100 yd or 200 yd zero for hunting?

[DocGlenn]

I'm getting a new 7 WSM built by my local 'smith. I'm going to be topping it with a NF 5.5-20 x 50. I'm planning on turning turrets to 600 yds. Should I zero at 100 or 200 yds? I'm thinking 200, but I thought I'd ask to be sure.

Glenn

 

[Lightvarmint]

I'm getting a new 7 WSM built by my local 'smith. I'm going to be topping it with a NF 5.5-20 x 50. I'm planning on turning turrets to 600 yds. Should I zero at 100 or 200 yds? I'm thinking 200, but I thought I'd ask to be sure.

Glenn

I always zero my long range rigs at 400. It allows me to shoot out to 500 yards without having to have a fancy reticled scope. I hold on the bottom line out to 375. From 375 to 425 I hold dead on. Beyond, 425, I hold at the top line and the bullets are in the kill zone. So, if you are lucky as I, you won't have to touch a turret until say 525 yards.

James

 

[devildoc]

I usually zero at 200, being 1-1.5" high at 100 is not a big deal to me.

 

[ss7mm]

I zero my 7mm at 300 yards. This gives the ability to take a quick shot if presented and I know that from the muzzle to a litle over 400 yards I'm never more than 2.5" high or low. On a big game animal this works. Having said this, I still dial for all shots over 300 yards.

This gun, using the NF 5.5-22x56 gives me a setup, zeroed at 300 that allows me to use the 1st, hash at 400, 2nd. hash at 500, 3rd. hash at 600 and 4th. hash at 700 and I can break clay pigeons when playing just by using the reticle. But, when hunting and given the time to do so, I'll always dial for the distance/elevation.

 

[Ernie]

I typically zero @ 200.

 

[P KUNDA]

Zero at 200 dial over 300

Peter

 

[BrandonA]

I zero my rigs for 200

 

[britz]

I zero my 300 wsm for 200 so the bullet is well within the kill zone (Whited tail) out to about 250 and I raise up to about 350-400 and dial beyond that.

 

[30-338]

Software to help

One of the cool features of exterior ballistic software is the "point blank" calculation. It allows you to set a point blank range for a given size kill zone and for your particular load. I sometimes end up with zeros of 242 or 274 or whatever so I can tailor my scope for the anticipated target size ...This is because of the need for quick shots as I hunt mostly boar which never seem to quite moving and I want to know that out to a certain range I can hold dead on and perhaps favor a little high or low...If time allows, then dialing or having the reticle figured out for specific distances is much more precise.................30-338

 

[300rum]

Zeroing at 300 for 300rum, with 200AB, and this setup give me the option to shoot from 50-350 without using the dial knobs.

As for 338Edge, I setup zero at 400yards, due to picatinny 20MOA rail, and at this distance my elevation knobs need just 2 clicks to be at the bottom adjustment.
From here I just dial, and ANY TIME I CAN RETURN TO ZERO WITHOUT LOUSING THE ZERO SETTING.

I did not plane to have this setting but with 20MOA rail and IOR scope on top from 338Edge is working like a charm for 400yards zero.

Chris

 

[Niles Coyote]

I zero my 300wsm at 200, dail for anything over 300

 

[DocGlenn]

Thanks for the info. All of the feedback helps.

 

[6mm Shooter]

200 yard zero

 

[Chopaka81]

I am a 300 yd zero fan.

This really depends upon the country you do the majority of your hunting in. I hunt in the open sage brush of Eastern Wa, so longer oprotunies are the standard fare of the hunt.

I screwed up a long range setup this past year because I changed to 2" high at 100 yds (200 yd zero) thinking my new nifty ranging dots would do the trick. Then within the first 15 minutes on opening I blew a 550 yd standing still broadside shot.

Under pressure you will return to your training, so avoid trying something new unless you are dam sure you have the "varibles" properly managed. Otherwise you will be getting a graduate degree from the school of hard knocks as I did this past year.

I did track that 4x4 down 6 hrs later (and 3000' in elev gain) and put him down with a 125 yd shot.

Bottom line, pick a setup, train with it by doing some field shoots, learn what you will never learn shooting from a bench at fixed yardages.