Tried to zero my rifle at 50 feet and this was the result

[cottswald]

It is not good practice to rest the muzzle on any hard surface, it will cause the barrel to jump and lift. When zeroing the rifle it will print a group in spot A and then when hunting out of hand will print in spot B. I suggest you get your hand or bean bag or the likes under the forearm of the rifle and zero the rifle.

The point of zeroing a rifle is to get it shooting exactly where you want. Doing the exercise at less than 50 yards in my opinion is a waste, you really would like to be at 100 yards. 50 ft simply does not tell you enough. You also need to decide at what maximum range you will be shooting and then use that to guide you on the zero point. If you take gunner69's advice to be 2" high at 100 yds then at 200 yds you will be spot on. This means that for all shots into the boiler room that you will not need to compensate with any holdover out to 200m

I would also hate to dissapoint you but that is not a tight group. If you were to extropolate out to 100 yards that group which you say is 1.5" at 50 ft would amount to 7.5" at 100 yards. Conversely at 50 ft your group should be 0.25" to equate to 1.5" at 100yds. Your rifle should be capable of shooting a group of around 1.5" at 100 yds.

Good luck

No the gun isn't close enough to hunt with and by asking it would seem that your understanding of external ballistics and trajectory should be worked on too, long before you take off after deer.

IronCurtain, take special note of these. -- Unless you're kidding, and even then it's not a very good joke.

 

[hsiehjohn]

Do you have a scope on that rifle? If not, you should get one. If you do, you need a better one.

 

[ngnrd]

Assuming there are iron sights on the rifle, there's no need for a scope at 50 feet. And there's no need to shoot farther than 50 feet if the shooter can't keep the holes touching at that range. Save your scope money and use it for more ammo and range time. Once you are proficient at 50 or 100 feet, then think about getting a scope. Although it shouldn't really be necessary for shots under 100 yards.

If there's already a scope mounted, you might want to check that there's not a problem with either the scope or the mounts.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

To the OP,

we are trying to help you out here bud. How far have you got with the rifle and setting it in?

 

[788Ham]

"...... the other range is 100 ft. and very far away." 100 ft. is too far for you to shoot? Then you'd best stay out of the woods pal! What you've shot in that group is pretty good, but definitely needs some adj. to the LFT to center the shots. When you can get your '06 bullets to group like that @ 100 YARDS, you've got something then. More range time !

 

[bodam]

Can't he just take the bolt out and look down the barrel to get it close? That's what I did with my Axis to get started, and it was close at 50 YARDS not feet

 

[sixgunner455]

He probably could, if he knows how or knows that he needs to.

Learning is done step by step. Man asked a question, he's got some answers. Now, he can learn if he'll apply them.

 

[Sav .250]

Sighting in a rifle is paramount. The out come rests on it being done properly.
Don`t want to be harsh on you but doing it "Micky Mouse" doesn`t wash.

Put another way,are you sure you know what your doing? J s/n.

 

[Miata Mike]

Does this rifle have a scope? I had my Savage with Nikon just mounted bore sighted at Sheels. I was lucky to have 2 big targets up at 50 yards because I missed one and hit the other. I had to move like 75 clicks windage to be on bullseye. Saved a lot of ammo...

I never said a word to my salesman at Sheels, but figure I could have done about as well with just looking down the bore with the bolt out. It is now doing 3 round groups that are nice with my hand loads.

Dial the windage to the left quite a bit and try again.

 

[788Ham]

Miata,

You have that much movement in your scope, to move it 75 clicks? Don't you have more lateral movement in your scope base? On my scope base, I can move one screw on each side to adjust the big movement, then use scope dial to fine tune it.

 

[Miata Mike]

Miata,

You have that much movement in your scope, to move it 75 clicks? Don't you have more lateral movement in your scope base? On my scope base, I can move one screw on each side to adjust the big movement, then use scope dial to fine tune it.

I did have that much movement on that Nikon. I was limited on the scope mounts for my Savage 110 and that Nikon scope. I can take a look at it some day, but doubt if I would attempt to center things better. I know Leupold mounts would have centered good with a screwdriver, and I would have done that for sure at the time.

 

[jrdolall]

I have had to rely on sighting my rifle at a very short distance, 20-25 yards, many years ago because I missed a deer that morning and it was the only place we could sight the gun in mid day because people were hunting. I remember we put up a piece of plywood and shot it to find out how far off the scope was and then we dialed it in to a target. We felt good when three shots were touching. The next day we fired it on a 100 yard range and it was slightly off, maybe 1/2", so it can be done. I think it took us most of a box of shells but this was in the early 80s so I can't recall for sure.

 

[cal74]

You'll quickly run out of scope adjustment at that close of a distance


I prefer about an 1-1 1/2 inches high at a hundred yards, but site the rifle in for the distances you're expected to be shooting and get an idea of where it'll be at for a long shot.

No sense in sighting in a gun for a 200-300 yard shot if you'll never shoot past a 100.

 

[d2wing]

In the Army we sighted in at 25 m, and 40 m. Later we shot at 100 m and they were right on. The targets had different aiming points to adjust for distance.

 

[jrdolall]

If you are dead on, and I mean hitting a dot the size of a pencil head, at 25 yards then you will be adequate at 100 yards. There will be some small differences based on ballistics. If you are 3/4" off at 25 yards or spraying at 25 yards then you will probably be way off at 100 yards.
The OP might not even be on paper at 100 yards. I believe in using a gun vise of some sort for sighting in to make sure there is no user error(or as little as possible). I am not good enough to shoot with perfect accuracy from just a rest.

 

[Sport45]

Is the OP maybe confusing feet and yards? 50 feet sounds like an indoor range and I'd be surprised if .30-06 are allowed at many indoor pistol ranges.

The group is respectable for having the muzzle supported at 50 yards. Rest the gun on the stock near the action and it should close up considerably. I'd go for about 1/2 inch high at 50 (assuming a scope mounted 1.5" or so above the bore). If it's open sights I'd go for dead on at 50 and then see where it hits at 100 yards.

 

[roadchoad]

"...... the other range is 100 ft. and very far away." 100 ft. is too far for you to shoot? Then you'd best stay out of the woods pal! What you've shot in that group is pretty good, but definitely needs some adj. to the LFT to center the shots. When you can get your '06 bullets to group like that @ 100 YARDS, you've got something then. More range time !

I believe he means the range itself is far away from him, as in travel distance...