tips on scope zeroing

[MclovinthatMosin]

Hi all, lately I've been shooting at targets between 50 and 100 yards away. I'm trying to find the perfect range to zero my scope so I can hit a gallon jug at 100 yards and maybe one at 50 without having to make any dial adjustments. My local sporting goods store bore sighted it for 25 yards and its not hitting anything at +/-25 yards..I guess the guy didn't do to great of job. Currently I'm using a 1942 Mosin with a 2-7x32 leatherwood hi-lux scope. Any tips on getting this thing zero'd would be awesome. I must have shot 50 rounds last weekend trying to get it to hit something at 50 yards and its still not right.

 

[callen3615]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

Have you shot it at paper?

 

[KTDLS7]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

Perform an "optical alignment" using your eye. Pull the bolt, bag the rifle, sight down barrel at a target, and align reticle. I do this in my backyard with a paper plate on the fence from the patio which is about 50'. I'm usually within 2" at 50 yds. You can also do this at the range.

Kevin

 

[razor88]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

What reticle is your scope?

 

[Millennium200]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

Zero your rifle one and one half inches low at 25 yards. That should put you on or a little high at 100yds. You should be about one inch low at 50yds. This will get most rifles in the ballpark at the ranges you have requested.

 

[MclovinthatMosin]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

Thanks for the help guys, no I haven't shot it at paper yet. And the reticle is a standard cross hair non illuminated.

On a side note, I noticed a lot of you guys are from NC, I'm a few miles north of wilmington.

 

[roggom]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

If you can get a large cardboard box, make a larger target. Then as M200 suggested move out from 25 to 50 to 100. Laser boresighting will only get you close. You will have to take your rifle out and do the rest. Also, how is your ammo grouping? Before you make any major adjustments shot a string of 5 shots and see if they are grouping. If you end up with a shotgun pattern, you will need to find better grouping ammo for your rifle. If you dont you will be chasing zero and get frustrated.

Good Luck

 

[MclovinthatMosin]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

From what I understand, 1960's surplus bulgarian light ball is 3-4 moa ammo anyway @ 100 yards..I'm not looking for absolute precision..but like I said I would atleast like to be able to shoot a milk jug at 100 yards, 50 yards and 25 yards without having to turn the dial.

Other ammo is just simply more than I want to pay. My local store only has surplus and $20 for 20 rounds Winchester match grade.

 

[SIG700]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

Milk jug being ~8 MOA at 100 yards, Shoot paper at 100 to get a zero, and you should be able to hit your target from 0- 200 yards w/o any adjustments or holds. That surplus ammo should be satisfactory for hitting your rather large target for 200yards and in.

 

[MclovinthatMosin]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

Ok if I were to make a 4'x4' carboard target with a big "X" in the middle, put my scope in the center, fire and the shot ends up 4'' low and 4'' to the left and my scope adjusts in 1/4'' increments I would need to do 16 clicks down and 16 clicks to the left, is that correct?

 

[SIG700]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MclovinthatMosin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok if I were to make a 4'x4' carboard target with a big "X" in the middle, put my scope in the center, fire and the shot ends up 4'' low and 4'' to the left and my scope adjusts in 1/4'' increments I would need to do 16 clicks down and 16 clicks to the left, is that correct? </div></div>

No, it would be 16 clicks up and 16 clicks right- You're moving the bullet impact with the adjustments. And before anyone else says it- "Clicks" are a horrible way to think. Think more in IPHY or MOA.

 

[MclovinthatMosin]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

Never heard of IPHY..thanks for all the great advice guys and thanks for being patient with a newbie. The people on the other gun forums were not half as helpful as you guys.

 

[B2Riesel]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

IPHY = Inch Per Hundred Yards...different than MOA which equals 1.047 inches at a hundred yards....and don't forget MILS.

 

[Big_Rig_416]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MclovinthatMosin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the help guys, no I haven't shot it at paper yet. And the reticle is a standard cross hair non illuminated.

On a side note, I noticed a lot of you guys are from NC, I'm a few miles north of wilmington. </div></div>


I live in Leland. We should go shooting sometime!

 

[MclovinthatMosin]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

I got a pretty decent place to go shooting 5 miles or so from my house and my friends and I usually go every saturday and sunday.
Inbox me your number and we can meet up sometime. I live in Hampstead.

 

[Killer Spade 13]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

OK. Real easy. Go to range and set up target at 50 yards,
If you can, take bolt from rifle. Bore sight barrel to target. (Now, if you can't figure how to do this, pay someone to do it for you.) You need to do this with a device (gun vice) that will hold your rifle steady through scope adjustments.

1 - Get gun and bullet
2 - Put bullet in gun.
3 - Close bolt with handle all the way down
4 - Put crosshairs where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect on the place you want the bullet to hit.
5 - Squeeze the trigger. Boom !!!!
6 - Pick your sorry ass up off the ground.
7 - Re-align intersection of vertical and horizontal stadia (cross hairs) to desired point of impact.
8 - With quarter, nickle, dime, penny, nail clippers or whatever, move the cross hairs to where the bullet hole is in the target.

Given you didn't totally screw up the shot.

I've used this method for a long, long time zeroing rifles for lots of guys who didn't want to have to deal with the recoil.

It's quick and efficient. Once you get it on paper, you, or the owner can make final adjustments. Saves a lot of money in ammo, too.

 

[louboyd]

Re: tips on scope zeroing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killer Spade 13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK. Real easy.
7 - Re-align intersection of vertical and horizontal stadia (cross hairs) to desired point of impact.
8 - With quarter, nickle, dime, penny, nail clippers or whatever, move the cross hairs to where the bullet hole is in the target. Given you didn't totally screw up the shot.</div></div>

The only problem with that method is lugging a vise to the range which is stable enough to hold the rifle while you adjust the zero. If you wiggle the rifle after you've started turning the knobs you lose the reference and have to start over with a new test shot. Easier is to measure the distance on the target in the units that you're scope clicks are calibrated in, then just count clicks to put the reticle over the point of impact. If you make up targets to match your scope and range distance you don't even have to walk to the target. You can read the number of clicks you'll need looking though the scope. No vise needed but calculations are.

With a mil dot or a mil grid reticle like those made by Horus Vision you only need an aiming point, not even a grid target. Use the reticle to measure the difference in target center and POI, then just put in the number of clicks. No vise needed.

Some scopes like the Shepherd have dual reticles so you can move one to the bullet hole before you move the second reticle from the target center to the actual POI. No measurements or vise is needed.

In any case you have to be careful not to cant the scope when firing the test shot(or shot group) or making the measurement.