born2climb

If you'll look thru your scope at a distant object, and then turn your power ring up, you'll notice that the relationship of crosshairs and the size of the object changes. This is true on nearly all scopes. This is important if you're using the top of the bottom post to aim with because at the lowest power setting, you may be aiming several feet higher than at the high setting. This is how most of the BDC, Boone-and-Crockett, etc type scopes work. You have to shoot to learn at which power the yardage marks correspond to how your rifle shoots. Otherwise, each scope would be caliber/load specific. On my Rem 700 in .280, I have a Nikon Monarch with BDC. It happens to be dead on with the loads I shoot when turned up to 9 power. When I center the 400 yard circle on the 13" plate, it has never missed the plate. Might not always hit dead-center, but it hit the plate. I have two Burris scopes with the Ballistic Plex reticle, which is the same way. They work perfectly at 250 yards, though I have not tried them at 400 yet.

Chuck7

So basically ..where ever your scope is set when sighting it in...leave it there..no mess with it at alll?

Chuck7

Dang..I need to take a course on scopes..

born2climb

Well, I'm not sure if you're understanding me. I like to set my rifles dead-on at 250 yards. With most calibers, I am about 3" high at 100 yards. This way I can just aim at a deer out to about 275 yards without having to "hold over". At 300 yards, I would aim about two-thirds up on the deer's body. At 350, I would hold on the backbone or just below. At around 400, I would use the top of the bottom post, right where it comes to a point, and expect the bullet to strike at that point. Yesterday, while waiting for the buck to turn broadside, I took the time to observe the relation of the crosshairs to the buck's body. With the point of the bottom post centered on his ribcage, the crosshairs were about four inches above his back. Like I said, with that particular scope turned up on 10 power, the 13" plate is just slightly larger than the gap between the crosshair and the point of the bottom post.

Sometime when you have the time, take your rifle out and just look thru your scope at known distances and learn how your scope's reticle corresponds to different size targets. When a friend and I first started shooting at 400 yards, I put up a huge sheet of cardboard so we could see where we were hitting. For example, I would put a 3" bulleye sticker about 2 feet down from the top of the sheet of cardboard. From 400 yards, I would aim at the top of the cardboard right in line with the bullseye. Then I wouild see where I hit. Usually I would be close to the mark. Then, while looking thru the scope, using the same aiming sequence, I would see where the top of the heavy post was. With .300 Win mag, .270 Win, .243 Win and .30-06, it worked every time. Now I'm not talking about hitting golf balls at 400 tards, but with a deer-sized target, it would be perfectly reliable to use the heavy post to aim with.

Make any sense? Hope this helps. If not, I'll try to explain further.

OldBuckstalker1187

Great shot, and nice buck. My grandfather shot one of his best bucks ever out of his window sitting at the table eating breakfast. He said it was his best hunting season ever. He didn't even have to go out into the woods on his property, which was fine with him since he was 77 years old at the time. Congats!!!

Chuck7

my 270 is sighted in 2 inches above bull's eye at 100 yds..I should be good to hit anything up to 300 yds correct..aiming right at the target..?
Shooting Winchester Silver Tips 130 grain

born2climb

At 250, you'll probably be an inch or two low, but not enough to worry about. From 250 to 300, I'd say you might hold about 2/3 up on the deer's body. As I said, you just have to play around with it to know for sure. I handload, so my loads won't be just like yours, etc. I have shot at my 400-yard target with at least 5 different rifles, and friends have shot several of theirs, and no two are exactly alike. If your rifle/load combo is accurate and your certain of your zero being 2 inches high at 100 yards, I would think you'd be safe out to 300 as is. I would want to do some experimenting before attempting anything past 350 though, because even the flat shooters start to fall off quick out there.

BamaStrut

Nice buck and good shooting.

Stonewall308

Sweet buck.

My 2010 buck was quite a distance away too. Just about 12 yards.

Chuck7

I appreciate all the information and time spent posting..It was very helpful.

I wish I had a place to experiment..I'd be shooting all the time. My best I have is a 100 yd . range up the road.

Thanks Again,
Chuck