Setting zero for hunting rifle with turrets?

If you are only shooting to 300 yards and want simplicity, zero at 250.

If you want to be able to dope your scope, zero at 100. The reason being you will be most accurate while sighting in at 100 yards and your clicks will be exact. Once zeroed, you need to verify your clicks at 200, 300, 400 etc as many shooters have their velocity or scope height above bore incorrect. Also, before you begin, make sure the reticle is perfectly aligned with the bore and all base and ring screws are properly torqued.
 
I have always been a hold over shooter and am now going to use a custom turret on my long range rifle and was wondering what zero to use, most shots are under 300 yds but want to bet able to shoot out to 700yds.

I have always been a hold over shooter and am now going to use a custom turret on my long range rifle and was wondering what zero to use, most shots are under 300 yds but want to bet able to shoot out to 700yds.
I m shooting a 300 WM with 180 gr at 3000fps. I set mine for point blank for the animals
I hunt most . That way for a quick shot I m not trying to turn diel, just point and shoot.
Anything past 300 yards I have more time to set diel and set up for shot.
 
My buddies that shoot 1000 bench have a 36 '' zero at 100,its a reference and not a dead set. They do fire form at 300 on 3/4 sticky dots.They use a 1'' dot at 1000 and throw in a buck a shot for pot and someone gets it on play day.
 
My experience has been that most shots that "must" be taken quickly are at ranges of 200 yards or less. This make a 100 or yard zero very viable. The old "standard" of 2 inches high at 100 yards works very well for most cartridges. Also most ranges have 100 yard targets. I agree with the common comment here of doing all your rifles the same.
Exactly why the max PBR zero isn't the best anymore. A 200 yard zero is less than 2" high at 100, which is not an issue; 4" high at 180 yards would be.
 
You can use the ballistics program to find the maximum point blank range, for your exact bullet, chronographed velocity, for your barrel length. Then confirm it. And dial up from there, or use hold over dots, from there.
But I don't do that...I shoot at 10 feet, 10 yards 25 yards 50 yards 75 yards with a 100 yds zero, and dial up the rest, using mils or MOA. I want to know where to hold at all ranges...especially up close and personal, incase real excitement occurs, at jungle or rainforest contact ranges.
We can no longer use ranging lazers in scopes or hand held devices on your person while hunting, is strictly forbidden...so it's back to old school miling, and mildot master. Leave your laser range finder and Krestrel at home unless you want to lose your hunting privileges, have your rifle, truck, or anything else you used to get you into the field, confiscated by the state...check state laws before planning a hunt, our state legislature passes new more restrictive laws every year about guns and hunting, including bows, and muzzleloders, on what you are required to do or lose hunting privileges, even if you did not harvest an animal you must file a report, when, where, how many days in the field, your location at the time of the hunt, and organs or teeth may need to be turned in if you harvest a big game animal. One big hassle and fishing is the same.
 
You can use the ballistics program to find the maximum point blank range, for your exact bullet, chronographed velocity, for your barrel length. Then confirm it. And dial up from there, or use hold over dots, from there.
But I don't do that...I shoot at 10 feet, 10 yards 25 yards 50 yards 75 yards with a 100 yds zero, and dial up the rest, using mils or MOA. I want to know where to hold at all ranges...especially up close and personal, incase real excitement occurs, at jungle or rainforest contact ranges.
We can no longer use ranging lazers in scopes or hand held devices on your person while hunting, is strictly forbidden...so it's back to old school miling, and mildot master. Leave your laser range finder and Krestrel at home unless you want to lose your hunting privileges, have your rifle, truck, or anything else you used to get you into the field, confiscated by the state...check state laws before planning a hunt, our state legislature passes new more restrictive laws every year about guns and hunting, including bows, and muzzleloders, on what you are required to do or lose hunting privileges, even if you did not harvest an animal you must file a report, when, where, how many days in the field, your location at the time of the hunt, and organs or teeth may need to be turned in if you harvest a big game animal. One big hassle and fishing is the same.
What state doesn't allow hand held laser rangefinders?
 
The OP said 210 gr bullet going 3000 fps. So If I take a Berger 210 gr Match Hunting VLD going 3000 fps and set a 246 yard zero he's at a high of 2.5 inches and low of 3.3" at 300 yards. That shouldn't be an issue. He's using a custom dial so the rest of the range is marked on the dial. He could always use a 100 yard zero. Either way works unless you're going for a cns shot.
 
