How to Zero Your Rifle For Your Most Effective Range
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- Опубліковано 21 лис 2024
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Who is Ron Spomer
For 44 years I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion - the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me - from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, to become an integral part of our ecosystem and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see, survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.
Produced by: @red11media
Disclaimer
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not modify any cartridge or firearm beyond what the manufacturer recommends. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.
To think about shooting down a 6” pipe as the limits is a brilliant visualization tool to help explain is another great reason I watch every single Ron video…especially remarkable given I’m not a sportsman or gun enthusiast.
Great Video !
Still a great pump gun even though it is mostly plastic, ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxh4su9YgU1tWmjikirWcKJbjsFLEU62Bc but with care it will last a long time. It would be neat if Crosman would make a commemorative version of this with real wood stock, but of course it would weigh more and cost more, but hey, it would be cool. The included scope is more of a toy, but it does work for backyard plinking. I prefer to use pellets for greater accuracy, but BBs are just as good for plinking. This is not a Red Ryder folks; fully pumped it is 3 times the power of a Red Ryder and can be dangerous if not handled properly. Be safe out there.
No shilling on Mr. Spomer's channel! 😤😤
I've been using the following technique for 50 years. I sighted in a .270, 140gr. PPP, std. factory ammo., (Remington), to be dead on at 25 yards. Back in the day all I had was a ballistics table manual. I was getting around 3, 000 FPs. I knew it would drop back in around 275 yards. Took it out to Wyoming on a mule deer hunt. Shot my first mule deer, 450 paces, one shot in the heart, holding on the withers, as it ran up a hill. Knocked it down, rolled down the hill. And that's all I did I didn't even test it out at 100 I never had that much space. I lived in the woods in Minnesota. So I only had about 50 yards behind my house. That's how I did it. All I did when I got to Wyoming was do three test shots at 25 yards and it was still spot on even having it cased and riding in my back seat. All the new fangled equipment they have now would confuse me. In the military we had the M14. We had it sighted in dead on at 150 meters with open sites. We held low on targets out to 100 and high on targets out to 350. It was incredible how accurate the rifles were.
Michael I am old school like this as well. Here in Ga 50 yards will most likely be the longest shot anyone would ever take. I almost always used a bolt action rifle. Sighting in at 25 yds us east just put the gun on a bench rest (table) use sand bags, have the target 25 yds away. With the rifle on sand bags take the bolt out, look down the barrel and adjust the sand bags until the target is centered. Then look thru the scope and adjust the cross hairs to the center of the target. Shoot a couple of rounds and adjust the scope more if needed. Starting at 300 yds you prolly gonna use a lot of ammo. I think that using 25 yds and then moving out to 50/100 and see where you are hitting.. I hope they do the follow up after hitting the deer.
@@johnbroadwell2603 I do the same with my .308 competition rifle . 155 gr @ 3000fps
My 25 yard zeroing target has elevation graduations up to 1000 yrds. Aim at the centre spot for all shots.
300yrd is our minimum range so zero @ that.
300 hits at top of the 1.5 inch circle, then each 100 yrd step lands on its corresponding mark.
1000 yrds zero is 9 inches high on that target at 25 yrds (39.25 moa elevation in my rifle)
I zero at 25 yards with my 30-06 shooting Federal 180 Nosler Partitions. This works out easy out to 300 yards without having to make any major corrections.
Even the M16/m4 we zero at 25m.
Yep, the old "initial arc" method is a good trick. I agree with all of the turret knobs, mil dots and trigonometry BS. When shooting at range I only want to know two things, 1) how far and 2) how much will my bullet drop. KISS.
I really appreciate this video! I grew up shooting pretty much solely with my grandfather. He'd zero for 100 yards and that was it.
I handload and sight all my "deer" rifles (243's, .270's and 30.06's) in 1 1/2" high at 100 yards (dead on at 200) with a cold barrel. The trajectories for all them are nearly identical.
If u sight In 2 inches at 100 . Should be good out to three hundred
That's what i always heard with medium centerfires. Sight in 1.5" high, you will be on at 200 and a few inches low at 300 (check a table for how much, abd try to shoot a target at 300 to make sure). It seems to work
I actually enjoy how imperfect the science is for ballistics. There are ao many variables that make you just stop and scratch your head.
Wise words on the cold bore shot it’s always going to be the one that normally puts the meat on your plate 👍
Right on Mark. For years now I've been harvesting big game with One shot only(100-300meters) My friend made a joke last month. "You are still shooting the box of amo that you bought 20 years ago?" 😁🤣 Take good care of your rifle and do NOT touch the scope.
@@IvanIvanov-vy7pt
I had to laugh at that box of ammo bought decades ago, but still some left. Over the years, ( decades) the 30-06 semi gave way to .270 bolt gun, and I've got partial boxes of various ammo dating back to the mid 70's.
I can't ever recall needing more than one cartridge.
My 204 is always an inch high on cold barrel so thats what i count on cause thats th on that matters
I'd say you may have the combination of three things happening. One is the load may be a bit hotter then you thought. Two, your ballistics info may be off due to barometric pressure, load, BC rating, or the range isn't flat. Third (and most likely) is the scope may be mounted higher then the specs called for. So if the center line of the scope is 2.25" above the center of the barrel and the spec calls for 1.75" then you are getting an extra 0.5" of lift at 100 yards. That angle change carries on through the total trajectory.
