Scope power to sight in at
 

What power should I have my scope set at when sighting it in? I use a 3x9 vortex

I always sight in at a hundred yards at the highest power from a rest. When I'm confident of my zero, I fire from a mid setting and the lowest setting. Works for me.

Most of the newer scopes don't seem to have an issue with reticle drift at different magnifications. Nice to know if yours does or doesn't.

Good shooting form and consistency are more important than magnification. Most of the variables are the shooter and not the rifle or optics.

I use 4x. It's the setting I use most often. If the scope is going to drift zero with magnification change, it won't be much either way. I don't shoot with the power above 6 anyway. Just use the higher magnifications for spotting.

Most scopes I have ever see come with instructions to sight in as mudderchuck said, highest setting.


Is also what chuckhawks says.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/sight-in_rifle.htm


:D Al

9x.

Sight in using the highest mag.

There's a reason those long range bench guys use 40x scopes etc...

What about when your shooting at 50 yards during initial sighting in?

The instructions that came with the scope, as much as I hate to say it, are probable the best place to start !

However, some variable scopes have a dot/mark on the power ring to indicate the optimal power for edge to edge brightness and clarity (if mine had such a indicator, I would "zero" at that mark).

Aim small miss small. I use a half inch white dot (white target patch) in the center of my black bulls eye ten ring. It makes it easier for me to see when the reticle (cross hairs) are nearly exactly centered on target. Hard to see a half inch dot at lower magnification.

I also adjust my scope by taking up the same sight picture I shot from the rest and talk a friend into moving my cross hairs to the bullet hole (s). Hard to see a bullet hole at lower magnification. Then I fine tune. My way seems to save a lot of wasted ammo.

I generally sight all my rifles and handguns in at 100 yards with their scopes turned al the way up, which means 8 power on my handguns, 9 power on most of my rifles, and 20 power on my 270. The concept of "aim small, miss small" is easier to accomplish when it's easier to see the bullseye on the target, in my opinion.

Also keep in mind you can use 100 yards to sight in your rifle for longer yardages if you can only fine a 100 max range. You just need a drop chart to get started.


Just remember to double check when you get where you can stretch out the yardages. That's why I like my home made shooting bench so well, carry's in the pick up and in the hand very well.


:D Al