I think I am need of some assistance. My dad has never shot with a scope and neither have I really. What is a good range to sight it at? I won't be doin much hunting bought the gun for target practice. Thought about a laser bore sight but they are a bit pricey. Its also semi auto so that takes out manual bore sighting, as if that is really easy with a 22. Any suggestions?
Sighting in my 22lr
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MedWheeler
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I'd be interested, too.. been meaning to sight mine in as well (10/22)..
Sounds like a fun time. 
Here is the answer. Zeroing the scope is simple as punch. Follow this sequence.
1) Set up on a bench at 25 yards (preferably with a sandbag for a rest).
2) Fire 1 round into the target.
3) Return the crosshair to the center of the target.
4) Holding the rifle steady, run the crosshair to cover the hole your just created.
5) Repeat the process for 50 yards, 75 yards, 100 yards if you desire.
Bingo, you are zeroed.
Geno
Here is the answer. Zeroing the scope is simple as punch. Follow this sequence.1) Set up on a bench at 25 yards (preferably with a sandbag for a rest).
2) Fire 1 round into the target.
3) Return the crosshair to the center of the target.
4) Holding the rifle steady, run the crosshair to cover the hole your just created.
5) Repeat the process for 50 yards, 75 yards, 100 yards if you desire.
Bingo, you are zeroed.
Geno
A 92-year-old, WWI vet (John) taught me this technique about 15 years ago. John used this technique in WWI. And yes, it works at any distance. Some folks say fire 3 to 5 shots, and place the crosshair in the middle of the cluster. I prefer John's method...a single round. Oh yeah, when I'm on the varmint fields, I do the same by watching where the impact was, and adjust off of it. This same technique works with iron sights too. John was the silver fox! Sly ol' fella weren't he?!
Geno
John was the silver fox! Sly ol' fella weren't he?!Geno
I usually start at about 50' and fire 3 shots.
I like the 3 shots better than one. 3 little holes in a close group let's me know I'm right on and didn't flinch or get a flyer.
I know when I fire three every now and then one is way off and I'd hate to adjust my sight to one of those.
It's not academic either I just happen to have sighted in a new scope on my 10/22 this weekend. When I was done it was cutting a ragged hole in the middle of the bullseye at 75yds with all 10 shots.
I like the 3 shots better than one. 3 little holes in a close group let's me know I'm right on and didn't flinch or get a flyer.
I know when I fire three every now and then one is way off and I'd hate to adjust my sight to one of those.
It's not academic either I just happen to have sighted in a new scope on my 10/22 this weekend. When I was done it was cutting a ragged hole in the middle of the bullseye at 75yds with all 10 shots.
i usually start with 3 shots too, unless you have your rifle solidly mounted in a vice/rest and use a remote trigger release. it's not like it's going to cost a lot...it's a .22lr
don't forget to shoot fouling shots first
don't forget to shoot fouling shots first
22-rimfire
Member
Geno's approach is sound. Make sure you scope is tightly mounted and the screws are tight. I would start at about 15 yds after you mount the scope. Move it closer if you don't hit paper at that range.
For general shooting, a 25 yd zero has always worked for me. You can also see your holes with binoculars or scope depending on power at that range. I would move out to 50 yds after you are comfortable with 25yds and shoot some. Most sight their rifles in at 50 yds, but frankly, 25-30 yds works well too for general shooting.
Each ammo will shoot a little different in your rifle. To be picky, every lot will likely shoot a little different with the same ammo. The high velocity ammo will print higher on the target than standard/subsonic velocity ammo. For plinking and so forth, just knowing where you rifle shoots is probably good enough as most of your shooting will likely be at 25 yds or less; certainly 50 yds or less other than the occasional shot at longer range.
For general shooting, a 25 yd zero has always worked for me. You can also see your holes with binoculars or scope depending on power at that range. I would move out to 50 yds after you are comfortable with 25yds and shoot some. Most sight their rifles in at 50 yds, but frankly, 25-30 yds works well too for general shooting.
Each ammo will shoot a little different in your rifle. To be picky, every lot will likely shoot a little different with the same ammo. The high velocity ammo will print higher on the target than standard/subsonic velocity ammo. For plinking and so forth, just knowing where you rifle shoots is probably good enough as most of your shooting will likely be at 25 yds or less; certainly 50 yds or less other than the occasional shot at longer range.
