What is the best .223 55 grain zero for varmints?
- Thread starter randyhub
- Start date
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
The military uses the 50-200 yrd zero. Basically it's this.. sight in your rifle dead on bullseye at 50yrs with a 55gr bullet and it will cross back over the line of sight at right around 200yrds give or take(it might be meters not yrds?) You will have to confirm this but my brother in law did this and it was very close. Note: only works for a 55gr bullet. There are some YouTube videos on the 50-200yrd zero.
Although we did this....we decided 1.4" high at 100yrds would give us point blank range on a 6" bullseye out to 275ish yrds. This let's you hold dead on coyote to 0-275 yrds. At 300yrds you would have to hold over by just a tiny bit... Your drop at 300yrds is 7"
This info is based on and tested with a .55 gr V-max bullet at appx 3000fps
Although we did this....we decided 1.4" high at 100yrds would give us point blank range on a 6" bullseye out to 275ish yrds. This let's you hold dead on coyote to 0-275 yrds. At 300yrds you would have to hold over by just a tiny bit... Your drop at 300yrds is 7"
This info is based on and tested with a .55 gr V-max bullet at appx 3000fps
At what distance the bullet crosses your line of sight also depends on how high your line of sight is in relation to the bore. Using irons sights is completely different from a high mounted, large objective scope.
But more than just the cartridge ballistics, know the terrain that you will be shooting in... if you can't see past 100 yards there is not much point in a 200 yard zero... conversely if your shots historically have been 300+ yards you should maximize your point blank range. Plug your data into a ballistics calculator (like JBM) and input a 3" vital zone radius, and calculate for MPBR.
For example;
With the scope center at 1.5" above the bore, the Hornady 55 V-Max at 3200 fps with a 3" VZR, you would be 2.5" high at 100 yards, dead on at 248 yards and 4.1" low at 300 yards, the bullet will first cross the line of sight at 30 yards (not 50).
But more than just the cartridge ballistics, know the terrain that you will be shooting in... if you can't see past 100 yards there is not much point in a 200 yard zero... conversely if your shots historically have been 300+ yards you should maximize your point blank range. Plug your data into a ballistics calculator (like JBM) and input a 3" vital zone radius, and calculate for MPBR.
For example;
With the scope center at 1.5" above the bore, the Hornady 55 V-Max at 3200 fps with a 3" VZR, you would be 2.5" high at 100 yards, dead on at 248 yards and 4.1" low at 300 yards, the bullet will first cross the line of sight at 30 yards (not 50).
cdn1canhunt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- southwestern ontario
As Hoyt noted, ballistics apps can figure out a lot of this for you... but you will still have to shoot it from your rifle it to confirm as velocities will differ from rifle to rifle based on barrel length etc... we've been using the Nikon "spot on app" and so far results have been very close of not "spot on". Lol
Note: when doing this type of testing it's best to use a bench or prone shooting position to ensure accurate results.
Go out and shoot and have some fun its cool to see printed ballistics results in reality, helps to build your confidence that the gun is doing what they write it will. It's also a reality check if it doesn't match up. lets you get to know your rifle a whole lot better.
Note: when doing this type of testing it's best to use a bench or prone shooting position to ensure accurate results.
Go out and shoot and have some fun its cool to see printed ballistics results in reality, helps to build your confidence that the gun is doing what they write it will. It's also a reality check if it doesn't match up. lets you get to know your rifle a whole lot better.
What type of varmint are you targeting?
The kill zone on a wood-chuck is a lot smaller a kill zone on a coyote.
Does one place the cross-hairs on the target or does one pic a spot on the intended target before sending the 55grn pill on its way?
Rob
The kill zone on a wood-chuck is a lot smaller a kill zone on a coyote.
Does one place the cross-hairs on the target or does one pic a spot on the intended target before sending the 55grn pill on its way?
Rob