That scope is pretty high, eh. It looks to me that he is aiming at an elevated target too ... with the solar panel post as a vertical reference. That's plenty to give his results. I suspect your one and two are less likely making that big of a difference in this case. Although they always are making a some, I don't think they would be that far off to be the major impact on what we are seeing going on here.
My vote goes to scope height as the primary and not shooting groups to verify exactly where he’s hitting. A rifle isn’t a laser. Shoot at least 3 shots, ideally five and find the Center of that average when setting mpbr.
An MOA rifle sighted perfectly dead on at 300 will still put half its bullets 1 1/2” high at 300 from a dead rest. Change the temperature a bit. Angle. Anything and you’ll be 2”-3” high at 300 easy.
@@Trythis837 yes but in hunting terms when will you shoot a 5 shot group into a elk or a deer…
@@aniketsaggar1033 that’s not what I’m saying. When you’re sighting in a rifle point of impact isn’t where your individual bullet lands, it’s the middle of where your group of 3 or 5 bullets landed. There weren’t enough bullets fired on this target at 300 yards to even determine the point of impact. Realistically speaking his point of impact was within 1 1/2 moa of where it should’ve been. An error of 1/2” on his scope height entry with the ballistic calculator would’ve accounted for everything in the video regardless though.
It’s not high tho? Under/over scopes are higher
You have some phenomenal shooting footage. The vapor trail is better than any other, I've ever witnessed on film. The camera set right next to the target, the editing after you shoot is all done so well.
A decade + ago, in UA-cams infancy, my buddies and I would watch vapor trail videos for hours. It's funny how easily I was entertained. Sadly they were all in 540p and less. Glad to see how far we've come.
I use to own a Ruger no.1 bicentennial with a 26"barrel and a Redfield 4×12 scope in 25.06 which I think was the most accurate rifle that I ever shot. I handloaded my ammo with 128gr. Spitzer boattail for deer. Your video brings back memories. Thanks
Probably one of the best topics covered yet. And I just can't get enough of that 25-06 you've got there, Ron. That is truly one sweet little machine. Rarely would I ever see anything passed 250 yards. So this really is not something I would need to be too concerned with. But back in the day, I always just sighted in zero @100. But that was because my property only gave me shots within 150 yards. But for the last 10 or so years, I just keep zero 1.5" high @100 yards. After that is all dialed in real good, I just do what I have always done. I aim for the center of the dinner plate. Feeds me every year.
Sounds like the right zero system for you, James!
Ron, you have literally changed my whole perspective on firearms, I have become much more fascinated by the caliber than the firearm now.
Thanks Derrek. We hunters/shooters have been too long fascinated by our rifles and scopes and even cartridges to the detriment of fully appreciating/understanding our bullets and their flight. They are the STARS of the show, all ther rest merely the means to move them. Rifles, scopes, and cartridges are launch pads. Bullets do all the work. Cheers!
Beautiful gun Ron. 25-06 is a underrated caliber. In my opinion it is lethal on deer size animals. One of the best especially with 115 grain bullets. What a treasure you have in that setup. Be blessed!!
Good on elk too. My son uses his with 117 to 120 grain Gameking or Interlocks to smack elk. Works well. Happy huntin'!
@@johnbarrett7534
I've never had the opportunity to elk hunt. It's on my bucket list but you know how that goes. Life's priorities comes first. I've had opportunity to use the 25-06 on deer, axis and auodad here the the Texas hill country and it just devastates them. It's a very underrated caliber. It's a killer and I love it myself.
Always wanted a #1 in 25-06. Nice to see how well this one shoots
Perfect example of why. It’s absolutely necessary to shoot. At distance to verify what the bullets are doing. Today people want use apps. And think they are good to go shoot long range. The apps are a good tool. But. Nothing beats. Getting out and shooting. Keep. Up the the great work. Ron. 👍🏻
Ron i think it is muzzle jump because it is a lightweight rifle. Shoot with your left hand over the rifle scope to keep the rifle from jumping or hold it at the front as you do when hunting, heavy light recoil rifles can be shoot benchrest style with no problems.Please forgive my english i am from the northern cape South Africa here we speek only english in self devense.Great program love to watch it keep up the good work.
Excellent points Christo and I deal with them in my next video on this rifle/load.
Great video.
My 7mm Rem Mag in my Savage bolt rifle also has results like you get with your .25/06 Ruger. With my rifle, I set it to average 1 inch high at 100 yards and at 200 it’s still slightly above and at 300 it’s about an inch low. I know.... it doesn’t agree with ballistics charts but that’s how it is. Some rifles do generate more velocity than others with the same load. When I chronographed it, it in fact was making right around 80 FPS faster than the published velocity on the ammo box. I just consider it fortunate to have an above average performer. This is the only rifle in my collection that shoots factory loads so well that I never developed a favorite handload for. Federal premium with the Nosler 150 ballistic tip is the load I’m speaking of at 3110 FPS. I’m not sure federal still offers this exact load. I have plenty though because years ago after finding that this load produced six tenths of an inch groups for my rifle, I stocked up a lifetime hunting supply and I save these for only hunting except for firing one or two rounds each year as a sight check. Otherwise I shoot hand loads for fun in it.
