Acceptable Zero for new RPR in 6.5

[waegeek]

Hi All,

I purchased a Ruger Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor recently. Having been shooting pistol all my life, I am fairly new to rifle( in last two years) and I just love it. I took the RPR out to my range and started the zero process at slightly over 100 yards. I have included some pics of the boresight and the post-boresight zero. After my boresight my first group seems pretty good in mid-upper right of target(see bottom pic). I then adjusted the windage and elevation and took my next group of shots(see top pic)....with the first hitting about two MOA to left of center but at the correct elevation. Second shot was 1.5" moa left of center at the the correct elevation. Third shot I hit slightly less than 1 moa left from center and slightly high. I decided to not adjust the turrets anymore and accept what I had and continued to shoot another 14 rounds. I would appreciate feed back on the remainder of the group and wondering if I need to adjust any more? Thanks, Alex.

 

[wbm]

half inch right half inch down

 

[waegeek]

half inch right half inch down

Thanks wbm...so two clicks each was I assume?. Very easy....thanks! I also slipped the scales already after this zero, so I assume just move the two clicks each way as you said, then "re-slip" the scales?

 

[Rob01]

You need a good zero to be able to adjust off it and hit targets farther out. That is not good enough. You should be able to be right at your point of aim. Something like below would be good. You can be a little left as you can get some spin drift at longer ranges but try and get the elevation as close as possible. Some scopes can end you up with a little high or low(or left or right) between clicks as you can only dial up or down that amount but pick the one closest to point of aim before adjusting the dials to zero.

Also don't talk in clicks. Speak in MOA or Mils as no one knows what your scope adjusts in so 20 clicks is a big difference from mil to MOA or even from 1/4 moa to 1/2 moa or even to 1/8 moa.

 

[waegeek]

Thank you. I forgot to inform that it is an moa reticle....1/4" per click. I also don't have more than 200 yards at my local range if that makes any difference....shooting an RPR at 200 yards is like driving a Ferrari around a parking lot.

 

[Rob01]

Doesn't matter only 200 yards. Get that good solid 100 yard zero so when you do go farther you will be all set up. What scope are you using? You know if it's a MOA reticle you can use it like a ruler and see the amount of adjustment needed without wasting ammo?

 

[waegeek]

It is a vortex diamondback 4x16x44 FFP type

 

[Rob01]

Yup with that 2C reticle you can easily use it as a ruler for adjustments and get you real close. On the outer windage and top elevation you have .5 moa marks so you can get down to .25 moa going between them. Also works for holds for farther shots if you just want to use the reticle or for quick corrections.

 

[waegeek]

Awesome...thanks, so at this point....I assume I should throw up a fresh target, make a 3-shot group(?) see where I am and adjust from there....or as the wbm said in the first response, adjust two clicks right and two clicks down and see how it turns out? Then slip scales from there?

 

[Rob01]

I would put up a new target and take a good shot and then use the reticle and make an adjustment to point of aim and take another. If it’s where you want it then shoot a group. Then adjust the knobs to zero and verify after that.

 

[waegeek]

Awesome....thanks...much appreciated. Wish I had more people like you to shoot with...no friends or family to shoot with so sometimes I need guidance.

 

[Rob01]

No problem. Like to help when I can as do many here. It’s a pretty good place to get info.

 

[Minshooter]

As a range officer, I have encountered many people wasting a lot of ammo chasing the crosshairs
all over the target, trying to get zeroed. I get most of them zeroed in 3-5 shots.
At least, for those willing to accept help, when offered. A very few have said (in a less than friendly way),
"I know that I'm doing", and leave after 20, 30, or more rounds fired, and still not close to zeroed.
So, save your hard to get ammo; RobO1 hit right on the same theme, but try it this way:
Put the crosshair on the target center; fire two or three shots, max.
Then, with the crosshairs on the original aiming point, and, without moving the rifle, use as many clicks, clacks, or whatever, to move the crosshairs exactly to over the point of bullet impact. Done.
You should be within a bullet hole, or less, of your aiming point/zero at that range.
(Many earlier hunting scopes do not even have clicks; this method works equally well with those).
After that, you have your choice of dial adjustments and reticle corrections available to explore.
All of those can be very useful, but are also influenced by your exact velocity and bullet choice.
You may find they often do not precisely match whatever generic specs are found in print.

---

 

[Enosiophobia]

As a range officer, I have encountered many people wasting a lot of ammo chasing the crosshairs
all over the target, trying to get zeroed. I get most of them zeroed in 3-5 shots.
At least, for those willing to accept help, when offered. A very few have said (in a less than friendly way),
"I know that I'm doing", and leave after 20, 30, or more rounds fired, and still not close to zeroed.
So, save your hard to get ammo; RobO1 hit right on the same idea, but try it this way:
Put the crosshair on the target center; fire two or three shots, max.
Then, with the crosshairs on the original aiming point, and, without moving the rifle, use as many clicks, clacks, or whatever, to move the crosshairs exactly to over the point of bullet impact. Done.
You should be within a bullet hole, or less, of your aiming point/zero at that range.
After that, you have your choice of dial adjustments and reticle corrections available to learn, and use.
All of those can be very useful, but are also influenced by your exact velocity and bullet choice.
You may find they very often do not precisely match whatever generic specs are found in print.

---

I do this often. Brutally effective.

