Which yardage to zero .... for long range hunting...

[aremka]

Hey Fellas,
I was hoping that some of you could share your thoughts about the relationship between scope zero and reticle crosshair tension. Point blank range is important, and then I want to CLICK in beyond PBR. I have a Nightforce nxs 8-32x56 with 20MOA rail. Check this out:

Zero for 200 yards:

PATH IS 1.23" OVER LINE OF SIGHT AT 125.4 yds.
Appox. Point Blank Range 275yds (with +1.23" @ 125.4yds, -3.8" @ 275yds)

Hold Over: -5.7" @ 300yds, -16.6" @ 400yds, -33.3" @ 500yds

Zero for 300 yards:

PATH IS 4.05" OVER LINE OF SIGHT AT 169.2 yds.
Approx. Point Blank Range 350yds (with +4.05" @ 169.2yds, -3.8" @ 350yds)

Hold Over: -9" @ 400yds, -23.7" @ 500yds, -44.8" @ 600yds



Zero for 400 yards:

PATH IS 8.39 IN. OVER LINE OF SIGHT AT 218 yds.

There is a point blank range, but I certainly don't want a +8.39" above L.O.S. in PBR calculations.





What do you think is a good + or - value to have above and below line of sight in a PBR calculation?





Here is another question...



Scenario: Scope is mounted on a 20MOA rail. If the scope is zeroed for 200yds or 300yds, which zero would keep the reticle crosshairs closet to the center position internally within the scope???

and which zero would have the best reticle tension for longer shots out to a 1000yds?

I guess what I'm asking...what yardage do you long range shooters/hunters zero your scopes/rifles for? and why?


Any thoughts or education would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[aremka]

here's the some drop charts for 200 and 300 yards....

****************************
200 yards
****************************

CALIBER: 300 Remington Ultra Mag
MUZZLE VELOCITY: 3030.0 fps
BULLET WEIGHT: 210 gr.
BALLISTIC COEFFICIENT: 0.631
SIGHT HT.: 2 in.
ZEROED AT: 200 Yds.
INCLINE ANGLE: 0 deg.
WIND: 0 mph
STANDING TARGET
ATMOSPHERE: ICAO Absolute
40° F./2365 ft./27.96 in. HG/50% R.H.
'G1' STANDARD FLAT BASE

Range Vel. Energy Drop Path Defl. Time Lead
Yards fps Ft. Lbs. Inches Inches Inches Sec. Inches
0 3030 4281 0 -2 0 0 0
25 2992.1 4175 0.12 -0.9 0 0.025 0
50 2954.6 4070 0.48 0 0 0.05 0
75 2917.5 3969 1.09 0.7 0 0.076 0
100 2880.6 3869 1.96 1.1 0 0.102 0
125 2844.1 3772 3.09 1.2 0 0.128 0
150 2807.9 3676 4.48 1.1 0 0.154 0
175 2772 3583 6.15 0.7 0 0.181 0
200 2736.3 3491 8.11 0 0 0.208 0
225 2701 3402 10.35 -1 0 0.236 0
250 2666 3314 12.89 -2.3 0 0.264 0
275 2631.2 3228 15.74 -3.8 0 0.292 0
300 2596.8 3144 18.9 -5.7 0 0.321 0
325 2562.6 3062 22.39 -8 0 0.35 0
350 2528.6 2981 26.2 -10.5 0 0.379 0
375 2495 2902 30.35 -13.4 0 0.409 0
400 2461.5 2825 34.86 -16.6 0 0.44 0
425 2428.4 2750 39.72 -20.2 0 0.47 0
450 2395.5 2676 44.95 -24.2 0 0.501 0
475 2362.8 2603 50.55 -28.6 0 0.533 0
500 2330.4 2532 56.55 -33.3 0 0.565 0
525 2298.2 2463 62.95 -38.4 0 0.597 0
550 2266.3 2395 69.76 -44 0 0.63 0
575 2234.7 2328 76.99 -49.9 0 0.663 0
600 2203.2 2263 84.65 -56.3 0 0.697 0
625 2172.1 2200 92.77 -63.2 0 0.732 0
650 2141.1 2138 101.34 -70.5 0 0.766 0
675 2110.4 2077 110.39 -78.3 0 0.802 0
700 2080 2017 119.92 -86.5 0 0.837 0
725 2049.8 1959 129.96 -95.3 0 0.874 0
750 2019.8 1902 140.52 -104.6 0 0.911 0
775 1990.1 1847 151.6 -114.4 0 0.948 0
800 1960.7 1793 163.24 -124.8 0 0.986 0
825 1931.6 1740 175.44 -135.7 0 1.025 0
850 1902.7 1688 188.22 -147.3 0 1.064 0
875 1874 1638 201.6 -159.4 0 1.103 0
900 1845.7 1588 215.6 -172.1 0 1.144 0
925 1817.6 1540 230.24 -185.5 0 1.185 0
950 1789.8 1494 245.54 -199.5 0 1.226 0
975 1762.3 1448 261.51 -214.2 0 1.268 0
1000 1735.2 1404 278.19 -229.7 0 1.311 0

