Sighting in distance
- Thread starter Swimmer
- Start date
Im sighting mine in to shoot an inch high at 200 yards. I shoot a Tikka tx3 in 270. With the bullets im shooting, it should be roughly 2 inches high at 100 and 4 inches low at 300. One crosshair out to 300 yards. This will be my first time hunting lopes out west too so im sure others will have better advice. Also, im using a Nikon scope. The spot on website Nikon offers is a great tool to use if you have a Nikon.
MtnBuck
Member
I like point blank range. http://www.shooterscalculator.com/point-blank-range.php Lopes are small so you have to be honest about your max range.
Slugz
Veteran member
Zero at 250 or 275.
If you are handloading you could go down to 100-120gr for a flatter faster round.
If you are handloading you could go down to 100-120gr for a flatter faster round.
Slugz
Veteran member
Zero at 250 or 275.
If you are handloading you could go down to 100-120gr for a flatter faster round.
If you are handloading you could go down to 100-120gr for a flatter faster round.
I usually sight in a little hi at 200 for antelope, and zero around 225 ish. They are small enough if I get the bullet much over 2" hi in midrange tragectory, I run the risk of shooting over one I may surprise at 125-150 or so. Couple inches of shooter induced error with a round that is 3" hi or so and you can miss. But regardless of the zero you choose, know your tragectory and you max range and you'll be fine.
HiMtnHnter
Active Member
I know the dial and shoot turret style scopes are all the rage these days, but for my style of hunting, spot and stalk from close range to around 400 yards or so, sighting in 1.5-2" high at 100 yds depending on caliber has always been reliable. You are good to go for many ranges and can make a very quick shot when necessary. I've taken many shots over the years where messing with turrets would likely have resulted in a missed opportunity.
Either way you go, best to have your chit together.
I've seen wayyy more hunters shoot over big-game than under...and that's by a landslide. Most of that comes from the basic lack of understanding about POA/POI problems associated with how their rifles are sighted in.
Prior to turrets (which NO question is THE way to go), I sighted my rifles in at 300 yards. But, I also knew that at ranges from 100-250, I best be aiming at the heart (elbow area) on big-game or I'd be shooting over stuff. I learned that from shooting coyotes, where POA/POI left very damn little room for error.
IMO, if a hunter doesn't have their chit together, is easily excitable at crunch time, etc., I would sight dead on at no further than 200 yards. I have seen way too many hunters sight in for the longest shot they thought they would have, instead of where 99% of their shots were taken (usually under 200 yards, even on pronghorn). Result is shooting over, almost always.
With turrets I still sight dead on at 250, but know that I have to be aiming on the lower 1/3rd of the animal where I kill 90% of my animals (around 150-200 yards). I also have found that typically if an animal is at a distance that requires spinning turrets (over 250 in my case), you have the time to range, dial, and get it done.
Nothing is better than being able to correlate POA/POI via spinning turrets...just a fact.
If I didnt have turrets, I would sight in at either 250 or 300...and shoot a bunch between 100-200ish to verify POI elevation above POA...
If in doubt, sight dead on at 200, shoot at 250 and 300 to verify drop, and call it macaroni...
I've seen wayyy more hunters shoot over big-game than under...and that's by a landslide. Most of that comes from the basic lack of understanding about POA/POI problems associated with how their rifles are sighted in.
Prior to turrets (which NO question is THE way to go), I sighted my rifles in at 300 yards. But, I also knew that at ranges from 100-250, I best be aiming at the heart (elbow area) on big-game or I'd be shooting over stuff. I learned that from shooting coyotes, where POA/POI left very damn little room for error.
IMO, if a hunter doesn't have their chit together, is easily excitable at crunch time, etc., I would sight dead on at no further than 200 yards. I have seen way too many hunters sight in for the longest shot they thought they would have, instead of where 99% of their shots were taken (usually under 200 yards, even on pronghorn). Result is shooting over, almost always.
With turrets I still sight dead on at 250, but know that I have to be aiming on the lower 1/3rd of the animal where I kill 90% of my animals (around 150-200 yards). I also have found that typically if an animal is at a distance that requires spinning turrets (over 250 in my case), you have the time to range, dial, and get it done.
Nothing is better than being able to correlate POA/POI via spinning turrets...just a fact.
If I didnt have turrets, I would sight in at either 250 or 300...and shoot a bunch between 100-200ish to verify POI elevation above POA...
If in doubt, sight dead on at 200, shoot at 250 and 300 to verify drop, and call it macaroni...
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I use a ballistics program with my load data to see how far out I can zero the gun without going over 2.75" high at the top of the bullet's arc. More that and I shoot over coyotes it seems. It is usually around 240yds on a flatter shooting big game rifle. I use turrets, but mostly leave them set somewhere around that 240 unless it is necessary to dial for a longer shot. Having my big game guns zeroed like my coyote guns I shoot more just makes sense to me.
