Need to sight in my 30-06

[Plank Road Farm]

I have a Savage 110 30-06 with a Simmons 3x9x32 scope I bought at the last gun show I attended.
I've never shot it and need to sight it in for deer season.
I don't expect to shoot any farther than 200 yds. max.
I have four types of ammo.
Federal: 30-06 Springfield 150 grain soft point
Federal: Power-Shok 30-06 Springfield 150 grain soft point
Federal: Power-Shok 30-06 Springfield 180 grain soft point
Windchester: 30-06 Springfield 150 grain power-point
Don't know which to use to sight in the gun, or if it make a difference.
Is there another type I need to use?
What should I sight it in at 100 yds. so I can hold dead on at any range?
I am retired and have never killed a deer, but this year I'm going to take care of that!
Deer seasons starts 14 Nov 09 in NC.
Thanks for you opinions and comments.

 

[bpl]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/rifle_trajectory_table.htm

This should help.

 

[bpl]

So, roughly 2.5" high at 100 yards with either load. I'd use the 150gr for deer, myself. You might want to shoot each load for accuracy, then sight in using the load which is most accurate in your rifle. Rifles definitely have load preferences.

 

[jpwilly]

Here's the Chart from Federal for the 150gr Power Shok 1.5" high at 100yrds:

Here's the Chart from Federal for the 150gr Power Shok 1.5" high at 200yrds:

Here's the Chart from Federal for the 180gr Power Shok 1.5" high at 100yrds:

Here's the Chart from Federal for the 180gr Power Shok 1.5" high at 200yrds:

 

[bigeye]

The power-shok and power point are all excellent. The 180 grain is a little bit more than I have ever needed, but if you like it then it is fine. The most important part is sight in the rifle with the ammunition you will use to hunt. It is one of the biggest mistakes made. Once sighted in, do not use solvent to clean it. You can use a clean dry swab if you desire, but no more.I am retired, and have hunted for the last fourty years. You will absolutely LOVE deer hunting. They are one of the most beautiful animals out there. (And, they are very intelligent) Some people just can not understand why we hunt them. We all know the real answers and nobody wants to destroy them all. May you have a great time 'culling' the herd.

 

[achildofthesky]

I'm with bpl on this. About 2.5" high at 100 yards with the windage nailed gives you a pretty good "no brainer/no hold over/under" range. 150's or 165's (my choice) will do the deed on ANY deer you will ever come across. Do compare brands as you read elsewhere all rifles are a bit different in their ammo predeferences.

 

[rangerruck]

I would sight it in for the feddy 150's, typically a supergood, and accurate round for many peeps. And I would zero it at 50 yds, this will give you a pie plate sized, dead on hold out to about 350 yds, or so.

 

[rangerruck]

Oh yeah, if you are not going to mount the head, shoot it through the neck, or the front lower middle of it's chest, if coming right at you. if to the side, put one right through it's lower part of shoulder, not upper.and on the forward side.

 

[Plank Road Farm]

Federal Chart Site

jpwilly:
Somehow the charts did not show on my computer.
Can you list the website for the trajectory data you refer to?
Thanks

 

[bpl]

You can find those charts on Federal's website.

 

[litman252]

http://www.handloads.com/calc/index.html

150 grain sp at 2800, guessed w/ .391BC. 225 "0"

Dead on at 50 is waaaayyy offffffff 2.5" at 100 is dead on........

New best friend, and hours of messing around if you want to......

Range Impact
0 -1.5
25 -0.04
50 1.14
75 2
100 2.55
125 2.77
150 2.64
175 2.15
200 1.27
225 0
250 -1.69


Have fun with the new rifle and hobby!!

Tony

 

[rangerruck]

... that is why I said a ' pie plate sized, dead on hold ', but you are right as well, 2.5 inches high at 100 is good as well, but again, this is still depending a bit , on how high the centerline of your scope is, above the centerline of your bore.
most ranging tables do this, with the consideration that your scope line is approx. 1.5 inches above bore centerline.
Again, that is why i said 'pie plate sized' , you cannot really tell, what is actually going to happen, and where the bullet is going, unless you actually shoot at 100 200 and 300 yds. But dead on at 50 or 2.5 inches high at 100, is going to give you a pretty good hunting zero, out to about 250 yds, for deer or piggie sized game.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Whew.. all those numbers....

What's it all mean? Hey don't get blinded by all the numbers...as Ranger said,"a pie plate sized dead zone is what your shooting at"...

I have all but two of my 30-06's sighted at 200y zero's... that puts a 150gr. pill at 2800-2900fps inside a snuff can lid from the end of your barrel out to and including 250y.

...so if you have 3.5" of brown to shoot at, and that 3.5" of brown is over the sweet spots, well... it's backstrap in the skillet!

For comparison... same load... a 50y zero will do the snuff can thing from end of barrel to 200y.

...a 100y zero will do the snuff can thing from end of barrel to around 170y.

...a 2.5" high at 100y zero will do the snuff can thing from the end of barrel to about 270y.

I use the snuff can lid because most all of us can relate to that size. lol

...or, we can talk about 'dead zone' range, where the bullets rise and fall are equal at both ends of the trajectory arch.

Just a thought but the snuff can analogy is just that, 'dead zone' figures, give or take a yard or two.

So you see, any of the mentioned zero yardages work just dandy, just pick one that correlates to your way of thinking and judging yardages, your maximum range you will allow yourself to shoot and what 'clicks' in your head.

Man o' man, your gonna love this stuff! Have fun and be careful!