VITAL ZONE = 2.5 IN. POINT BLANK RANGE = 230.4 yds.
TRAJECTORY CROSSES LINE OF SIGHT AT 48.5 & 200 yds.
PATH IS 1.23 IN. OVER LINE OF SIGHT AT 125.4 yds.


**************************************
300 yards
**************************************

CALIBER: 300 Remington Ultra Mag
MUZZLE VELOCITY: 3030.0 fps
BULLET WEIGHT: 210 gr.
BALLISTIC COEFFICIENT: 0.631
SIGHT HT.: 2 in.
ZEROED AT: 300 Yds.
INCLINE ANGLE: 0 deg.
WIND: 0 mph
STANDING TARGET
ATMOSPHERE: ICAO Absolute
40° F./2365 ft./27.96 in. HG/50% R.H.
'G1' STANDARD FLAT BASE

Range Vel. Energy Drop Path Defl. Time Lead
Yards fps Ft. Lbs. Inches Inches Inches Sec. Inches
0 3030 4281 0 -2 0 0 0
25 2992.1 4175 0.12 -0.4 0 0.025 0
50 2954.6 4070 0.48 1 0 0.05 0
75 2917.5 3969 1.09 2.1 0 0.076 0
100 2880.6 3869 1.96 3 0 0.102 0
125 2844.1 3772 3.09 3.6 0 0.128 0
150 2807.9 3676 4.48 4 0 0.154 0
175 2772 3583 6.15 4 0 0.181 0
200 2736.3 3491 8.11 3.8 0 0.208 0
225 2701 3402 10.35 3.3 0 0.236 0
250 2666 3314 12.89 2.5 0 0.264 0
275 2631.2 3228 15.74 1.4 0 0.292 0
300 2596.8 3144 18.9 0 0 0.321 0
325 2562.6 3062 22.39 -1.7 0 0.35 0
350 2528.6 2981 26.2 -3.8 0 0.379 0
375 2495 2902 30.35 -6.2 0 0.409 0
400 2461.5 2825 34.86 -9 0 0.44 0
425 2428.4 2750 39.72 -12.1 0 0.47 0
450 2395.5 2676 44.95 -15.6 0 0.501 0
475 2362.8 2603 50.55 -19.5 0 0.533 0
500 2330.4 2532 56.55 -23.7 0 0.565 0
525 2298.2 2463 62.95 -28.4 0 0.597 0
550 2266.3 2395 69.76 -33.4 0 0.63 0
575 2234.7 2328 76.99 -38.9 0 0.663 0
600 2203.2 2263 84.65 -44.8 0 0.697 0
625 2172.1 2200 92.77 -51.2 0 0.732 0
650 2141.1 2138 101.34 -58.1 0 0.766 0
675 2110.4 2077 110.39 -65.4 0 0.802 0
700 2080 2017 119.92 -73.2 0 0.837 0
725 2049.8 1959 129.96 -81.4 0 0.874 0
750 2019.8 1902 140.51 -90.3 0 0.911 0
775 1990.1 1847 151.6 -99.6 0 0.948 0
800 1960.7 1793 163.24 -109.5 0 0.986 0
825 1931.6 1740 175.44 -120 0 1.025 0
850 1902.7 1688 188.22 -131 0 1.064 0
875 1874 1638 201.6 -142.6 0 1.103 0
900 1845.7 1588 215.6 -154.9 0 1.144 0
925 1817.6 1540 230.24 -167.8 0 1.185 0
950 1789.8 1494 245.54 -181.3 0 1.226 0
975 1762.4 1448 261.51 -195.6 0 1.268 0
1000 1735.2 1404 278.19 -210.5 0 1.311 0

VITAL ZONE = 8.1 IN. POINT BLANK RANGE = 352.6 yds.
TRAJECTORY CROSSES LINE OF SIGHT AT 31.4 & 300 yds.
PATH IS 4.05 IN. OVER LINE OF SIGHT AT 169.2 yds.

