Sighting in Question
 

I just sighted in my 270 at 200 yards at a place with an indoor range that was 25 yards. They type the info into the computer and based on the ballistics, it tells them where to draw a red line on the target. Then you aim at the bulls eye, but are supposed to hit the red line which is less than an inch below the bulls-eye.

Is this a very reliable way to sight in a rifle? I am hunting in the am so I hope so. when i was done, i put a couple in a row right below the red line--that is the top of the hole was right below the line. Does this translate into a larger degree of error at 200 yards?

Also, why is the red line below the bulls eye? I thought that the bullet came out of the gun high and then begin dropping?

RE: Sighting in Question
 

I'd say it's a good way to start, but I for one wouldn't trust that rifle to a 200 yard shot on a deer without actually zeroing to to 200 actual yards.

I use the ballistic computations to begin the sight in proceedure at close ranges, since I don't have a boresighter, which will get me on paper. Then I back the target up to the range I intend to zero it at and actually shoot groups until the scope is adjusted. Then I shoot at a variety of ranges between and beyond the zero point to plot the actual trajectory. That way I know exactly where my bullet will be at a given range relitive to the line-of-sight.

There are too many things going on to rely on a computer to determine the zero for your specific rifle.

What you have right now, as far as I'm concerned, is a rifle sighted in at 25 yards. If you value clean kills I'd find a range that you can shoot out to your desired zero.

Mike


Gun control means putting the second bullet through the same hole as the first- Ted Nugent
NRA Member
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Ben Franklin

RE: Sighting in Question
 

I agree, I to will use a ballistic program or table but just as a starting point. The only way to acheive a 200 yard zero is shoot at 200 yards.

RE: Sighting in Question
 

If you're only 1/4" off at 25 yards that could end up 1 inch at 100 yards. Could be 2 inches at 200 yards. If I were you I'd shoot to at least 100 yards to make sure. On my .270 I sight it in 2" high at 100 yards. It's about 1/2" high at 200 yards and about 6" low at 300 yards. From there it starts dropping real fast but I know this for a fact because I've shot at each distance. It's the only way to be absolutely positive.

RE: Sighting in Question
 

redfish76

driftrider & skeeter 7MM are both absolutely right. However, you're going hunting not bench rest shooting. As for your sighting in, if you were shooting a bit low at 25 yrds and practically putting the bullets through the same hole and dead middle of the target IMHO you should be OK. You're talking 3 maybe 4 inches of error at 200 yds. Very few people and no one that I know of can hold that steady in a hunting environment anyway, hell you're doing good if you can hold a 3 inch 200 yd group off the bench. Enjoy your hunt. Chances are if you get a shot it will be a lot closer than 200 yds. anyway. gg.

"The instant you start talking about what you'll do if you lose, you have lost."

RE: Sighting in Question
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Very few people and no one that I know of can hold that steady in a hunting environment anyway, hell you're doing good if you can hold a 3 inch 200 yd group off the bench. Enjoy your hunt.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

I don't know about you, but I won't take a shot I'm not 100% sure of. With a 4x scope I guarantee I'll put it within 2&quot; of my intended aimpoint shooting offhand, or my finger won't touch the trigger. Unfortunately, I have yet to be able to convince a deer to stand is a spot that allows me to rest my rifle on a natural rest, and I'm too darn cheap to buy shooting stix.

Mike




Gun control means putting the second bullet through the same hole as the first- Ted Nugent
NRA Member
&quot;They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.&quot; -Ben Franklin

RE: Sighting in Question
 

driftrider
If you can make an off hand shot at 200 yds and hit within 2 inches of your aim point, man you're one hell of a shot. My hat is off to you. I've been shooting and hunting for some 48 years and you're the first person I've come across that can do that. Not to mention the accuracy of your rifle to be able to group 2 inches at 200 yrds is in itself phenomenal. Some might say you're full of sh** but not me and some would say you're stretching the truth just a bit but not me, I'm just very impressed with your marksmanship. Now for me, I hit a moose broadside this fall with 2 shots at just under 175 yrds. (scoped later with rangefinder). The shots hit about 8 inches apart. One broke the shoulder and devasted the lung and heart. The other missed the heart but tore through the lung. I was happy with my shots. I guess you would have obviously done better. gg.

&quot;The instant you start talking about what you'll do if you lose, you have lost.&quot;

RE: Sighting in Question
 

Oh no...NOT 200! Never even tried shooting that far out with a scoped rifle. I can say that I can hit the black on a USMC &quot;D&quot; target about 3-5 out of five times with an M16A2 at 200 meters in the offhand.

Looking at my post I omitted the &quot;at 100 yards part.&quot; I'm no Carlos Hathcock, and I didn't mean to make you think I was.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I wasn't trying to blow smoke up anyone's a$$.

However, I will disagree with you about the 2&quot; group at 200 yards part. I know people who would consider a rifle that, with handloaded ammo, only shot 2&quot; groups at 200 yards a POS. I'm in the process of saving up for a benchrest rifle, and the guy who inspired me to try benchrest shooting had a Savage 12BVSS in .308 Win that would consistantly shoot groups that could be completely covered by a quarter at 200 yards. And he wasn't happy with it! After shooting a couple of groups to zero the scope he proceeded to shoot golf balls off the birm with startling regularity (8 for 10 easily). But remember, he was shooting off a very stable varmint rest from a shooting bench, and not under field conditions.

