100 yd Sight In
- Thread starter nosler06
- Start date
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
I sight everything at 100. Then it's easy for me cause I don't have to remember I'm 3.5 high at 150 or 4" low at 400 if it's under 100 aim high if it's farther than 100 aim high. A lot of this has to do with mounts above your bore. I keep things as close to the bore as possible.
Silent Sam
Handloader
- Dec 22, 2010
- 294
- 0
Dr. Vette":1fvyvxze said:
"More important is to instinctively aim within your midrange trajectory and know your drops beyond your zero for as far out as you are going to shoot."
The only way to know your drops and true zero is to shoot them... from field positions I would add.
I have used a 3" high zero at 100 yards for about 35 or so years for most rifles in the case capacity of a 308 Win for deer hunting. I do confirm my POI out to the distance that I would take a shot. You can't assume that two identical rifles shooting the same load will shoot to the same POI. As Dirty Harry said "A man has to know his limitations." I always put the cross hairs in the center of mass what ever angle the shot will be. Mostly center of front shoulder. I have killed hundreds of deer using this method and never had a problem with a miss. I helped do crop damage control on a BIG farm for 15 years where my buddy and I had to take 100 deer each year. In my years of experience helping others learn how to shoot deer most misses they have had are shooting over a deer and not shooting under them because most people can't judge yardage and think the deer is farther away than it is and don't trust their zero and hold higher.
MPBR is only antiquated if you firmly believe that all animals will stand around at fixed distances while you fiddle with whatever trajectory compensating method you choose to use. Besides it's just like any other sighting method we use in that every one of them involves trajectory manipulation of one kind or another.
Zero at 100, and for a 300 yard shot you will have to dial or slide a reticle. No avoiding it. That rutting whitetail at 350 yards crossing a cut line will be across it before you could dial it; the big mule deer that you jump out of its bed at 50 yards in heavy cover will turn the distance into 250-300 yards before he gives you a shot of any kind,while you fight for a shooting position.
MPBR or some derivative works because with modern center fire cartridges and bullets it encompasses the distances at which the overwhelming majority of BG animals are killed. There are few hunters not well served with (say) a 250-300 yard zero, and then relying on turrets or a reticle for anything further.....assuming one needs them at all.
Personally, I zero standard cartridges like the 270 and 30/06 2.75-3" high at 100 yards;this gives a second "zero" of about 250-275 yards. Some fast magnums and slick bullets need to be zeroed lower at 100 as they will show too much mid range at 175-200.Generally they end up being zeroed at about 300 yards.
A big mule deer I killed about 5 years ago ws stalked in open country to what turned out to be 340 yards, where I ran out of cover. The LRF would to read due to screening brush and I was on my belly in short brush. I had to estimate, knew the 270 would drop about 7 inches at that distance,and chest hit him on the first shot.
MPBR was not antiquated that day.
Zero at 100, and for a 300 yard shot you will have to dial or slide a reticle. No avoiding it. That rutting whitetail at 350 yards crossing a cut line will be across it before you could dial it; the big mule deer that you jump out of its bed at 50 yards in heavy cover will turn the distance into 250-300 yards before he gives you a shot of any kind,while you fight for a shooting position.
MPBR or some derivative works because with modern center fire cartridges and bullets it encompasses the distances at which the overwhelming majority of BG animals are killed. There are few hunters not well served with (say) a 250-300 yard zero, and then relying on turrets or a reticle for anything further.....assuming one needs them at all.
Personally, I zero standard cartridges like the 270 and 30/06 2.75-3" high at 100 yards;this gives a second "zero" of about 250-275 yards. Some fast magnums and slick bullets need to be zeroed lower at 100 as they will show too much mid range at 175-200.Generally they end up being zeroed at about 300 yards.
A big mule deer I killed about 5 years ago ws stalked in open country to what turned out to be 340 yards, where I ran out of cover. The LRF would to read due to screening brush and I was on my belly in short brush. I had to estimate, knew the 270 would drop about 7 inches at that distance,and chest hit him on the first shot.
MPBR was not antiquated that day.
I've shot over more game than I ever did under. For me, with a history of growing up/hunting in woods to pipelines, I like to start out with a +1"@100. If I know I am going to be shooting at 300yds or further, I like a 300yd zero, whatever I end up with in between is then measured/observed. I'm OK with a +3"@100 ONLY IF ITS NOT OVER +4"@200! My Whelen AI/200TTSX is that way and only -3"@300. I tend to "hold high" on longer shots, Kentucky Windage if you would so sometimes I end up with around +1-2"@100 even with a flat shooting rifle, no more. I've used a 60yd zero for woods rifles where the shooting was fast and fleeting. While I never hunted with it, I had a leupold 4.5x14AO set up with the CDC turret and 180/300RUM once. I could hit accurately with it out to 900yds. Since I don't hunt that way, I finally sold it all. My Marine Son In Law put a Huskemaw (sp?) scope on the 300RUM I had made for him and my handloads using the 200AB. It is very accurate right out to a tad over 1000yds! he and his hunting pardner used it for a late cow elk hunt, and his buddy shot a big cow over a quarter mile away but had to thread it through some oak brush (nasty, nasty stuff for deflecting bullets!) One shot with massive damage to her respiratory system! Those kind of set ups work pretty fast and I can see the usefulness of them for long range. I know "my" limitations and 350 is a long way for me on an undisturbed critter. I do want to know where my rifle hits out to 500 so I can work on a runaway wounded animal, which, sometimes happens as you guys know.
