Zeroing a new 308 win

[Balrog]

I am going to zero in a new 308 win bolt action with 22" barrel in near future. I am going to be using Federal 150g JSP ammo. Rifle will be used for deer, with longest range being about 200 yds, and probably 150 yds is most common range.

What distance should I zero at?

 

[Steve S.]

I hunt within the same distance potential as you do with both of my .308’s and 150’s; I zero at +1.5” at 100 yards which puts me dead-on at 200 - I find that zero to be perfect.
BTW - a 150 at 2,750 passes thru an average size deer at 200 yards like it is not even there - I have done that several times - plenty of gun and then some.

 

[C-grunt]

Id probably zero at 100 myself. That way I have a good known spot on zero. Then just figure out the drop at 200 and hold slightly high for the longer shots.

I cant imagine the drop of a 308 from 100 to 200 yards to be more than a few inches.

 

[.308 Norma]

As Steve S. said, if you zero at 200 yards, you'll be less than 2" high at 100 yards. And I'll add: with a 200 yard zero, your 308 Win will be less than 8" low clear out to 300 yards with 150gr bullets.

 

[gotboostvr]

I'd zero at 100, hold dead on still at 200, and use the hash marks on my reticle near/past 300

 

[d2wing]

If your bullets go straight through you should consider using faster expanding bullets. Even big deer are pretty thin. I zero for 100 yards because a. most of my shoots are about that range or less. If the range is more than that, I know how to adjust. My local range is only 100 yards. If it was 200 yards I am too lazy to walk that far and I couldn't see the bullet holes anyway. Nothing wrong about sighting a little high at 100 yards. But be sure to study a ballistic chart to know where you bullets hit at various ranges. Or better yet practice at various ranges.

 

[lightman]

My 308 is zeroed at 100 yards. Thats puts it about 1.5 to 2 inches low at 200 and around 9 or 10 inches at 300. After that the fall is measured in feet.

 

[jmr40]

Zero at 100 yards. Your bullet will be no more than 1" low, or 1" high anywhere between the muzzle and about 130 yards. Which is the range the vast majority of game is taken. This makes it a lot easier to thread shots through openings in brush to make hits. Having to remember to hold low just isn't natural and will eventually result in missed shots.

You won't have to deal with holding high until you get to 300, and even at 300 you only need to see a sliver of daylight between the horizontal crosshair and a deer's back to hit the kill zone.

For shots beyond 300 you need a range finder and a scope that allows you to compensate for drop. And those work off a 100 yard zero.

 

[IdaD]

My default is a couple inches high at 100 yards for most reasonably flat shooting calibers, 308 included.

Edit - 100, not 300.

 

[gotboostvr]

My default is a couple inches high at 300 yards for most reasonably flat shooting calibers, 308 included.

A couple inches high at 300yrds?

What ranges do you typically hunt at?

 

[Orcon]

A couple inches high at 300yrds?

What ranges do you typically hunt at?

300 yards and beyond, obviously.

 

[IdaD]

A couple inches high at 300yrds?

What ranges do you typically hunt at?

Typo...meant a couple inches high at 100 yards. Couple inches high at 300 yards means I may as well hunt with a mortar.

 

[Skylerbone]

If you trust your scope and have open turrets you could zero at 100 and add 6 clicks on longer shots. I’d just chart it and use a range finder then dial appropriately though.

 

[gotboostvr]

If you trust your scope and have open turrets you could zero at 100 and add 6 clicks on longer shots. I’d just chart it and use a range finder then dial appropriately though.

On hunting rifles, I prefer capped turrets and to have a reticle that'll let me hold over for distance.

Set and forget it at 100.

Would hate to dial for a shot one day, and forget to reset it before the next day's hunt.

But that's personal preference. Dialing for distance is a legitimate strategy, I'm just forgetful.

 

[Seedy Character]

1" high @ 100, puts you 1" low @ 200.

Theoretically, you shoot 1 1/2" groups. You will be on bullseye, mostly above @100 yards.
200 yards will be just below, on bullseye.

