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Zeroing problems!

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  • 25-05-2013 8:19pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 59 ✭✭


    Well lads how's it going? Right well I'm after picking up a new scope for the hmr, actually a hawke sidewinder 30, 6-24x56, have had my eye on one for a while, so put it on the the rifle this morning, and took it out to zero this evening, so did the usual of 50 yard mark, put a round down and and compete miss so I shortened the distance, and same result, so was a little stumped and decided to leave it for tonight, anyways was wondering do any of ye do any other pre zeroing, don't really want to go forking out for a bore laser, but is that the only other option? All replies welcome!!


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,457 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    Oldie, but a goodie.

    Mounting a scope;
    Cass wrote:
    If installing the scope the quick way would be to place the rifle in a gun clamp or very steady front rest and back bag. Place a spirit level on a flat section of the rifle. If none can be got or trusted take the rings apart and screw on the bottom section of the rings leaving the top piece of. Tighten these down. Now place a level across these rings and straighten the rifle. Once your happy, place the scope into the rings and place the top section of the rings on the bottom section over the scope and screw in the screws but DO NOT tighten.

    Have a heavy string/line hanging from the ceiling of your hall (at the end of the hall). Weigh it down if necessary. This will give you a dead straight vertical line. Have the rifle pointing towards the string and adjust the position of the scope forward and back in the rings until your eye relief is good (that there is no black when you look into the scope) Twist/turn the scope until the vertical line of the crosshair tallies with the string/line hanging in your hall. Once happy tighten the screws on the rings but do so in an alternating fashion as if you tighten one side fully it will twist the scope in the rings. Problem i find with some lads is even though the crosshairs are perfectly straight everyone holds the rifle at a slight cant and so when they put it to their eye they think the crosshair is leaning. Its not. Resist the temptation to adjust it as canting the crosshair to suit your hold will mean any clicking to zero the scope will result in angled adjustments rather than perfectly up/down or left/right adjustments.

    Go to a range or find a fixed spot at home. Somewhere around the 50yd mark is grand. Have the elevation of your scope trned down to zero. Have the windage adjustments centralised. As in if there is 50 minutes (moa) of adjustment have it set for 25moa. Have the bolt removed and with the rifle unclamped adjust the rifle until you can see the target down the barrel. The muzzle of the gun will appear as a circle and must sit perfectly "central" in the circle created by the breach. Once this is done make sure the target is central in the circles created by the muzzle and breach. Have the rifle reclamped making sure the target is still central in the bore/barrel. Now without moving the rifle look through the scope and see where the crosshairs are in relation to the target. Adjust the crosshairs up to and left/right until they meet the target. Now once more check the bore/barrel sight and scope sight. If you are happy both are pointing at the same target time to replace the bolt and fire a shot (this is why i recommen doing this at a range). Find where the shot impacted. Measure the distance from your point of impact to the target bull and adjust your scope as necessary. gain fire another shot. You should be either in or very close to the bull. Make one more adjustment if you are not in the bull and fire one more round. You should be zeroed at this point
    Bore Sighting a scope;
    Cass wrote:
    Turn the clicks on the scope (elevation) down to the lowest setting. Now turn the clicks on your windage adjustment all the way left (or right). Now turn it in the other direction while keeping count of the mintes/clicks. If its (for talks sake) 50 moa turn it back 25. Now your windage is centralised. Place the rifle in a clamp and check its level. When you peer down the barrel make sure the circle made by the muzzle is central in the circle made by the breach.

    james1.JPG

    Move the rifle (not your head) until the target (at least 2ft x 1.5ft with concentric circles)

    sr42.jpg

    can be seen . Now keep the target in view through the barrel while trying to keep both "circles" central. Once you think you have the target in the barrel and all aspects centralised and secured, reclamp the rifle again making sure nothing moves. Now look through the scope and see where your crosshairs are in relation to the target. Turn up your elevation turret until you are approx. level with where you have sighted the barrel. Go between the barrel sight and scope and try to narrow down the difference in "point of impact". Adjust elevation and windage as appropriate.

