Zeroing your rifle and scope

[zini 1,939]

Hi lads,

 

Ive just been putting a bit of footage together for the new DVD in response to a lot of PMs that I get daily from people on YouTube in regards to how I zero my spring piston rifles and scope for accurate vermin shooting.

 

I know that 99.9% of the regulars on here will find this boring, but maybe 0.1% will find it of interest, and if it helps 1 person with a zeroing problem then it will have served its purpose as a thread.

 

This is just the way I like to zero when time permits, there are other ways but this is the way I like and prefer.

 

Regards

 

Si

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VNtmmNTGmE

Edited September 13, 2010 by zini

[davyt63 1,845]

hi si

yes! very good also you may want to put this in the young hunters section?

as well as new comers on this section!

 

regards

 

davy

[stealthy1 3,964]

You'll have the tree huggers after you for zeroing on those old trees

[zini 1,939]

Cheers Davy buddy,

 

I'll see if i can get it posted there too then.

 

Tree huggers, what tree huggers Stealthy? LOL

 

There going to get cut down shortly anyway when the build the new lake

 

Si

[lola & tom 0]

great teaching video for young and new shooters i remember when my young brain was baffled by this but i had no one like you to show me how then. wish i did and it would have saved a lot of frustration. im sure its helped a lot of people.

[mick01 36]

well worth watching si.. step by step, truly mong proof, would of helped me not to long ago

[andyfr1968 772]

Good bit of info there, Si. Nice one, that'll help a lot of folks I'm sure.

[comanche 2,990]

Useful film for the beginer .

Another tip for the beginer (or those of us who's memory is fading ) is having zeroed your rifle at your selected range is to go back and try it at closer ranges just to see how high or low it is hitting the target . A rifle zeroed at 45 yds might well be firing a couple of inches high at 25 and be doing something completely different at ten yards.

If you shoot a lot it will become second nature to adjust your aim either through experience or with the help of technology.

 

Otherwise just make a note of the variations on a sticky label and put it on your stock. It'll be right under your nose as a reminder .No more missed sitters because your pellet sailed over the top!.

Edited September 13, 2010 by comanche

[zini 1,939]

Cheers all for the comments lads, im glad that this will help others .

 

FAO Lady,

 

I see that theres are a few points that i need to clarify for you mate .

 

The box wasn’t a milk crate mate , but a box used by the military to store military equipment in and it is a very steady box and a good platform to shoot from.

 

I normally use an ATM front rifle rest for the zeroing of my rifles, but the whole point of this clip was to show that not everyone owns an ATM rifle rest.

 

Making use of whatever is available as long as it is a steady and safe platform is the way ahead to gain a fine zero.

 

I’ve been shooting a bit longer than a month or two and do have a tiny bit of experience of what Im talking about so I wouldn’t of used a rickety unstable box to shoot from and embarrass myself trying to video it.

 

The ranges of 10 metres and 25 metres coincide with the power of a .22 air rifle shooting at a power of between 11 and 12 FP. 10m being about the first zero point along the parabolic trajectory when zeroing at 25 metres. By using those ranges it kills 2 birds with 1 stone.

 

The reason I also use 25 metres as a secondary zero point is that it gives me a parabolic trajectory that stays within a 25mm kill zone from around 6.5 metres to 28.5 metres, meaning that I can just about guarantee a humane kill (depending on me shooting well and no wind etc) on all UK vermin by aiming dead on with the cross hair on the quarries kill zone between 6.5 and 28.5 metres.

 

I don’t use this method though myself (it’s an aid to others on here that read the thread) and as people on here that I shoot with know I always apply the correct hold over and under for every shot taken.

 

Its just a safe guard and can be used when lamping when range estimation isn’t so easy to do at night or your still trying to master hold over and under but want to ensure a very humane kill out to your 25m zero range.

 

If I was using a .177 rifle then I would choose 2 completely different ranges to carry out this process so to get the same effects but on the smaller calibre.

 

That said there is no point zeroing any rifle at a distance past your own shooting capability, so if you can only group your shots in a 25mm circle at 15 metres, then that’s all you zero at and you don’t try to go out to 30 / 35 yards until you’re up to it.

 

Finally just remember due to the ballistics of a projectile in flight and gravity causing a parabolic trajectory, all projectiles will have 2 zero points (fact). This is where the projectile crosses the line of sight from the scope 2 times. If you can identify these 2 points of cross over it makes for easy zeroing and 2 points where you can aim bang on the cross hair when shooting your quarry.

 

I’ve enclosed a older picture that I’ve designed to explain the 2 zero points of a rifle scope, it helps to explain what I’ve just explained.

 

Kind regards

 

Si

Rifle and scope easy guide.doc

Edited September 14, 2010 by zini

[Jamie m 668]

Great vid for newbies like myself thanks for sharing , if you zero to 25 meters if you happen to be closer than that will it still be ok cheers j

[zini 1,939]

Hi Jamie,

 

It depends on various factors,

 

The calibre of your rifle

 

The power of your rifle

 

The pellet weight that you’re using (normally between 14 – 16 grains in .22 calibre and 7 to 10 grains in .177 calibre).

 

The height of your scope mounts, i.e. low, medium or high mounts.

 

I like to shoot .22 calibre as my primary hunting calibre.