Don't worry about range, but the crosshair on shoulder and pull trigger.

 

[Walkalong]

100 yards, know your trajectory, and be happy.

 

[greyling22]

If your shots are at 150, why not zero for 150? But like everybody else said, you're within 2 inches either way you choose to zero.

 

[Thomasss]

The average shooter can't see the difference of a couple of inches one way or the other at either 100 or 200 yards. So go back to being about 2 inches high at 100 yards and call it good. If you have some extra ammo, try some shots standing up straight, kneeling or sitting on the ground and maybe a few leaning against a post. Remember two things, standing, bring your sites/scope view down from the top of the deer's back and as you reach the vital area pull the trigger. This technique will help prevent shaking as you shoot. If the deer is running away or perpendicular to you lead the deer by up to 3 feet. And finally shooting a deer in the upper chest will stop it in a hurry. No air in lungs and the animal will stop and fall immediately. Good Luck Hunting.

 

[Seedy Character]

Except for load development and dialing in sights, punching holes in paper gets boring


Our range has an 8" gong @ 100, 200, and 300 yards. The heart/lung target area of a deer is ~8". Coincidence.

I do 80% of my shooting on the gongs. 90% of these shots are standing, leaning against a post and offhand

I don't care what group size, in know what the ammo is capable of. I am looking for Minute of Deer.

There is also a 16' tower (stand) with a solid bench. You sight in 2" high @ 100 on level ground. You are NOT 2" high from the stand.

 

[JFrank]

Id probably zero at 100 myself. That way I have a good known spot on zero. Then just figure out the drop at 200 and hold slightly high for the longer shots.

I cant imagine the drop of a 308 from 100 to 200 yards to be more than a few inches.

1.75 minutes (7 clicks) from 100 to 200yrds is about exact on my 308.
Added, I zero this one at 100

 

[H&Hhunter]

For shots beyond 300 you need a range finder and a scope that allows you to compensate for drop. And those work off a 100 yard zero.

“Those” scopes that compensate for drop work off of any zero you want them to work off of. I always use a 200 yard zero as a starting point for my rifles which almost all have scopes with dials.

 

[AJC1]

Sight for 100 and use a graduated retical for hold over or dial and have a scope with a zero stop set at 100. Always have a good process.

 

[Dr T]

I would put it at 1.5" to 1.75" high at 100 yards. In a hunting situation, the actual range presented by a random popup target (e.g., a deer) is extremely difficult to estimate. Also, this sight in will allow you to hold on the pie-pan size vital area of a whitetail from 0 yards out to about 250 yards without having to worry about anything put putting the cross hairs on target and squeezing the trigger.

The graduated reticle may be useful for some, but I have had few deer that were willing to stand around long enough at the ranges the OP describes for ME to use a range finder and then figure out which of the little cross hairs to use.

The only reason I have scopes with these (rather than a simple duplex) is that they were the least expensive available with good hunting grade glass. I suspect that they were on sale because the scopes with the same glass and a simple duplex (or German 3 or 4) were already sold.

 

[JFrank]

Here's a question; If sighted 1.75 above the 100 yard mark, would the trajectory cause a shooter to be above the animal at shorter ranges? Say 25 -50 yards??

 

[AJC1]

I would put it at 1.5" to 1.75" high at 100 yards. In a hunting situation, the actual range presented by a random popup target (e.g., a deer) is extremely difficult to estimate. Also, this sight in will allow you to hold on the pie-pan size vital area of a whitetail from 0 yards out to about 250 yards without having to worry about anything put putting the cross hairs on target and squeezing the trigger.

The graduated reticle may be useful for some, but I have had few deer that were willing to stand around long enough at the ranges the OP describes for ME to use a range finder and then figure out which of the little cross hairs to use.

The only reason I have scopes with these (rather than a simple duplex) is that they were the least expensive available with good hunting grade glass. I suspect that they were on sale because the scopes with the same glass and a simple duplex (or German 3 or 4) were already sold.

If you need to dial or hold over one would assume you had a dope card in your flip up cap or in your pocket. I have no idea his area and how far is possible.