Short range scope sighting

abenaki-warrior · #1 09-17-2012, 07:57 AM

What should i expect from short range sighting my rifle? I was planning on doing this for my for my .243. The guy next door say`s that i should sight it short range like 50 yards and be bull to 250. I`m not an expert and have my rifles done by someone that understands the ballistics. I have added a Leupold VXII 3,9,40 on my 243 and have to ajust it for the whitetaile season.

Lefty-Canuck · #2 09-17-2012, 08:20 AM

Proof is in the pudding....if you want to shoot out to 250 yards then you truly have to actually go and do it and see where you are hitting.

Interpolating ballistics data is a guess at best. You need to calculate things like BC of the bullet, KNOW the true muzzle velocity, factor in elevation and temperature.....

Easier to find a place to actually go and shoot the distances you want to hunt....

There are lots of wives tales out there...and while some of them may get you close, you really won't KNOW until you do it....for real.

LC

Redneck Renagade · #3 09-17-2012, 08:23 AM

According to my bullet app on my iPhone. You should sight in for -0.3 at 50 yrds and that will put you 1.5 at 100yrds and 0 at 200yrds. I got the calculation using 95gr Winchester xp3 ammo. So depending on the bullet you are using it should be very close.

Au revoir, Gopher · #4 09-17-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Proof is in the pudding....

No it isn't! I've checked, I have looked in all sorts of puddings; no proof in any of them. Even looking at recipes I can't find one that calls for proof.

Sorry, but this one gets me a little twisted. The expression is: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." How that got turned into "The proof is in the pudding" is beyond me.

ARG

RapStaff · #5 09-17-2012, 12:21 PM

I would be more inclined to line it up for 3" high at a hundy.
Then shoot it at 50 and record your findings.

Dadirk · #6 09-17-2012, 12:28 PM

I always start close 25 yds on most of my guns then once I find bull at 25 yds I stretch it out to 300 yds for fine tuning once 300 is where I want it. time to go long and short but all my hunting stuff gets 300 yd zero. So starting close will just get you started but always shoot your yardage you plan to hunt.

elkhunter11 · #7 09-17-2012, 12:35 PM

Quote:

According to my bullet app on my iPhone. You should sight in for -0.3 at 50 yrds and that will put you 1.5 at 100yrds and 0 at 200yrds. I got the calculation using 95gr Winchester xp3 ammo. So depending on the bullet you are using it should be very close.

Velocity will vary from rifle to rifle,so you would need the actual muzzle velocity in a specific rifle.As well you need the height of the crosshairs above the center line of the bore, which also varies. If you really want a 250 yard zero,then sight in at 250 yards.

Lefty-Canuck · #8 09-17-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Au revoir, Gopher

No it isn't! I've checked, I have looked in all sorts of puddings; no proof in any of them. Even looking at recipes I can't find one that calls for proof.

Sorry, but this one gets me a little twisted. The expression is: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." How that got turned into "The proof is in the pudding" is beyond me.

ARG

LOL...it may have changed but you still knew what I meant

That's what counts "for all intensive purposes"

LC

Halfton · #9 09-17-2012, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Au revoir, Gopher

No it isn't! I've checked, I have looked in all sorts of puddings; no proof in any of them. Even looking at recipes I can't find one that calls for proof.

Sorry, but this one gets me a little twisted. The expression is: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." How that got turned into "The proof is in the pudding" is beyond me.

ARG

Got to love this place as of late, no matter what you say or how you say a CRITIC jumps all over you

...isn't it just wonderful...No wonder so many good people with great knowledge have either quit posting or new guys just won't!

Jim

ShawnM · #10 09-17-2012, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halfton

Got to love this place as of late, no matter what you say or how you say a CRITIC jumps all over you

...isn't it just wonderful...No wonder so many good people with great knowledge have either quit posting or new guys just won't!

Jim

That's been happening for years here. In fact it's pretty typical on the internet in general. Just ignore certain people that chime in with snide comments and enjoy the rest.

