead on at 300 with very minimal gain between zero and 150 yards. If I had a range to shoot on that was 300 yards, I would test that theory. Heck, I would like to have a range to shoot at that has 150 yards, but might be joining one soon.

[gumpokc]

It depend son your caliber Fabs, most .30 cals loaded normally are on at roughly 300, if you sight in 3.3 high at 100.
That will give you a "max point blank" range of roughly 330 yards for an 8 inch circle.

If you load it hot, or light you can change it somewhat, but thats a good ballpark sightin.

[Rocky Raab]

I think he said his buddy's load was 1" HIGH at 50 yards. That might make it 3" high at 100 yards - and explain his results.

I recommend two different sight-in points, one for varmint guns and one for big game.

For big game rifles of almost any caliber, sight 2.5 to 3" high at 100 yards. If you look at drop tables, you'll be amazed to note that with this sight-in, almost all big game rifles will be no farther than 4" from your aim point from to muzzle to about 300 to 325 yards. Coincidentally, it's at about the distance where the bullet drops more than 4" from the aim point that its energy drops off to marginal levels, as well.

Before you argue, look up a few dozen rounds and see.

For varmint guns, I recommend a sight-in of 1.5 to 2" above aim at 100 yards. Why? because varmints are smaller targets and varmint rifles shoot flatter (faster). Once again, your bullet will drop about 2" below the aim point somewhere out near 300 yards for many varmint rifle cartridges.

[fabsroman]

Yep, missed the inch HIGH at 50 yards. Been doing too many tax returns and not getting enough sleep. Sorry about that.

[Catfish]

I don`t know what bullet he is shooting, but if it`s the 175 gn, SBT bullet he cannot push it over 2600 fps. With this bullet the max. point blank range ( figured on plus or minus 5 in. ) is 320 yrds. with a zero of 270 yrds. With this zero the bullet should be about 2 1/2 in. high at 50 yrds. according to Serrias external blastic chart. It reall doesn`t matter at what distance he has his rifle zeroed if he know the hold over, or under, at the range he is shooting. Like everone else here I also have a thing about zeroing a rifle at 50 yrds. In fact I zero acouple of my hunting handgun at 100 yrds., and I also use the velosity, BC and size of game of the bullet to work out the point of impact at 100 yrds. for max. point blank range.

[Trapper7]

Catfish, my buddy shoots a 150 grain Nosler partition.

We hunt NW Colorado which is more open and most of your shots are fairly long range. My friend has killed many elk and is an excellent shot. This is why I was somewhat surprised when he explained to me the method he used to zero his rifle.

[Rocky Raab]

Well, I'd be reluctant to trust a sight-in as close as 50 yards, just because the angular dispersion that close doesn't reveal as much as it would farther out. In other words, only half a bullet width's difference at 50 yards might well turn out to be two inches worth of change at two or three times that distance.

But it really doesn't matter much how or where you measure the bullet's path. It might be one inch high at 50 yards - or 87 millimeters high at a furlong. As long as the bullet doesn't vary too high above the line of sight during its midrange or too far below it after its second crossing of the line of sight, you're good to go.

[fabsroman]

Rocky,

I think that was what I was trying to say in my first post. Too close doesn't show the variances very well (e.g., whether or not the gun holds a tight enough group). Kind of like patterning a shotgun at 10 yards. You really cannot tell much at that distance, with MAYBE the exception of point of impact.

[Rocky Raab]

Yup, it is what you were saying. But it's worth saying again.