Zeroing My Henry H001

[DMW1116]

To understand why I might ask this I need to give some background information. When I got this rifle I tried to zero the factory sights but found the closest with high velocity ammo in the 1250 fps range was 4” high at 50 yards. While good for target shooting it’s not good for much else. I contacted Henry and told them of the issue and they graciously sent a front barrel band with a higher front sight. For those that don’t know, the front sight in this rifle is one piece with the barrel band and cannot be swapped out like in my Marlin 336.

This new front sight was too tall and shots zeroed at about 1” low on the highest setting. I hemmed and hawed and finally decided I wanted the factory sights to work instead of replacing them.

I set the ramp in the middle notch, of three, and filed off the front sight until the shots impacted about the point of hold.

Now, I bought this rifle for the variety of ammo a lever gun can cycle over my semiautos. My current plan is to zero it at the lowest notch with the highest velocity ammo I normally use, which is Thunderduds from Remington. I know but it’s cheap, shoots every time so far, and it’s generally pretty accurate.

Is there another suggestion? I shoot high velocity, standard velocity, 22 shorts, & CBs out of it but can only zero it for one. The CBs will probably be limited to 25 yards. I plan to shoot the wide variety and see where everything falls before making the final cuts.

 

[MacAR]

You'd be better off (IMHO) to zero your rifle with the ammo that you'll shoot most and not be concerned with velocity. I've got a dozen 22's, and they're all set to shoot blue box Federal with a fine bead and six o'clock hold on a quarter sized bull at 50 yards. That puts them just about on at 100, should I need to pop a critter that far away. Once I set the sights how I want them, I never change them. If I'm shooting shorts or CB's I just determine how much holdover is required for the distance I'm shooting that day. But, I'm not a "target" shooter; more of a tin cans and empty shotgun hulls plinker. Of course, they go hunting too, and most of mine are squirrel head accurate at 50 yards sighted this way.

Mac

 

[sparkyv]

I agree with MacAR. However, my CZ455 has easily adjustable tangent sights for elevation. So I can go from 25 to 100m and back again with ease. But in the main, my 22LR rifles are zeroed at 50 yds each with its preferred ammo.

You'd be better off (IMHO) to zero your rifle with the ammo that you'll shoot most and not be concerned with velocity. I've got a dozen 22's, and they're all set to shoot blue box Federal with a fine bead and six o'clock hold on a quarter sized bull at 50 yards. That puts them just about on at 100, should I need to pop a critter that far away. Once I set the sights how I want them, I never change them. If I'm shooting shorts or CB's I just determine how much holdover is required for the distance I'm shooting that day. But, I'm not a "target" shooter; more of a tin cans and empty shotgun hulls plinker. Of course, they go hunting too, and most of mine are squirrel head accurate at 50 yards sighted this way.

Mac

 

[DMW1116]

I shoot more Thunderbolt out of this rifle than anything so thats probably zero with that on the lowest notch. I have a variety of stuff to try so maybe a few groups spread among the various kinds are in order.

 

[someguy2800]

In my experience most brands of 22 ammo in the typical 1050 to 1200 fps range will generally shoot to similar points of aim in a rifle. Sometimes to the right or left or up or down and inch or so, but close enough to not make much difference. The hyper velocity stuff however is another story. Going from 40 grain mini mags to 40 grain velocitors I have to adjust my scope down about 7 moa to maintain zero. I have never shot 22 shorts, but I have shot quite a bit of CCI quiet 22, which is similar velocity to a short, and I suspect you will probably be like 6" low at 50 yards if you are zero'd for thunderbolts.

This is a test I did years ago shooting a savage mk 2 at 50 yards with all these different types of ammo. I did not adjust the scope on any of these except for the group with velocitors. I did the same test with a buckmark pistol at 25 yards and got a lot more group shift with that.

 

[DMW1116]

I remembered I did do something like that. I just have to find it and where I wrote it down.

 

[doubleh]

You'd be better off (IMHO) to zero your rifle with the ammo that you'll shoot most and not be concerned with velocity. I've got a dozen 22's, and they're all set to shoot blue box Federal with a fine bead and six o'clock hold on a quarter sized bull at 50 yards. That puts them just about on at 100, should I need to pop a critter that far away. Once I set the sights how I want them, I never change them. If I'm shooting shorts or CB's I just determine how much holdover is required for the distance I'm shooting that day. But, I'm not a "target" shooter; more of a tin cans and empty shotgun hulls plinker. Of course, they go hunting too, and most of mine are squirrel head accurate at 50 yards sighted this way.
Mac

I agree with this except for the Federal ammo. I learned about windage and elevation and hold over and under, etc. long before scopes became really popular. It wouldn't have mattered anyway because I was a kid and couldn't afford one. Today I use scopes but have never become a knob twister. I do use mil dot scopes on most of my rifles now though. It make that hold over thing easier.

 

[DMW1116]

I did some investigating and indeed they are similar impact points between the standard velocity and high velocity. I don’t normally shoot hyper velocity ammo in my 22s but some Interceptors did run through one of my Marlins to see what they were like. They’d probably be good in this lever action or a bolt action.

Based on that I’ll zero for the Thunderbolt about an inch high at the 50 yard mark on the lowest sight notch and everything else will fall from there. I use high velocity 22 shorts rated at 1100 fps. They will be close enough out to the distances I can use open sights. Skinner peep sights or a scope may still be an option but I went ahead with this partly to try since I’ve never had to adjust sights like this before.

 

[MacAR]

I agree with this except for the Federal ammo. I learned about windage and elevation and hold over and under, etc. long before scopes became really popular. It wouldn't have mattered anyway because I was a kid and couldn't afford one. Today I use scopes but have never become a knob twister. I do use mil dot scopes on most of my rifles now though. It make that hold over thing easier.

I use the federal because that's what I have the most of and no other reason.

I agree on the hold over though. I can't stand knob twisters, or mil-dot scopes. Not my idea of shooting; makes it too damn easy you ask me. Of course, I also learned to shoot with a Crackshot Stevens that had homemade sights. Didn't take long to learn not to miss, whatever the ammo.

Mac

 

[wiscoaster]

On mine, I took off the rear sight and installed a Skinner peep sight, and didn't need to do a thing with the front sight.

 

[DMW1116]

That’s still an option but I really want the factory provided sights to work, even if I have to tweak the them a bit.