Zeroing a M1 Garand

[Zeede]

Hey folks! I'm in the process of zeroing my M1, but I have a few questions:

1) I do not have a scope, and don't plan on getting one. That said, I want to do my zeroing at 25 yards, but set for 100 yards. How high do I need to be shooting at 25 yards to be zeroed for 100 yards?

2) I know for match shooting a lot of people do the "pumpkin on a post" sight picture. However, I want the gun to shoot where I'm aiming. I'm told this is a "Navy-style" sight picture hold. If I take the M1 hunting, I'm going to hold the front sight right on the deer's vitals. I'm not going to think to myself, "Okay, if I had a standard rifle target over the deer, I'd need to hold these many inches low, so I should aim for the belly of the deer..."

Hope my questions make sense! I do know how to loosen the elevation once I have it zeroed so that the markings on the knob will actually make sense.

Cameron

 

[30Cal]

Make the bullets hit about an inch and a quarter above the point of aim (probably 6-10clicks up from bottom).

A 25yd "zero" is good for ensuring that you'll hit the paper when you go to 100yds. It's not a substitute though.

 

[Fatelvis]

Using my Sierra Infinity software, and assuming you're using a 150 grn bullet @ 2800 fps, you should be .3" low at 25 yds., for a 100 yd. zero. An inch and a quarter high at 25 yds, would give you a 340 yd. zero.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

a better idea would be to find out what rear sight setting gives you a 25 yard zero.

and even better idea would be to zero on the back side of the trajectory instead of the front. I can't count the times i've rough zeroed at 25 and then had to make sight corrections at 100.


I generally zero at 100, for a 250 yard zero. with the garand, leave the drum on 100 while zeroing and then once i'm done, i change the elevation to the 250 setting and leae it there unless i have a good reason to change it.


on guns without a quickly adjustable rear, i look up how high the POI needs to be at 100 and go for that.

 

[30Cal]

An inch and a quarter high at 25 yds, would give you a 340 yd. zero.

That's what I was thinking of. Sorry.

The 100yd zero's on my M1's and M1A are between 3 and 8 clicks up for a center hold.

 

[Fatelvis]

Zee, the two different methods of aiming are called "center hold", and "6 O'clock hold".

 

[Omnivore]

the two different methods of aiming are called "center hold", and "6 O'clock hold".

Yes, and also a "combat hold" and "bull's-eye hold", respectively. The 6 O'clock hold is very specific to official target shooting.

There is no sure substitute for shooting at your desired zero distance, unless you've already worked out the trajectory for your specific rifle/ammo combo. Doing the 25 yard thing is a way to "get on paper" at 100 or etc.. It shouldn't be regarded as your final zero.

When you're talking about this many clicks or that many clicks above bottomed out, you're talking about one specific rifle. They don't all have the same exact sight angle when bottomed out. Far from it.

 

[KODB]

Zeede,

It depends on what you are looking to do and at what ranges. In my neck of the woods (hills of PA) most of the shots are going to be less than 200yds. You could zero at either 100, 200, or BZO at 250 and in each case would be ok depending on what you are going to do with it. Count clicks up from where you are bottomed out on the elevation drum and you can then loosen the screw and set the drum for your particular zero. Be advised that the clicks up for your rifle and milspec ammo will be close but not completely precise when changing elevation after your zero.
check out: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=82309

Regards,
Bob

 

[scythefwd]

If you are hunting, a 25y zero will be fine. If you do a center hold, and you are sighting the heart, you will still be in the lungs at 300-350 yards. The -06 is a very flat projectile. Between 25 and 300y is only approximatly 3.5 inches in elevation. I would zero at 25y and then hunt with it because it will be a kill shot all the way out to 300y. Do you live in an area where 300y is a shot you will even have the chance to take? Here a 100y shot is considered unthinkable almost.

 

[Zeede]

The reason I was asking about sighting it in at 25 yards is because it's a lot easier to get most of the work done at that distance for me, since I don't have a spotting scope. Since it seems that .30-06 is extremely flat shooting under 100 yards, it should be satisfactory until I get time to put in some bench rest time on the main range, which goes well past 100 yards.

Cameron