It is done several hundred times a year in Excellence In Competition, aka. LEG matches.

The 3rd stage of 500 point aggregate of no sighter match is the prone rapid fire. Starting position is standing. Targets go up, drop to prone, charge the rifle, shoot 10 rounds in 70 seconds with mandatory magasine change, 2 and 8 or five and five.

X ring is 3 inches, 10 ring is a generous 7 inches. A bunch of 100s are shot, but 10X cleans are rare. Seen a few 8Xs, and 9Xs cleans. I personally never shot 10X cleans, but a handful of 8X cleans with the M14.

Even in the 800 point aggregate, the prone rapid fire 2nd string of 10 shots of the 20 shot match is shot without sighters.
Perhaps there is miscommunication here. I'm not saying people can't be accurate without sighters.

I'm saying people that zero at longer range risk input variables from environmental if they aren't very careful, and if they checked their zero on paper at random they may notice it isn't perfect due to those environmental changes. If they sight in first at closer ranges this reduces that risk.

The topic I was commenting on was if zeroing at 100 and dialing up then confirming was the same as zeroing at 300
 
What state doesn't allow hand held laser rangefinders?
Oregon, ...no lazers range finding devices mounted on rifle or bow or on your person allowed.
Trail cams are the only legal electronics allowed and a lighted reticle that does not emitt a laser, is still allowed, like a green or red dot. No scopes on muzzleloders, No night vision, or infrared scopes for hunting "anything", is allowed, ..so no use having one.
Grizzly bears reintroduced, wolves have been growing strong for years, and will be taking the place of hunters to control deer and elk herds ...all natural ya know, just like Yellowstone, so the liberal politicians say. Except sometimes the mountain lions come to town and prowl the grade schools walking the fence line, stalking children. Hunting restrictions and no dogs allowed the populations to increase and they live very close to metropolitan areas.
Ridiculous liberial democrat laws are passed at will, with Washington and Oregon trying to out do California.... and they have succeeded, as of this year. Most newly passed laws should be unconstitutional be the courts don't bother with unconstitutional, unless it fits their agenda. One was held up in court so the legislature just passed another similar one. Outlawing the new ownership of an AR, or buying, or selling an existing AR are forbidden by law. The gun is destroyed when the owner dies. This is the type of law passed in Washington St. Fines are $125,000 and prison time, for minor infractions, with ARs. It's much worse than most can imagine, they pass so many new laws, ya don't even know, what you legally owned for many yrs, is now a felony to possess, one court put a 30 day hold on it to review.. is it law? Alot is in the who knows area, and the legislature just passed a similar law to the first one that got held up. What's in it? How does it effect me? Will the court uphold this one?...Who knows?
They hate guns, they hate hunters, of any kind. And they are in charge...enjoy whatever outdoor activities you do, while ya can, cause they are disappearing at a fast rate.
 
It also says you can't use any electronic devices, such as night vision, infrared, devices to spot, locate, or hunt game except ..a trail camera, the only exception listed.
A laser ranger finder is not a trail camera which the only exception, stated in electronics.
Scopes have further restrictions
The sope must not have a laser emitting device or something that communicates range to the shooter electronically. Obviously the game Commission does not want you to have the lasered range to the animal.
Exception on electronics in scopes is stated is a battery powered electronic dot or lighted reticle only.
A trail camera is the only listed legal electronic device to locate, spot, pursue, game for hunting. I would contact the game department if there are any questions on what you can do, or use, for an update.
Hopefully they can answer your questions.
 
Here are the laws:
  • Use an artificial light for hunting any wildlife, except raccoon, bobcat and opossum provided the light is not cast from or attached to a motor vehicle. This includes laser sights or any other sights which project a beam to the target, including scopes with electronic rangefinders and scopes that receive information from a rangefinder or any electronic device. This does not include battery operated sights which only light the reticle.
To me the key words are "sights", when they say laser sights to me that's a sight like a Crimson trace that's projecting a visible beam onto the target. A laser RF is not a sight. Neither is a kestrel. If that was the law you couldn't have a phone in your possession while hunting. Or a gps. Or a Inreach. And no SCOPES with rangefinders onboard or scopes that Bluetooth information (sig) from a RF.

Here is the electronics section:
  • Hunt, locate, or scout for the purpose of hunting any wildlife with infrared or other night vision sight or equipment except trail cameras.
To me that's strictly referring to using NVG's or thermal for locating animals. It's a bit of a stretch to say you cant use a Kestrel because of that law.
 
Last edited:
Top