- Thread starter
- #27
nosler06
Handloader
- Nov 13, 2012
- 253
- 35
Thank you all for your input. I have a bullet drop app that shows the following
so here what is listed
180gr Partitions
2620fps
0 at 200 yds
after calculations it shows 2.9" high at 100yds
-3.9" at 250yds
-9.7" at 300yds
-17.5" at 350yds
So I am guessing that the 3" high at 100yds sight in would work best and then check impact points at 200, 250, 300yds. If I am reading this right?
so here what is listed
180gr Partitions
2620fps
0 at 200 yds
after calculations it shows 2.9" high at 100yds
-3.9" at 250yds
-9.7" at 300yds
-17.5" at 350yds
So I am guessing that the 3" high at 100yds sight in would work best and then check impact points at 200, 250, 300yds. If I am reading this right?
It depends on the cartridge and distance one will be shooting. You pointed out the 30-06/180gr but here is some other things to think about.
My 35rem/200gr @ 2188 fps is set to 1" at 100 yards reason is this will not be too high at 15 yards even from a tree stand yet work just fine for a 200 yards shot if that was ever presented. Same for my 358win even though is flater I still get 15 yards shots but with just 4" of hold over I am on at 200 yards. If I was to use it in more open areas say elk hunting I would change it to +2" at 100 yards. My 270win is just +1" because right now its just for 100 to 200 yards. If Going out west a 200 yards zero would be the ticket.
I can calulate hold over very well, hold under has cost me a few bucks with bad hits that were to high.
My 35rem/200gr @ 2188 fps is set to 1" at 100 yards reason is this will not be too high at 15 yards even from a tree stand yet work just fine for a 200 yards shot if that was ever presented. Same for my 358win even though is flater I still get 15 yards shots but with just 4" of hold over I am on at 200 yards. If I was to use it in more open areas say elk hunting I would change it to +2" at 100 yards. My 270win is just +1" because right now its just for 100 to 200 yards. If Going out west a 200 yards zero would be the ticket.
I can calulate hold over very well, hold under has cost me a few bucks with bad hits that were to high.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,746
- 5,817
nosler06":1xngp6fu said:
That looks really useful to me!
Thebear_78
Handloader
- Sep 30, 2004
- 3,090
- 836
3" high at 100 might turn out to be 4-5" high at 200, not an issue for the game I hunt, moose have a kill zone the size of a beach ball, but could be an issue on smaller game like pronghorn.
This is the printout for my 300 RUM WITH MY 168 TTSX load. I've been using that zero for years. I basically just point and shoot always aiming on hair.
For my longest shot 519 yards on a caribou the I just aimed a chest depth high, roughly 2', and dropped it right in there.
Everything closer I just aim right at or behind the shoulder and never had an issue. It's idiot proof!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This is the printout for my 300 RUM WITH MY 168 TTSX load. I've been using that zero for years. I basically just point and shoot always aiming on hair.
For my longest shot 519 yards on a caribou the I just aimed a chest depth high, roughly 2', and dropped it right in there.
Everything closer I just aim right at or behind the shoulder and never had an issue. It's idiot proof!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have never been a turret turner. I am a true believer in Ballistic reticles and knowing the ballistics of your load, and checking those under practical circumstances. I am not a long range hunter at all. I have taken a few longish shots but almost all of the deer I have taken have been under 200 yards. The exceptions we 220, 250, and one at 285. I was taught to hold lower third tight to the shoulder/leg line. it was ingrained to never force a marginal shot and to know your limitations. This is not to say that I have not shot and practiced at longer range. I personally am not going to take the shot opting to get closer if possible. To me its just not worth wounding an animal, too much can go wrong at distance for my taste. On game in ideal conditions 300 is my limit.
That being said I now have a rifle that I am ABLE to reach out farther if I wanted to. My 26N is topped with a Steiner GS3 3-5x50 sporting the S1 reticle. I have not found a specific listing of what the sub tensions actually are(but since Burris is now building these I am using theirs to get the rough idea) so I am going to have to get a BIG sheet of paper and just shoot and measure and load them into a ballistics program to see what tick mark is what yardage then test at the ranges it computes to.
I currently have it sighted 3" high at 100. doing the math and guessing on the sub tensions, high point is 4.5" at the 200 yd mark and zero is 375yds with the 129gr ABLR factory load. Sub tensions go 475, 625, 775, 940 if I'm guessing right. Conversely a true 200yd zero(+.75 at 100) I get 320, 480, 630, and 790.
That being said I now have a rifle that I am ABLE to reach out farther if I wanted to. My 26N is topped with a Steiner GS3 3-5x50 sporting the S1 reticle. I have not found a specific listing of what the sub tensions actually are(but since Burris is now building these I am using theirs to get the rough idea) so I am going to have to get a BIG sheet of paper and just shoot and measure and load them into a ballistics program to see what tick mark is what yardage then test at the ranges it computes to.
I currently have it sighted 3" high at 100. doing the math and guessing on the sub tensions, high point is 4.5" at the 200 yd mark and zero is 375yds with the 129gr ABLR factory load. Sub tensions go 475, 625, 775, 940 if I'm guessing right. Conversely a true 200yd zero(+.75 at 100) I get 320, 480, 630, and 790.
