sighting in new rifle. . .

[Bob33]

That group looks plenty good enough for big game. Move it left an inch and go hunting.

[Okanagan]

Anyone do it this way? (This only applies to bolt actions) First off, I always mount my own scopes. Rest the rifle on some steady bags or a good sled. Remove the bolt. Eyeball through the rear of the bore all the way through at a 25 yd target, lining-up the concentric circles of the rear of the chamber and the muzzle opening with the bull (putting the bore in straight alignment with the target). THEN....without disturbing the gun, adjusting the scope turrets to bullseye as well. Gets you well on the paper every time. Can start fine tuning your shots from there. Boresighter tools...Don't need em! 😀

Works for me solo and has for years.  Here is one suggestion to refine this method:  eyeball through the concentric circles of bore etc. at a target AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE.  In the Tri-Cities I used a top insulator on a power line tower three miles away.   The farther away the object is that you center in the bore the longer the radius of the line of sight and the smaller the angle of divergence.  I now use the corner of a chimney about 150 yards away as the handiest long distance and am usually within an inch or closer my first shot at 100 yards. 

Re 100 yard zero:  The OP is set on a 100 yard zero, and that will kill game fine.  I've killed far more big game at under 50 yards than over, but take 300 yard shots without a thought nor hesitation.  A 100 yard zero is handicapping a 300 plus yard tool, and making use of it beyond about 180 yards more complicated with clicks, extra reticle bars and thinking.   That's OK.  It would be good if somehow (most) new hunters were limited to 100 yard shots!)

[buckfvr]

Since you said it is a BDC scope.......follow their directions for zero.  I believe the BDC marks will get you 500 yards with a 100 zero.  Most important thing is to as closely as possible, match the sample ballistics for caliber that the mfg. uses in its directions.

I recently did this for my sons new rifle with a BDC scope and it matches very closely out to 400 yards that I tested.  He will kill using his BDC marks out to 400, if we can test 5, maybe that is good enough also, but this type results with a BDC scope can only be obtained by using an ammo that closely matches the sample velocity and weights they give you in their directions.

I also use a Magneto Sport to get true velocities, not published ones.  Good luck..........

[andrew_in_idaho]

Since he's shooting a bdc reticle a 100 yd zero is perfect. After zeroing at 100 yards shoot a shot for each of your holdover marks aiming at bull. Where each shot hits using holdover marks will give you the amount of moa that each mark is holding over for you. For example at 100 yds using my Tasco world class on my .25-06 with holdover marks my shots are roughly 1.5", 3.5", 6" and 9" high at 100 yards. Then I punch my load into a ballistics calculator to determine that in actuality instead of my holdover marks being at 200,300,400 and 500 they are actually 215,315,420, and 530 yards. With the vortex on my .300 win mag with a vortex I did the same calculations to determine that my holdover are actually at 215, 365, 490 and the top of the reticle post is 615(11 moa). Not all bdc scopes are created equal and not all loads match what the bdc manuals say the holdover marks should be


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[Okanagan]

Since he's shooting a bdc reticle a 100 yd zero is perfect. After zeroing at 100 yards shoot a shot for each of your holdover marks aiming at bull. Where each shot hits using holdover marks will give you the amount of moa that each mark is holding over for you. For example at 100 yds using my Tasco world class on my .25-06 with holdover marks my shots are roughly 1.5", 3.5", 6" and 9" high at 100 yards. Then I punch my load into a ballistics calculator to determine that in actuality instead of my holdover marks being at 200,300,400 and 500 they are actually 215,315,420, and 530 yards. With the vortex on my .300 win mag with a vortex I did the same calculations to determine that my holdover are actually at 215, 365, 490 and the top of the reticle post is 615(11 moa). Not all bdc scopes are created equal and not all loads match what the bdc manuals say the holdover marks should be


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That's a lot of remembering and thinking and ranging for a newbie   A LOT of remembering and thinking if he's looking at big horns for the first time while doing the thinking and remembering.

Especially when he can sight it in a smidge over 2 inches high at 100, forget about the scope and just shoot things.   Just put the crosshairs in the middle of the chest and kill deer and larger game out close to 300 yards.   Sounds like he is going to do that conservatively, with a 100 yard zero and nailing closer, surer shots.  That ain't a bad plan. 

