Author Topic: Sight-In Distance (Read 1666 times)

Idaho_Hick · « **on:** February 02, 2006, 09:42:29 AM »

I would like to hear what all of your sighting in practices are. I am familiar with ballistics and maximum point blank range, but it seems that all the old timers around here don't put a whole lot of stock into that. In fact, I would bet that most of them (who always get their deer) are sighted in at 100 yards, give or take a few. Their reasoning seems to be that distance is more than adequate for most hunting and its nice to keep your bullet close to the line of sight for those sometimes neck or head shots up close.
Personally, I sight in my iron sighted rifles at 100 yards, theory being that I can't see well enough to shoot much past about 150 yards, and my scope sighted rifles are sighted dead on at 200. I like having a target with holes in it at the exact point I am aiming, it gives me more confidence, and I can't see myself ever shooting past 300 yards anyway.
Of course, I have places where I can shoot that far and farther, and I am sure that factors in a bit also.

JDenis · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2006, 10:08:18 AM »

My rifles are all sighted in around 90 yards. The local hot spots to shoot, w/o joining a club, don't allow me to shoot much more than 90 yards w/o shooting at a target on an incline. I hunt in the Adirondacks, and where we hunt shots further than 100 yds are pretty scarce, so I have no problem sighting in at 90 yards. I've only shot 4 deer, one as close as 10 yds, and the furthest was 60 yds. My father, Uncle , and my Girlfriend also shoot and sight in their rifles at the 80 - 90 yard range, and none of us have had a problem in the woods. Matter of fact I can remember a few old Gents over at the range sighting in at just over 60 yards year after year. I guess it just matters what distance your shooting at in the field.

dukkillr · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2006, 10:25:47 AM »

i zero at 200 but i hunt in wide open KS with flat shooting guns and good glass

longwinters · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2006, 10:37:53 AM »

I site dead on at 100 with my 7m-08 for whitetail. My 280 is sited in at 1.5" high at 100, dead on at 200. This takes care of whitetail, if needed, and an occaisional hunt in Wyoming.

Long

flintlock · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2006, 10:59:48 AM »

My scoped deer rifle is 2 1/2 high at 100 yards....In the woods most shots are less than 50-60 yards...So, at 25 yards you are dead on..50 yards about 1 inch high...still good enough for neck shots...Most of my shots over fields are 100-175 yards...so the max rise is 2 1/2-3 inches...I hold dead center of the deer and right beind the shoulder...sometimes I hit a little high...but not high enough to damage backstrap....Most of my deer drop at the shot...I have hunted the same fields for 30 plus years...300 yards is my personal limit...I'm about 3-4 inches low at 300 yards...And dead on again at 250....I have never liked sighting in a high powered deer rifle dead on at 100...Its like having a .270 with iron sights...You might as well be shooting a 30-30....
It would be like having a big screen TV with rabbit ears...it just doesn't make sense...

Also...don't trust the trajectory tables....find out for sure what you gun does...then stick with that sight-in and ammo.

Daks · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2006, 11:02:51 AM »

I also hunt in the Adirondacks. 100 yards is where my .30-06 is sighted. Just don't get shots any longer up here.

Graybeard · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2006, 11:22:13 AM »

My sight in is really determined by what the max distance is I expect to see game for a shot. In some places I hunt 50 yards would be a long shot. I generally have a rifle sighted in at 100 yards for such places. But I also have others ready for times I might go to places where longer shots are possible. For those 2" high at 100 yards is most common. That covers any shot at any place I might hunt locally.

RCL · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2006, 12:17:02 PM »

My scoped .30-06 and scoped muzzleloader are both sighted in 2" high @ 100 yards.
My iron sighted muzzleloader, .44 mag revolver and slug shotgun are all sighted in 1 1/2" high at 50 yards.
These distances about cover what I expect for max ranges where I hunt, and the arm I will be using.

My bow has pins for 20, 30, and 40 yards.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2006, 12:19:26 PM »

East of the big river, dead on at 100 yards. Wyoming, Colo, Mont 2" high at 100 yards with verifications at 200 and 300.
I totally agree with Flintlock. To know where your rifle is gonna hit at 200 and 300 yards, you gotta shoot it at 200 and 300 yards.
Also, knowing how to range distances with the plex of your scope is a handy thing to know.

huntnut · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2006, 12:37:22 PM »

I like to have mine 300win mag sighted in at 1 1/2" high at 100 yards then I can hold dead on out past 300yards. Like dukkillr said here in Kansas you need a flat shooting gun.

Gregory · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2006, 03:47:33 PM »

I'm restricted here in Illinois to shotgun, muzzleloader, or handgun. My Contender 357 Max is zeroed at 100yds but I've never had a shot over 50 yds where I hunt. I'm no more than 2" high from 0-100 yds though.

