Do You Sight In At 100, 200 or MPBR?

[Huntkook]

I voted MPBR cause I thought it meant Many  Pabst Blue Ribbons.

 

[bullbugle307]

I’ve always done 200. No need to think much at all if it’s under, only need to hold 7 inches high at 300. I have no business shooting at an animal much past that, so I don’t need turrets.

 

[LuketheDog]

I zeroed my .257wby at 300, it's +2.5/3" at 100/200, -7" at 400, -20" at 500. My 6.5Creed is zeroed at 200 and it's +2" at 100 and -7" at 300 and -20" at 400. Those rifles both have plain jane duplex scopes aboard. My 6.5PRC is zeroed at 100 but has a ballistic turret that so far I've set up out to 400yds, it works really nice.

 

[JLS]

I voted MPBR cause I thought it meant Many  Pabst Blue Ribbons.

The brilliance in this statement just about blew up the internet.

Well done, my thirsty friend.

 

[TN_Rifle_Junkie]

100 yards and dial up for everything, including inside 100 yards. (or Hold over if you have your data memorized)

 

[Boarmaster]

I sight everything in at mpbr.

 

[Misguided]

I sight in for 200, then apply 6,18,36 for drops at 300,400,500 yds. This works for most calibers with @ 3000 fps muzzle velocity. A little less drop (very little) for super magnums and a little more drop (again very little) for standard cartridges. Most people that I guide shoot 7mm or 300 mag so this works pretty well. Within an inch or 2. We don’t shoot past 500. Even that is pretty sketchy for most guys.

 

[Huntnut60]

Usually sight in for zero at 250. Upcoming AZ mule deer hunt guide says average shot is 350-400. Zero will now be 300 and drops have been verified at 400 and 500 yds. That’s as far as I can go. With any wind, do not know how anybody can shoot much farther.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Very old school. I am 3" high at 100 yds. Most all my hunting is with 300 RUM or 7mmRem. This method works well for me and my known limitations.

Tried turrets with a 7mm-08 and on my 300 RUM and hated every second of it. Went back to the tried and true.

 

[oxn939]

-Less environmental and shooter error factors affecting a rock solid zero.
-Almost always easier to find a place to check zero at 100 than beyond.
-At "there he is! Shoot him!" distance you aren't 2 or 3 inches high.

Now, admittedly maybe some of these are small issues, but almost everyone who is dialing to shoot at distances 200 yds and beyond that I know is emphatic about zeroing at 100.

All excellent reasons in support of a 100 yard zero. Additionally, you don't have to sift through environmental factors to determine if your data is accurate at 100- at 200 or more, density altitude, temperature, wind and others can cause you to get bad data. Shooting verification groups farther is a great idea, but you have a lot fewer variables to contend with by doing it this way.

All of the real rockstar level shooters I've known zero at 100.

 

[schmalts]

I make it hard for myself and it is different for a few guns, Most are 200 but the one with CDS I just did a 100. The non CDS ones have a cheat sheet taped to the gun.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

There is a reason that all of the top precision rifle shooters zero at 100 and it is backed by an understanding of ballistics. It significantly reduces chance of error in your zero compared to zeroing at longer distances. By zeroing, I mean the distance that is used to finalize where a rifles sights/scope is set for elevation and windage NOT the distance at which POA/POI are the same. There is a reason why ballistic calculators have inputs for zero offset on windage and elevation.

I make a point to use scopes that I'm confident in dialing correctly and holding zero. In that case, it makes sense to get POI/POA as close as possible at 100 yards. If I'm worried about holding corrections for 200 yards, it's an easy 0.4 mil (about 1.5 MOA) correction dialed into my scope before I start hunting. It's also a common basis for people to communicate in drop at distances as MIL or MOA corrections but if you and everyone you communicate about these things with use a different zero distance that info is worthless.

If you dont use turrets, it is still more accurate to zero at 100 with an elevation offset.

I wont tell anyone that zeroing at 200 or longer ranges cant be effective and work just fine but statistically speaking you are more likely to be inducing error into your aiming system by doing so.

 

[FLS]

If it’s a set and forget scope, it gets a 200 yd zero. I can still check my zero at 100yds, because my velocity and drops have been verified, and I have accurate data on my rifle and load.
Precision rifles with precision optics get set at 100. It just makes the math easier.

