zero'ing my sights for rabbiting

[Beano1456 14]

i have a bsa Lightning xl and i was wondering what range i should zero it at for shooting rabbits and if i zero'd it at ground level and then moved to lets say a tree about 15 ft up would it affect my zero because i have been told the an air rifle lobs the pellet in an arch and a rifle is a straight trajectory but im unsure wether it will affect the zero.

 

an also i struggle to get a clear picture through my sight and it seem the crosshairs are hard to see when shooting rabbits or rats because of there dark fur and its becoming a pain. its a reasonable sight around 60quid so i cant see why it would give me a problem during the day at night when i have a light on the bunny its all hunky dory.

 

anyone else had this trouble or is it just me.

 

cheers.

[pianoman 3,587]

Hi Beano.

 

Could be a few things not quite right here. Firstly, it sounds like your scope might actually be out of focus. Are you honestly getting a crisp, pin-sharp sightpicture? Does it have an Adjustable Objective? that's an ajustable front focus ring? And the reticle focus is the moveable ring at the back of the occular lens or eye-bell. Usually marked with a +.- symbol. Try adjusting those.

 

If you are seeing well and good by daylight, but it's not so good in low light, you need to scroll your Magnification down, as this lets in more light and helps you see better but it can affect your point of impact from you original zero, doing this.

 

Your asking about zeroing for rabbits and moving 15 feet, or shooting 15 feet up a tree...??! Not sure of what you mean exactly by that Beano?

 

I think we need to seperate hunting a ground animal from a bird target here mate, just for now

 

Not sure how experienced a shooter you are from your post, not greatly I think perhaps, but.. You have to think of 15 feet as a change in range estimation by 5 yards.

 

When a pellet leaves the barrel on firing it travels in a straight line for a certain distance, then falls to earth in a curving, downward path as the energy wears off and gravity takes over. So, to make use of the accuracy inherant in the shot with a workable range distance, we need to lob the shot from a slightly upwards angle to turn the pellet's flight path into a predictable curved trajectory; which, when we set our sights (scope or open) on a target at distance, is what is actually happening. The further we need to shoot, the more the trajectory curve we need to lob the shot onto the target.

 

It is your eye's line of sight to view the target through the rifle sights that travels in a straight line. Where a shot rises and falls on a fixed zero trajectory curve through this straight line of sight occurs, we call it Point Blank Range.

 

Try using 25 metres/yards range as your base zero and learn your rifle and pellets's natural trajectory curve by shooting at a series of targets at 30-35-40-45-50 metres and see where you shots hit low of the bullseye. That's how much you need to raise your barrel,via your scope/sights to bring the shot to plunge onto the target accurately at that specific range.

 

The reverse is shooting at targets closer to you than 25 metres and see by how much the shot is going over the top of the bullsey.

 

When shooting at any target that is not within our set zero there is a change in Point Of Impact we should always be prepared for.

 

I suggest you get your scope into proper focus, learn to use the mag adjust and get out and practice thoroughly with your rifle and scope at a zero of 25 yards Beano, before you start shooting for rabbits mate. Hope this helps you.

 

Pianoman

Edited May 15, 2011 by pianoman

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Simon I think he meant he was sitting 15 feet up a tree, like Charlie in 'Nam...

[Beano1456 14]

no im not a very experienced shooter i go weeks or even months at a time without using my gun i just get to busy with work ect ect. but my dad was in the military for 20+ years and he taught me the basics when i got my first gun 4 years ago.

 

i can get a very good picture and then not see the crosshairs or i can see the crosshairs and have a poor line of sight and yes i have the +.- but i gives me two choices no matter how much i move it either a good line of sight or a rubbish one and i have no adjustable objective on the front of mine. and i have just spent the last two hours trying to zero it with no hope i fire three pellets and then adjust accordingly and i have got it to within a 2 inch spread of the bullseye which is no good for rabbits as i dont want to mame any and try as i might i cannot get it better than this.

 

also the crosshairs appear to have moved and twisted round to the right of where the were when i originally bought the scope the only thing i can think of is that i dropped it about 6 months ago but i can still zero it perfectly under 15ft for picking of rats by our chicken pen so i dont see why it wont zero in for further away i am really stumped.

