Why would you not sight in at 100 yards?

[Clyde 2467]

I enjoy reading about long range hunting, but I am not a long range hunter.

For big game hunting, I sight on at 25 yards. After finding zero there, I practice at distances out to 250 yards. I read about it in a Jack O'Connor book, and it works for me.

If i zeroed my 338 lap mag at 25 the bullets dont even fully stabalise at 150 it groups better at 250 thsn 150

 

[ofbandg]

I sight most all of my rifles at 200 yards. Many years ago, before quick adjust turrets, I learned the rule of 7/20/40. A well-shaped rifle bullet travelling approx, 3000fps and sighted for 200 yards will drop 7 inches at 300, 20 inches at 400 and 40 inches at 500. It's a rough estimate but close enough to work for most so I adopted it. When velocities get to 3100 fps I go 6/18/36. Nowadays with quick adjust turrets technology makes it easier but I am too old to change. I have often said though that if I were starting again and could learn another system I would consider sighting everything in for 400 yards. With big game, which is just about all I hunt now, a shot aimed at the heart will be lethal from 0 to 400 yards. It has a nice simple ring to it.

 

[jshepherd61]

Something that has always perplexed me is why guys will sight in their rifles at 150, 200, 300, etc yards. Why would you not just sight in for 100 yards and learn your drops/elevation adjustments for anything beyond that? In my head, if I sight in for 300 yards I need to remember hold-overs for anything past 300 and hold-unders for anything inside 300 which is seems overly complicated. I'm a sight in at 100 yard guy but I want to understand why you would sight in at a different distance as I feel like I am missing something here.

It all depends on the purpose of your rifle! For completions and matches that require Percision shots from 50 yds to 1,000 yds or more you zero at 100 yds and dial each shot. For hunting rifles you calculate your maximum effect range for zero, most ballistic programs have this feature built in! For instance if the vitals on an elk are 9" circle what is the minimum and maximum distance you can shoot from to stay within those vitals without dialing elevation. In the middle of those distances is where you zero your rifle! For instance, My 7mm STW with 168 gr ABLR at 3,552 fps, I would sight in to be exact; 467 yds. This means I do not have to dial any elevation fro zero to 467 yds to stay in the kill zone. From 467 out I would dial elevation. Now that I've blabbed so much, I personally dial everything based off my range finder and Kestrel so I zero my hunting rifles at 200 and my Percision comp rifles at 100. I'm anal retentive and like to dial all my shots for both hunting and competition.

 

[Clyde 2467]

I suppose its all to do with trajectory
If your pushing the velocity then your flat
Light bullet going quick
Or heavy bullet going slower can even bounce off the moon for me as long as you can do it everytime consistently
But killing a barrel every 800 rounds is not for me

 

[rkcolt45]

With both my 264 mag and 7STW zeroed at 300yds, my 2nd mil-dot (below center of course) is my 500yd distance. Very fast system. I've been using that method over 15yrs.

 

[Clyde 2467]

It all depends on the purpose of your rifle! For completions and matches that require Percision shots from 50 yds to 1,000 yds or more you zero at 100 yds and dial each shot. For hunting rifles you calculate your maximum effect range for zero, most ballistic programs have this feature built in! For instance if the vitals on an elk are 9" circle what is the minimum and maximum distance you can shoot from to stay within those vitals without dialing elevation. In the middle of those distances is where you zero your rifle! For instance, My 7mm STW with 168 gr ABLR at 3,552 fps, I would sight in to be exact; 467 yds. This means I do not have to dial any elevation fro zero to 467 yds to stay in the kill zone. From 467 out I would dial elevation. Now that I've blabbed so much, I personally dial everything based off my range finder and Kestrel so I zero my hunting rifles at 200 and my Percision comp rifles at 100. I'm anal retentive and like to dial all my shots for both hunting and competition.

 

[Clyde 2467]

Hi hi
I just dial everything unless you dont need too but zeroed at 100 and guessing 450 is to hit and miss for me
I get everything you say
I zero my 338 at 175 and its good to 325 with no dtop at all

 

[Hoss50]

I site most rifles in for 200-250 yard zero. At 100 yards you are close enough, and now you are still pretty close at 300.

The last cow elk I shot was at about 260 yards on the first shot, and 280 on the 2nd. 257 weatherby was sighted in for about 225 yards. I knew the shot was past 225, but didn't have time to range it. I held just a touch high, and drilled it with both shots. I didn't have a range finder then so it was guestimating at semi-known distances.