Shooting high velocity ammo, a good zero range for hunting is 65 yards. With a normal scope setup the line of sight is about 1.5" above the bore. With that and a 65 yard zero, you will be dead on at 20 yards, around an inch high at 45 yards, dead on at 65, and an inch low at 75. If you can't stake out the exact range, sighting in 3/4" high at 50 yards will be just about right.
With standard velocity ammo, I knock off about 10 yards. I generally sight in to be just a scooch high at 50, and figure the trajectory is within a squirrel's head out to 60 or so.
With standard velocity ammo, I knock off about 10 yards. I generally sight in to be just a scooch high at 50, and figure the trajectory is within a squirrel's head out to 60 or so.
Four Knives
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Agree with JubJub.
22 lr drops off pretty fast past about 60 yds - doesnt mean you cant zero it further, but you'll have more variance in poa/poi.
Some helpful info"
http://www.gunsmoke.com/guns/1022/22ballistics.html
22 lr drops off pretty fast past about 60 yds - doesnt mean you cant zero it further, but you'll have more variance in poa/poi.
Some helpful info"
http://www.gunsmoke.com/guns/1022/22ballistics.html
UpTheIrons
Member
What?!? As cheap as .22 ammo is, you can shoot any way you want and still not be out a handful of nickels.
I usually set up a target at 20 yards and shoot once to see if it is on the paper, then two more times to get a general idea. Adjust from there, then move it out to 50 yards to see what you've got. Those who say 20 and 65 are dead-on ranges are tight, so if you are zeroed at 20, you are good to go.
You didn't say what kind of gun you've got. I made a redneck boresighter out of a laser pointer that was dead on at 15 yards for my son's Crickett (the range at which I sighted the laser). It was real easy to fine-tune from there for other ranges.
Here it is:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=502627
Most importantly, have fun!
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ImARugerFan
Member
There is no sense using a boresighter on a .22 unless you're bored and feel like playing with one. Just shoot it from close, and move the reticle until it's on.
UpTheIrons
Member
Yeah - I was bored. It was raining that day and I had one of those Redneck moments that usually results in a Darwin Award: "Hey, I wonder if I stuck a laser pointer in that gun, would it make a good boresighter?"
Turns out it did, and there is no other gun it would likely work on, due to the dimensions of the bolt. So, it was a one-off project borne out of the need to do something with a gun.
I sight in at 25 yards which, with high velocity ammo, holds close to zero at 50 yards and I hold over about 3-4 inches at 80-ish yards.
If your gun has a bull barrel (no iron sights), zeroing can be tricky. When I did mine, I put the target pretty close, say 10 yards, and sighted down the barrel to make sure I was going to hit the paper. Looked into the scope, fired, and made necessary adjustments. You don't have to sight in totally at 10 yards; just fire one shot and make adjustments to get it roughly centered, fire another to make sure you're shooting roughly where the scope is aiming, then move out to 25yds.
Once I'm zeroed at 25yds, I'll shoot a couple groups at 50. That makes any small deviations I couldn't see at 25yds visible for correction.
If you're scope is 1/4 MOA adjustments, it'll move 1/4 inch at 100yds, 1/2 inch at 50yds, and an 1/8 inch at 25 yards. If you have 1/8 inch adjustments, just divide those measurements (the fractions, not distances) in half again.
If your gun has a bull barrel (no iron sights), zeroing can be tricky. When I did mine, I put the target pretty close, say 10 yards, and sighted down the barrel to make sure I was going to hit the paper. Looked into the scope, fired, and made necessary adjustments. You don't have to sight in totally at 10 yards; just fire one shot and make adjustments to get it roughly centered, fire another to make sure you're shooting roughly where the scope is aiming, then move out to 25yds.
Once I'm zeroed at 25yds, I'll shoot a couple groups at 50. That makes any small deviations I couldn't see at 25yds visible for correction.
If you're scope is 1/4 MOA adjustments, it'll move 1/4 inch at 100yds, 1/2 inch at 50yds, and an 1/8 inch at 25 yards. If you have 1/8 inch adjustments, just divide those measurements (the fractions, not distances) in half again.
MedWheeler
Member
Old thread, but I finally got to get my 10/22 to the range yesterday. I had put my scope on it years ago, but had not shot it since, so I intended to sight it in if I could. Turns out, it was my lucky day; dang thing was already dead-on at 25 yards. I even traded a couple magazine-runs from it with the guy next to me to shoot a couple rounds from his Soviet Nagant rifle, and he commented how dialed-in the scope was. So, needless to say, I was pleased, and could spend the rest of the afternoon shooting the rifle (along with other guns I had brought) instead of twisting and turning scope screws..
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