I guess some rifles just outdo the norm sometimes.
I love the fact you used physics to help explain this concept. It is mind boggling how many people don't understand the forces involved in shooting.
I like that you showed a head scratcher. One of the best channels on you tube
Hunted many years with a 7mm Rem Mag. Sighted about 3.2 inches high with my load I held dead on to any game out to about 400 yards. NOTHING ever walked away!!! I'm sure Luck Played some part , but I always did my part. Excellent video!!!
Then you would miss at 200
You are very correct about the 30-30. I shoot a 150gr bullet and have it 2" high at 100. It's zeroed, then, at 150; and 5 or 6" low at 200 yards. I'd never even think about shooting anything other than a charging bear past 200 (I mean, really, you got to do something!). The grouping even at 200 can be sketchy.
That said, I've never shot a deer outside of 200 yards. But, my shot choices were molded by years of muzzleloader hunting before even taking up the modern rifle!
Love your videos!
Should have a minimum of 1000 of Energy for deer. The Hornady LEVERevolution 160 grain 30-30 cartridge has 1025 of Energy at 300 yards. Most all other 30-30 cartridges have at least 1000 of Energy only out to about 150 or 200 yards maximum.
2 inch high at 100. Good to 300. Growing up this was it. If you can’t get closer don’t shoot. Probably kept me from taking shots I couldn’t make anyway. Great videos
25/06 what a great caliber, flat shooting and hits hard. Love that rifle of yours.
I’ve got a 25-06 , 26 in barrel , incredible shooter ,it often amazes me just what it can do.
A gunsmith buddy of mine recommended a 25-06 as a long distance rifle and watching your videos I like the idea more and more, and won't kill me to shoot it alot either. Thank You for your videos
Saw that vapor trail in the opener and knew you were shooting Hammers. They leave some crazy vapor trails. Out here in California, we have to shoot non-lead bullets and I am really happy with Hammers in my 6.5 Creed and my .270. Have always sighted 2" high at 100 yards and never held off an animal out to 400 yards. Thanks for the video.
Hammers are the best bullets I've used.i use them in 308 win and 300 wsm and soon to be in 270 win
I wonder if the relief grooves account for that?
@@RonSpomerOutdoors I believe so least in my experience and from other people I know that shoot them the relief groves liked of cut through the air after being fired
I m trying to imagine me telling Ron Spoomer anything about sighting in a rifle. He , Jim Carmichael, and Jack O'Connor taught me what I know about guns and I m sure have forgotten more than I will ever know.
Thank you so much for your lessons sir.
Thanks for that vote of confidence, Sammy. I try to get/do things right, but I'm far, far from perfect and always open to learning from others. Lots of old pros out there who know more about this stuff than I and I welcome their input. Cheers!
Love the #1, The first "nice" rifle I purchased at the tender age of 20, was my #1 in 25.06. Yet it never sent a 25.06 down the barrel, I immediately had it re-chambered for 257 Weatherby. Gets you close to the 3500fps but with 119's. Crazy accurate. Have always sighted in for roughly 2" high on every caliber I own. I am first most a hunter, live in the West, and would be ashamed if I couldn't get within 300 yards.
Not a Ruger #1... that is a Dakota model 10. More refined... and more expensive!
I first started hunting in 2015. I didn't grow up hunting at all, but now had an opportunity and was newly a father and something in me needed to prove myself, so I went and bought a Mossberg Patriot chambered in .308 and took it to the range and zeroed it at 100 because that's just what I assumed people do. Needless to say I missed the first shot I took at a deer that year. I had a few other problems with the rifle, or at least things I blamed on the rifle, so I started looking for another one. A friend at work who was an avid hunter and long range shooter, and older, suggested I get an xbolt in .270 win. He pointed out a store that had them at 499 and Browning was running a 100 dollar rebate, so I jumped on a 26 inch barreled synthetic gray stocked x bolt and caught a sale on Leupold American Marksman scope. This same friend taught me about MPBR and so I zeroed for that, and the first hunt with this rifle in hand happened to be ruined by a coyote, she started to take off and all I saw in my scope was gray blur but I took the shot and nailed her, from then out I have been proclaiming the gospel of MPBR zero to all of my friends who will listen.
This is what makes you real Ron ... admitting uncertainty with your setup, kudos to you. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the same situation.
Drives you crazy, doesn't it?
This video definitely needs a sequel. Anxiously waiting for part two.
Working on it now!
Two inches high at a hundred yards with my Rem. 7400 30-06 shooting 180 gr. SBTs. I use that for hunting in Michigan where I have not taken a shot beyond 200 yards in over fifty years.
The incline angle, i.e shooting up hill, you are shooting at is causing you to shoot high at 300y. At 100 it was a level incline, probably steeper at 200 and rising again at 300y.
That could be an issue. Not aligning the eye exactly the same for the longer shots. I shot under a deer back in my college days when aiming (standing) down a steep incline which is about a 50 degree down slope. Found both bullet traces in the snow. That rifle is dead on from 0 to 250 yards on level ground. I just plumb screwed up.
