Zero for big elevation change

[buster2765]

Hello all, I am planning my first muley hunt in Wyoming this fall. I am a long range shooter/hunter in Michigan. I will be making drop charts for different elevations (inHg) between 4-8 thousand ft. based on a Mi. zeroed rifle (800 ft. above sea level). Where should I zero 100, 200, 300 yds to make my drop charts to most accurate at long range. I will also be using a Kestrel 5700 ballistics. Thanks Darwin

 

[ShtrRdy]

How much elevation adjustment is available on the scope you are using?
Do you have a 20 moa rail on your action?

I like to zero at 100 yds and then go from there. I'll dial in the correction for 200 to 300 yds and hunt from there depending on the type of animal being hunted and therefore the size of the kill zone.

 

[buster2765]

How much elevation adjustment is available on the scope you are using?
Do you have a 20 moa rail on your action?

I like to zero at 100 yds and then go from there. I'll dial in the correction for 200 to 300 yds and hunt from there depending on the type of animal being hunted and therefore the size of the kill zone.

will be taking 3 different guns as a buddy will be going with & mime are set up better for long range & I just like guns. 338 lm with 20 moa rail vortex ravor hd with 36 mil adj. 300wsm viper pst 21 mil with 0 rail, 7saum 0 rail viper pst 21 mil

 

[Wolf76]

Hello all, I am planning my first muley hunt in Wyoming this fall. I am a long range shooter/hunter in Michigan. I will be making drop charts for different elevations (inHg) between 4-8 thousand ft. based on a Mi. zeroed rifle (800 ft. above sea level). Where should I zero 100, 200, 300 yds to make my drop charts to most accurate at long range. I will also be using a Kestrel 5700 ballistics. Thanks Darwin

Fellow michigander!
I think when you run elevation differences, you'll notice it's not that much. Often .5-.75" poi difference.
You didn't specify your setup, so it adds some difficulty in the zero recommendation. So, use the +- 3" rule. Look at your trajectory and adjust your zero so that is not more than 3" above the line of sight. Typically for deer rifles that's about~250 yards zero.
This will lead to being able to kill a muley out to 300 plus yards with no adjustment. Keep it simple

 

[aaronoto]

100 yards is the perfect zero distance as atmospheric effects are negligible. If you do decide to zero at further than that make sure you account for your zero atmosphere in your ballistic calculator.

For reference, I live in Washington and zero at 75ft altitude and hunt at 5,000+ ft. Never an issue as long as I account for the shot condition atmospherics at that higher altitude.

 

[Plinker147]

I would just build a chart for the average elevation you will be hunting. Not enough difference from 5000-8000 to have multiple charts for hunting.

I perefer 100 yard zero's but it's just a preference thing. It's easier for me to compute starting Some like 200 and 300. There is no real advantage of one over the other, just how you like it.

 

[memtb]

Though most disagree with my system....I use a 300 yard zero. Assuming the bullet is near 3K muzzle velocity and of a fairly decent BC. It has worked for my wife and I for roughly 20 years. With the above ballistics in mind, we're good from muzzle to 400 yards on big game. We'are approximately 6" high at approximately 180 yards.....which means just hold a bit low @ 150 - 200 yards. If the shot appears a bit long, we're only around 9" to 10" low at 400....holding a little high on the longish shots, will easily keep you in the lungs. I find this easier than estimating how much holdover at 400 yards with a 100 yard zero. I find it easier to hold a "dollar bill" low @ 180 yrds, and a "dollar bill+" high @ 400 yards. With a 100 yard zero, on the 400 yard shot...I must now estimate a 25" holdover. Which is easier to visualize in the "heat of the moment" a dollar bill or 4 end to end! We used this system, quite successfully prior to our owning range finders, and now...if time does not offer the opportunity to use a range finder. Your biggest challenge, is to roughly estimate the distance. Beyond 400, proper ranging is exponentially important with increasing distance. Beyond the 400 yards is where your drop charts are needed....more for the distance than the elevation changes. You will also likely have time to use the rangefinder and set-up for the long difficult shot!

If your trying to condition yourself for your hunt, you have the perfect opportunity to learn range estimitation. When on a training hike/run/walk, pick out an object ahead, guesstimate the distance.....then verify with your range finder. Do this a lot, on different sized objects, under different lighting conditions. You may be surprised, how accurate you can become with diligent practice. Technology is great, when it works and you have time to use it!

