Sighting in, interesting advice

[TBark]

An old Field and Stream thread.
So how many replies got it wrong?

https://answers.fieldandstream.com/f...e-if-my-gun-is

TBark

[trooper]

Up means Mean Point of Impact goes up. Left means MPI goes left.

[catnthehat]

When you turn the turret up, the point of impact goes up but the internal erector actually goes DOWN!
You actually chase the bullet as you would when you move an archery sight or the front sight on a rifle, as opposed to moving the peep sight on a bow string or the rear sight on a rifle.
However it is far easier to just remember "up" to make the impact go up or "down" to make the bullet go down as was already stated by my learned colleague !
Cat

[elkhunter11]

Many people read that one click moves the poi 1/4" at 100 yards, but they can't figure out how much a click moves the poi at 200 yards, or 50 yards.

[trooper]

1 click =1/4" at 100
1/2" at 200
3/4" at 300
1" at 400
1 1/4" at 500
Pretty easy, just add 1/4" for every 100 yards

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by trooper

1 click =1/4" at 100
1/2" at 200
3/4" at 300
1" at 400
1 1/4" at 500
Pretty easy, just add 1/4" for every 100 yards

Easy for you and I , but some people don't understand geometry. When they want to move the poi at 25 yards, they get totally confused.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Easy for you and I , but some people don't understand geometry. When they want to move the poi at 25 yards, they get totally confused.

Life is hard, dontchya know.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Life is hard, dontchya know.

Lol, I know all this, but I also cant be the only one to occasionally get thrown for a loop when bore sighting.

[stob]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Life is hard, dontchya know.

harder if you are stoopid

[Lefty-Canuck]

It’s even worse trying to explain to someone how to move their bow sight LOL.

LC

[DLab]

I could type all afternoon on here relating stories of people at the Range sighting or zeroing their new rifles or scopes,some entertaining,some will make you shake your head and some that are just WHAT IN THE ?are they doing?
One of my favs is a fella who bought a package deal rifle/scope combo at Cabelas in Cal. in .270 Win. puts up a paper target at 100(it's bore sighted ,right?) ,gets all set ,fires the first round and the scope,rings attached go flying 2 benches over and hits my buddy,he near fell off his stool and crapped himself.I was wiping tears off my cheeks shortly after.I was sitting on the picnic table behind and between the 2 benches.The guy with the rifle freaked a bit,very apologetic and slightly confused.I don't care who you are ,that was funny.

The 2-4 weeks just before Rifle season opens is usually an entertaining time at the Range for this type of activity,LGS ammo sales spike significantly during this time period.

[PartTimeHunter]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Life is hard, dontchya know.

I've heard that math is too

[trooper]

Originally Posted by DLab

I could type all afternoon on here relating stories of people at the Range sighting or zeroing their new rifles or scopes,some entertaining,some will make you shake your head and some that are just WHAT IN THE ?are they doing?
One of my favs is a fella who bought a package deal rifle/scope combo at Cabelas in Cal. in .270 Win. puts up a paper target at 100(it's bore sighted ,right?) ,gets all set ,fires the first round and the scope,rings attached go flying 2 benches over and hits my buddy,he near fell off his stool and crapped himself.I was wiping tears off my cheeks shortly after.I was sitting on the picnic table behind and between the 2 benches.The guy with the rifle freaked a bit,very apologetic and slightly confused.I don't care who you are ,that was funny.

The 2-4 weeks just before Rifle season opens is usually an entertaining time at the Range for this type of activity,LGS ammo sales spike significantly during this time period.