That's a valid point, Fred, but the angle isn't enough to make this difference. I measured with a laser rangefinder yesterday and the difference in hold is only a few yards.
Hmmm, yes, I didn't think of that.
a straight line of sight is the same even on hill or slope. now maybe the eyes are the issue. I shoot from a hill to a bottom and some target are on the bank slowing getting higher as the distance increases . never been a issue. I go often to a friends to shoot and he has level ground. still shoots the same.
What if not only the incline but a tail wind also pushing the bullet
Recently, I was developing a new load for my 6.5 RPM, and I had similar issues. I found the windage to be great, but the elevation was erratic. I found that messing around with bullet seating by even +/-.003 really made a huge difference! Hope you got it figured out. That Dakota Falling Block is what dreams are made of!
That Falling block realy is a thing of beauty :))
A while ago, the US Palma shooting team had issues with elevation changes that were hard to ferret out.
Guys at that level of shooting rarely have unexplained results.
With a bunch of testing, they decided it may be the primers that were causing some issue.
Lapua ( I think ) tested with small rifle primers in .308 cases instead of the normal large rifle primer.
For whatever reason, as I understand it, the brizzance ( ignition of primer compound & powder burn rate ) was more consistent with the small primers, eliminating the elevation changes.
That .308 case with small primer pocket is now in production as the "Palma.308"
A lot of the guys here in Fclass & Target rifle competition now use those "Palma" cases.
Like you say. even a tiny change in load development can make dramatic results :)
I zeroed my 223 the same way, only with varmits (squirrel sized) in mind. So I used an 1 1/2" "pipe", which puts my zero at around 40 yards and one hundred fifty yards. So from about 30 yards out to about 160 yards I'm 3/4 of an inch high or low. I love it. I keep the gun close by for shooting varmints, and use it for small game hunting. In my opinion (experience), this is the best philosophy for to zeroing a hunting rifle. I have a 25-06 zeroed just like what your showing in the video. I like your videos.
Isn't it great having a handy rifle you know hits the size targets you need to hit? Guesstimate that rodent or coyote is inside your MPBR and just shoot. Continued success to you, Shawn.
MPBR zeroing not good for varmint hunting but love it for everything else. I use it for shooting steel plates. Rezeroed my precision rimfire with Velocitors to a 13 yard near zero (114 yard far zero and 135 yards MPBR) and it reduced the amount of dialing needed out to 400 yards on plates vs the previous 50 yard zero.
The statement IS misleading because MPBR zeroing can indeed be effective for varmint hunting. It allows for a wider margin of error in aiming, ensuring precise hits within a specific range without needing to adjust aim. This method is particularly useful when quick, accurate shots are necessary in varmint hunting scenarios where animals might be on the move.
For example: a .223 Remington rifle with a bullet that maintains a flat trajectory. When you zero the rifle for the MPBR, you might set it to hit dead-on at 200 yards. This would allow you to hold dead-center on a prairie dog target anywhere from point-blank range out to your MPBR distance (let’s say around 250-300 yards), ensuring accurate hits without needing to adjust aim for different distances within that range.
Back in the day, way back. I learned this system(factory loads) Pot up a target at 25 yards and let's say poke 2 holes at 1 inch high(just cuz) as you will see the point.
At 100 yards it will be 1 inch high and ballistic charts will tell the rest. Every time u put a new scope on a rifle I used this method and it works with ballistic charts.
that won't work for all calibers, nor even different weight bullets and different BCs of the same caliber. they all may be at 1" high at 100 yards, but I guarantee a 180 gr 308 will be well below a 130 gr 270 at 200 yards. for comparable ballistic arcs with different calibers, the MV and BC of each needs to be pretty close to each other. As an example, my 9.3x62, firing 286 gr Hornady bullets at about 2435 fps MV has almost the same ballistic arc as my .308 shooting 180 gr Speer Grand Slam at about 2600 fps. 308 is a little flatter out to 200 or 300, but not so much that it'll make a big difference.
here's a handy tool to play around with the numbers...you only really need to know the BC and velocity, and tell it what size target you're shooting at. shooterscalculator.com/point-blank-range.php
@@smokedbrisket3033 Right - although I almost always used a 150 grain 270 back then. And a nice 22 Mag. It works very well as a 1 time thing.
I've been shooting for over 60 years and always zero a rifle at 27 yards. Works every time.
@@grampabadger do you believe that if you sight in a 45-70 at 27 yards it would have the same point of impact as a 270 sighted in at 27 yds, shooting them both at 100 yard targets?
Avail yourself of Hornady's free ballistic calculator on line and play with it. You will discover that what we learned as kids about ballistics just ain't true, and I've been doing this for 40+ years myself
25 yards is a good place to start with most rifles but you need to then go out to 100 yards and adjust to your barrel and ammunition. Then unless your shooting a Lazer like a 25-06 I like to set them all from 30-30 to 270 at three inches high at that 100 yards and let the bullets fall where they may.
Maximum point-blank range often a misunderstood ballistic property by virtue of its name. Up down and all around! Thanks for the explanation, Ron!
Ron, the answer to this mystery is simple... Sometimes those pesky bullets just don't want to cooperate!
Glad to see I'm not the only one who has an occasional head scratching moment, LOL!
Great video, thanks for sharing!
