Rifle Zero
- Thread starter Longbow
- Start date
I zero at 200 yards. Try to get a day where there is no wind and notice the temperature. I set my knobs to 0 so I can easily go back to my zero. Your will bullet impact will change depending on the shooting conditions wind and temperature.
200 is fairly short range so wind will have minimal effect but it does seem to take a certain distance for the bullet to settle. If you have a high ballistic coefficient bullet that shoots well at that range it tends to shoot well at extended ranges.
Also if you zero at say 600 yards even a small amount of wind will have a more significant impact on the bullet then at 200 yards. So I set zero for wind at 200 with as calm of conditions as I can find. Then when I am shooting at 600 I might dial a minute of wind depending on condtions but that is always based from my 200 yard calm zero.
Also if you zero at say 600 yards even a small amount of wind will have a more significant impact on the bullet then at 200 yards. So I set zero for wind at 200 with as calm of conditions as I can find. Then when I am shooting at 600 I might dial a minute of wind depending on condtions but that is always based from my 200 yard calm zero.
Depends on the rifle and its uses.
I zero at what makes sense, usually 100 or 200m
And confirm my point of impact to every known instance I shoot.
Make a good dope card, and then start playing external factors like weather and temp
I zero at what makes sense, usually 100 or 200m
And confirm my point of impact to every known instance I shoot.
Make a good dope card, and then start playing external factors like weather and temp
While I do make basic dope card on a square range. The varied distances in the competitions I shoot and the various locations lend them self to using a Ballistic App of some type.
How many shots do you use to determine your zero?
300_savage
CGN Regular
- Location
- New Brunswick
My hunting rifles are zeroed at 100m since longer shots are unlikely in the areas I hunt.
On target rifles I zero at 300m and just use hold over/under/windage using mildots from 100-600m that way the maximum hold off I need is about 2-3 dots elevation or 1 dot windage from the crosshair at any distance the plates are at. I rarely touch the adjustments once zeroed unless I've changed the load I'm shooting, but I'm mostly just trying to stay on steel plates from 100-600 not do any competitive shooting.
On target rifles I zero at 300m and just use hold over/under/windage using mildots from 100-600m that way the maximum hold off I need is about 2-3 dots elevation or 1 dot windage from the crosshair at any distance the plates are at. I rarely touch the adjustments once zeroed unless I've changed the load I'm shooting, but I'm mostly just trying to stay on steel plates from 100-600 not do any competitive shooting.
10 rounds confirmatory.
Usually takes me three to get on where I want. Then I fire three more to fine tune.
After that I slip the turrets, and fire ten to see trends.
Usually 10 rounds at every distance as well.
I use ballistic apps as well. And true them once or twice a year trying to vary the conditions.
Usually I can make accurate engagements by memory.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
depends on the end use application
zeroing is easily achieved but sending bullets through paper target. You can use electronic if facilities are available.
It can change.... sort out your system
When sorted, understand affects from external conditions.
simple...... or more info as there is no one size fits all given the massive range of disciplines we shoot.
Jerry
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Zero and shoot for the distance you plan to shoot at.
For most rifles I zero at 200 (lever guns at 100). Then I shoot and record drop in 100 yard segments out to 700, if the cartridge I'm using is capable. - dan
While #### happens!! I do wonder how much zeros really change or often are these wandering zeros the result of folks not taking a large enough sample size to first understand their actual group size and then centering it and properly dialing out parrallax
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- Location
- Nova Scotia
Mine changes in temp. In the winter my 100y zero is 4moa lower than the summer with the same ammo. Also notice a difference between the 2 ranges I shoot at. Open field range vs baffled with side berms.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Again, without specifics, you aren't going to get much further in info.... and generalisations, will just send you into more circles that lead nowhere.
If you have a properly set up CF system, your zero doesn't wander beyond what is caused by ambient conditions.... and I mean out to 1000yds on a competition target which is scored.
rimfire... a bit more complicated.
YMMV
Jerry
But maybe, you already have all the answers you need/want ????
I don't really understand why anyone would zero their (precision) rifle at anything other than 100yds? For carbines and hunting rifles, I get it, you can endlessly argue 100yd, 50/200, 35yd etc. But for precision rifles intended to shoot more than one fixed distance (as in F-Class where I assume one would check zero at the given range prior to the match) it really makes no sense to zero at anything other than 100yds/m. It's close enough to never be affected by changes in environment or weather and at 100yds/m the increments of most scopes (0.1mil and 1/4moa) are fine enough to make relatively fine adjustments to the zero. With a good muzzle velocity and ballistic calculator one can have very accurate dope out to a mile+ (whether you choose to just use the app/device or craft dope cards from the info the app/device gives you) and if snap engagements are a possibility, it's easy to dial on a max point blank range.
