Do you point blank zero your rifles ?

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

I don't get the fuss about dialing a scope if you aren't shooting past 400 yards... Just seems like one more thing that can go wrong. Now, I'm happy to being corrected here, but my 30-06AI shoots a 168 gr TTSX somewhere near the 3k fps mark. With that load I can zero for 300 yards, have a 14" drop or so at 400, and just remember to aim a little low in close. That's murder on big game with a nice light 3x9 scope.

Totally open to being convinced otherwise, but I've killed a lot of deer right in that 250-350 yard range. Just happens to be the range I get shots at where I hunted back in MT.

 

[jt13]

I hate dialing turrets

I use some variation of 1.5" - 2.5" high at 100 yards for all my rifles. Generally end up with a zero around 225 yards. Very little thought required out to 300 yards and about 12 inches of Kentucky windage to 400 yards. The 100 yard zero makes very little sense to me unless you're the neck shooting type or like twisting turrets

 

[N2TRKYS]

I have multiple rifles and this is the perfect setup for it. No wasting time dialing during hunting situations that would cause me to miss out on a shot.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I use Burris with ballistic plex and it works for me.

A 3-9 Burris with a Ballistic Plex reticle is one very reliable and functional scope. Many hunters do not like how the back end must turn to change power. I get that, but I also get that it has one less "O ring" and therefore is simpler in design.

I have them on two rifles, my Kimber 280AI and my model 70 6.5x55.

Back to the question posed in this post.. Nearly all my hunting rifles I have set up with two different reloads.

For example in my 280AI I have a 140 grain Barnes TTSX siighted in for just under 3 " at 100 yards. This is a tack driver

Next, by playing with different powders, which shift POI, I also have a 160 grain round nosed Lapua Naturalis sighted in to be be very close to being dead on at 50 to 100 yards.

Again, I do this with all rifles, when possible. Sometimes I just does not work but usually I end up with a longer range flatter shooting lighter bullet with higher BC and Velocity, and a slower heavier round nosed bullet that shoots dead or close to it up close.

If I am hunting in the thick stuff the round nosed bullet in my chamber.

If a game animal offers a shot further away, the spitzer bullet is right on top of my magazine.

 

[Don Fischer]

I have been using MPBR for many years now. I don't shoot past 300 yds and only done that once in my life just to say I did it. Big game rifles get zeroed at an 8" target and varmint rifles at a 4" target. All my big game rifles will hit no more than 9" low at 300 yds.

 

[Beanland_fan]

How many here use a rangefinder to determine if you’re under the prescribed 300 yards, or if you’re actually at 301 or 302?

I zero at 100 and dial. IMO If you have time to use a rangefinder, you usually have time to twist turrets.

 

[DamascusSteel]

I have considered this with my rifles this year but once the data is plugged in my MPBR would be like 227 or 218yds something weird, so i figured 200 yds is good enough. my 300 WSM is 1.5 in high at 100 and .5 in high at 200 so it would be the closest to MPBR for a 4in target which is what I aimed for in the calculator.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I used to use it, but now that I shoot more I tend to zero at 200y and get additional actual drop data at 100y, 300y and 400y to verify my drops (425y is my current self imposed hunting max).

 

[JustinsDad]

I don't get the fuss about dialing a scope if you aren't shooting past 400 yards... Just seems like one more thing that can go wrong. Now, I'm happy to being corrected here, but my 30-06AI shoots a 168 gr TTSX somewhere near the 3k fps mark. With that load I can zero for 300 yards, have a 14" drop or so at 400, and just remember to aim a little low in close. That's murder on big game with a nice light 3x9 scope.

Totally open to being convinced otherwise, but I've killed a lot of deer right in that 250-350 yard range. Just happens to be the range I get shots at where I hunted back in MT.

You don’t need a ballistic rangefinder nor do you need to dial the turrett of your scope if you only shoot 400 yards or less. Just use holdover and you’ll be close enough on big animals. If you want to shoot anything at 900 yards you need both a ballistic rangefinder and dial system on the turrett to be accurate at different temperatures and elevations. The difference in drop between say 850 yards and 950 yards is huge compared to the difference in drop between 100 and 400 yards. Same on barametric pressure and temp. It doesn’t change it much at 300 or 400 yards but at 1000 yards it’s a world of difference.

 

[ImBillT]

What is your load work up for the .280ai? I Get 2875fps

N560, and a 27” barrel are part of it. That said I think that N565, or RL-26 would almost certainly net a little more velocity as would Lapua brass, although RWS isn’t that far behind. Norma/Nosler brass can’t handle much pressure. Additionally, brass hardens a little bit when you fire it, and since I didn’t start with 280AI brass, but instead fireformed my brass, it was a little harder than factory when I started load development.

Side note: I’ve been disappointed in the lack of temperature stability of N560. I didn’t realize that VV didn’t consider it temp stable the way they do N565.

