Optimum zero and max range for .223/5.56 for coyote

[madcow41]

I am getting ready to mount my 4.5-12x50 scope on my AR with a burris PEPR. What should my zero be for a dead on aim and what ranges should accompany that.


Meaning I zero for _____Yds and with the way the trajectory works for the 55 gr BTHP I would be able to hold dead on the yote and be able to shoot him from ___yds to ___Yds

I know im leaving velocity out but im looking for ball park ranges to fine tune

[norsepeak]

just take your velocity and BC and run it thru a balistics calculator and graph it.. that should answer your question.  I have my AR sighted for 100 yards and am good to 200 with minimal adjustment.  I hunt mostly in the timber though, so most shots are under 40 yards.

[rynokron]

With a 50 yard zero you should be about an inch high at 100 and back at zero between 150 and 200. For most shots you can just hold on fur and shoot.

[Bofire]

  assume 55 grain at 3000 fps/ BC of .2 (my books show from .198 to .270)

25 yards first cross of line of sight (LOS)
130 yards  max height above LOS
225  zero
260 yards max point blank hold.
Carl
this based on the scope mounted 1 1/2 inch above the bore

[bobcat]

assume 55 grain at 3000 fps/ BC of .2 (my books show from .198 to .270)

25 yards first cross of line of sight (LOS)
130 yards  max height above LOS
225  zero
260 yards max point blank hold.
Carl
this based on the scope mounted 1 1/2 inch above the bore

How high is it at 130, and how low at 260?

[buckfvr]

assume 55 grain at 3000 fps/ BC of .2 (my books show from .198 to .270)

25 yards first cross of line of sight (LOS)
130 yards  max height above LOS
225  zero
260 yards max point blank hold.
Carl
this based on the scope mounted 1 1/2 inch above the bore

Definetly look at measurement of scope center above center of bore.....you may be at 2 inches, and the difference matters.

[Noiro]

Spot-On free ballistics software. Your scope and bullet configuration may already be in the software database. It will give you a very good idea of the ballistics. There is a video tutorial at the bottom of the page.

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/en/Nikon-Products/Hunting-SpotOn/index.page

[Big10gauge]

You might want to try this free app. It works pretty good. Unless you have a chronograph you probably should go out and shoot it at different yardages to see what your gun actually does. I have yet to see the advertised velocity very close to the actual velocity especially with ARs unless you're shooting 5.56 ammo FMJs out of a HBar.
When we used to use .223s for coyotes we set ours for a 200 yrd zero but we were using 50 gr reloads.

http://huntingnut.com/index.php?name=pointblank

[Bofire]

Bobcat I do not have the book with me but I "think" it is based on 3inch high and 3 inch low max.
use one of the links posted. I also "think" with the scope higher than 1.5 inch that the number just push further out a ways. first cross would be closer to 30-35 yards than 25 etc.
Carl

at my age thinking is dangerous!!

Home now checked the book it is based on max 3 inch high/low.

[cwegga]

Here's a thread on another site with a lot of info on the 50/200yd zero and the 100yd zero. There's some good reading in there. http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=65679

[Jerry malbeck]

Not hard to see who knows real world Ballistics , good info Carl and Wade .

[Wazukie]

I zero my .223, it is a single shot, at 30 yards.  this gives me zero also at 300 yards.  My max PBR, based on never rising or falling more than 4" is 355 yards.  This is with a 55 grain v-max moving at about 3650 fps.  Basically with this set up I can hold the top shoulder out to about 400 yards.  This is all field confirmed with this rifle.  Works for me any way.

[dontgetcrabs]

I zero my .223, it is a single shot, at 30 yards.  this gives me zero also at 300 yards.  My max PBR, based on never rising or falling more than 4" is 355 yards.  This is with a 55 grain v-max moving at about 3650 fps.  Basically with this set up I can hold the top shoulder out to about 400 yards.  This is all field confirmed with this rifle.  Works for me any way.

That's pretty fast for a 223 to push a 55 bullet. Right there with a 22-250. WOW!

[Elk whack master]

What powder you using to get 3600fps??

[Wazukie]

I will say that I am using bl(c2) compressed load, but I won't go into any more than that.  It is a very hot load.  If it was anything other than a single shot rifle, I can tell you that I wouldn't load them this hot.  I have just started loading some 40 grain v-maxs(all I could get) for it but don't know how fast they are moving.  The weather has been nothing but rain.  I am the type of guy that likes to push things to the limit.  Safe, for this rifle yes, but it's not for everybody that's for sure.

[Snopczynski]

I zero my red dots on my ar15's (16.5" barrels) at 28-30 yards, that crosses zero again at around 335-350 yards. The military typically uses a 25m/300m (I convert meters to yards usually) zero. Which is essentially what I try to do with my red dot guns. It really does come down to the following though as to where exactly you zero it to do this.

Even if your shooting factory ammo you can get the bullet info from the manufacturer or off the box. If you give me the gun and the barrel length I may be able to estimate the fps.

Scope Height from Barrel bore center=
FPS through Chrono=
Ballistic coefficient of the bullet=
Elevation=
Bullet Diamete=
Bullet Weight=