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Where is your zero set? Normally zero my rifles @ 250 yards. Now that I have a turret to turn I was thinking about 100 yard zero. What's your opinion? My maximum self imposed range limit is 600 yards.

IF your 250 yard sight that you normally use works for you why not stay with it?

wherever I have my turret set is my "zero" all depends on the terrain and what I'm hunting.

Reloader, I use a 200+ yd zero because its what I've always done. There are reasons and benefits to why its a good idea.

My thinking is why take the benefit of point and shoot at 300 yds or less away.

The turret is still there for the long shots where most likely 10% of your game will be killed.

Its a free 300 yd benefit that in no way hinders the latter. Win Win

Shod

100.




Travis

Yep...that is why the scope has twisty thingies on it!

I use very high velocity cartridges and sight in at 300 yards. This means max height mid range is no more than 3". I can hold on to 350. After that I can twist.

100m zero.

I carry the rifle set at .7 mils, which is the 250m zero.

With my turret scopes I will zero at 100 yards. Now that I know my rifle is dead on at 100, I'll adjust my turret for 250 yards, then reset my turret. I like 250 yard zero for hunting cause from 100 to 300 yards no real adjustment is needed for those quick shots.

On hunting rifles with a duplex and no turrets, I like a 175 yard zero, because it feels natural (to me) to hold over a little more at longer distance, and I prefer not to hit too high at mid-range.

I zero my turrets at 100yd though.

Hellsfire....if you can whack a white 5 gal. bucket from 50 yards....you're good to go!!

200 yard zero works for me and where I hunt. If I had a turret style scope then I would use 100 yard as zero.

200 if using a CDS dial. MPBR (3"@100)with no dial.

200 here.

100 yds on mine....

200 yard zero

Seen that at a public range once, three outta 5 shots hit a paper plate at 50 yds and heard a 'were ready' declared.

OP, 100 yards via Nightforce zero stop.

Here's a question for the original poster. I see 100 yards showing up the most. Are those who don't agree with the majority wrong?

My zero is set in the bulls eye. Where's yours set????



Even the big guns get dialed in that way...

Honestly though, it really depends on the capabilities of your rifle, scope, turrets, range you plan on shooting, reticle etc... Is this for your 300 wsm??? When I was shooting my 300 wsm (FN PBR XP), I ran 165's at around 3000 fps, dialed a Nikon Monarch X-tactical 4-16x50 and zeroed at 100 yards. I kept a dope sheet in my pocket for proven drops with that combo. Easily made 1 shot kills past 600 yards.



For a lighter weight walking around hunting rifle, I've ordered custom dials with a zero set near MPBR, so I can take full advantage of the cartridge and range. Providing the said rifle is accurate enough to make clean kills at that distance:



This fairly lightweight hunting rifle (30-06 EW in Mcmillan edge stock) topped out at 660 yards as set up with scope/mounts, CDS, bullet used etc....

200 for 1" scopes (w/CDS). 100 for 30mm tubes and M1 or CDS.

225-275 depending on the round. The zero stops are set below the zero at 100.

Don't think there's really a wrong answer as long as the shooter understands his/her set up.

bsa1917, that 9.3 group is impressive.

Thanks, it's likely it will never happen again . I love the accuracy of the rifle and it puts elk size critters down very well too:



She was trotting through the scrub oak at 85 yards away. Rifle has a ballistic plex reticle, so I keep it dialed in at 100 yards. That works great for elk hunting, since most of my shots have been less than 100 yards in the timber. Got lucky and found this one in the scrub oak. Kind of a narrow shooting lane though. I'd say it's just as important to stay practiced up in the off season as it is worrying about your zero. Keep things as simple as you can on a pure hunting rifle. Make sure it functions without failure, is accurate and you'll be doing great. Truth be told, for most hunting situations the use of MPBR will be the best place to set your zero. This is if you don't dial and don't use a ballistic plex reticle. MPBR is the most efficient and easy to use method for zeroing a hunting rifle, but it's not talked about too much here. Maybe things have gotten too modern and guys forget about it. Who knows???

I personally prefer 200yds - turrets or not - on pretty much anything that is scoped over 22lr. On Leupold's CDS scopes, this gets me 700-800 depending on caliber/load on a zero stop MOA dial (which is the most limiting turret set-up I have).

Yes sir. I'm just getting started with a turret scope. So, I have a lot to learn.

Very much agree.

I think not. It's all a matter of personal preference.

Lie the man posted. There is no down side.

With most calibers in the 30/06, 270, 308 Win, 300 Win Mag class if you zero at 200 yards....just hold about 3" low at 100 yards and if you get a shot at 300 yards...just hold the horizontal wire a couple inches down from top of the back and you're in the kill zone! Don't even have to worry about the knobs!!

I zero for 200. That way I don't really have to make allowances from 100 - 300 because a zero hold easily puts me inside an 8 inch circle. Anything over 300 I dial in.

