At what distance do I "zero" my rifle?

[crkckr]

I think what you're planning on doing with the rifle will dictate your sight in range. If you're banging steel, sight in at 100 and keep good notes on your come-ups for different ranges. If you will be hunting with it, I personally prefer to sight in so that I can hold dead on out as far as possible. I believe I have my 270 (#1 deer rifle) sighted in at 300 yards, which gives me a dead on hold out to nearly 350 yards. Don't hold me too close to that, I might be thinking of my .338WM! I'd have to go down and check the scopes to be positive. I have printed tags for each rifle taped onto the scope. It's always a personal choice, you just have to figure out what works best for you.
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[6MM06AI]

I agree with ckrckr. For my hunting rifles I like a 2" high at 100 so I can zero at a 100yd range and it is point and shoot to around 300 depending on the caliber, any longer than that while hunting you should have time to range and dial. It's all about what works for you though. Good luck and Happy shooting!!!

 

[dcgayhart]

Thanks all for the advice. I got all my component together yesterday afternoon so I headed to the range this morning. First two shots were touching each other at 100 yards and close to the center so I moved quickly to two hundred yards.

First five looked like this. Then the wind picked up.



I think with a little more work on my part the will be a great combo.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Did you adjust the scope so that the shots at 200 were close to center?

 

[dcgayhart]

Did you adjust the scope so that the shots at 200 were close to center?

I did but it got to windy to double check my zero. I'll go back out in a few days.

 

[Bstick]

Y'all make a lot of things difficult.

Zero at 100 yds. That is going to be your most precise zero.

If you want to shoot farther, than adjust and shoot. Write down your dope. Return to zero.

 

[FEENIX]

All my LR rifles has 20 MOA and zero them at 200 yards and dial as required from there.

 

[Greyfox]

I zero my rifle at both 100 and 200 yards, taking into account the turret adjustment to correct for POI. I set my turret zero to 100 yards for my competition rifles, and 200 yards for my hunting rifles. I will check my zero at either distance, conditions permitting. Hunting and shooting between 300 and 5000Ft altitudes and typical 20-80F temps, with my cartridges I see no difference caused by environmentals between 100 or 200 yards from a ballistic standpoint. My actual turret zero used is a function of convenience for the application. My 6.5x284 hunter, left at 100 yards, -1.25MOA: right, 200yd zero

 

[dcgayhart]

I went back to my local range this morning. we only have 100yrds available. Was calm enough to get this .54 MOA 5 shot group before it started to blow. Shoots approx 1-1/4" high at 100yrds. from the setting I got yesterday at 200yrds, nicely centered though.


Never owned a factory rifle with over the counter ammo that shot this well. I anxious to stretch out and hit some farther targets soon. My orientation at "Cowtown AZ" is tomorrow morning, then I will have access to steel targets out to 1500 yards for practice.

 

[aushunter1]

If you were hunting I would say set the scope up for 'point blank range'
https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2017/7/17/learn-your-maximum-point-blank-range/
On my LR 260 Rem rifle I sight in at 100mtrs & shoot out to 1000mtrs

 

[aushunter1]

then I will have access to steel targets out to 1500 yards for practice.

Have you run your loads through a ballistics calculator??
I don't think you will get a 6.5CM to stay supersonic out to 1500yrds??

Imo you want to be shooting out to a max distance before it goes trans/subsonic but you need to know what that is.
Not knowing your loads I would guess you will get out to 1200-1300yrds tops?
But its fun trying & you learn a lot about your scope set up!

 

[dcgayhart]

Realistically and at my age I probably won't be shooting past 500 yards. I still want to try!

 

[dcgayhart]

I woke up this morning thinking about what I did yesterday. I do not consider myself a rifleman, I had trouble qualifying with the M-14 in boot camp. I'm truly amazed at the quality of the rifles and ammo being manufactured today.
I'm 72 years old with AFib and I shot a dime sized group off a bipod and my shoulder at 100yards? I could see my irregular heart pulses in my entry level scope mounted on an over the counter Ruger Precision Rifle with factory ammo.
I have less than $2000 invested in my "ready to fire" rifle, including ammo. I giddy to see how far I can take this.

 

[User4302021]

You have a scope that is easily dialable. There is no need to choose a 100 yards zero over a 200 yards zero, or vice versa.

Zero at 100, and your 200 yard zero is 0.5 mils up. You can change back and forth at will.