how far to zero riffle?

[heyharris]

hello all,
  i have a tikka wsm .300 with a bsa panther scope (6x20x44) scope, i will be using fussion 165 grain bullet but im not sure at what distance i should set the target, some people have told me bullseye at 25 yards and others have said bulls eye at 100 yards. is there any set rule's to follow, any advice would be appreciated so i get it set right. thank you all very much
jim

[ICEMAN]

Remember, you have two "bullseyes" to work with, one as the round rises at the start of the trajectory, and the second as it falls thru that same "bullseye" out at range. You pick the range. I have my rifle zeroed at 250 yards. Depends totally on what you intend to do with the rifle.

[Red Dawg]

typically most people from my experience sight in at 100 to 150. However after doing some research you will find that your short range trajectory will be a lot better when sighting in at 50 yds. Obviously for long range trajectory sight in at 200 yards. But most people just sight in at 1" or 2" high at 100 yards. Just depends on how much you care and how far you are willing to shoot.

[Curly]

Right on at 25yds should be about right.  Start out at 25 and get it close then check at 100 and 200.  If  you are on the bullseye at 25, then you should be a couple inches high at 100 and at 200.

Check it with ballistic tables or use an online ballistic calculator.  I like to use the one at http://www.biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

[bobcat]

With that cartridge, 2 to 2 1/2 inches high at 100 yards would be about right, in my opinion. With it sighted in like that, you'll be good out to 400 yards with very little hold over.

[Intruder]

Use the ballistics calc that Curly mentioned and site your gun in based on the point blank range that it specifies.  That calculator uses a default to 3" +/- for figuring point blank range. Based on experience it's likely to be right around where Bobcat suggest..... somewhere around 2.5" high at a 100 yards yielding a max point blank range of around 300 yards or so.

Some folks aren't familiar w/ point blank range.  It's the yardage from 0 - X you can aim dead on your target and the bullet will not hit any higher or lower than 3" (this is generally the most common +/- figure) the from your aim point.  In other words, once you're sited in to achieve your max point blank range there no real need to compensate your hold over out to that range.  If the critters inside the point blank range just aim dead on the bugger and let 'er rip. 

[dbllunger]

PBR period with a true ballistic trajectory knowlege of all the yardages you may even possibly shoot at.

[boneaddict]

2 inches high at a hundred.  Then anything out to about 400 I have little adjust, dead on about 300.

[heyharris]

thanks for the info, quess im off to go do some zeroing in this weekend.
jim

[high country]

hey guys don't put too much faith in the bal calcs past 4-500yds. I ususally get my rifles close at 25ish yards, then sight in at 100, then check it at 250-350 depending on the gun. 5 have a few that I shoot very far with and they seem to get away from the bal calcs everytime. if you are shooting a ballistic plex/mil/tds...etc system be sureto verify it in real life.........might surprise ya.

[PacificNWhunter]

Take a look at a ballistics table for the ammo your shooting. For what I shoot I am dead on at 200 yards being 1.3" high at a 100 yard.