No offense to anyone here, but some of the statements seem a little optimistic. I would suggest at a minimum using your info(bullet, velocity, etc) and plugging in to JBM Ballistics (and set range increment to 25yds) to get a good idea of your actual trajectory. This doesn't eliminate the need for verifying in the field, but will give you a very good idea.

Again, I like 200yds as out to about 250 I'm within 2" of my aim point - I personally don't like to start off knowing I'm more than 2" off.

TXRam,



I picked 3". What bullet and velocity are you running?

Several, but the load I'm working on right now is a 150gr LRAB at ~3150fps via a 7WSM Montana.

Smart man.

Zero at 200. Extending your pointblank range, from 100 yards zero is much better for me.

On my last hunting lease, I would sight in at 2.75" high. This gave me a MPBR of 325 yards with the load I was shooting. I knew that a 400 and even 500 yard shot was possible given wind judgement.
I lived in the midwest for a dozen years and most of my shots were either with a shotgun or short ranged (under 100 yards) with a rifle.
Since moving back to Texas and finding a new place to hunt, 90% of my shots are <100 yards. There are a few places on the ranch to shoot out to 500-600 and I'm working some loads, rifles and scope combinations back up to be able to take those shots. Haven't settled on a 'new' sight in range just yet.

All my rifles are sighted in for 100 yards dead on. If need be I can dial it in with my tarets.

so it sounds like several guys use a zero at "X" yards and then have a drop "cheat sheet" and dial according to that. am I understanding that right?

Why not have a turret made with the yardage on it and eliminate that step? just a question, not looking to flame anyone. just wondering why more folks aren't doing that.

I like having it right there in front of me, so I range, click and shoot. I know where my rifle is going to hit at anytime simply by looking at what range it is set at.

Turrets with designated ranges, for designated loads, at designated speeds, in designated conditions, are a one-trick pony.



Travis

So you actually hang targets at 300 yards and make point of impact and point of aim be the same? And every high velocity cartridge that you shoot with a 300 yard "zero" has a max ord of no more than 3 inches? Also what is the group size of your rifles and target size that you find acceptable?







Just trying to be sure- MPBR is +3 inches at 100 yards? What size MPBR?








Do you zero POA/POI at 200? Or do you zero high at 100 for a 200 zero?







2.75in high at 100 presumably? And that resulted in what zero? What size MPBR? And what size target are you comfortable with? What does your rifle group on average?

Sorry for the drive by's....






How did you arrive at a self imposed 600 yard range limit?

Same here for centerfire. Rimfires are 50.

Formid, I often wonder how many of these guys really know what MPBR is and how it works????? Sorry, I'm not directing my coments toward Reloader as he is a very good guy and asking an honest question. I know he's been shooting the 300 WSM for a long time now and is wanting to switch things up a little and start using a turret. I'd suggest a good ballistic calculator/program, coupled with a good chrono and LRF. Practice at intended hunting ranges and confirm drops. Make sure the scope dials as it should.. We may also need a little more info about the rifle/scope combo and the loads he uses as well.

I site in all my big game rifles dead on at 200. I then plug in my data to JBM for shooting long ranged obvious shoot to confirm. I go with 200 because I believe I can point and shoot during a hunting situation from 0-300 without dicking with my scope. 300+ requires adjusting the turret.

POA/POI 200 yards. I just checked this weekend as I was at a range with benches, a rarity for me. I usually shoot from prone or sitting at random distances. New lot of powder and change of primers had POI about 3/4" low. I made the correction. If you want to be zeroed at a certain yardage, you have to shoot at that yardage. Calculations don't cut it for your zero.

Bob

We shoot on my 300 yard range at my camp year round. Most of you know thst the zero you set for the hunting season will change all year long with temparature and humidity. Some powders are a lot more temp. tolerant than others.I use a 3" high at 100 dead on at 300 and 8 inches low at 400 type zero. I don't have many shots at 400 maybe 1 every 3 years,most are between 150 and 300. I've taught myself to use a low hold on the close up deer and a high near the top of back hold on those at 400. My 264 win mag does the rest. However a 250 yard zero would work 90% of the time. Depends on caliber and preference of the shooter. My crosshair is always on the deers body.

I zero at 100 and dial to 200 when I leave the trailhead--dial further as needed.

The same size I'be been using since 1978 with my 7RMags/160's.

Many times when I am shooting LR, first I use my tarots to suss out the dope, then after the shot I often excercise my tourettes. Occasionally I will use the turrets as well. YMMV

There must be something wrong with my load/rifle combos.



Travis

Me too........unless I do load workup in the Sonoran desert in August, and hunt Siberia in February.

No, it's Shrapnel's ammo

At 300? Maybe. But that would be an extreme differances to see a noticeable shift in zero at 300 yards. Even still, all the more reason to zero at 100 and adjust for longer.








Why the side step?