Maybe if we share enough of these head scratcher moments we'll figure it out! Thanks Paul.
Ron I sure enjoy your content. I’ve found myself referring to YOUR videos for needed information. I’m ex military and have always been a pretty good shot but never knew there was so much more to learn. Thanks brother
I don't know if they would still be available somewhere but Marlin used to print a Sight In Guide. It gave close range sight in information for many different rifles. The short sight in distance depends on the velocity of the bullet. I've used this guide for many years and it works perfectly. The bullet weight and the velocity will cause the short sight in distance to change because the faster bullets take a little further to come up to zero at the short distance. For instance a 180 grain 30 caliber bullet at 2700 fps should be sighted in zero at 20 yards to put zero again at 215 yards whereas a .223 with a 55 grain bullet at 3000 fps should be sighted at 29 yards to put zero at 180 yards. If you only have a short range to sight in this method really works well and can save a bunch of walking for an old guy like me.
An old friend taught me about the cold bore a long time ago and I try to keep it in mind
Ron, has the best firearms content on this app
I had a Centennial Number One back in the late 70's, and it tended to climb on me as the barrel warmed up. I always thought it was a bedding issue, but sold it before I figured it out.
Ron, the accuracy issue may be due to the rifle's forward sling swivel catching on the gun rest pad during recoil. I'd try fixing that first
Donnie, that's an excellent point and the one I suspect. Will work on that next.
I would second this one. I've been shooting a stevens model 200 25-06 for several years now and I made several shots on deer that puzzled me until I put a new scope on the rifle and was shooting off a different rest. The buddy I was shooting w told me my sling stud was digging into my lead sleds front rest. I put a bipod on the rifle and was hitting right where I should have been haven't had any trouble w hitting high on deer since
I'd have to take exception to the swivel theory. Why the deviation in elevation without affecting the lateral dispersion? The groups are too small to have an external influence like interference from the rest affect one vector and not the other? ? I'd love to know if I'm all wet and what you finally find (if you do) is the real cause? thanks...joe
Great video Ron. I always learn something watching your channel. That's a real puzzle! My .270 Win is sighted ¾" high at 100yds which gives me a point blank of 250yds with a 150gr Core Lokt. At 300yds I put the cross hairs about 2" below the shoulder and the deer usually drop in their tracks.
listening to you and Gary V.... 2 of the best in the respected communities. :)
What a simple way to sight a rifle! 300 yards, hold dead on. Past that approaches my personal "ethical limit". Thanks for the vid Ron.
Copper bullets tend to run higher pressures down the barrel compared to jacketed bullets of the same weight. Unless you are running a chronograph, your velocities may be significantly higher than what manuals tell you. Unless that manual is specifically for that bullet. I ran into this when I first started reloading with Barnes monolithic bullets. Luckily , I compare 2 manuals and the manufacturers load data when first working up a load. The charge for the copper bullet is lower to achieve the same velocity.
For the ranges that I have almost always shot, it was measure center of scope over center of bore, then split the difference to zero at 50 yards. This is easy for non -precision work on most game animals out to 250 yards. I shoot year round with my springer and pcp air rifles, so I stay in practice with excellent trigger pulls. All that being said, I hunt with a stainless Marlin MXLR in .308 ME and a Williams FP sight. Hunting with a scoped rifle got boring a long time ago. For a while I went with a longbow, but as I have gotten older, I am back to a rifle. Loved the longbow though, a black and white ebony Big Jim buffalo bow with dalmation ebony limbs.
This type of zero works very nicely with duplex reticles but modern holdover reticles and exposed turrets give a hunter more options.
I had a similar issue once and it took me 2 yrs of shooting to realize that the action screws were not tightened to the correct specs. Tightening everything with a torque screwdriver changed my shoot from 2MOA to >= 1MOA.
Sounds like the issue every m14 owner experiences, after changing to the EBR chassis. There's a single, seemingly inconsequental screw that is required to be torqued to a specific poundage.
I have zeroed my rifles, 26.06, 257 wby mag, 300 win mag. for maximum point blank range for decades and your directions to do this is pretty much how I do it. Cold and clean barrel, and by clean I mean using a copper removing solvent.
I just love this entire channel. You and Paul Harrel are my go to guys.
Paul is fun to watch, isn't he? Thanks for your support, Madsatry.
It's the way we've always sighted in.
And has been very reliable. From 25yds to 300yds. You don't have to think about compensation. Because you're in the kill zone.
I've had one squirrelly gun.
Where complete cool down and frequent cleaning was needed to get any consistency. ( I traded it in).
other issues were scope mounts , shooting inclines. Or inaccurate distance on initial sight in. Ie. If your supposed to be 2.14 inches high at 100yds. But it's only 80yds. Your going to be high throughout. Only saying this because it's happened to me.
Great video. With great tips.
I like the shooting videos! The table top talks are great but it's nice to watch actual shooting instruction also.
Lots of sleuthing -- you've got a Dakota Arms Model 10, and sweet it is. Why the mystery, amigo? Awesome video, as always. Thanks for not editing out the head-scratchers.
Wher I hunt the terrain is either up hill or down and the correction is aim lower up or down. Heart shots turn into high shoulder shots but dead deer on the spot, so no worries. Knowing the distance is crucial. I love this video.