 

[old270hunter]

I've always done MPBR for my deer/elk guns, which usually equates to 2.5-3 inches high at 100 yards for the guns I've hunted with. I've always used basic plex scopes though and nearly all of my kills are at point n shoot distance, >250-275 yards. A couple have been further, but only far enough to put the crosshairs on the animals back. Never shot at a game animal further than that.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I generally don’t like to use a zero distance that ends up with the bullet hitting more than 2” high at closer ranges as my shots are generally at less than 200 yards, they are often taken pretty quickly, and I find it hard to hold low (especially if I am rushed). So, with any relatively flat shooting cartridge, I usually sight in for 200 yards. I am not more than 2” high out to there and I just need to hold a little high, but still on the body of most big game animals, out to 300.

I have a 300 RUM that I use as a MPBR rifle with a set and forget 3-9, shooting 124 gr Hammer Hunters at just over 3800 fps. Hitting 1.5” high at 100, I am no more than 2” high or low out to 310 yards.

I hadn’t thought about the zeroing error mentioned by @Wind Gypsy, so I might rethink the 200 yard zero I just did on my 30 Nosler with a dialing turret then carry it dialed for 200.

 

[Islander]

There is a reason that all of the top precision rifle shooters zero at 100 and it is backed by an understanding of ballistics. It significantly reduces error from your zero compared to zeroing at longer distances. By zeroing, I mean the distance that is used to finalize where a rifles sights/scope is set for elevation and windage NOT the distance at which POA/POI are the same. There is a reason why ballistic calculators have inputs for zero offset on windage and elevation.

I make a point to use scopes that I'm confident in dialing correctly and holding zero. In that case, it makes sense to get POI/POA as close as possible at 100 yards. If I'm worried about holding corrections for 200 yards, it's an easy 0.4 mil (about 1.5 MOA) correction dialed into my scope before I start hunting. It's also a common basis for people to communicate in drop at distances as MIL or MOA corrections but if you and everyone you communicate about these things with use a different zero distance that info is worthless.

If you dont use turrets, it is still more accurate to zero at 100 with an elevation offset.

I wont tell anyone that zeroing at 200 or longer ranges cant be effective and work just fine but statistically speaking you are more likely to be inducing error into your aiming system by doing so.

I was going to say something like this, but Wind Gypsy did an amazing job.

If you want to shoot MPBR, sight in at 100 for all the reasons above and THEN just dial for the MPBR distance. I did exactly that on Wednesday. Deer would be at 25 - 300 yards. Mounted a 10X SWFA in the morning on my little 6.5 CM Fieldcraft. Sighted in at noon at 100 yards (shot about 1/2 MOA). Dialed up 0.8 mils for a 3.5" radius MBPR from 0 - 300 yards. Shot this 200 pound sea island buck at 220 yards at 6:32 pm. It works.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I hadn’t thought about the zeroing error mentioned by @Wind Gypsy, so I might rethink the 200 yard zero I just did on my 30 Nosler with a dialing turret then carry it dialed for 200.

You could just check it at 100 next time you’re shooting in mild conditions and verify it’s good on windage and hitting as high as you expect it. Wouldn’t expect a 30 nosler to get pushed around much but you might adjust it a click or 2.

I’m just used to all my guns being POA=POI at 100 so the elevation corrections compared to each other make sense and aren’t jumbled by different zero distances. Not important if using cds or relying solely on a ballistic calculator to spit out solutions but just nice to be consistent.

 

[RaiderRich]

Posted this thread, went on vacation and then been busy as all heck. Good input. I still am on the fence, my rifles that I set up for out west I have gone 200. My 308 I took to NY last fall I set to 100. I do believe the scope will have some bearing on how you set it. Thanks for the votes and responses so far!

 

[SFC B]

Another vote for 100 for many of the reasons mentioned. Also, I am now a member of an indoor range and 100 is the max. I get very consistent and usable information on my shooting and the gun as well. I am another one that limits myself to 400m on animals. I feel if I can't get closer than that they deserve a pass....totally a personal thing.

The most important things are always to be consistent with what you do, be familiar with your shooting system (gun, optic, ammo) and know your limits. Take good clean shots and put meat in the freezer.

 

[Don Fischer]

I zeroed my .257wby at 300, it's +2.5/3" at 100/200, -7" at 400, -20" at 500. My 6.5Creed is zeroed at 200 and it's +2" at 100 and -7" at 300 and -20" at 400. Those rifles both have plain jane duplex scopes aboard. My 6.5PRC is zeroed at 100 but has a ballistic turret that so far I've set up out to 400yds, it works really nice.

Only -20" at 400 yds! Boy that is flat!