    Bolt in and load a round. Steady yourself and fire. Check your point of impact. Adjust your scope the necessary clicks to compesate for wind drift and high or low impact. Your scope is probably .25" click value at 100yds so don't forget you'll have half that movement at 50yds. So if you are 2" out it will take 16 clicks to move the 2" rather than the 8 clicks at 100yds. Don't forget that this is scope movement, as in straight line of sight. The trajectory of the bullet being used will determine whether the full amount of clicks is needed or if more are. Anyway load a second round after adjusting the scope and fire. You should be very close if not in the bull. Adjust scope again if necessary. Load and fire a third round. this one should be in the bull (weather and shooter permitting).

    Make note of the turret markings and record them as your 50 yd zero. Now move to 100yds. Fresh target. Without adjusting the scope fire at the 100yd target. Take note of the bullet drop and adjust your scope accordingly to compensate. Fire another 2 or 3 rounds to establish a group. When you are happy with your group, record the turret markings and if possible zero the turrets and keep as your 100 yd zero. You can then move to 200 and 300 if you want. Fire and adjust the scope. Record the bullet drop and click value to compensate ans voila you have your drop chart started.

    Of course you could always go for a bore sighter/ laser guide and cut out half the crap i just wrote. Whatever works for you. If you find when firing at the 50 or 100yd targets that the rifle cannot keep a group or still will not hit paper then i'm afraid it may be a bit more serious than just needing to be rezeroed. At all stages keep checking screws and making sure all items are tight.

    Hope this is of some help.

    Small tip for short range bore sight. Place a card at 25 yards as said above. Draw an aiming crosshair. 1 inch below this crosshair/bullseye draw a horizontal line. At 25 yards when the bore is pointed at the bullseye the crosshair of your scope should be on the line 1 inch below the bull. This is not a guarantee, but i have used this to bore sight everything from a .223 to .308 and most rifle are at worse, a couple of inches out (normally vertical).
    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,457 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    Wanted this as a separate post.

    It sounds as though your scope is either way high or off to one side. Not mounted straight.

    use the technique above, and see if yo can get better. If not then it might be time to look at the rings, etc. But lets not get into that until we have established whether it can be bore sighted.
    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,247 ✭✭✭One shot on kill


    Bore sight it lad I done the link cass added there and it was only two inchs of in elevation. If your looking through the scope can you not see the round hitting your back stop. Or even use a bigger target.

    The link will have you spot on all the same.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭garv123


    I had the same problem when I put a scope on my hmr, Had to come into about 10 yards to get on paper.

    Turns out if was clicked out all the way left and all the way up.

    If you dont have something to keep the rifle steady to eye it up like said above, you can put as big a sheet of paper or cardboard around 5-10 yards and see where your hitting.

    An inch off left/right at 12.5 yards is around 8" at 100.


  • Registered Users Posts: 59 ✭✭Mr.Woodcock


    Thanks very much for the great advice lads, looks like I have a good reason to tinker around with the gun for the day, think ill be doing exactly as cass said, hopefully by this evening ill be back out popping bunnies!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,759 ✭✭✭cookimonster


    It's always better to zero at short ranges, less variables such as wind and greater MOA between point of aim and point of impact.
    Try to find out the ballistic info on your ammo and therefore variations in trajectory to the point of zero. Example a 100 gr SP .243 zeroed @ 100 yards shoots approximately 1.3 inches low at 25yards.

    Remember your scope settings. If its 4 clicks / MOA / inch @ 100 yards then its 8 clicks etc at 50 yards and 16 clicks etc at 25 yards. Therefore at 25 yards to move the cross hairs 1 inch you need to rotate the turret by 16 clicks.

    This should save you some time and money in zeroing.


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