6mm Remington
Very Active Member
All of my rifles with fixed power scopes are zeroed to be 2.5-2.75" high at 100 yards which gives me a zero of about 250 yards in my 6mm Remington and my 30-06. It's about 3 inches low at 300, 12" at 400, and 24" at 500 yards.
lostriverproductions
Active Member
All my rifles are zeroed at 100 and I dial the dope needed. Al lot of people guess antelope to be farther then what they are so they shoot over there backs. If you don't have a scope you can dial, then I would zero your rifle and set your max range where your bullet is never higher or lower than 3.5" But that is my opinion on what I would do.
JimP
Administrator
One problem with scopes is that not everyone can afford to go out and drop $500+ on a new scope and then a extra $100 to have a turret made up for their loads. Sometimes I wonder how we ever killed a animal past 200 yards after all these long range hunting shows showed up.
I'd just zero it at 200 yards then learn the drop out to 400 yards. Anything past that pass up the shot.
I'd just zero it at 200 yards then learn the drop out to 400 yards. Anything past that pass up the shot.
Leupold can do all that for closer to 400, including the scope & dial, maybe less depending on the sale. Vortex too I believe. That said, I tend to do exactly what you suggested, in terms of distance.
Kenton Industries does plenty of custom turrets for well under $100, some over that, depends on the scope. Leupold turrets are surprisingly affordable in many cases too.
Leupold CDS comes with a 1/4" moa turret. You don't HAVE to buy a new custom dial if you change load or rifles. With a little effort you can just use the 1/4" moa dial.
I use the CDS and I limit my shots to 450 yards. My farthest shot 435 on a caribou. My avg lope shot 200. I have used the dead at 200 and drop/holdover method. But I prefer POA and POI to be the same.
But whatever method , spent primers on ranges you intend to shoot matter most.
I use the CDS and I limit my shots to 450 yards. My farthest shot 435 on a caribou. My avg lope shot 200. I have used the dead at 200 and drop/holdover method. But I prefer POA and POI to be the same.
But whatever method , spent primers on ranges you intend to shoot matter most.
JimP
Administrator
I checked on a turret for my VX3 4.5-14 and it was $80.
But still a lot of hunters can't afford to go out and purchase a scope that a turret can be place on and for 99% of the shooting out to 400 yards one is not needed if you know the ballistics of the round that you are shooting with a sight in at 200 or 250 yards.
Also as was mentioned you need to send bullets down range at the ranges that you intend on hunting at to actually know where they are going to impact.
But still a lot of hunters can't afford to go out and purchase a scope that a turret can be place on and for 99% of the shooting out to 400 yards one is not needed if you know the ballistics of the round that you are shooting with a sight in at 200 or 250 yards.
Also as was mentioned you need to send bullets down range at the ranges that you intend on hunting at to actually know where they are going to impact.
Was asking myself the same questions, asked a few folks and got a few answers. Figured some advice from those who hunt out west is always welcome. I don't like the idea of dialing turrets for a shot. Do have a range finder and a self imposed max range of 400 yards.
The max dead hold distance calculator above is great. Went to the ballistics calculators as well.
Supposedly - 150 gr 30-06 soft point at 2900-3000 fps (reloads with max charge of IMR 4350) with a zero at 300 will have a 5 inch rise at about 175 yards and an 11 inch drop at 400 yards. Max dead hold is supposed to be about 350 yards.
Now to go to the range and see what the gun and load do...
The max dead hold distance calculator above is great. Went to the ballistics calculators as well.
Supposedly - 150 gr 30-06 soft point at 2900-3000 fps (reloads with max charge of IMR 4350) with a zero at 300 will have a 5 inch rise at about 175 yards and an 11 inch drop at 400 yards. Max dead hold is supposed to be about 350 yards.
Now to go to the range and see what the gun and load do...
Good luck with whatever method you use...but I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you've never actually spun a turret?
Also 5 inches above POA is going to lead to problems, IME. Mainly because lots of shots are taken right in that neighborhood of 150-175 yards. Nothing that you cant compensate for, just hope you don't forget at crunch time.
Dialing turrets is no big deal...and I can assure you, there wasn't a bigger skeptic than me. Having used every sight in method, hold over, multiple cross hairs, BDC scopes, all that stuff, no way I'm ever going without an elevation turret on a hunting rifle again. Simple, easy, and takes the guess work out of the equation on bullet drop and POA/POI.
I like the idea of holding right where I want to hit...not trying to estimate hold over, YMMV.
Shot this bull from the flat spot on the skyline, just over the muzzle of the barrel and to the right of the tree top...
Nothing too complicated, range, dial 2.25 MOA, get a good rest over my pack, hold right on...squeeze trigger.
Normally would have tried to get closer, but these elk had left a hay field and were making their way across a piece of BLM to some other private. I had no time to stalk them and was the last day I intended to hunt...pulled the trump card.
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Matches my experience too. I'd not use anywhere near that high midrange trajectory for antelope. But good luck with what ever you choose.