Steps to sighting in a rifle
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,320

Properly mount scope (includes lapping rings).
Boresight scope.
Center adjustments on scope (adjust mounts or shim if necessary).
Reboresight scope.
Use SOLID rest.
Shoot 1 shot at 25 yards.
Adjust crosshairs to bullet hole.
Shoot to confirm sight in.
Move to 100-300 yards and adjust scope exactly where you want for sight in.
Shoot for group.
Grin.
Boresight scope.
Center adjustments on scope (adjust mounts or shim if necessary).
Reboresight scope.
Use SOLID rest.
Shoot 1 shot at 25 yards.
Adjust crosshairs to bullet hole.
Shoot to confirm sight in.
Move to 100-300 yards and adjust scope exactly where you want for sight in.
Shoot for group.
Grin.
Common mistakes I have seen.
Making the asumption that rings are perfectly aligned regardless of mounting system used.
Resting barrel on gun rest or bag.
Shooter trying to hold foreend or barrel down.
Using crappy ammo or mixed weight bullets and expecting them to land in the same group.
Expecting a $50 scope to have precision and 100% repeatable adjustments.
Not torquing mount and ring screws correctly either stripping out holes or letting scope drift thru the rings.
Making adjustments to the scope after every single shot at 100 yds. (not shooting a group prior to making adjustments)
Believing that all rifles but yours come from the factory shooting 1/4" groups just because they say so on the internet.
Last edited by skb2706; 12-17-2009 at 11:50 AM.
#22

Here is what I do
boresight by looking down barrel
fire 1 shot @ ~100 yds and move crosshairs to ~1" below bullet hole
move back to 200 yds and shoot 1 shot
depending on how close the POI is to the POA either move crosshairs to POI if greater than 3" then fire 3 shot group to fine tune , but if within 3" fire 2 shots and move cross hairs to center of group.
Shoot group to confirm zero.
Check zero the next day or after the rifle has had time to cool down completely.
I don't shoot groups if I am very far from my zero because I am better at shooting than I am at making adjustments without moving the rifle.
boresight by looking down barrel
fire 1 shot @ ~100 yds and move crosshairs to ~1" below bullet hole
move back to 200 yds and shoot 1 shot
depending on how close the POI is to the POA either move crosshairs to POI if greater than 3" then fire 3 shot group to fine tune , but if within 3" fire 2 shots and move cross hairs to center of group.
Shoot group to confirm zero.
Check zero the next day or after the rifle has had time to cool down completely.
I don't shoot groups if I am very far from my zero because I am better at shooting than I am at making adjustments without moving the rifle.
#23
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: SE Wisc
Posts: 677

so are you guys saying that if you take a shot at 25 yards, pointing dead center on the bullseye and the bullet is 3" to the right/left, that you keep your aim on the bullseye and adjust the scopt to the bullet hole? then try again pointing at the bullseye? i have never heard this but i guess it could make sense... please verify.
#24

so are you guys saying that if you take a shot at 25 yards, pointing dead center on the bullseye and the bullet is 3" to the right/left, that you keep your aim on the bullseye and adjust the scopt to the bullet hole? then try again pointing at the bullseye? i have never heard this but i guess it could make sense... please verify.
#25

#1 Mount the scope so that both turrets are on or near "0" when you are DONE bore sighting (Biggest mistake made).
#2 At 50 yards, using a solid rest, shoot groups of 3-5 rounds.
#3 Measure the distance from the middle of the groups you just shot to the bullseye and adjust the up/down and righ/left turrets for that amount (normally 1 click = 1/4" at 100 yards) .
#4 Move out to 100 yards a repeat step #3
It's that easy........ it's getting those 3-5 shot groups tight, that is tough !!!
#2 At 50 yards, using a solid rest, shoot groups of 3-5 rounds.
#3 Measure the distance from the middle of the groups you just shot to the bullseye and adjust the up/down and righ/left turrets for that amount (normally 1 click = 1/4" at 100 yards) .
#4 Move out to 100 yards a repeat step #3
It's that easy........ it's getting those 3-5 shot groups tight, that is tough !!!
#27

so are you guys saying that if you take a shot at 25 yards, pointing dead center on the bullseye and the bullet is 3" to the right/left, that you keep your aim on the bullseye and adjust the scopt to the bullet hole? then try again pointing at the bullseye? i have never heard this but i guess it could make sense... please verify.
If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Most people think about moving the point of impact (POI) to match the point of aim (POA), which can be confusing. If, instead, you think about it in terms of moving the POA to match the POI (which is what you are really doing) then the it makes more sense.
Mike
#28
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,600

so are you guys saying that if you take a shot at 25 yards, pointing dead center on the bullseye and the bullet is 3" to the right/left, that you keep your aim on the bullseye and adjust the scopt to the bullet hole? then try again pointing at the bullseye? i have never heard this but i guess it could make sense... please verify.
Excellent method.....but I find it sooooo much easier if you have a buddy adjust the crosshairs while you hold the rifle solidly in position, looking thru the scope and directing the correction.
Last edited by Pawildman; 12-18-2009 at 04:00 PM.
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