Zero Distance for Handgun?

[Deanimator]

Along with one or both of my Savage boltguns, I've decided to bring my 6" Model 29-2 on my hunting trip to Missouri. Since I've never handgun hunted before, what recommendation do people have for a zero distance?

I'll be using the Winchester White Box 240gr. JSPs. I'll be sticking with iron sights. I'm a bullseye pistol competitor, so I know my way around handguns.

Thanks.

 

[mbt2001]

25 yards is what I think most pistols come out of the box ranged at.... You should be able to compensate enough for 50 yards to hit it consistently. Anyway, approx. 50 yards should be your furthest shot.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, buy a laser range finder and start estimating distances so that you get good at eyeballing them. I have met a lot of folks that took a 400 yard shot and had convinced themself that it was either 200 yards or a mile...

You get the idea... Good luck

 

[Blackfork]

Post target

I'd be tempted to post a 50 yard target center at 50 yards for dry firing and not shoot a deer past it.

I think I would shoot some deer silhouettes at 50 as well.

50 yard zero on the pistol, with the ammo you intend to use.

That's what I am going to do to shoot a doe tag with my bullseye Les Baer.

 

[Deanimator]

I'd be tempted to post a 50 yard target center at 50 yards for dry firing and not shoot a deer past it.

I wasn't planning to shoot past 50 yards. I can actually hit a full sized human silhouette at 200 yards with a K-38 and .38 Special 130gr. FMJ, but that's hardly reasonable for game, especially the first time out.

Thanks.

 

[dakotasin]

i zero my 480 at 75 yards, and my 357 mag at 50 yards.

 

[Greybeard]

The amount of diffence in the drop between 25 and 50 yards with that pistol is typically less than what most of us can do under actual hunting circumstances. Put a full cylinder on a 9" paper plate at 25 yards, then do the same at 50. Then see what ya think.

 

[Deanimator]

50 yards seems reasonable. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[jmorris]

I always like the maximum pointblank range method for hunting equipment. If the vital zone is 6” at what distance will your bullet placement be no more than 3” high or low that’s your maximum pointblank range. Using my 629 for example, if I load Hornady’s 240grn xtp (BC of .205) to 1400fps, the scope is 1.8” above the bore; the maximum point blank range is 138yds, IF I set my zero at 118 yds. That means I can hold “dead on” and my hits will be +- 3” out to 138yds.
The load will be:
+.6” @ 20yds 1347fps 967ft/lb
+2.2” @ 40yds
+2.9” @ 60yds
+2.8” @ 80yds
+1.8” @ 100yds
-.03” @ 120yds
-3.3” @140yds 1111fps 658ft/lb

If you are using iron sights this information will be different, also most pistols are limited by the sights they come with when it comes to long distance precision shooting. That brings up another point you have to practice enough to shoot that well also, but that’s the fun part.

 

[MCgunner]

My .357 Blackhawk is, with 180s, 2" high at 25, 5" at 50, and zero at 100. Sort of a rainbow tragectory. I've been thinkin' I'd be better off zeroing at 75, frankly. With the same sight setting, it's zero at 50 and 8" low at 100 with 158 SWCs.