R.W.Dale · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2006, 03:54:58 PM »

I have my 7.62x39 sighted in to be 2.5" high at 100yds and dead on at 200.

elmer · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2006, 04:22:20 PM »

My scope is zeroed at 100 yards, but I have "cheat sheet" with my scope settings for 200, 300, and 400. The longest shot that I normally get is about 50 yards, but when I went hunting in west Texas I dialed in the setting for 200 yards.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2006, 02:23:45 AM »

All my guns get different sight in distances. My long range shooters are sighted in 1 inch high at 200 yards. my short range rifles are sighted in at zero at 100 yards and my medium range rifles are sighted in for 2 inches high at 100 yards. I also practice at the distances I intend to shoot.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2006, 09:47:25 AM »

I use max point blank range for everything with a 8" tube. First I work up a load at 100 yds and cronograph it. Then the program in my cronograph tells me where to sight in and never be over 4" above the line of sight and where I'll be 4" below. My 6.5x06 and 25-06 both come in right at 275 yds dead on. Then I shoot a lot at 100, 200 and 300 yds. I don't do neck shot's any more and seldom shoot beyond 200 yds so a dead on hold covers everything.

longwalker · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:51:52 AM »

Having moved to South Dakota where you can see that far, I sight my rifles in for a 300 yard zero. My 25-06 getting the most use, as an all around gun, I have it set at 3 1/2 inches high at 100 yards. My 338-06 is set for 5.25 inches high at 100 yards. Being used on big game deer and up. The .223 the same 300 yard zero. I have taken game at these long ranges. Though not ideal sometimes there is little alternative.

My 30-30 is set for a 100 yard zero and is set this way because it is used to hunt in the tree belts where you will have limited sight distance. The same logic is applied to my 44 magnum revolver, 100 yards.

When I lived and hunted in Pennsylvania you couldn't see far enough to really need a long range gun. Heck until I moved to SD. I bet I hadn't killed anything farther away then 40 yards. The range estimates got me worried. It didn't take long to learn how to range things. Once that skill was developed the battle was over. I knew how I wanted to think about ranging and how I would remember the bullet trajectory. Plenty of time shooting prairie dogs didn't hurt either.

longwalker

victorcharlie · « **Reply #16 on:** February 09, 2006, 08:26:42 AM »

I usually let where I'm going to be hunting determine what gun and what range it's zeroed at.

For the thick stuff, open sights and 50 yards.......scoped guns I set for 100 yards.........I have never taken a long shot at deer and don't recall killing one over about 80 yards.....and I've killed a bunch......

Ground hogs, and or varmit rifles are a different matter!

WylieKy · « **Reply #17 on:** February 09, 2006, 11:24:29 AM »

Ruger M77 30-06- 50 yrds
Ruger #1B 25-06- 50 yrds
Omega .50- 100 yrds
Ruger M77/50- 100 yrds
Bowtech Tomkat- 15yrds, 25yrds

I sight my rifles in at 50 yrds because at 50 or less I'll take a head shot on a doe. (Before I get blasted, I only do it at 50 yrds or less and only when the doe has her head down and is feeding towards me. My favorite shot. I aim for what my Grandfather termed the "sweet triangle". Make an X between the eyes and ears, then a line from ear to ear. Pop, Splatt, Thump

) Outside of 50 yrds I alway aim behind the shoulder, and with the ML's I'm not comfortable with the head shot for various reasons. With the Tomkat a 15yrd pin take me from point blank to 25, and 25yrd pin is good to 30. I'm not comfortable shooting a bow past 30 yrds at a live animal.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2006, 03:47:22 AM »

Different strokes for different folks. Lots of variables involved so i didn`t
think a stock answer fits here. That being said i`ll just speak for myself.
Some are sighted in for point of impact at 100yds as this suites some of the terrain i hunt on.
Others have a different set-up as far as POI goes as where i hunt (different terrain altogether)dictates other cals, rounds, what ever. Works for me.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #19 on:** February 10, 2006, 08:02:20 PM »

Quote

Though not ideal sometimes there is little alternative.

There is alway's an alternative!!!!!!!!!!!! :wink:

Ranger J · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2006, 04:43:18 AM »

Here in the Missouri Ozarks you dont get a lot of long shots. It also depends on what gun I am shooting. My 45/70 and my .44 mag. rifles are sighted in at 50 yards but my 30-06 and .308 are sighted in at 100 yards. Took two deer last year both about 60 yards with the .308.
RJ

poncaguy · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2006, 04:44:08 AM »

Here in northern Oklahoma-southern Kansas, 200 -400 shots are common for me. I used to sight in 3" high at 100, now 1.5" - 2" with my 7-08 and 270 WSM...................

JD338 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 05, 2006, 04:56:01 PM »

All my rifles are sighted in at 200 yds. I do my WT deer hunting in cedar Swamps and even with this zero, 40-50 yd shots are dead on.

JD338

rebAL · « **Reply #23 on:** March 21, 2006, 05:15:33 AM »

+1"@50 yds= +2"@100 yds=ca.0@200 yds; This is a rough estimate for most common deer rounds factoring in the size of kill zone.