 

[waegeek]

As a range officer, I have encountered many people wasting a lot of ammo chasing the crosshairs
all over the target, trying to get zeroed. I get most of them zeroed in 3-5 shots.
At least, for those willing to accept help, when offered. A very few have said (in a less than friendly way),
"I know that I'm doing", and leave after 20, 30, or more rounds fired, and still not close to zeroed.
So, save your hard to get ammo; RobO1 hit right on the same idea, but try it this way:
Put the crosshair on the target center; fire two or three shots, max.
Then, with the crosshairs on the original aiming point, and, without moving the rifle, use as many clicks, clacks, or whatever, to move the crosshairs exactly to over the point of bullet impact. Done.
You should be within a bullet hole, or less, of your aiming point/zero at that range.
(Many earlier hunting scopes do not even have clicks; this method works equally well with those).
After that, you have your choice of dial adjustments and reticle corrections available to learn, and use.
All of those can be very useful, but are also influenced by your exact velocity and bullet choice.
You may find they often do not precisely match whatever generic specs are found in print.

---

As a range officer, I have encountered many people wasting a lot of ammo chasing the crosshairs
all over the target, trying to get zeroed. I get most of them zeroed in 3-5 shots.
At least, for those willing to accept help, when offered. A very few have said (in a less than friendly way),
"I know that I'm doing", and leave after 20, 30, or more rounds fired, and still not close to zeroed.
So, save your hard to get ammo; RobO1 hit right on the same idea, but try it this way:
Put the crosshair on the target center; fire two or three shots, max.
Then, with the crosshairs on the original aiming point, and, without moving the rifle, use as many clicks, clacks, or whatever, to move the crosshairs exactly to over the point of bullet impact. Done.
You should be within a bullet hole, or less, of your aiming point/zero at that range.
(Many earlier hunting scopes do not even have clicks; this method works equally well with those).
After that, you have your choice of dial adjustments and reticle corrections available to learn, and use.
All of those can be very useful, but are also influenced by your exact velocity and bullet choice.
You may find they often do not precisely match whatever generic specs are found in print.

---

Thanks Minshooter...and I assuming you watch the reticle move to the point of impact as you click. I have in the last couple of years just measured the point of impact as precise as possible from center of the target, and then adjust the 1/4 clicks but not looking through the scope. I guess my issue before was keeping the rifle steady and not moving it. I am certainly not one of those people that would say leave me alone if someone were trying to help me sight it in. I have tremendous respect for people that want to help and I am very honored they would do so. Thanks.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

If you are ignoring the wind, then you zero will not be true, even at 100 yards.

 

[CharlieNC]

As a follow-up when shooting in the future after setting your 100yd zero, when you check it again do not chase it with minor adjustments. Deviations will most likely be the shooter unless something was changed.

 

[TikkaJerry]

Another point to add: let's say you plan on shooting in the near future and you get kinda hyped about it, don't go getting all gung-ho with the torque wrench or start messing with your scope mount/rings and expect your zero to remain true... Even if you were to tighten them down with the same torque settings, same wrench, ect. Your scope will almost never hold true that same "zero". And your back to phase one again lol. Learned that one the hard way.

I wanted to double check my top rail was right so I removed the scope (while leaving the mounts still on the scope) and double checked the torque. Reinstalled the optic and put her back in the case. Next day it was 95 degrees and I walked my gong and hanger or to the 900 yard mark on the middle of a corn field that was knee high and set my target up. (Anyone that shoots long range knows if you got a spot that is close to home that has some distance, not piss off the owner. And that means not trampling the fresh corn) so if you can imagine me trying to hurry thru these rows of corn, bounding like a sweaty dumbass buckskin deer through the meadow gleefully trying to get back to my rifle so I can smack some steel and break my personal best. Get back to home base and get all set up, lie down on my mat (which now at this point had been sitting in the sun for well over a half hour) and I jump right back up cuz I thought my skin a was gonna burn and peel off me and stick to the mat like some sort of tactical Shroud of Turin. But I power thru the pain and lay down and get on my rifle... Same thing, almost though I smelt burnt hair from my beard when I started ADS. Anyway I finally dope my scope for the distance, held for wind, and pull my first shot and... No impact, not even a visual on the miss.

To make a long story a little less long, turns out that at 100 yards my scope was off by 6 1/2 moa left, and 3 moa low. Wich translates to allot at 9xx yards. So keep that in mind. Sorry bout the novel but I just wanted to get my point across. Also if you're going to shoot long distance, make sure you shoot somewhere where you can see your misses. And that's the lesson of the day... Lol

 

[KY_Windage]

Hi All,

I purchased a Ruger Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor recently. Having been shooting pistol all my life, I am fairly new to rifle( in last two years) and I just love it. I took the RPR out to my range and started the zero process at slightly over 100 yards. I have included some pics of the boresight and the post-boresight zero. After my boresight my first group seems pretty good in mid-upper right of target(see bottom pic). I then adjusted the windage and elevation and took my next group of shots(see top pic)....with the first hitting about two MOA to left of center but at the correct elevation. Second shot was 1.5" moa left of center at the the correct elevation. Third shot I hit slightly less than 1 moa left from center and slightly high. I decided to not adjust the turrets anymore and accept what I had and continued to shoot another 14 rounds. I would appreciate feed back on the remainder of the group and wondering if I need to adjust any more? Thanks, Alex

Considering that you are new to this, you are doing just fine. To imply that you need to be shooting 1/4" groups is ridiculous. I strive for that, and so do many others here, but most sane people are not going to spend the hundreds of hours tweaking ammo and rifle necessary to achieve that.

You are just fine where you are, and if you decide you want to get into high-precision shooting, well, welcome to the club!

 

[Rob01]

There is a difference between a good zero and 1/4” groups. You can shoot a 1” group but as long as the shots are centered over your zero point you are ok.