As to the OP: I don't know what purpose there would be in sighting in at 250yards anyway. I'm sure nearly all shots when hunting are taken at 100yds or less, zeroing at 250 seems a little irrelevant? Especially for a .243, there can't be much energy left beyond a couple hundred yards anyway.

duceman · #11 09-17-2012, 02:16 PM

ahhh yes, the internet. where context and accountability are lost forever.
any a-hole can type away, thousands of times, say what ever and never be held to account, thanks to the time warp of cyberspace.
helps lots of folks shoot 1/4'' groups all day long, drive the fastest car, and be best friends with some guy that has shot the largest game in the world; all from their mom's basement.
in regard to the energy left in a 243 at 250 yds, i shot 100 gr grand slams for years in 243, farthest shot was 375, mule buck , went 30yds and died. lots more whitey's out here in the bald ass nothin land, in fact i bet i've only shot 2 that were less than 150 yds.
100 gr grand slam at 3000fps still has 1250 ft lbs at 250 yds; lots more than required to get the job done, lee

elkhunter11 · #12 09-17-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

As to the OP: I don't know what purpose there would be in sighting in at 250yards anyway. I'm sure nearly all shots when hunting are taken at 100yds or less, zeroing at 250 seems a little irrelevant? Especially for a .243, there can't be much energy left beyond a couple hundred yards anyway.

I have taken deer to well over 300 yards with a 243win. I generally used a 250 yard zero for my own 243win.

fletcher · #13 09-17-2012, 10:06 PM

Thanks gopher i didnt know that

score · #14 09-25-2012, 12:14 PM

I used to for years, sight in at 100. It worked and well out to the ranges I would shoot. When I began to sight in at 25, I found that I had very little tinkering to do at 100 on out. I saved ammo and sometimes frustration and time. It works for me. To each their own tho.. Same goes for the poor little .243. I personally have not seen the .243 fail to dispatch any size deer that was hit where it should be. Shoot it to whatever range you feel comfortable with with a good bullet and it's a done deal IMO and experience. If you get penetration and mess up the vitals of an animal, it's not long for this world period. I have come to expect and realize that there will always be mixed feelings about the .243. Enjoy your guns, I do mine. IMO, there are many that will kill deer and the .243 ranks right up there with the best of them.

bulletman · #15 09-25-2012, 12:46 PM

You're better off to shoot the actual distance you want your gun sighted at. Then check other distances as well. People do quite well with 243's because of its mild recoil.

Comstar · #16 09-25-2012, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halfton

Got to love this place as of late, no matter what you say or how you say a CRITIC jumps all over you

...isn't it just wonderful...No wonder so many good people with great knowledge have either quit posting or new guys just won't!

Jim

I don't think Lefty is going anywhere because some one corrected him...

There's always someone out there that knows something you don't and I think if you take 5 minutes and listen what they are saying people could actually learn something.

If everyone gave up every time someone corrected you the world would go to crap, the same goes to if you listen to everything that people tell you without using common sense.

I have found my stay at this forum wonderfull and I hope to stay much longer, no complaints here.

Okotokian · #17 09-25-2012, 11:03 PM

I sight mine in at 100 yards and trust the ballistic data published by the manufacturer. For the ammo I use, 1.5" high at 100 yards = dead on at 200. The only time I use shorter distances is when I get a new scope and have it bore sighted only. Then I shoot shorter distances to make sure I'm on the paper. Then I move back to 100 yards.

elkhunter11 · #18 09-26-2012, 05:55 AM

Quote:

I sight mine in at 100 yards and trust the ballistic data published by the manufacturer.

And if you know the actual muzzle velocity in your gun, you will likely be quite close at 200 to 300 yards, but by 400 or 500 yards, the difference can be significant.

densa44 · #19 09-26-2012, 08:14 AM

Wouldn't it be great if we did! I was shooting my 243 on Sat at the farm, with my own reloads, NOS BT and varget powder. There was no wind, I had a target at 100M and another one at 200M.

I was able to put a hole dead center on the 100M target. This has never happened before so I then shot an identical load at the 200M target, 2" low at 200M! Thus 4 clicks up makes it 1" high at 100 and dead on at 200.

It worked.

I'm with Lefty, if you want it to shoot at a certain range, you have to try it at that distance.