Can't say that I knew that in fact I have never experienced a zero shift all year long. I fact if may zero changes I know that I have a problem that needs addressing.

I zero at 100, to minimize environmental deviations.

It's no trick apply 200 yard correction to the turret while traipsing.

Why do you care? I'm a mere mortal.

Of course, most of us have multiple rifles with multiple dials so we can perform several tricks in lots of conditions.

A waste of money for all those dial, since a mill or MOA turret works perfectly for any and all conditions/rifes or loads.

Because you gave an answer and I'm trying to understand your reasoning and method. Only someone who is unsure of why they are doing something or those who don't understand what it is that they are actually doing avoid such questions.


Notice- no one else has broached an answer to the same questions asked, save BSA apparently because he can read sign.



-

3,2,1 cue passive aggression.....

I zero hunting rifles with Plex reticles for MPBR, B&C for 200 or 300 as appropriate, some dial yardage systems are sighted for MPBR and others at a set even distance, and turret scopes are usually sighted for 100 and carried with the turret dialed for MPBR. More than occasionally I'll slip the scale on a turret or CDS scopes to make the chart match the conditions, and have sighted ballistic reticles in at 400 or 500 with the appropriate crosshair to move the errors back to where they don't matter as much.

A couple of my rifles have summer and winter loads, since its easier to bring the velocity back to the chart than the chart to the velocity.

I have my own 1/2 mile range, and have tried just about everything once. Shoot F-Class too.

Yeah, I'm very unsure of myslelf.......using MPBR/3"high @100 with 160gr/7Rmag is self explanatory. I don't like answering stupid questions when the answer is obvious.

Since this is asked on the LR forum......

I see no reason for a 100 yd zero, as I'm not interested in threading any f'ing needle, so I use 200.



Jack Schitt

Agreed. It just took some of us longer than others to reach that conclusion.

Which assumes you'll always have time to use them twisties and in any sitchie-a-shun.

In the summer I go with 100 just because it's easier to get a precise zero and check it after you've dialed up and back down. Once hunting season gets close, 200.

How much more time do you figure it takes to twist a dial than turn the power up and use the reticle?

I have shot a couple elk that gave me about as much time as a flushing pheasant. No time to twist anything.
That's why I use a 250 yd zero.
But zeroing at 100 and carrying it set at 250 would work too.
And give you the ability to thread the needle better in heavy cover. May have to change my SOP.

That's what I do with turrets.

Zero at 100, dial to 250 when it's time to start hunting.

Model70Guy, I guess if you zero for (minute of deer) most folks would not notice temp and humidity variations. However when shooting at a 1" bulls eye at 300,it is noticeable.Took my 1000 yard rifle to the 600 yard range and noticed a change on the second day we shot with only a 30/40 degree change. Reloader 22 changes a lot more than Varget for me. Most of the time a 1 to 2 inch change of POI on the side of a deer won't make a lot of difference to the deer. I was not saying any ones gun was not zeroed to their satisfaction. I shoot a 160 Sierra game king in my 7mag, 7STW and the 7mm ultra when using them for hunting. I still like the old 264 mag for my area.What caliber F class rifle do you prefer ?

In my 300WM i use a 300 yard. Its a good adjustment to 400. Its 3.50-4 inches till 300 and at 400 its 8 inches low so I adjust for it. After that I use BDC.

Depends on the rifle and scope. Mostly 200 yards but occasionally 300 as it gives me a little more distance in one revolution of the turret.

I don't see my POI shifting all year either.

I missed this one, but better late than never.

I like the STW as well, have 4 of those now. Since I generally just use them as general purpose zero to 600 heavy sporter, none of those are even wearing a turret scope at the moment. One has a CDS, and two B&C reticles. The last one has a Zeiss plex reticle and I'll swap that out for a Mark 4 one of these days and think about VLDs. Since for the use I put them to a hunting bullet is well suited 3 out of the fourare using 160 grain Accu-bonds. I use the same bullet in my 7 Rem as well. I have a lot of fun with my .264 Win Mag too, even though logic does force me to admit that anything it can do a 7mm or .300 can do better.

For the most part I shoot F-Class with my long range hunting rifles, since I like my shooting to have a point. I use a .300 Win in Open, and a 1-8 twist .223 in F-TR. That one may not have a real point, come to think of it.

The last match I shot was a modified format, with distances of 600, 800 and 1000 yards. We used the 300 yard target at 600, and 500 yard target at 800 and 1000 to give a 1/4 MOA V-bull and a bit of extra challenge. We reasoned that since we invented F-Class the rules are whatever we wanted them to be, and allowed muzzle-brakes to let the big .338s play. I used my Defensive Edge Canyon Rifle in .338 Edge for that match.

On a hunting rifle I zero for a +-3" MPBR. That means a centre-of-shoulder hold on a pig, goat or deer out to near 300y for most rifles.

I'd hate to be stuffing around with turrets anywhere inside that range. Every second wasted is another chance for the game to bolt.