 

[JakeInVegas]

I use MPBR on all my rifles. I hunt with kids and also like to take new hunters out. All I have to do is use the range finder to verify the target is within range and all they have to do is put the crosshairs on the vitals.

 

[turbobrick]

I used to, but I’ve found a 100 yard zero and either dialing or holding over on a FFP scope to work much better for me.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Point blank zeros are good but have kind of gone by the wayside since rangefinders and ballistic calculators became affordable. Dialing for long range shooting will always be more accurate than holdover or point blank. But sometimes that accuracy isn't needed (if you hit 1" low on an elk who cares). And sometimes the shooter is too rushed/excited to dial properly.

My big game rifles shoot flat enough with a 200 yard zero that I just point and shoot out to 300 yards, after that I'm dialing. Get a perfect no-wind zero at 100, dial up to 200 and make my drop chart based on a 200 yard zero. Then range and dial elevation correction while hunting. Dial wind correction if its steady wind, hold wind correction with the reticle if its gusting.

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I don't have a dialable scope but with my 06 on the numbers subMOA at 200 meters, I have checked it for 300 meters and it's about 4" low. I don't have a rangefinder but PH will have it in his binocs. If necessary I can adjust to shoot an animal at 300 meters without dialing but I don't see me taking many if any shots that far. Not with this setup.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Must be an "age issue" but I have not read about anyone here suggesting "subtending" to estimate range. Granted it is not as accurate as a range finder, but it works fast and quite well and does not require any extra battery powered gadget. All that is needed is a classic dual X scope reticle and knowledge about the size of game animals.

The thick part of a dual X scope reticle was made to cover 6 inches at 100 yards, 12" at 200 yards, 18" at 300 yards and so on.

Cow elk tend to have a chest height of 31 inches Bull's around 37"
A mature deer will average 18".

Where it really works particularly well is preventing errors in judgment in the 250 to say 400 yard ranges and even beyond with elk, where bright light, and steep angles can create confusion.

Practice is required,,,but it is a cool tool used by riflemen after scopes came on the scene and before range finders and turret dial scopes did our work for us.

I have found it very useful for antelope when I lived in Wyoming and often hunted them in open country and bright light which makes game animals seem closer.

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[Mustangs Rule]

Pardon my error above, meant to say farther away. Open country and bright light tends to make me overestimate range. Sometimes critically, Subtending is my cure for that

 

[noharleyyet]

1” high at 100 for Texas critters…do get a dial but don’t use it. 100 yd bull & range/dial for the mountains.

2” for the Big Tex 45-70 mortar.

All Leupold but for the 45-70 Trijicon.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

A good example of how well "subtending" can work happened to me about 15 years ago on an antelope hunt not that far from my place in Wyoming.

I had a doe tag and was driving around spotting with a close friend and fellow hunter.

We were driving on a dirt two track road and saw some antelope way out yonder. We knew if we stopped the truck they would just run away.

So, as we passed a big bush my friend who was driving slowed down enough for me hope out when the truck was going maybe 5 mph, then he speeded up.

The antelope took serious notice but did not bolt but began walking away.

In the bright light and open country, I figured they were just under 400 yards away. But when I "subtended" the thick part of my dual X scope did not fully cover her chest up and down so that told me she was just under 300 yards. So instead of holding over way over a foot with my 30-06, I put my crosshairs just under her spine and did a perfect double lung shot.

So quick and easy, plus my rifle never leaves my hands and my eye stays right on the game animal

 

[TheJason]

In honor of HTM…

Zeros are FOR LIBTARD PANZIES!!! If LED ain’t flyin SHIT AINT DYIN!!!

 

[buffybr]

For many years I sighted my hunting rifles with a Point Blake Range where the bullet would not rise or fall more than 3" from the line of sight. That would usually give me a PBR of about 330 yards, depending on the rifle and bullet.

Then, in the last 6 years or so I've put Leupold CDS scopes on most of my hunting rifles. I range verify these scopes with a 100 yard zero and paint thin white lines on the top of the CDS turrets with lines at 200, 300, and 430 yards. When hunting, I usually have the scope power turned down to 6X or less, and have my distance turret set at 200 yards.

One exception is my .300 Weatherby where I had Leupold make a custom turret for my 180 grain TTSX load and it has a zero stop at 200 yards.

My one hunting rifle that doesn't have a CDS turret is my .257 Ackley, and it's Leupold scope has their B&C reticle. For that scope I range verify the impact distance for each of the hold over hash marks.

 

[TXLonghorn]

Depends on the tool and the terrain.
In open country,
257 wby is the only rifle I use MPBR, zero at 300 - using 5” target MPBZ is 337yd, MPBR is 394. Hold hair press trigger. Dial everything else.
In the woods,
200yd zero the 280 and call it good.