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Where to zero a firearm -- one approach

Ranch Hand

Ranch Hand

Red Skull Member
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
214
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241
Loc
Texas
How do you sight in your rifle caliber firearms for short to medium range hunting/defense type use? I'm not talking about long range shooting here.

My default is to sight for a specific maximum point blank range. Here are two examples for AR type platforms with a sight height of around 2.7". The first is 300 BLK supersonic from a 10.5" barrel and the second is 300BLK subsonic from an 8.5" barrel. Both are sighted for a 3" maximum point blank range. That's pretty small -- bigger game hunting can go up to 6" or so.

The first shows a maximum height of 1.5" above the point of aim at about 98 yards and 1.5" below at ~173 yards. So from 22 to 173 yards you are within a 3" circle. Zero crossings are at 40 and ~152 yards. A 6" circle would increase the maximum point blank range to ~216 yards.

Super.jpg



The second has a max trajectory at 45 yards with a maximum point blank range of 83 yards. Zero crossings at 18 and 72 yards.

Subsonic.jpg


Any thoughts?
 
You're talking about a standard hunting zero. Not everybody understands this and don't realize that you might have to hold high for short range due to sight-over-bore.
 
Every gun and sight combo is different, every optic is different, and every caliber is different. And shooting static paper at flat known distances is different than shooting moving targets at varying distance and elevation.

So as with most things there is no blanket answer except "it depends".
 
Yotota said:
Every gun and sight combo is different, every optic is different, and every caliber is different. And shooting static paper at flat known distances is different than shooting moving targets at varying distance and elevation.

So as with most things there is no blanket answer except "it depends".
Click to expand...

Well sure, but this approach can be used for all of them, as can any other approach. It doesn't address wind or moving targets. No method of zeroing addresses target angle either. You could specify one fixed wind speed and angle, target speed and target angle but that wouldn't be too practical.
 
Weasel said:
short seem like it would be 100 yards imo. My hunting rifle is in at 200 yards.
Click to expand...


A 300 BLK IS a pretty short range cartridge. The same 3" diameter for a .308 or .223 would give quite a bit more point blank range. I'm just saying it's handy to know how far your setup will stay within a certain target diameter. Hold over and knob twisting takes over after that just like always.
 
Ranch Hand said:
Well sure, but this approach can be used for all of them, as can any other approach. It doesn't address wind or moving targets. No method of zeroing addresses target angle either. You could specify one fixed wind speed and angle, target speed and target angle but that wouldn't be too practical.
Click to expand...

I'm with you, what I'm getting at is that we are well past the point of 1950s bolt guns in wood stocks with fixed iron sights or a fixed 3x or 4x scope with fine wire cross hairs. There are better methods than "zero at 100m and get good at Kentucky windage".

We have A2 irons, or AK irons, or a LPVO with BDC reticle, or a fixed optic on a BDC mount, or....
 
Yotota said:
I'm with you, what I'm getting at is that we are well past the point of 1950s bolt guns in wood stocks with fixed iron sights or a fixed 3x or 4x scope with fine wire cross hairs. There are better methods than "zero at 100m and get good at Kentucky windage".

We have A2 irons, or AK irons, or a LPVO with BDC reticle, or a fixed optic on a BDC mount, or....
Click to expand...

I agree, for longer range shooting you can choose a zero that'll keep your elevation knob within it's range out to your longest expected shot and then get familiar with your reticle and the twisty knob on top.
 
I sight in my rifles to be 1-2" high at 100 yards. I have historically shot .22 caliber rifles (.221 fireball, .222, .223, .224 valkyrie). I used to hunt with a .243, but haven't used that in years. Works well for me for the majority of hunting yardages that I commonly shoot (50-350 yards).
For my plinking .22 long rifle gun, I have it sighted in to be dead on at 100 yards.
I do not adjust the scope elevation when shooting longer distances. I just take into account the distance and do the appropriate/approximate holdover as/if needed. Has worked well for me for 40+ years of shooting/hunting. But that will change, as at some point I am going to start shooting my valkyrie at longer yardages (up to 800 or so) and will want to be able to adjust the scope so the cross hairs will line up with the POI.
 
Ranch Hand said:
I agree, for longer range shooting you can choose a zero that'll keep your elevation knob within it's range out to your longest expected shot and then get familiar with your reticle and the twisty knob on top.
Click to expand...

Yeah, when you get into clicky turrets it's a whole new world.
 
What’s all this talk about Kentucky windage?

I thought the reason for a point blank zero was to eliminate the need to hold high or low? Isnt the idea you aim center mass anywhere from muzzle up to your max point blank range and regardless the round will not deviate plus or minus more than what is needed to stay within vital zone of what you’re aiming at?
 
Here is how I do it. I ask:

How far are you honestly going to shoot this?
What are you going to shoot with this?
What is the flattest trajectory between zero and that point so I don’t have to fuck with Kentucky wind age?

If I’m going to hunt a sheep it’s probably a 600 yard shot so I probably won’t zero at 100. If it’s a 22 I’m probably going 200 yards tops.
 
I get all fancy with a stack of paper plates and a sharpie to make targets with. I start at maybe 15 yards and make sure im on paper and then start backing up and dialing in my optic as i go. By the time i make it back to 150yards (the max ill likely ever shoot) i have a pretty good feel for the gun and know how everything reacts. Ill then play around and shoot some more before calling it good.
 
Before all that math..... I though to myself
Tween the eyes and bridge of the nose:grinpimp:
 
If you get in the habit of clicking elevation it becomes a natural way to shoot. I bottom out the elevation on the garand every time I put it away. I set A2 sights a click under 200, aks at 200, red dot zeros at 200.
300BLK I zero subs at 100. They start to drop fast at 175.
 
bore site at 50y, then move out to 100y zero on the bulls eye then move to 500 yards and run my turret to confirm it conforms to my BC.
 
Boons said:
bore site at 50y, then move out to 100y zero on the bulls eye then move to 500 yards and run my turret to confirm it conforms to my BC.
Click to expand...
Last Saturday I went to a highpower clinic and found out that we were shooting a match Sunday. I decided to use my 20” ar for the match with my 4X Nikon M223 that was set up for another gun. So I put it on hoping my zero would be close enough to dial in from my 2 sighters.
When I got there Sunday I was talking to a guy (who ended up winning) and told him what I did and he helped me set up the scope with the bore sight you mentioned.
Pulled the upper off, pulled the bcg, set it on a tailgate, and sighted through the barrel on a post 150 yards away. I dialed the scope to the post and put the gun together and got ready for the match. When I shot my sighters at the 200 line I had to click up 2moa and right 1/2 and it was in the 10 ring. I didn’t shoot great but it wasn’t the scope’s fault. Bore sight works better that I thought it would.
 
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