Need some suggestions....

[Rubber_Duck]

I'm finally going to get into optics and to start out cheap and easy, I've put a scope on my Marlin 60. I'm going to the range this weekend to sight it in, but I have one problem: no bench. I don't have sandbags either. What do you guys recommend for a rest to keep the rifle stable enough to sight-in accurately? I'm open to any ideas, the cheaper the better.

Also, the scope has 3-9x magnification, so should I zoom in all the way (9x) to sight in, or sight in at 3x? Or somewhere in-between? I will most likely be sighting in at 25 yards, then maybe 50 yards, using Federal bulk-pack. I know it's not the most accurate ammo, but I would prefer to have it sighted for the rounds that I always use.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[rangerruck]

stuff some socks into another sock, stuff some pillows into another pillow or a backpac. socks pile is for the rear, bigger rest is for the front. oh yeah, keep the front rest as near to the trigger guard, in the same place , as possible. don't move forward or backward on the front rest, dont put the front rest under your bbl. yes, zero on the 9, then see where it goes into point of aim, according to the 3x.

 

[rangerruck]

if your pillows are too soft, use towels in a bag, or back pac. or if you have a couple of old pairs of jeans, roll them up, and just use them as is. take 3 pair of jeans, if it is too high, remove 1 leg, then reroll the rest.

 

[Art Eatman]

Many a rifle has been sighted in with a blanket over the hood of a car or truck. It's possible to get muzzle-soot on a white towel, I discovered, but that was from a .30-'06.

Expedient shooting table, for future fun: Find a folding-leg card table at a garage sale. Get a piece of 3/8" plywood and cut to fit. Bolt to table top, using very large flat washers. Not the world's greatest benchrest, but portable and adequate.

You can make expedient sandbags with good-quality ziploc bags, doubled. Or, sand in an old sock, first, and then put it in a ziploc bag.

Sight in at 9X. After you're happy and can get a decent group, you then check to see if you have the same point of impact at 3X. If so, you're golden. If not, all you have to do is remember that on 3X it's, "Hmmm. About an inch low and left" or whatever. And, odds are, it'll be about half of that on 6X.

 

[Water-Man]

Buy a big sack of rice.

 

[gvnwst]

if you know someone with a sewing machine, have them make some
4"x6" bags, and fill them with whatever. i have mine filled with pistacho shells..... rice and corn works too.

 

[rcmodel]

No bench?
No sandbags?
No problem!

Shoot prone laying on the ground.

You can use a gym bag, backpack full of books, rolled up quilt, etc. for a front rest.

You don't need a rear bag.
Use your off-side hand under the buttstock for rear support.

If you use something hard, pad it with a towell or something so the rifle isn't recoiling off a hard surface.

rcmodel

 

[bragood]

I bought a pack of cheap tube socks and filled them with kitty litter and it works great!

 

[Rubber_Duck]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll see what I can put together with household materials and sand fom the backyard.

 

[pbrktrt]

i've found a couple of boat cushions work pretty well off the vehicle in a pinch.

 

[MIL-DOT]

Shooting at distance with our air-rifles, we've been happy using a saw-horse.

 

[Schleprok62]

one of those cheapo sleeping bags from walmart works great too... you can roll it up as tight or loose as you need for height adjustment...