Sighting in scope for hunting: Zero or MPBR

[dak0ta]

Hi,

For your hunting rifles, do you guys zero at a certain distance like 100 or 200 yards or do you look up the Maximum Point Blank Range for your caliber and load and use that so you can take game from 0-300 yards let's say.

I'm wondering what to do with my 6.5x55. I believe most shots will be within 200 yards, but in the case that a 250 yard shot is needed, would it better to be zeroed at 200 yards and adjust for elevation, or rely on MPBR? I'm shooting this pill out of a modern action.

 

[CApighunter]

I zero at 200 yards, then have a drop chart out to 500 yards glued to the inside of my Butler Creek scope cap. Never had to shoot past 200, but it's good to know where your bullet will hit at extended ranges.
CApighunter

 

[Maverick223]

It depends upon the rifle, but I'll usually zero for MPBR, that way (within the limitations of the PBR) you can just point and shoot. If it is a long range hunting rifle, a dual-purpose (med. game & varmint), or dedicated varmint rifle, I would zero for a even range and dial for additional elevation. Same goes for rifles equipped with optics sporting ranging/ballistic reticles (like a Zeiss Rapid-Z, et al.).

 

[readyeddy]

http://biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

Use the ballistics calculator by inputting your load data and it will tell you your MPBR. Use the point of impact data for the range you plan to shoot. For example, I shoot 30 06, 180 grain, BC .501 at 2675 fps. I shoot at 100 yards, adjusting my scope to impact 2.7 inches above my point of aim. That gives me an MPBR of 268 yards where I will hit a 6 inch target aiming at center, ranging from muzzle to 268 yards.

 

[Art Eatman]

I zero at 200 yards. Since most deer cartridges' trajectories are so close, I just memorized my '06 to 500 and quit worrying about it.

For darned near all those faster than a .30-30 but less than the maggies, I figure two inches high at 100 is near dead-on at 200. Then, about six inches low at 300, about two feet low at 400 and four feet low at 500.

That's close enough for "government work", anyhow.

The problem for many is guesstimating range. If you laser that, I don't see how on a still day that you can miss.

 

[jmr40]

I usually zero at 100 yards and verify bullet impact from 50-300 yards. Unless you think there is a very good possiblity of 300+ yard shots I much prefer this. With my rifles, 30-06, 308, 7 mag and 300 WSM with a 100 yard zero, I can still make hits at 300 yards with no holdover, just put the crosshairs on the backbone on anything that appears over 200 yards away. Bullet impact at 300 will only be 8"-10" low vs 6"-8" low with a 200 yard zero.

The reason I don't like a 200 yard zero is because it puts the bullet several inches high at 50-100 yards. If you are shooting through brush it is too easy for your bullet to hit tree limbs. If you are shooting at a deer 130 yards away you have to figure out which branches your bullet will pass over and which it will pass under on the way to the target.

With a 100 yard zero my bullet will be no more than 1" either above or below my line of sight from 50-150 yards. This makes it much easier to shoot through openings in brush. Even in the West most shots are within that range and I don't see the point in making things more complicated at the ranges you are most likely to shoot for such a small advantage at ranges where you may never take a shot.

In open country where you anticipate shots longer than 300 yards using a 200 yard zero helps a little, but even then a range finder and a scope with long range dots set up for your loads is a much better option and most of them are calibrated for a 100 yard zero.

With your rifle I'd zero at 100. Shoot it out to 250 and see where it is hitting. I'm betting that you could still aim at the top of a deer's back and make good hits out beyond 250 yards.

 

[dak0ta]

Okay good info boys. Thanks!

Now, one more question, how about with an aperture sight on a lever action 30-30. What kind of zero will allow you to take game within 200 yards in dense coastal forests?

 

[Coltdriver]

I always use MPBR. Makes shooting within the effective range of the rifle very easy. If I range a target within the MPBR I know I can hit the vital zone and while I don't have to be overly precise about holdover/under I do know about where the bullet will fall from my zero and can adjust accordingly. In my limited hunting experience I have not found any opportunities to be leisurely about taking my shot.

Depending on the load you use with your 6.5X55 you can get between 250 and 300 yards for an MPBR.

 

[rcmodel]

With a 200 yard zero, the difference at 250 yards would only be 3 3/4" lower.
Or less then 2" higher at 100 yards.

I doubt you would have to do any adjusting from a hunting shooting position at 250 unless you are an awful good shot.

rc

 

[Maverick223]

What kind of zero will allow you to take game within 200 yards in dense coastal forests?

Depending upon the load you're looking at about a 3in. high @ 100yd. PBZ (this is for standard 150gr. RN, change accordingly for other loads).

 

[bubba15301]

i sight 8 inches high at 100 yards good to 300 yards with no holdover

 

[Maverick223]

i sight 8 inches high at 100 yards good to 300 yards with no holdover

8in. is a little extreme don't you think?

 

[Ridgerunner665]

For calibers such as 270, 280, 30-06, 308, etc...I sight in for 250 yards...which is nearly MPBR for all of them,

My 30-06 shooting 168 grain Ballistic Tips @ 2,850 fps hit 2.75" high at 100 yards, and 3" high at 150...thats as high as it gets....then its almost 4" low at 300, and about 9" low at 350.

Works for me...

 

[45crittergitter]

I use MPBR for everything. The only exception would be if I were a target/competition shooter, working at a particular known distance.

 

[H2oPumper]

I just use the 3" high at 100 yard theory. If trajectories hold true, the bullet should not rise above 3.5" or drop below 3.5" out to nearly 300 yards. That'll put meat in the freezer. The calibers I use are 270, 280, 7mm-08, & 30-06.

 

[rcmodel]

Unless you have exceptionally good eyesight, reliably killing a deer at 200 yards with a aperture sight is really stretching things.

You maximum range with the 30-30 is the distance you can keep every shot in a 9" paper plate.

For most people, that will be less then 200 yards.
Probably more like 150 tops.

rc

 

[kenken]

My 308 is sighted 1" high at 100.

kenken

 

[Texan Scott]

I tend to shoot slow stuff, so I go with whichever is longer, as a rule. MPBR for a .30-30 is greater than my longest likely hunting shot. With a .44 spl or .45 colt, I'm gonna have to zero.

 

[H2oPumper]

Here's one more question: when you sight in at whatever you do with a variable power scope, do you dial in to the highest power? I uses 3-9 power scopes and seem to have better groups dialed in around 6-7; based on 100 yards.

 

[unwise11]

My .308 is zero'd at 200 and my .223 is going to be zero'd at 200 next time I take it out.

I figure if it's 0'd at 200 then I hold a few inches over at 300 and 1" low at 100 and I will definitely kill anything I shoot at..

Coyotes are the only thing I even think about hunting.. I usually kill paper and rocks.

 

[kestak]

Zeroed at 200.
I use mil dots and I taped a piece of paper in a plastic envelop with dots and their range/poi.

I zeroed my ACOG to 100 and the top of line is 25 meters, the horseshoe dot is 100/200 and the remaining lines are according to the numbers beside it up to 600.

My garand is done per military:zero 300 minus 2 clicks.

 

[JEB]

Here's one more question: when you sight in at whatever you do with a variable power scope, do you dial in to the highest power? I uses 3-9 power scopes and seem to have better groups dialed in around 6-7; based on 100 yards.

while sighting in i use the highest power. however this is about the only time i use it.