MZS

My brother suggested that rather than bore sighting my Traditions ML (scope) at 25 yds, a slightly different range would be appropriate due to the quicker drop of the sabot. The bullet is still on the way up at the shorter range, so it can again cross at the longer range.

What are your thoughts?

bronko22000

Your brother is 'sort of correct". But there is a difference between bore sighting and actual sighting in. Also, gravity begins to act on the bullet the instant it leaves the barrel. The reason it is going up is that the barrel is pointed slightly up. But your line of sight is level and you scope is approximately 1 1/2" above the bore centerline. So, if you sight in to hit dead on at 25 yds, your bullet will continue to rise until it reaches its apex. Then begin to drop and passing your line of sight again. The distance between these two points varies depending on several factors such as velocity, ballistic coefficient of the bullet, elevation, humidity and others.
My thoughts are to sight in to hit dead on at a distance you will get the most shots at game (and what type of weapon you are using). You can sight in your modern inline ML for 75 or 100 yds. But also shoot at other distances to see where your bullets impact.

cayugad

I bore site and work my accurate load up at 13 yards. At that distance, I want a dead center bull and a very very tight group. After that I move back to 25, then 50, and so on. Depending on the average shot distance I get, that is where I will sight the rifle in. On scoped inlines I normally sight in at 75 yards because a long shot in my woods is 50 yards. The few times I hunt an open field... 100 yards.

In my open sight rifles, it is not uncommon for me to sight in at 35 yards. Most my shots are about that distance in the thick woods I hunt. But again, in the beginning.. 13 yards, dead center, tight group. Then work from there.

MZS

13 yds seems to make sense with the heavier ML bullets. This will compensate more for drop. For certain the bullet would be on the way up. With a gun sighted in at this range and data at two other ranges, one could mathematically determine a formula for drop and predict it for any range.

Muley Hunter

It's surprising how 13 yds works for a lot of different guns and bullets.

MountainDevil54

20 yards, sight dead on and back it out to 50 yards.

sabotloader

MZS

Personally, I bore sight at home, I set the gun in a cradle and bore sght at 12.5/13 yards. Dead on...

Then I shoot it in at 25 yards... I adjust left or right only until I am in line then work the elevation. At 25 yards I want to shoot the 10 ring out of the bull.

Move to 50 and make the shot - the bullet should be up on the bull.

Then I sight it in @ 1.5 inches high @ 100...

Actually I use some thing called Point Blank Range. It allows me to shoot a given distance above or below a target. I normally use a 6" PBR, meaning through the entire range if I put the cross hairs on the target I will never be more than 3" high or 3" low.

In external ballistics, point-blank range is the distance between a firearm and a target of a given size such that the bullet in flight is expected to strike the target without adjusting the elevation of the firearm. The point-blank range will vary with the firearm and its particular ballistic characteristics, as well as the target chosen. A firearm with a flatter trajectory will permit a nearer minimum and further maximum point blank range for a given target size, while a larger target will allow for a longer point blank range for a given firearm.

50calty

I just sight dead on at 25 yards. Then start working my way back till 100 yards. Since I have a BDC I sight it dead on at 100 yards and then start shooting at 200 yards to figure out which circle to use. It was the top of the third circle, but I honestly I need to shoot more at that range to be comfortable. Its amazing how far the bullet drops from 100 to 200 yards.

builder459

X2 on this method. Ray

Gm54-120

Using a LASER bore siter i try for 20-25 yards then shoot a group. Dial in a bug hole. Then move out to 50 and clover leaf (max size) about half to 1" high. Then check at 100 and dial it in where i want it to hit. I usually site in at dead on to 3" high at 100 yards depending on the gun and load.

This is with a scope that is 1.25-1.5" above bore.