I have a 30x06 Ruger m77 and it will shoot low on the first shot after the barrel dirty it's put them all in one hole. I would watch that front sling swivel and watch the rest make sure it's not interfering with the rifle.
I have sometimes run into a problem where the scope adjustments made at the turret don't move the crosshair. They compress or relax the erector springs, but don't move the crosshair because it sticks a little. Then, the subsequent shot shocks the erector springs and crosshair into their "proper" position. The next shot will exhibit the elevation or windage change I expected on the shot immediately following the adjustment. To minimize this, I tap the turret with the plastic or wooden handle of a screwdriver after adjustment. This seems to shock the erector springs into moving the crosshair into the proper place after the adjustment. This phenomenon would manifest itself into exactly what you saw. No movement on the shot after adjustment, but unexpected shot displacement corresponding to the adjustment on the subsequent shot.
Same issue that i've had upon trying on my new scope. Best remedy is tapping on turrets like you did after knob adjustments.. Kind of technique that some didn't know yet.
I've noticed this same result with my 280 Remington H and R. Zero at 80 yards and 2 inches high at 125 with 140 grain nosler ballistic tips.
Ron, I think you are doing great videos and sharing lots of wisdom about rifle handling and shooting. I'm enjoing your films here in Sweden, long way from where you are living. Keep it up! Andreas
Då är jag inte själv då!
@@dmg4415 , nej inte alls!
Vi är i alla fall tre.. 🤭👍
Vertical stringing is the most common issue with Ruger No 1 rifles. It stems from the flawed fore end hanger system. Pretty and stylish but a $300 bolt gun will outshoot No 1’s 80% of the time.
Too much voodoo to deal with. I have a 6mm and 25-06 and the romance of a single shot is kaput.
…eller fyra!😀
Right on, Ron. My mentor Mr. J O and the highly under appreciated and excellent gun writer, Bob Hagel, preached the same concept way back in the 60s. It still works today.
As posted by fred fordham below, an uphill incline will counteract gravity, (until it doesn't). It feels counter intuitive but your bullet will hit high. I experienced the same results years ago, moved my target to level and the ballistic info was spot on. Fred's a smart guy.
Great video, I have had something similar happen with my 257 Weatherby and reduced the 100 yard elevation by half an inch and even tell into line. The elevation of the range that I use is close to 8000 ft.
Ron, very nice video. Point blank zero for hunting is the only way to go. I have a several long-range rifles, but I have always zeroed them for 300 yards, and they mostly shoot 3 inches high at 100 yds. 2 inches high at 200 yards and zeroed at 300 yards. I suggest when zeroing at point blank for hunting to only zero no farther out than you would take a shot. That makes your point blank more spot on. For example, I have a .308 now that I have zeroed to be spot on at 150 yards. It shoots dead zero at 100 yards with my load, but also at the 150 yards. The reason I did that is now that I am older, I hunt out of a nice blind on a tower and my maximum shot range from that tower is 155 yards. I do have other rifles with point blanks out to 300 yards because I have another blind in another field that you can shoot 300 yards in. The 25-06, 300 Winchester, 220 Swift, 7mm STW have similar trajectories when shooting the bullet that shoots flattest in them at their higher velocities. Those are a few of my 300-yard guns. My 300 Winchester shoots groups under 3 inches at 300 yards. Nice video as always.
Thanks for this explanation of maximum point blank range. Next time I have someone tell me I’m crazy for zeroing my scope in like that I’m going to send them this link.
A couple ideas that come to mind for the high shots. 1. Parallax issues. 2. Maybe with the extended range and the hunting style scope you are not aiming as precisely as you think you are? As in the crosshair is covering the target and actually aiming slightly high.
Best theory. I think you are right.
When I was younger they taught us the site in our rifle didn't matter what it was at 25 yards. That would keep you on a 10inch pie plate to the maximum point blank range (deer size kill zone) for any caliber. The faster the bullet the further out the mpbr is.
Not bad advice, although there are many cartridges/bullets too slow for that to work to 300 yards.
That's the same way my dad showed me how to sight in my first "long range" rifle, a MAUSER 8 mm pretty close to same impact at 100-200 just about 1- 1.5" low at 200 with a zero at 100. Michigan white tail that's gonna work just fine... Dad said if you think it's at 250-300 just place the cross hairs straight up the front leg and on its back and make sure you are fallowing through your shot and your good. He was right on the money, I took a doe at 360 yards that I thought might be 300 and she didn't make it 50 yards. When I was younger I always wondered how did dad know what the bullet would really do since we never shot my gun that far before, I knew to trust my gun and my dad's advice, if I do my part it will work out... But I'm sure my dad had the "pipe principle" in his head. Thanks so much Ron for all the info you share and all the trips down memory lane.
Without checking my ballistics program the only thing I can figure is that your high scope mount means the bullet is still up-slope at 200yds.
And I'd check freefloat while in the bench and with a little extra weight on it, simulating your grip.
Good observations Steffen. I already checked the forend and that doesn't seem to be binding. Will get to the scope after checking a few other things. You guys are providing good info.
