Sighting in my .17 HMR

[kmart]

Well finally got the scope mounted on my 17 today, gonna head out to the range with the wife on the weekend, so she can squeeze a few rounds out of her new Tikka 270, as she she got a cow moose draw this year, and she can finally hunt again due to not being pregnant or nursing babies for a change. Anyway, what I need to know is where does one normally set zero on this caliber, on my high powered's I set at 200 yards, & lower calibres & muzzleloaders I normally set between 50 & 100. However, I have heard that this little rifle can be effective at 200 yards. I find it hard to believe, as it is such a puny bullet, and the wind must play real havoc on it when you are shooting further then say 75 yards or so? Comments please!

[twilson_99]

I shoot a 17hmr and wind does play havoc on them quite bad. I have mine sighted in at 50 yards, and it shoots pretty straight at that out well past 100 yards. This year we were hold on target shooting muskrats at 140 yards. Most of my shooting though is 30-70 yards shooting at gophers, so I picked in the middle and set at that. If plans are to shoot out further sight for it, but you're going to need a calm day to consistently hit them when they're out 200 yards!

[Bobby B.]

If memory serves me correctly, with a 100 yd zero, trajectory is -.50 at 50 yds and -3-4" at 150.

Bobby B.

[redneck posse]

have mine sighted in for 150 yards and have taken gophers at around 175-200 yards. wind is a big factor as twilson said.

[sbtennex]

Trajectory difference between 50 and 100 yds is for all intensive purpose, basically 0. Theoretically a 17 gr bullet is +0.1" @ 50 yds if sighted in @ 100, 2.5" low @ 150 and 8.5" low @ 200. 0 - 100 yards? Consider it a laser beam. Most fun you can have with your clothes on.....

[Jeromeo]

If memory serves me correctly, with a 100 yd zero, trajectory is -.50 at 50 yds and -3-4" at 150.

Bobby B.

Pretty much exactly what I was going to say. I zeroed mine in at 100 yards.

[raised by wolves]

I have a heavy barrel 17HMR that is an excellent shooter, but with only 17 grains, even a very gentle breeze raises hell with the groupings.

[Stinky Coyote]

i use mine for short range coyotes and if you zero 1" high at 100 yrds with the 17 grain stuff then your about 1.6" low at 150 yrds....which you wouldn't likely want to shoot a coyote much further than that anyhow... (so your in 2.6" kill zone out to 150 yrds) but for gophers i do it different

if for gophers i'd probably zero right at 100 yrds and then start worrying about hold over etc. beyond probably 125 yrds etc. but probably hold right on gophers all the way to 125-ish yrds if you do it that way