 

[wapiti25]

For hunting I use 300 but I'm not good enough to read the conditions beyond 600. You don't have wind flags, sighters at animals. Do you shoot a match without any of this? Also no bags or rests except for your pack, tree, fence post.

 

[alf]

In my opinion, MPBR and long range hunting don't go together.

Use a 200 yard zero and determine your drops and resulting clicks to your maximum yardage. Shoot to confirm.

When it's showtime, range, dial, shoot.

 

[longshooter]

I use 300 yards. This allows me approx. 350 yards PBR of no holdover/under, or ranging/calculating on a whitetail size animal. On a fleeting oppurtunity, this might make the difference on a trophy, or freezer meat, or not.

If you have a capable rifle, why handicap yourself?

 

[M700]

Aremka - I use two different solutions, depending on the rifle/scope I'm using.

1. With a standard sporter weight rifle and a simple 6x scope I zero at 300 yards - this is a .25-06 with 115 gr Bergers at 3200 fps. Makes lethal hits out to 400 yards (and even a bit beyond) simple with a mere holdover. In this case the bullet drops about 8 - 9" at 400 yards, from my 300 yard zero. I've used the same setup on mule deer from 30 - 400 yards in recent years.

2. With a heavier .308 "precision" rifle and a scope with target turrets I zero at 100 yards and learn my come-ups to 600 yards. Depending on where I am afield, I may carry it with the scope adjusted for 300 yards. Then, when I set up overlooking a field or a ravine where I hope to see game, I'll adjust the scope for that yardage.

Six hundred yards is my personal limit, simply because I can easily shoot at that distance for practice, and often do. Others are comfortable shooting at game well beyond that.

Regards, Guy

 

[M700]

Thinking this thread really belongs in the hunting forum, not the competition forum too...

Guy

 

[1000yardstare]

In the original question, don`t see any mention of caliber, bullet weight and muzzle velocity.

 

[M700]

Aremka gets into that in his second post. He's using a .300 Rem Ultra Mag.

 

[1000yardstare]

Sorry. Missed it. A hunting question in a competition forum with posts a mile long..........................

 

[blawton]

It just depends on what you want to be setup up to do. If you dont want to touch the scope then a 200-300 yard zero would work the best. If you plan on using a mobile ballistic calc then usually best to stick with a 100-200 yard zero then dial up from there.

 

[aremka]

Fellas,
Thanks for the input. I thought about posting in the hunting forum, but I thought you competition shooters would have the info I was looking for.

I've been told to zero for 200 yards, because "that's what everyone does". I want to really understand "why?".

Is there a reason NOT to want to zero for 300yds vs 200yds?

It seems logical to me to have the longest PBR possible and couple that with long range shooting. By choosing a plus/minus PBR of 4", that results in a 300 yards zero.



Keep the thoughts coming.

Aremka

 

[Rtheurer]

I zero my Long range hunting rifles at 300 yards also. Flat shooting rifles seem to work good at this range. I can still put a point blank shot on a animal all the way up to 350 and then adjust from there from there on out. I like simple and this makes it simple. If you want to give it try on paper at the range then if you like it you can keep it. If not.... hey you can always go back.

Good luck
RussT

 

[Robby T]

I have tried both ways...but I have learned that the most successful is the later...

First...100 yrd 0, and dial into where you want. Works ok.

Second (works better) 500 yrd 0 and dial in and practice on paper with results in the temperature range that you intend to hunt in. My riflesmith dropped a couple of deer this year at 850 plus on this method. LOG all information, and practice practice practice. We owe it to the game...

 

[aremka]

RussT: I agree with you. I think with a 300 yard zero, it gives a PBR of 352 yds (in my case), less to think about when shooting to my max PBR (thats about 75 yards more PBR than a 200 yard zero), then dial up from there. It also means there is less to dial up to since we are about 8 clicks ahead vs. a 200 yards zero.

Next, I would like to count the number of clicks and see where my zero is sitting at when zero'd for 300 yards. I have a NF 8-32x56 mounted on a 20 MOA rail.

Does anyone know what the relationship is on repeatability of the reticle returning to the same spot after a shot when we are near one extreme of the vertical axis of the scope? I hope this question makes sense... I would also like to think that it is best when it is near the center (equal tension from the springs on all axis).

Thanks,
Jason