Obviously, "aim small - miss small" is a great shooting tool, but you're not shooting for tiny groups. I suspect that your POI changes will not be dramatically changed from 4000 to 8000 feet. Try not to load-up your mind with non - essential information. At the time of the shot, your physical status, atmospheric conditions, and potential stress of the situation are likely to affect your shot, far more than a few thousand feet of elevation error/change! These are just my opinions, and hopefully some of it you may find helpful! memtb

All of this was stated.....assuming you rezero when you get here @ around 4000feet of elevation! I neglected to put that originally! My apologies!

 

[jebel]

I sight around 250 for the reasons mentioned.

If you sight in (however) at your home elevation and input that into a ballistics calculator using the "zero conditions," then change the "current conditions" in the calculator to whatever elevation/pressure you like, it will tell you your revised trajectory for those new conditions. You can write it down in a chart, if you prefer. I just run it on my phone and carry it with me. I use Ballistics AE.

 

[Greyfox]

I live in the NE(400ft) and have been hunting LR in Wyoming every year using the same 200 yard zero without needing to adjust between the two locations. Either 100 or 200 yards will work with no adjustments required due to the atmospheriic/temperature difference.

 

[Litrfoot]

I don't know what distance your are comfortable taking a shot or planning to shoot durning your hunt? With your stated equipment I assume you will be dialing elevations and you will have plenty of adjustment with that scope. That being said a 100 yard zero is the best way to get an accurate zero, less error that 200 or 300 yards. This is very important when you start dialing dope for long distance. If you are planning on taking longer shots on your hunt I would strongly advise that you purchase a kestrel with ballistic software. Learn how to use it! kestrel gives you real time WX, at your location. Wind, density altitude, station pressure, etc. It also has the ability to calculate shots at high angles if you don't have angle correction software in your range finder.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[buster2765]

I don't know what distance your are comfortable taking a shot or planning to shoot durning your hunt? With your stated equipment I assume you will be dialing elevations and you will have plenty of adjustment with that scope. That being said a 100 yard zero is the best way to get an accurate zero, less error that 200 or 300 yards. This is very important when you start dialing dope for long distance. If you are planning on taking longer shots on your hunt I would strongly advise that you purchase a kestrel with ballistic software. Learn how to use it! kestrel gives you real time WX, at your location. Wind, density altitude, station pressure, etc. It also has the ability to calculate shots at high angles if you don't have angle correction software in your range finder.

Good luck on your hunt!

My comfort level is out to 1000 yds in good wind conditions(.5 moa.) Will cut back to 700 if wind is an issue. As stated in op I will be using kestrel 5700 ballistics in combination with drop charts. My only shooting experience in Wy. is at prairie dogs, and was not to worried about first shot kill.

 

[Greyfox]

Interestingly, while I have used both 100 and 200 yard zeros with success, for my 1000 yard hunting I like a 200 yard zero. This appears to go against most of the conventional wisdom. Given a precise 200 yard zero settting with no wind influence, the error factor(particularly for parallax) between a 100 yard and 200 yard zero, measured to 1000 yards are 5x vs 10x, or half the error factor for the 200 yard zero. Atmospheric variations do not effect the zero betwen 100 and 200 yards for the 300-5000ft elevations I hunt. I am now going on my fifth season without touching the 200 yard zero on my 6.5x284, and it's still nuts in POI out to 1000 yards.

 

[Bill Peet]

Hello all, I am planning my first muley hunt in Wyoming this fall. I am a long range shooter/hunter in Michigan. I will be making drop charts for different elevations (inHg) between 4-8 thousand ft. based on a Mi. zeroed rifle (800 ft. above sea level). Where should I zero 100, 200, 300 yds to make my drop charts to most accurate at long range. I will also be using a Kestrel 5700 ballistics. Thanks Darwin

When you get to where you are going to hunt fire accouple shots at 100 yds to see where you really hit ! Your going from 800 ft to 4 to 8 thousand it will be a big change . I just did a elk hunt at 7000 and was zeroed at 600 ft. Found it was just over 5 in high ! Glad I took time to check new zero. No elk but .

 

[Greyfox]

When you get to where you are going to hunt fire accouple shots at 100 yds to see where you really hit ! Your going from 800 ft to 4 to 8 thousand it will be a big change . I just did a elk hunt at 7000 and was zeroed at 600 ft. Found it was just over 5 in high ! Glad I took time to check new zero. No elk but .

Your 100 yard zero was 5" higher at 7000Ft vs the 600ft zero?