 

and with regards to what i meant about the tree, there is a over hanging tree in the field i go shooting and i ideal branch for me to shoot from and i have no trouble shooting birds i know its a bit far but i used to be able to take pigeon head of from about 30meters it just seems to be rabbits i cannot hit.

 

i think i may just have to learn to be more carefull and part with my money and buy a new scope or try get my current one repaired

[andyfr1968 772]

Hi, mate.

 

What scope is it and what gun's it on? Also where are you? Maybe there's someone close to you who may be able to offer you hands on help.

 

Cheers.

 

Edit..... Sorry, you've already said its on a Lightning. Are you sure its clamped up properly? If the rets moved its either scope creep or a fecked scope.....

Edited May 15, 2011 by andyfr1968

[Baghdadnights 150]

Sounds like you have a fixed parallax scope which might be set for further zero say 70mtrs also could ne twisted in your mounts try setting the vertical cross hair so it's in line with rifle tab Kev

[Beano1456 14]

yeah i took it off and put it back on again just to make sure earlier and im just outside Yeovil and i have no idea the box for it is still under the seat in the van so i cant find out till tomorrow. i think i am just going to persevere with it until i can afford a night-vision scope

[Baghdadnights 150]

Easy way to check for parallax error is take the scope of the gun rest it on a bench so you can look through it with out touching it but can move your head left right up down pic a target at your chosen zero distance them move your head around if the point of impact moves you need to adjust the parallax or front lens let me know how you get on atb Kev

[Beano1456 14]

the only thing i can adjust is the vertical and horizontal and the focus. so im not sure what you mean

 

atb Ben

[Baghdadnights 150]

Just check for parallax error first the adjust ment is behind the front ring if it's adjustable that is

[dadioles 68]

Normally you would adjust the focus at the eye piece to get the cross hairs in focus. It is there to adjust for people with different eye sight. It is not intended to get the target into focus.

 

My guess is that the scope could well be pre-focused at 100 yards which is pretty typical.

 

It might not be really suited to an air rifle where you are more likely shooting as close as 20 yards or so.

 

The greater the magnification, the bigger the problem.

 

Ideally you could do with a scope that is designed to work at quite close range and can focus properly down to about 10 yards. The ability to focus as shown in advertisements as "AO" or "parallax adjustment" and on more expensive scopes is done by a side wheel or knob "side focus", and more commonly by adjusting the objective lens (at the opposite end to the eyepiece) to bring the target into focus.

 

Once you have focused the eyepiece to bring the cross hairs into focus you would not normally alter it again. If you cannot see the target in focus you need a new scope. Probably you will find that objects about 100 yards away are in focus but that is not much use to you.

 

Uttings (and others) have got a "Nikko Stirling Mountmaster 3-9x40 AO Rifle Scope" which would probably suit you well for just 40 pounds and includes the scope mounts and goes down as close as 10 yards.

 

I have seen too many cases of people struggling with unsuitable scopes that were supplied with the gun. Sadly too many suppliers are more interested in making a few quid than providing useable equipment and purchasers just don't have the experience to realise they are being conned. You can easily spend a couple of thousand on a scope!

[Beano1456 14]

yeah i had one of those nikko stirling 3-9x40 bought it for 27 quid and never had a problem with it i think i still have it somewhere i hope i do

 

and no i dont have a front ring adjustment

 

and i dont know if anyone knows where to get a good bipod for my air rifle ?

 

Ben

[secretagentmole 1,701]

Don't use a bipod with a springer, the point of impact will be different if you shoot on the ground, on grass, on gravel, all to do with recoil, ask Pianoman, he knows about such things a lot more than me!

[dadioles 68]

I forgot to mention....

Try zeroing at about 30 yards, everyone has their favourite distance though.

As far as shooting either up hill (up into a tree) or downhill is concerned, the pellet will always strike slightly high (compared to your zero on level ground) and it does not matter if it is uphill or downhill, in both cases it strikes slightly high (so you need to aim low). Not an issue until you point up (or down) more than about 35 degrees or so.

Edited May 15, 2011 by dadioles

[Baghdadnights 150]

You have to undo the front ring if the lens moves with it it's fixed parallax if it doesnt then take it completely off you'll see two notches in the thread put piece of plastic across them turns the front lens but you need to check for parallax error first you can just lay gun on it's side. Look through scope move head up down if point of impact moves that parallax error atb Kev