Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Fastest Way to Sight in a Rifle

I use a boresighter after I mount the scope to align the crosshairs. Then I shoot at a 25 yard target, and use the same method he used, as it's easier to see at 25 yards, especially with a lower powered scope. That usually takes 2-3 shots. Then I move out to a 100 yard target and see how it shoots there. On most rifles, it will only take 4-5 shots to zero at a 100. I have done it with less shots. I once mounted a scope that had came off of another rifle, and it was dead on a 100 yards. That was pure luck, nothing else.

Agree, I've never been able to hold the rifle steady enough with sand bags.

I follow this, but at about 50 yards or what the range will support.

If you have a decent rest set-up for the rifle, adjusting the scope to the point of first round impact isn't hard.

Having the discipline to stay in the scope while you are dialing the adjustment is.

That looks too technical for me. Anymore I just shoot hedge apples in the fall to get shiet worked out...

yeah i always bore sight first on my neighbors door knob from my dining room table, usually within 2-3 inches.

this has always worked for me with bolt guns anyways

Knock Knock!

Same here.

I'm amazed that anyone would ask if it works. Don't see how it can't.

As far as I can recall, its never failed me.

Obviously group size will affect this a bit. And quality of the shot will always affect it.

Didn't realize folks did it any other way actually. At least about the last 40 years or so of my life anyway.

If I can pull the bolt, I do a bore sight. I mount the rifle in my cleaning cradle, and find a street light looking through the barrel. Then I zero the scope to the light. Then I shoot at 100, and move the scope to the bullet hole.

I'm an only child. I only have a front rest with bag and rear rest. Its never been a problem for me.

That's because you ain't an idiot.

the method portrayed works fine. it works well in reverse with a set of well-defined crosshairs.

either way is good for an effective methodology to sight-in a new rifle, scope, etc.

it's interesting that a 25 yard zero equals about a 4moa high at 100.

i just like to let my rifle cool down between shots.

It you have a properly stress relieved barrel, you don't need to.

Scoping is not rocket science - take a peanut butter jar with a red lid about 4" or 5" in diameter - lay it on top of a gate post about 50 yards distant with the red lid facing your rest. Unless you are one of those strange lever or auto gun guys, remove the bolt, sit the rifle on a solid rest (bags?) and see the red lid through the barrel - get it in the middle. Hold that sucker there tight and adjust the cross hairs (backwards?) to center them upon that same red lid. If you want a higher POI, settle the cross hairs nearer the bottom of that red peanut butter jar lid.

Then, put the bolt in, put up a nice big piece of white paper (with some kinda dot in the middle) 100 yards or so from your rest, load a round, aim at the dot and gently squeeze. The bullet hole will tell you how you did with the bore sighting. Then, get the cross hairs steady on the same dot you aimed at - keep holding the rifle tight on the rest and on the dot - look through the scope and turn knobs until the cross hairs are on the bullet hole. Then fire a bunch of rounds to celebrate - sighting-in party. Eat the remaining peanut butter.

Now, zillions of guys know how to do all of that - it has worked well for them for decades. One of these days I need to try it.

So THAT'S how you've been doing it! You've been cheating and thinking about what you're doing! Plus 70 years of experience...

Ed

Use a tipton best gun vise.

Absolutely perfect, but one needs to put the arm in vice before beginning his adjustments. I think one also needs a very small and well defined bull's eye. Not seen anyone with the needed equipment at our local range.

If you're already 'on paper', a lot of methods work fine. The guy in the vid was definitely on paper,