Ron, love your videos man! I’d say there is nothing wrong with your bullet or ammo. Shooting out to 300 with a smaller scope like that is a damn hard shot. Keep doing what your doing man. I’ve been a fan for 20+. 🤙🏼
Live the Ruger No1. I have one in 25-06 as well. It’s a bull barrel one. Super accurate
After having thought about it some more (I left a comment 4 months ago), here is another suggestion why this high shot may have landed 3 inches high at 300 yards. A 1 MOA of deviation, which is good for a rifle, means three inches at 300 yards. What people do not understand, sometime, when doing groupings, is that that 1 MOA extends fully left and right and up and down. This means that the circle that a rifle with 1 MOA of deviation will hit with a perfectly aimed shot at 300 yards is 6 inches in diameter, not three. The radius of that circle is 3 inches, not one and a half. So, theoretically, your shot at three inches high is still a perfect shot on bull's eye when your rifle deflects 1 MOA upwards. Again, this should have been confirmed with two other shots at the same distance. Nothing wrong, here.
This is why Ryan Cleckner calls ballistic software, " try dope"..
Ty Ron!
The previous commenter said some things that are right, but I think the main thing is the center of scope over center of bore. You do a pretty good job of explaining MPBR. I usually draw a picture in the back of a big target for people who aren’t familiar with it.
You're becoming one of my favorite channels on UA-cam very fast... Great video as always keepem coming brother!!!
Appreciate it, Daniel!
Love this kind of issue to figure out, it's the fun part of bench shooting your own loads.
I didn't see a tail wind lol
I enjoy all of your videos Ron thank you for sticking with it, very intertaning and educational.
I used to do it this way for hunting. Then after some training...i set zero and use reticle of scope to raise on point the further away you get. A properly matched scope to caliber will match all the way up to maximum effective range. Anything less then 2" of drop uses the same flight path as sightings in at 100 yrds. That gives you true zero from one to about 250 yrds with fast movers.
Your hitting high because of your line of sight of scope, and line of flight from barrel. Your "zero" range is much further then you realize.
I agree
Agree with your analysis, but another factor could be that he is not shooting on a plane field, but on an incline, like uphill I guess. All of those factors, including what you mentioned, would affect the actual or final trajectory.
With my set up a 100-yd zero would result in 250-yard drop of 2.8", still a vital zone hit, but at 300 yards I'd be down 7 inches, a brisket hit or complete miss low. I'd rather hit 2 to 3 inches high at 100 to 200 yards than 7 low at 300. OF course, this means I have to figure out why I'm hitting higher at 300 than 200 with this crazy load!
Hello, Ron. To check the barrel temperature accurately, get a laser temperature measurement at Walmart, I think it cost me less than $20 and it works like a champ. I measured, shot once, wait, then measured it again to get the exact number, then shoot again. Hope this info helps
Cool idea. Thanks.
excellent timing. Was just wondering about this subject this morning while at work. I also just discovered your podcast and I love it. I hope you do more of them, because I listen to many podcasts and yours is one of the better ones I have found. Thanks Ron!
Thanks ZCG. We'll try to fire up those podcasts again this winter.
The updraft of the wild rocks, coming off of the sacred indian stones lifts spirits and bullets.
Interesting indeed! Sometimes it is strange what our guns/ammo delivers. I had a conundrum the last day I was at my rifle range. I shoot a 6.5x55mm SM. This is my main deer rifle. This gun DOES NOT like hot load. I load a 123g Hornady SST with 42g N160. This give me a nice flat shoot out to 200 metres. I like this as it matches almost the same aim point as my .222 with a 40g head. When I bought this rifle many years ago I shot of a load of 140g SP Federal Power Shok; mainly for the brass to re-load. I found at that time the 140g had a quick drop-off, which was disappointing as everyone said, shoot 140g SPs. Even my home re-loads dropped of faster than I wanted. Now back to my last day out at the range, years and many deer later. I was packing up to go to the range when I found a box of that original Federal Power Shok 140g SP that I have never shot off. So I took them with me.
First we shot a few details at 100 metres (109.36 yrds). After I had shot all I wanted to of my 123g SSTs, I let the rifle cool and then fired of around 8 of my Federal 140g SPs. I was a little bit surprised to be about the same elevation as my 123g and just about 25mm (1") to the right. When we moved backed to 200 metres (218.72 yrds) I did my usual, checked out my 123g SSTs. Once done and the barrel cooled a good bit, I decided to shoot off the rest of the 140g SP.
Now came my conundrum, my elevation was the same as the 123g SSTs and 25mm to the right!!! There was same elevation and drop-off for both rounds. Totally confused with this. I am now going to re-load some 140g SP and test them to see what results I get. The only 2 variable I can think of is the rifles has shot several 100 rounds since I last tested 140g bullets and they were factory loads. The jury is out on this one until I do more tests. Just thought I would share this with you.
PS. I live in N. Ireland.
For most of my high velocity rifles (3000 ft/sec), slighting in slightly low at 25 yards, put me about 2 1/2 inches high at 100 yds and dead on at 275. I learned various hold overs to then shoot to 400, or even 500 yards. Check all your shots at 50 yards; I have taken numerous neck shots as things have worked out in hunting. I was primarily a 'bean field' whitetail hunter, but walking in, and pausing on the way out have yielded some close shots, which you should be ready for; a neck shot drops most anything in its tracks.
