Zero'ing your 22lr

[Marcel B.]

For me it depends on how high the sights or scope are above the bore.

When I had an AP-74 when it was sighted bang on at 25 yards it hit in the black around the bull at 100 yards. Due to the iron sights being so high above the bore the bullet was still on the rise as it passed 25 and came down to POA again at 100.

Pretty neat.

I generally like to zero for 25 to 50 yds. (I prefer to shoot grouse in the bean) and learn where to hold for different ranges/ammo. I was never a fan of changing dials on sights and scopes. I like to know where my gun shoots without messing with the works.

An exception would be tang sights or ladder sights like on a L.E. No. 4 Mk.I.

 

[Unagi604]

I have read 33 YARDS is the optimum to zero your 22 at.

I've heard 30-35 as well. It was based on the bullet trajectory of an average 22.

 

[Can-down]

Out around 25- 30 yards works for me as well.... Gets me pretty damn close for everything from 5 yards to 100 for plinking at golf balls.

 

[emerson]

For generic LR 1250fps or so I zero at 45yds. Hits within an inch of elevation out to 60yds. I don't target shoot in an organization, so this is close enough for me and my semi.

 

[Neilm]

I USED TO ALWAYS SIGHT IN AT 25 YDS and this was dead on at 50 yds - but that was with target velocity ammo and peep sights. tha 25 yes can stretch to 60 or more yds with a higher mounted scope and higher velocity ammo. It is amazing how raising you scope above the bore can change you apparent trajectory. Don't go by anyones rules. Check it out for yourself with a specific ammo.

Neil

 

[horseman2]

Moving scopes around and put a Bushnell 6500 2.5-16 x 42 SF Mildot on my CZ455 American.
Currently using CCI Blazer and consider the rifle a gopher gun.
Sighted in at 75 yards with the cross hair and the first dot above was good for 50 yards, and the dot below for 100.
Shot three crows at 55, 75 and 100 so in theory it works.
I have one of those self sealing orange 4 inch balls that I can hang at 190 yards. When I was hitting low, the power was turned down until the range was found and using the top of the bottom post it was hit 4 times out of 5 shots (once). On a long string it will move 4" right and left and about the same up and down as it swings. With over 0.6 seconds of flight time it is a guess where to hold so rely on luck. Solution: shorten the string.
Over scoped? it was at first but with the work done to the rifle (pillar bedding mainly) the value of the rifle essentially equals the value of the optics.

Next venture: 50 and 100 yards Rim Fire Challenges on rimfirecentral.com. Cost wise you can have a lot of fun for a fraction of the cost for center fire.

Every brand of ammo requires a re-zero. A prime example is CCI MiniMags . . . don't ever expect round nose and HP's to shoot to the same POI. The Round nose has a published velocity of 1235 but it is closer to 1200 fps while the HP has a velocity listed as 1260 on the box but some of it is in excess of 1300 fps. When the velocity is consistent it gives great accuracy but not so when the velocity varies over 50 fps within one box.

 

[easyrider604]

Hey guys,

Curious, what ammo do you zero your 22lr rifle for and at what distance?

I tend to zero mine for CCI mini mags @ 50 yards, but don't shoot them as much as some cheaper ammo. So I'm wondering if I should just zero it for what I shoot the most.

Also does anyone keep track of how different rounds shoot in comparison to where they are zero'd so you can make adjustments on the fly to zero for the ammo your shooting?

Yes, set zero for the ammo you shoot the most. I do the same.

I just have two types of ammo, Win 333/555 bulk High Vel and Win Dynapoint Standard Vel, so it is easy to remember scope settings. I normally set my scopes to 100 yards with Win 555 High Vel. Then just hold over for Standard Vel ammo....come to think of it, it's been awhile since I have shot at an outdoor range, I have forgotten how much to hold over.

Good point, next time, I will write down on my range kit notebook.

 

[pazzo]

This is interesting. The optic used was a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot.

 

[Ron AKA]

Curious, what ammo do you zero your 22lr rifle for and at what distance?

I tend to zero mine for CCI mini mags @ 50 yards, but don't shoot them as much as some cheaper ammo. So I'm wondering if I should just zero it for what I shoot the most.

Also does anyone keep track of how different rounds shoot in comparison to where they are zero'd so you can make adjustments on the fly to zero for the ammo your shooting?

For gophers I zero my gun with high velocity ammo at 70 yards. The trajectory never really goes over 1" high, and for a lot of the range I shoot in, I am holding no more than 1" low, and further out dead on. I do shoot out to 120 yards though, and it is dropping pretty fast after 80 yards, and is about 7.5" low at 120 yards.

I target shoot for group size, not to hit a bull, so I just sight in so the bullets do not hit my aim point, so it does not get chewed up.

I do keep track of what changes I make from one ammo to the other, so I can minimize sight in effort.

 

[j_06]

I have mine set at 30yards with cci sub sonics hp's for small game hunting. The bullet is never above the poa and is within .5" low out to 60ish yards. I hold just above the eye on any critter I'll be shooting at within 22lr ranges, if it's really out there I hold the top of the head or sneak closer, not many far shots around here. My plinking 22's are zeroed at 75