Mike


Gun control means putting the second bullet through the same hole as the first- Ted Nugent
NRA Member
&quot;They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.&quot; -Ben Franklin

Edited by - driftrider on 11/01/2002 23:40:10

RE: Sighting in Question
 

driftrider
Do doubt about the supreme accuracy of bench rest shooters and their rifles. When I mentioned 2 inch groups at 200 yrds being phenomenal I was refering to hunting rifles...I guess I wasn't too clear in my writing either LOL. I will agree with you that if one is not 100 % sure of making the shot then don't take the shot regardless of the distance. I did think you were stretching it a bit so thanks for taking the time to explain and not being offended by my razzing you. gg.


&quot;The instant you start talking about what you'll do if you lose, you have lost.&quot;

RE: Sighting in Question
 

No problem,

I'm glad you pointed out my misstatement. I can only DREAM of the day I would shoot that well at 200 yards. If I were you I'd have hoisted the BS flag too. :)

Mike


Gun control means putting the second bullet through the same hole as the first- Ted Nugent
NRA Member
&quot;They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.&quot; -Ben Franklin

RE: Sighting in Question
 

4&quot; off on point of aim is far too much.You are forgetting that you must add the error in zero to the accuracy of your gun/load combination and then add the aiming error in the field.If your rifle sight in is dead on and your rifle shoots 4&quot; groups at 200 yards and you add 4&quot; or error for shooting under field conditions you will be shooting 8&quot; groups at 200 yards.This will barely keep you in the kill zone but adding 4&quot; more for an incorrect sight in could easily result in a miss or a wounded animal.As far as hitting a 2&quot; target consistantly under field conditions it is really not very difficult for a good shooter with good equipment and a solid rest.I consistantly shoot 1&quot; groups at 200 yards off the bench with my rifles(custom rifles using handloads)and off the bipod or a solid field rest I can consistantly hit a 2&quot; target at 200 yards.Off hand is altogether a different story but many of us stand hunt,use bipods or use any field rest that is handy and do not shoot offhand a great deal while hunting.My own rule for seting my maximum shooting distance is not to shoot at a game animal at any distance I have not practised at on targets.If I had only shot at a 25 yard target I would not even consider shooting at a game animal at 200 yards.

RE: Sighting in Question
 

Thanks to all who answered. I layed down a doe at about 65 yards yesterday morning. (No, I didn't have a chance to actually shoot my gun again at a longer range.) Anyway, clean kill, right where I aimed. She dropped in her tracks and didn't flinch. So anyway, I guess the gun is at least good to 65 yards. I may take your advice and try to find a longer range before I actually squeeze off a 200 yard shot. (I don't think that I will have to take many shots that long anyway).

RE: Sighting in Question
 

redfish76
Congrats on the doe. You don't need a 200 yd range. Find a 100 yd range and sight her in for about 1 1/2 in. high at 100 yds. Your rifle will then be about + 1 in. at 50 yds., zero at 200 yds.,
- 2 1/2 in. at 250 yds. and - 6 or 7 in. at 300yds. This all means that anywhere out to about 250 yds you can hold on your target. From then on you need to compensate a bit. Not too many folks I know hunt from a bench rest. When someone says that under field conditions using their deer or moose gun they can knock the eye out of a squirrel at 200 yrds using shooting sticks or an old stump for a rest I tend to be a bit skeptical. Maybe they can but maybe can't because I've yet to see one of these marksman in real life. I shoot at a range for sighting, to remain accustomed to my rifles and for fun. I'm real happy with 2 in groups at 100 yrds. Conversely I see bench rest shooters perfecting their hand loads with custom target rifles, high pwr scopes and shooting rests resembling engineering masterpieces. If that's your thing that's great and I admire the skill, will and determination required. Me I'm just a hunter and for the next 2 weeks, starting tomorrow, I'll be in the bush hoping for a shot at a nice buck anywhere out to about 150 to 200 yds. gg.

&quot;The instant you start talking about what you'll do if you lose, you have lost.&quot;

RE: Sighting in Question
 

redfish, I second the congrats on the doe...good eats in your house this year. I also agree with GG, if you can sight it in at 100 then 1 1/2 high should put you where you want to be. I do always suggest practice at your ranges though, but know many who do this and haven't had much of a problem...especially since they are like you and say 200 is pretty slim. You know being a good bench shot doesn't always transfer to the field, can be a different ball game. I do think knowing where and how your gun shoots = confidence but really only part of the equation. I have seen guys put them on otop of each other and hit 10/10 clays....but do a lot of barrel warming in the moment of truth.

Good luck on the rest of your season. Sounds like you got the first and important one under your belt now....the rest is all gravy.

GG, you to...good luck in your 2 week wood spending, hope you find your buck. I leave in a week for my haven....I can't wait. Is suppose to get warm for a couple of days then go back to cold with snow....oh yeah bring me the weather man...pun on pun! Rut is a bute of thing<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>