What range should a person initially sight in at.

[BearCat]

Good day, I have a quick question for you guys. I recently purchased a Sako 7mm Rem Mag. and I have loaded 168 GR Berger Bullets, know for the question at what range should a Guy use to see if the load is accurate or not I have been shooting at 100Yrds. Some opions would be greatly appreciated. As well a person should zero the scope to the target at what range as well.

 

[Willys46]

I like to shoot at 300 yrds to test my longrange loads. I hardly ever shoot at 100yrds.

I am always sight in for a 100 yards. I feel i am dialing for alomst every shot so it really dosen't matter what you sight in for. I would think most people are sighted in around the 300 yrd mark.

Willys

 

[AJ Peacock]

Using the Nightforce NP-R1 reticle, I sight in so the top hash mark is 100yds. For my 338AM, that means the crosshair is around 735yds. For my 300WSM with the top hash at 100yds, the crosshair is around 530yds. Of course the exact zero depends on the elevation and temperature.

I don't dial shots in, I use the ballistic reticle, so I sight in to take full advantage of it.

AJ

 

[Bravo 4]

I initially sight the scope for 100 then dial it in for 200 when I go hunting in case I get one pop out kinda close.

 

[Ernie]

After all is said and done I usually zero at 200 yards.
In that process though I will have checked longer distances to make sure my drop charts match actual drop.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Personaly I like to perform accuracy tests at 300 yards. This is much more conclusive than at 100 yards. I also prefer to set up on a long shot from a tried and trued 300 yard zero. A 100 yard zero ussually isnt a true zero. If you shoot and put 3 bullets in the top 1/2 of a 1" bull's eye it looks like a good zero but it isnt and you compound the problem farther down the line. If you are 1/2" off at 300 yards now that doesnt lead to a much of a problem at any other distance. It doesnt matter if you dial it or use reticle hold overs, starting from a "close" 100 yard zero is asking for trouble down range. Nothing wrong with knowing your sub 300 yard marks for close shots either. Just dont "zero" it at 100 then try and shoot 1000 yards from a chart. This is very much a personal preference. Try and see what works best for you and your equipment.

 

[Bravo 4]

Meichele has a good point. You should always check it at longer ranges. Perhaps what I should have said was I have my turrets initially set up for a 100 yard zero then dial it to 200. The reason I dial it up is in case a buck pops out at me at a distance where I can judge it without any help from optics. If he is within a couple hundred yards when I see him and he takes a good looking over he will more then likely get past for next year. I'm not trying to sound snoody or anything but I haven't shot a small buck in several years. I learned a long time ago that if you want bigger bucks quit shooting them when they're young and small. If I wanted meat, that's what doe are for.

 

[Willys46]

Meichele,
Good Point on the "close" 100 yard zero, it only compounds the issues as you move out.

Case in Point.. MY 308 drop chart was off by 2 moa at 1000 yards and all my drops seemed to be off. After rechecking my zero it was off by 1.5 MOA.

 

[gebhardt02]

I initially do load development at 100. If it doesn't shoot accurately at 100, I've yet to see a rifle that will at further distances. This also save me a bit of time hiking down range to set up the target. After I get a load that looks good at 100, I'll tweak it at 200 or 300. After that my rifles get final zeroed at 100. I dial my elevations, which are confirmed at further distances throughout the year.

Geb

 

[Clark]

The range where I shoot is windy, so I sight in at 50 yards.
If I am right on at 50, I am ~ 1" high at 100y, and right on again at 200y.

I carry a trajectory and wind drift chart for the rifle sighted at 200 y.

Most cartridges are point of aim on big game out to 350 yards.

I carry a range finder.
I carry a wind meter.

Accuweather.com says that where I start hunting on Sunday will have 24mph wind at 6:00 a.m when I start.

24 mph wind with most cartridges is a bigger deal than trajectory.

 

[bigg_sexy1]

I sight in for 250 yds which gives me 2.7" high at 100, 2.2" high at 200, 0 at 250, -3.6 at 300. The way I got it figured is that I can pretty much hold dead on out to 300 yds which pretty much covers me most of the time, and Ican hold over or dial as needed after that.

 

[ven]

Am a bit confused why isnt a 100 yard zero a true zero compared to one at longer range.

 

[bigg_sexy1]

Am a bit confused why isnt a 100 yard zero a true zero compared to one at longer range.

I may be wrong but the way that I have it figured is that when you choose a zero point whether it be 100, 200, 300yds that will become your true zero, and you can in turn base, test, and verify your drop charts from that.

The zero that one chooses is completely up to them. I would go with whatever works best for you.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

If he is within a couple hundred yards when I see him and he takes a good looking over he will more then likely get past for next year. I'm not trying to sound snoody or anything but I haven't shot a small buck in several years. I learned a long time ago that if you want bigger bucks quit shooting them when they're young and small. If I wanted meat, that's what doe are for.

Ditto, why shoot a little buck when you can shoot a doe? Let'em grow.