[buckfvr]

Since he's shooting a bdc reticle a 100 yd zero is perfect. After zeroing at 100 yards shoot a shot for each of your holdover marks aiming at bull. Where each shot hits using holdover marks will give you the amount of moa that each mark is holding over for you. For example at 100 yds using my Tasco world class on my .25-06 with holdover marks my shots are roughly 1.5", 3.5", 6" and 9" high at 100 yards. Then I punch my load into a ballistics calculator to determine that in actuality instead of my holdover marks being at 200,300,400 and 500 they are actually 215,315,420, and 530 yards. With the vortex on my .300 win mag with a vortex I did the same calculations to determine that my holdover are actually at 215, 365, 490 and the top of the reticle post is 615(11 moa). Not all bdc scopes are created equal and not all loads match what the bdc manuals say the holdover marks should be





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If you want to go there, then my opinion of BDC scopes is very low.  I dont like being only close or compensating to place odd values on marks.  May as well turn turrets which is what I do because bdc doesnt satisfy me in terms of absolute accuracy or precision.   BDC works good enough for my son and he is happy with it, but I wont have one........not with todays technology and whats available to us all.  I agree, simple is better in most cases.......

[JDHasty]

There is absolutely nothing preventing a person from dialing yardage on a scope that has BDC hash marks included in the reticle.  If that kind of precision is needed, it is right there available. 

Hash marks are more than sufficient in most big game hunting instances and they are fast to use. 

[davk]

Never had any problems being on paper at 100 by just pulling the bolt.  I usually shoot at the ... not sure 1.5ftx2ft? size targets.  Ill usually only shoot single shots to bring it to center, then shoot groups to make fine adjustments.  100 yard zero is fine.

[JDHasty]

I stop at Sears Outlet and pick up a side of a washing machine box when I have replaced a scope on a rifle.  Staple it to a target frame with a target in the center of it, Take one shot and then hold the rifle in place and dial the crosshairs over to the bullet hole and from there it is just a matter of fine adjusting it by an inch one way or the other.

I have a Site Light Green laser bore slighter, and it usually gets me within five inches of dead center anyway, but the big piece of cardboard is there for insurance.

[Skyvalhunter]

Do you always hit the piece of cardboard?

[Don Fischer]

With a new rifle or scope, my first shot is at 25yds. Beats bore sighting! Shoot the first shot off a steady bench and note where the bullet strike's. Have someone help if needed but before firing the second shot, re-aim at the bullseye at 25yds and holding it there, move the cross wire's to the bullet hole. Second shot just to be sure you moved it properly. Third shot at 100yds. move the cross wire's to put the bullet dead on. Once on, I use the max point blank range of zeroing. Just did my 6.5x55 with a 129gr bullet and an 8" target. 8" target means you'll get ranges where the bullet will never rise above 4" over or 4" below the target. What I got is max PBRange = 323 yds
                             Zero       =276yds
                             height at 100yds = +3.2"
                                            200yds = +3.4"
                                            300yds = -1.7"

Doing it this way allow's you to hold dead on the target to well over 300yds, 323yds. utilize's all the trajectory you rifle and load has to offer. years ago the suggestion was always to zero in 3 1/2" high at 100yds, probably works well. If you zero at 100yds and for what ever reason have a shot at say 200yds, hold dead on and you'll probably shoot under the aiming point, miss or maybe wound the animal. But by zeroing to MPBR if the animal is 50yds, your bullet will strike +1.4" above point of aim.

Imagine the target size is the diameter of a pipe your looking through. I the above, I gave the trajectory of the load with it never hitting the top of the pipe or falling below the pipe when the POI is dead center in the pipe. Depending on which rifle I'm shooting I can adjust the size of the target to suit myself.

[grade-creek-rd]

The guys at ESPN's The Outdoor Line are going to talk about this very subject this Saturday! Listen in around the 7 o'clock hour to hear what they have to say as they talk about sighting in your rifle for Maximum Point Blank Range (the ol' 2 inches high at a hundred yards and why hunters do this) as well as shooting at angles, sighting in vs target practice and even give a mule deer report...they are on 710AM on the radio dial.

Grade

[Lcarey1985]

this has been very helpful, so thank all of you that have placed your opinion! I am going out again this weekend. to really dial it in. I am sticking with my 100 yard zero. with my BDC I can use my other sights for further shots that's what there designed to do. Right?! I'll post more pictures after the weekend and show you all where I'm at with it! Thanks again!