Sighting in??? please help

ryhailey

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Joined
Jul 8, 2010
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8
Location
Flagstaff AZ
So just curious to the different methods of sighting in a new rifle. My method is to go out 100yards taking 3 shots and adjust the scope. Any one have a better method? I just bought a remington sendero ll in .300 rum and a leapold 8-25x50 I way this to go out around 800 yards plus. Is a shooting bench a must have for accurate sighting in or what? If so what shooting bench should I buy. Thanks for the info
 
If I'm changing mounts or scopes I first shoot one shot at 25 yrds or I look down the bore and move the reticule to be close. Then I shoot one shot and measure and adjust the scope appropriately and fire one more shot to confirm the zero.
I find that with an accurate rifle and scope that two rounds work best for me, things are cold and I'm shooting very solid so the first couple rounds are my best and an accurate reflection of the cold bore shot that I'm preparing for all year.

I also check my zero prone with everything set up as if I we're in the field hunting and I usually save my last round for shooting at zero after dialing all over the place.
 
So just curious to the different methods of sighting in a new rifle. My method is to go out 100yards taking 3 shots and adjust the scope. Any one have a better method? I just bought a remington sendero ll in .300 rum and a leapold 8-25x50 I way this to go out around 800 yards plus. Is a shooting bench a must have for accurate sighting in or what? If so what shooting bench should I buy. Thanks for the info

Here is a very simple method for bolt guns.

1= First remove the bolt.
2 = Then place on a good rest or sand bags.
3 = Look down the bore at a round bulls eye target (The round bulls eye is easy to center
in the bore). and center it up.
4 = try to adjust the scope cross hairs to the center of the bulls eye with the bore centered
around the target.
5 = fire one round holding the cross hairs dead center in the bulls eye.
6 = reset the rifle to point at the center of the target and without moving the rifle ,Move the
cross hairs to the bullet impact.
7 = Next shoot, aiming at the center of the bulls eye to verify the zero.

This is called a one shot sight in and is easy to do and a good place to start at longer distances.

Normally you will be very close on your second shot.

J E CUSTOM
 
I like Bigngreen's style so Ill add to it:D. So all of what he said +
I mount my own optics. I find true optical center of scope, true center of bore, square rings, mount and adjust to center of bore at 25 yds, adjust for eye relief level the cross hairs, then bore sight boresight at 100. 1 shot adjust scope, confirm with group of 3. Then 200yds as this is where I prefer to have my rifle zoroed. Then group every 100 yds to how ever far you plan on shooting. This confirms come ups. (not wind) Usually a 2 day proscess. After all that its practice or hunting.
I have yet to try the ladder test, but Id like to give that meathod a try during load develpment.
 
I also check my zero prone with everything set up as if I we're in the field hunting

An excellent piece of advice -- don't overlook it. Not all rifles will shoot to the same point of impact from a bipod as a fixed rest.

Second thing is once you have a zero you should check your elevation dial and make sure you have enough left to dial up to the longest range you will need to shoot at.
 
My .02 would be to have a 200yd. zero. A good stable bench and rest are essential for load development. After that it's all about practicing your field shooting positions and dealing with wind and elevation.
 
I try to have most of the "sighting in" done before going to the range. I put my rifle in my "gun fix cradle", sight down the bore on a street light about 100-200 yards away, center it in the bore, adjust my crosshair to the center of the streetlight. It doesn't really matter if the light is 100 or 200 yards away since I am only operating by line of sight and not trajectory, what does matter is that a light at double distance is smaller and therefore helps me to adjust more exact.

To end up right with the scope I try to make as many adjustments as I can with the rings and bases, before I start using the scopes own adjustments. The closer I get before using my turrets, the better since I have more adjustments left later.

Here I go to the range, shoot three shots at 100yards/100m depending on the range. I never use just one shot for fine tuning, since one shot is never as exact as a group.
Then I use the turret adjustments, to end up with my crosshairs on my bullet holes. Now I shoot a five shot group, aiming dead center, and hopefully I am right on with a good grouping. If not, I adjust a little more and five new shots.

Yes it takes a few shots, but then I am more sure of my adjustments needed than with one bullet.
 
I agree that you must find the center of the scope adjustments at the beginning.
Click it all the way in one direction, then count the clicks to the other end of the spectrum (start at maximum UP, and count clicks to max down). Once you know the number of clicks you have to play with, you can center the scope by going half way back.
Then you have the scope "centered" before you start adjusting it. Same thing for left to right.
This process leaves you maiximum adjustment in any direction, THEN start the mounting process.
 
it only takes three shots to zero.

at 25 yds, shoot three well aimed shots with crosshairs on bullseye. then

with gun tightly secured and aimed at bullseye, adjust crosshairs to center of the shot group.
 
Set your scope to cetner first, then mount it and borsight it. You will retain maximum adjustment if you center the scope first.
 
Also, it may take more than three if your barrel needs to "Foul out". Fouling may take 4 or 5 shots, then it will start to throw a group you can adjust for zero.
 
Here is a very simple method for bolt guns.

1= First remove the bolt.
2 = Then place on a good rest or sand bags.
3 = Look down the bore at a round bulls eye target (The round bulls eye is easy to center
in the bore). and center it up.
4 = try to adjust the scope cross hairs to the center of the bulls eye with the bore centered
around the target.
5 = fire one round holding the cross hairs dead center in the bulls eye.
6 = reset the rifle to point at the center of the target and without moving the rifle ,Move the
cross hairs to the bullet impact.
7 = Next shoot, aiming at the center of the bulls eye to verify the zero.

This is called a one shot sight in and is easy to do and a good place to start at longer distances.

Normally you will be very close on your second shot.

J E CUSTOM

i use the same method . Bore sighting via barrel saves plenty of ammo. when your looking to move the reticle to the targets bull its the opposie of the dials....:D ATVB, Gary
 
Get a laser bore sighter.
Tape a piece of paper to the wall.
Place a known good T Square againt the wall and place a level on top of the cross member.
When the bubble reads level, Make your Verticle line.
Slide the T Squae down to the center of the verticle line and place the level back on the top. When the bubble reads level, make your Horizontal line.

Move off 35 feet, or what ever directions the laser bore sighter says (Mine says 35 feet and it worked perfectly).

Position your scope, AFTER YOU HAVE CENTERED THE CROSS HAIRS BY CLICKING THEM ALL THE WAY IN ONE DIRECTION, THEN COUNTING THE CLICKS ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER DIRECTION, THEN GO BACK HALFWAY. NOW THE SCOPE HAS MAXIMUM ADJUSTMENT IN EVERY DIRECTION, in the rings and slowly tighten up the scope ring screws until you can just barely move the scope forward and back, and rotate it.

Put the bipod on you stock, lay down, adjust the scope far enough away to see the whole field of view from wall to wall. THIS is you eye relief.

Now rotate the scope until the cross hairs line up with the lines on the paper. NOW you are level for up and down and side to side..

Now use your laser boresighter to adjust the hieght and left to right.

Then go to the range and see how well you did. You should only need a feww adjustments once your barrel is fouled.
Good luck.

P.S> You may want to lap your scope rings. Midway USA sells a scope mounting kit that has all that stuff in it. Kevin at Moncour County Rifles can do it too - he is a PRO....
 
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