 

If your rifle is a full power hunting rifle like mine are (say between 11 to 11.9 FP) here is some data that may help you and answer your questions:

 

.177 calibre

 

Using high mounts (4.5 cm above the centre of the bore)

 

Air Arms Fields pellets at 8.4 grains

 

Rifle is set at 11.55 FP of power

 

Zero at 15 metres near zero point which gives you a 30 metre primary zero point.

 

The pellet will stay within a 25mm kill zone from 9m to 35m

 

.22 calibre

 

Using high mounts (4.5 cm above the centre of the bore)

 

Air Arms Fields pellets at 15.9 grains

 

Rifle is set at 11.55 FP of power

 

Zero at 10 metres near zero point which gives you a 25 metre primary zero point.

 

The pellet will stay within a 25mm kill zone from 6.5m to 28.5m

 

This means that if your target is any where within the 2 ranges stated above (9m to 35m for .177 and 6.5m to 28.5m for .22) you will be able to aim on the cross hair and be within a 25mm distance from where the cross hair is pointed as long as you do your bit with the shooting mate.

 

Si

[R0G3R 11]

Good piece of info.

 

Roger!

[slingshot82 32]

Cheers all for the comments lads, im glad that this will help others .

 

FAO Lady,

 

I see that theres are a few points that i need to clarify for you mate .

 

The box wasnt a milk crate mate , but a box used by the military to store military equipment in and it is a very steady box and a good platform to shoot from.

 

I normally use an ATM front rifle rest for the zeroing of my rifles, but the whole point of this clip was to show that not everyone owns an ATM rifle rest.

 

Making use of whatever is available as long as it is a steady and safe platform is the way ahead to gain a fine zero.

 

Ive been shooting a bit longer than a month or two and do have a tiny bit of experience of what Im talking about so I wouldnt of used a rickety unstable box to shoot from and embarrass myself trying to video it.

 

The ranges of 10 metres and 25 metres coincide with the power of a .22 air rifle shooting at a power of between 11 and 12 FP. 10m being about the first zero point along the parabolic trajectory when zeroing at 25 metres. By using those ranges it kills 2 birds with 1 stone.

 

The reason I also use 25 metres as a secondary zero point is that it gives me a parabolic trajectory that stays within a 25mm kill zone from around 6.5 metres to 28.5 metres, meaning that I can just about guarantee a humane kill (depending on me shooting well and no wind etc) on all UK vermin by aiming dead on with the cross hair on the quarries kill zone between 6.5 and 28.5 metres.

 

I dont use this method though myself (its an aid to others on here that read the thread) and as people on here that I shoot with know I always apply the correct hold over and under for every shot taken.

 

Its just a safe guard and can be used when lamping when range estimation isnt so easy to do at night or your still trying to master hold over and under but want to ensure a very humane kill out to your 25m zero range.

 

If I was using a .177 rifle then I would choose 2 completely different ranges to carry out this process so to get the same effects but on the smaller calibre.

 

That said there is no point zeroing any rifle at a distance past your own shooting capability, so if you can only group your shots in a 25mm circle at 15 metres, then thats all you zero at and you dont try to go out to 30 / 35 yards until youre up to it.

 

Finally just remember due to the ballistics of a projectile in flight and gravity causing a parabolic trajectory, all projectiles will have 2 zero points (fact). This is where the projectile crosses the line of sight from the scope 2 times. If you can identify these 2 points of cross over it makes for easy zeroing and 2 points where you can aim bang on the cross hair when shooting your quarry.

 

Ive enclosed a older picture that Ive designed to explain the 2 zero points of a rifle scope, it helps to explain what Ive just explained.

 

Kind regards

 

Si

Well said Si,

LadyBoy Rosselle was needing that. HESHE thinks HESHE knows the lot HaHa

 

Kyle

[matt_hooks 188]

Si, great video, really helpful for those new to the game.

 

Only point I would pick up on is that I was always taught to zero from a group, never a single round (this was for .22LR on match sights at 30 yards, and 5.56 through a 4x mag sight at ranges out to 500 yards, yes, a plastic green rifle and a metal sight with a tritium post for those who know what I mean).

 

Obviously at the air rifle ranges you are dealing with, with an accurate air rifle and a decent hand on the stock, each pellet should go in the same place, but for the inexperienced amongst us, who might not be able to shoot so accurately yet, it's best to fire a series of shots to make a group. You then take the MPI (mean point of impact, basically the middle of the group) and correct from that. It can save hours of frustration firing a single shot which might or might not be accurate to the point of aim, adjusting to that and then finding that you've actually gone a load of clicks in the wrong direction.

 

People talk alot about "point blank range" thinking it means with the muzzle touching the target, or very close, but you have described what it really means with your spread of ranges at which a shot can reliably be expected to fall within the kill zone.

 

Loving your work though mate, I can see I'm gonna need to practice to get my springer shooting up to your standards!

[dillan 19]

Damn it, that explains it all now, Should have known better, out with Phantom last night shooting rats and my BSA Scorpion jammed up with pellets in the barrel so I had to get out my Hw 100 which was zeroed in at 30yrds for rabbits knowing this and not bothering to re zero I simply used my dots to compensate the close range shots and wondered why I still missed a few I should have kept the cross hairs on the rats eye. Not to worry know for future reference but still got a few anyway

Good topic Zini, learn something new every day

 

Edited to say, any body got any suggestion on how to get pellets out of barrel without too much damage

Edited September 15, 2010 by dillan