Last years mule deer busted me as I saw him. He was on the move. I was able to range him 1 time at about 216 yards. My 6.5x55 was sighted for about 200. When I got setup to take a shot he had moved away farther, but I didn't know how much. I guessed about 250 yards. I did the same thing as the elk. Held a touch high, and squeezed. He went 30 yards and piled up.

If I was sighted at 100 for either of those I would have had.much more to think about in terms of drop. Had those shots been 100 yards, I would have netted the same result.

My buddy shot his mule deer last year with my 6.5x55 as well that was sighted at 200. His shot was 40 yards. He hit it square in the chest and put a big exit hole in it. It took just a couple steps and dropped.

 

[Lefty G-gear]

KONUS PRO 550 RETICLE
They have the right idea.
Not bad for a cheap scope.
Cross hairs to be set on 100-yards.
3-9x40mm
https://www.natchezss.com/konuspro-...graved-550-ballistic-reticle-matte-black.html

4-16x50mm AO
http://www.opticsagent.com/KONUS-4-16X50-KONUSPRO-550-BALLISTIC-RET_p_494.html

 

[Clyde 2467]

Hi hi
I just dial everything unless you dont need too but zeroed at 100 and guessing 450 is to hit and miss for me
I get everything you say
I zero my 338 at 175 and its good to 325 with no dtop at all

 

[Pro2A]

Something that has always perplexed me is why guys will sight in their rifles at 150, 200, 300, etc yards. Why would you not just sight in for 100 yards and learn your drops/elevation adjustments for anything beyond that? In my head, if I sight in for 300 yards I need to remember hold-overs for anything past 300 and hold-unders for anything inside 300 which is seems overly complicated. I'm a sight in at 100 yard guy but I want to understand why you would sight in at a different distance as I feel like I am missing something here.

Interesting reading the smorgasbord of comments and reasoning. Surprisingly, only a couple replies mentioned confirming zero after travel and atmospheric impact on zero vs hunt conditions. Many outfitters insist on confirming post-travel zero, and only have a range at 100yds. Atmospherics can be essentially ignored at 100yd zero. Brian Litz of Applied Ballistics seems to have a handle on external ballistics and accuracy/precision shot placement. He recommends a 100yd range for zero confirmation. But, most will continue to do whatever they have always done.

 

[antelopedundee]

100 yards seems to have become a conventional distance much like 100 shares of stock is a round lot. Scope manufacturer brochures and literature cites click values at 100 yards. I expect that most people have access to a range with at least that much distance. The smart sighter-inner will want to see "what she does" at 200 yards and/or 300 yards if that's available.

 

[merasmus]

Something that has always perplexed me is why guys will sight in their rifles at 150, 200, 300, etc yards. Why would you not just sight in for 100 yards and learn your drops/elevation adjustments for anything beyond that? In my head, if I sight in for 300 yards I need to remember hold-overs for anything past 300 and hold-unders for anything inside 300 which is seems overly complicated. I'm a sight in at 100 yard guy but I want to understand why you would sight in at a different distance as I feel like I am missing something here.

i sight

Something that has always perplexed me is why guys will sight in their rifles at 150, 200, 300, etc yards. Why would you not just sight in for 100 yards and learn your drops/elevation adjustments for anything beyond that? In my head, if I sight in for 300 yards I need to remember hold-overs for anything past 300 and hold-unders for anything inside 300 which is seems overly complicated. I'm a sight in at 100 yard guy but I want to understand why you would sight in at a different distance as I feel like I am missing something here.

I sight in all my big game rifles for 3 inches high at 100 yds. Center hold on any big game animals that I hunt out to 400 + yards and I have a dead animal, no trying to figure out how far to hold over or under. If I am shooting farther that that I have turrets that I can use when needed.

 

[Clyde 2467]

Interesting reading the smorgasbord of comments and reasoning. Surprisingly, only a couple replies mentioned confirming zero after travel and atmospheric impact on zero vs hunt conditions. Many outfitters insist on confirming post-travel zero, and only have a range at 100yds. Atmospherics can be essentially ignored at 100yd zero. Brian Litz of Applied Ballistics seems to have a handle on external ballistics and accuracy/precision shot placement. He recommends a 100yd range for zero confirmation. But, most will continue to do whatever they have always done.

Very true
No point zeroing at 100 in the english counrtyside and land in iraq and think the variables are the same
This is why we build what we call our telephone book its a recording of all our shooting
Distance
Wind
Temps
Height and position
Our ammo is batched so we use the same always carry your own
This wealth of knowledge and experience gives you an insight into the conditions ypur faced with at the time