I have Squirrel hunting trip coming up in a few weeks. I mounted a scope on my .22 rifle and I would like sight it in for 50 yards. Unfortunately I only have access to 25 yard ranges. What is the best way to do this? Should I sight the rifle in an inch high at 25 yards? None of my rifles have scopes on them so I am clueless about the sighting in process. I did bore sight the rifle, so hopefully I am off to a good start.
Questions about sighting in my .22 Squirrel Rifle
- Thread starter Sharpdogs
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MCgunner
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Personally, I sight my .22s in for 25 and shoot at 50 to get a feel for hold over. Some guns, due to the scope height above bore, will shoot on at 50. Some, especially iron sighted, you might need an inch of hold over at 50, no biggy, can still make the hit if you can accurately judge the range. Kinda still need to shoot it at 50, though, after sight in, to figure out where it's hitting. You can do that in the woods plinkin' at cans, though, if you can't shoot at 50 on the range. Learn your gun, that's the key.
I grew up hunting squirrel in a live oak bottom near our house. Squirrels feared me.
In the live oak woods, 25 yard shots came far more often than 50. I still kept the sight in when I got to go to east Texas to the piney woods, though, just because of familiarity with the trajectory of the gun. 50 yards was my limit, get closer if it's farther.
I grew up hunting squirrel in a live oak bottom near our house. Squirrels feared me.
In the live oak woods, 25 yard shots came far more often than 50. I still kept the sight in when I got to go to east Texas to the piney woods, though, just because of familiarity with the trajectory of the gun. 50 yards was my limit, get closer if it's farther.Naybor
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Boy, a lot of variables here. Bullet make, scope height, etc will dictate the zero points.
I always sighted my .22 in with a 25 yard zero. From there, it will be a little high (maybe up to 1" or 1.5") until it drops back to zero at 50 - 60 yards. Maybe 4" or so low at 100. This is just a starting point. Nothing beats testing at various yardages.
Hope this helps.
I always sighted my .22 in with a 25 yard zero. From there, it will be a little high (maybe up to 1" or 1.5") until it drops back to zero at 50 - 60 yards. Maybe 4" or so low at 100. This is just a starting point. Nothing beats testing at various yardages.
Hope this helps.
Blue68f100
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Mine is sighted in at 25 yrds which comes back down to dead on at 55yrds with my ammo/gun combo. You definitely want to know what kind of drop and rise is at in between distances and beyond, for those clean head shots. I regularly make shots out to 80-90 yrds at time. It's all about knowing the ballistics of the ammo in your gun setup. The ammo I like best for hunting is the AE22, 38gr HP. This ammo in my gun shoots one ragged hole at 25 yrds which is key when you want to go long. Tighter the group the better.
MCgunner
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Also, if you're shooting straight up into a tall pine, some are very tall, the bullet may not have much drop. Angle of the shot decreases drop no matter if it's up or down.
Shoot a lot. Experience teaches best. .22 plinkin' is cheap and fun.
Shoot a lot. Experience teaches best. .22 plinkin' is cheap and fun.
As indicated above, most of your shots will be between 20 and 40 yards. Longer shots become more available later in the year once the foliage has dropped.
This should help. Starting point is 1.5 in. low (the average height between the center of your objective lense and the bore). Yellow is point-blank-range, meaning, if you place the crosshairs on the center of his noggin anywhere within PBR (and your shot is accurate) he should end up doing the jumpy bouncy thing.
This should help. Starting point is 1.5 in. low (the average height between the center of your objective lense and the bore). Yellow is point-blank-range, meaning, if you place the crosshairs on the center of his noggin anywhere within PBR (and your shot is accurate) he should end up doing the jumpy bouncy thing.
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