I never trust those box stores to mount my optics. Very few people behind the gun counter know what they’re doing. I did a short time behind the gun counter when wholesale sports was still around.
A customer came in one day with a question about a set of shotgun chokes that came with his purchase. Instead of being marked 1/2, 3/4, full, they had some wierd names attached to them like “open field, woodland, marsh, etc. He asked one of the other fellas behind the counter for an explanation, and the other sales fella refused to help this guy. Their discussion quickly degenerated into a full blown yelling match. I went back into the office and told the manager of the situation who came out and dealt with the irate customer. We called Remington and got an explanation of the choke tubes for our customer. The sales agent was promptly fired. This shows you the level of professionalism that you can encounter behind a box store sporting goods counter.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by trooper

I never trust those box stores to mount my optics. Very few people behind the gun counter know what they’re doing. I did a short time behind the gun counter when wholesale sports was still around.
A customer came in one day with a question about a set of shotgun chokes that came with his purchase. Instead of being marked 1/2, 3/4, full, they had some wierd names attached to them like “open field, woodland, marsh, etc. He asked one of the other fellas behind the counter for an explanation, and the other sales fella refused to help this guy. Their discussion quickly degenerated into a full blown yelling match. I went back into the office and told the manager of the situation who came out and dealt with the irate customer. We called Remington and got an explanation of the choke tubes for our customer. The sales agent was promptly fired. This shows you the level of professionalism that you can encounter behind a box store sporting goods counter.

That is on Remington. I will never understand marketing, Bushnell had a system for identifying their scopes. All you had to do was check the numbers assigned to the scope to find out what grade it was. Then they changed it all. Why? It does not make sense. Some marketing dweeb thought it made sense to confuse the consumer, what the H-E- double hockey sticks.

[colroggal]

Being an iron sight guy most of my life, I didn't have a scope until a few years ago. I'm sure I entertained a few folks at the range for the first while until I sort of figured it out.

When you're sighting in, you're chasing the hole.
RIGHT TO RAISE THE RETICLE
RIGHT TO MOVE THE RETICLE RIGHT

Once your sighted in,
LEFT TO LIFT THE LEAD
CHASE THE WIND: RIGHT TO MOVE THE RETICLE RIGHT

works for me.

Colin

[Big Sky]

I use a system that works for all of my scopes except for one.
It works with my Leupold, Weaver, Burris, Vortex and Bushnell scopes, past and present.
It does not work with the one Zeiss scope that I have owned.
Can't comment on other brands.

When turning a turret, I imagine that I am turning a screw.
When I grab a turret and turn it, i imagine which way the tip of the screw would be going. The point of impact moves in the same direction.

So, turning a turret in the 'righty tighty' direction would move move your point of impact down or to the left, depending on which turret your adjusting.

Same thing for turning the turrets in the 'lefty loosey' direction. POI goes up if you're turning the elevation turret and POI goes right if you're turning the windage.

Or, you can just read the turrets every time.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by colroggal

Being an iron sight guy most of my life, I didn't have a scope until a few years ago. I'm sure I entertained a few folks at the range for the first while until I sort of figured it out.

When you're sighting in, you're chasing the hole.
RIGHT TO RAISE THE RETICLE
RIGHT TO MOVE THE RETICLE RIGHT

Once your sighted in,
LEFT TO LIFT THE LEAD
CHASE THE WIND: RIGHT TO MOVE THE RETICLE RIGHT

works for me.

Colin

True with some scopes, but not all.

[DLab]

When I'm at the Range and see some one who's obviously struggling with the task cause he's opening his third box of ammo and there's no holes in his target,I go over and offer to help.Most,not all accept.
I keep a target with a 6" orange bull I made for bore sighting bolt guns at a 100,then on to a 1" grid paper target with a 1"or 3" bull(scope magnification depending) that I print off for final adjustments.
The issue most of the time is the shooter can't shoot well enough to print a group I can use to get a zero,but they're on paper at least.
Then a short explanation of what 1/4 MOA on the turret means,quite often that's accompanied with a kind of blank stare.

For semi's I have them shoot at a small patch of weeds on the 100 yd. back berm behind the target boards,stand behind them and watch for the dirt kick up if they can't hit the 25 yd. target board right off.
Even guns laser bore sighted at the store, are usually only good for paper at 25 yds. to start,maybe.