How low is "slightly slow"? A quarter inch?
@@Jarrodjohn2007 Yes; it varies from rifle to rifle due to cast of barrel, but that distance works for me. Might also depend on how high you scope mounts are too. I always use the lowest mounts, while watching close for any contact with the barrel of Objective Lens of my scopes. The 50 mm lens craze was a problematic era.
Neck shots are risky. To much room for a thru and thru without vital damage. If that’s how you hunt and have had blind luck with it great but I don’t recommend it as ethical method or advise.
Use the 3 amegoes
25 yard 300
50 yard 200
100 yards for darling
And
36 yard 0 from 7 yards to 325.
Point blank range for hunting.
Love your videos
Great info as always. I think a lot of people overthink it, with all the modern gadgets that are available. I always herad sighting 1.5-2" high at 100, depending on velocity, would get you there out to 300. Seems to work. You need to verify POI at 300 of course, and anything beyond. Hit the silhouette range. We all need more practice anyway. And most people have no business trying to shoot a game animal beyond 300 anyway, so it works. Targets are a different matter, of course. Shooting steel should make you a better shooter. You can figure out the drops at longer distance.
Great video, remember clean your barrel, dirty barrels always affect accuracy..
Great way to zero a rifle. Nice to know you don’t have to think about drop as a buck pauses at the top of a rim for 3-4 seconds- before dashing off into the wilderness.
Hi Ron. Interesting video thanks posting. If it was me I would start again. Check scope height centre bore to centre scope. Reset vertical turrets to middle position of the extremes for sighting. Check scope rings. Check ballistic inputs are correct. Validate velocity against expected result.
Bullets dont go up from 200m to 300m unless they are still angled up. Thats just physics. The physics is certain but your input parameters to the ballistics are not and is creating an expectation of drop between 200 and 300. Perhaps start there. Regards Jason
Your analysis parallels mine, Jason. I'll be doing all this later today. Wish me luck. Video to follow.
@@RonSpomerOutdoors look forward to watching the video! Give me a shout out in you video if that helped! Regards Jason Budd (South Africa 🇿🇦)
Yup... when I got into shooting it was suggested that for me, with open sights, we sighted in at 2" high at 100 yards... and is good for over 200 yards for hunting with me... this was a .308.
It's good to see that someone with your knowledge has problems as well as us mortals
Mr. Ron I appreciate everything you do and it's just freaking spectacular that you would pick my favorite caliber 25 ought 6 to do your video with because it's really hard for me to find any information about this caliber except from you thank you sir thank you very very much
My pleasure, Brian.
Only time I had erratic shot placement like that, with a proven load, turned out to be a loose scope base. Ever since, I check my rings and bases and the action screw (my hunting buddy had that problem once) before taking them out to range to prep for hunting season.
I went back and forth with myself about PBR zero. And if I was using a simple scope with a duplex reticle, no hold off or BDC hashmarks, I would zero with PBR. But even though I have a BDC scope that is second focal plane that I could and even use the hash marks by zeroing at 100, I just really like the EBR-2C reticle in my Diamondback Tactical for my newest hunting rifle, which is a .308 Win. And so, I zero at 100, where I can hunt has a maximum distance, on average, of 50 yards. Which means I can dial up 3 clicks and aim dead on. Even then, if the deer was at 25 yards, I could hold over or dial up 1 more MOA.
And with the rifle I have shooting sub MOA with a cold or hot bore, I can do that.
Otherwise, I would recommend that anyone should do what you have done with a PBR zero. You can simply use your scope like a red dot at less than 200 yards. Most people are hunting deer at less than 150 yards.
I was reading the comments and one of them suggested the sling stud was the cause. After reviewing the video I would agree
Steve, I tested for this in follow-up video here: ua-cam.com/video/L9LE6RywpDQ/v-deo.html
This video is great Ron, it showed me hows humble you are, despite decades of shooting and hunting experience. I have a similar problem with my 6.5CM: laser accurate at 100m -200m but i tend to be a shit shooter between 20 and 60 yards! 🤦 I am in Australia, hunting in thick bush, often i rely on fast target acquisition due to the noise factor of the Gumtree leaves and sticks( loudest stepping ground you will ever experience). Should I zero my rifle at 40m (should be good up to 240m). I use factory ammo S&B 140gr soft tip.
really liked your video and especially answering the the boys question on pheasant hunting.that showed real class.also answering almost every post.amazing. learned alot about siteing in and things that would affect poi.thx
I switched to the MPBR method vs compensating to distance within my 300 yard limit. Just aim and shoot.
If you are shooting uphill or downhill this can be explained by gravity... If the terrain is flat a higher ballistic coefficient on the bullet or a little extra powder in the cartridge can be the culprit... Anyway, the investigation is just in your terrain... Thanks a lot for an informative post, that I love, and for keeping a serious and deep line in all your videos...
It looks to me on camera, that you may be shooting slightly up hill, esp on the 300 yard attempt. That would still though, be a killing shot. I recall that Jack O'Çonner suggesting sighting a rifle like a .257 Roberts or a .270, etc. 3" high @ 100 yards. I've used that idea for years and it has worked well for me. Like this vid very much!!
Great video…..I love that rifle, always wanted one in the 35 Whelen….still waiting 🙏