Guys that come out to shoot Bench rest with their first target turret scopes I use the score targets for 100,200 and 300 to show 1/4 MOA(1 click) equals one ring width at each distance,count the rings to the Bull from the bullet POI and turn the turrets the same amount of "clicks"with the suggestion of "try to think in terms of 1/4 minute" not clicks,then why it's a good idea to re-set the turret caps after their 100 yd.Zero dial in.
I jokingly apologise to J down at the store for cutting into his ammo sales profit margin.LOL

[elkhunter11]

The sad fact is, that many people don't bother setting up a new rifle until late summer, and then they are in a rush. They show up at the range, and shoot shot after shot, adjusting after every round or two, and a box or two later , they either still aren't on the paper at 100m, or they are chasing the poi around the target, with a barrel that is too hot to hold. They often run out of ammunition, and then decide that they are close enough to hunt. I have helped several frustrated people every year, but some people will not ask for help, or accept help when offered, so they continue on doing the same thing year after year. Sighting in is not difficult, it just takes patience, and the person taking the time to learn how to remove the bolt to bore sight a rifle, and how much to adjust the scope at a given distance.

[colroggal]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

True with some scopes, but not all.

Now why would they have to go and make things confusing

Colin

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by colroggal

Now why would they have to go and make things confusing

Colin

Because some scopes work reverse from others , same as some micrometer sights are right hand thread and some are left hand .
Also not all scopes are 1/4 MOA, some are 1/3 MOA and still others are 1/8 MOA
Then you have the issue of Mils versus MOA.
And that is just the start of it .
Cat

[Ariu]

An easy way to remember is to see the turrets as a screw. The POI will move in the same direction of a screw. You screw it in (elevation turret) the POI will move down, you screw it out, POI will move up.
If the scope is in MOA it means POI will move 1/4" or 1/8" (depending on scope) at 100yd. The POI movement will double at 200yd triple at 300yd and so on.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Ariu

An easy way to remember is to see the turrets as a screw. The POI will move in the same direction of a screw. You screw it in (elevation turret) the POI will move down, you screw it out, POI will move up.

Unless the reticle travel is reversed!
Cat

[Dick284]

Scope use made simple, through reading the owners manual.
Don’t have the manual?
Then google one up off the inter web. Works for 95% of the scopes made in the last 40 years.

Unless you’re straight out of the Corb Lund song, and think reading the instructions is like cheating.

It works every time.

[colroggal]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Because some scopes work reverse from others , same as some micrometer sights are right hand thread and some are left hand .
Also not all scopes are 1/4 MOA, some are 1/3 MOA and still others are 1/8 MOA
Then you have the issue of Mils versus MOA.
And that is just the start of it .
Cat

Then thank Jeebus for good eyesight. Shooting with irons is more fun anyhoo.

Few things are more satisfying than dinging the 500m gong with peep sights and 405g lead. You almost have enough time to pour a cup of tea between pulling the trigger and hearing the sweet-sweet cluuuuuung!!

Okay. There might be a few things more satisfying, but you can hit the gong all afternoon

Colin

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by colroggal

Then thank Jeebus for good eyesight. Shooting with irons is more fun anyhoo.

Few things are more satisfying than dinging the 500m gong with peep sights and 405g lead. You almost have enough time to pour a cup of tea between pulling the trigger and hearing the sweet-sweet cluuuuuung!!

Okay. There might be a few things more satisfying, but you can hit the gong all afternoon

Colin

My eyesight sux, but I just line up all the fuzzy stuff then use the force!
I really do not like shooting with a scope and will stick to irons when I can, especially on the range!
Cat

[catnthehat]

The above is a 308 savage Palma rifle, this one is a 6mmBR match rifle

I take both of these right out to 1K with the sling and irons.
Cat

[colroggal]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

The above is a 308 savage Palma rifle, this one is a 6mmBR match rifle

I take both of these right out to 1K with the sling and irons.
Cat

Nice. One of these days I'll get a chance to go further.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by colroggal

Nice. One of these days I'll get a chance to go further.

The AFRA has an introductory day coming up in August at the Homestead range you should check it out !
Edit : I guess it is already past , the next weekend is an event .
Cat

[colroggal]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

The AFRA has an introductory day coming up in August at the Homestead range you should check it out !
Edit : I guess it is already past , the next weekend is an event .
Cat

Sadly my work rotation has my weekends booked for the next few weeks

Colin