Author Topic: Question about scope adjustments for Silhouette shooting! (Read 707 times)

nanaimoman · « **on:** November 14, 2004, 03:55:55 PM »

After watching my first Silhouette shoot today, I've decided to start shooting in it myself next month. I'm new to it, and I have a couple of very basic questions regarding adjusting my scope. I have a Leupold VX-II 3-9x40mm scope 1/4moa per click mounted on my rifle, and I have it zero'd at 40yrds. My question is, is there a pre-determined moa between each section "for example.. from 40yrds to 60yrds is there a 2moa = 8 clicks up to be zero'd?" Then from 60 to 80, and 80 to 100yrds??
I do realize that I will need to do practice shoots to get my exact zero for each different distance, and the other things like the type of ammo also comes into play. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can by asking so that if there is a basic formula, I can follow it will help me understand more about this style of shooting.
Any advice is appreciated.

dave imas · « **Reply #1 on:** November 14, 2004, 04:04:27 PM »

There are a couple of variables... velocity of ammunition, length of barrel, height of rings above the barrel... but... here is a pretty good rule of them for standard velocity ammunition:

zeroing on chickens. it is usually around 2 minutes to pigs. 60 meters

double your pig zero to get your turkey setting. 77 meters

double your turkey zero to get your ram setting. 100 meters

chicken = 0

pig = 2

turkey = 4

ram = 8

this should get most rifles and ammunition combinations close.

dave

nanaimoman · « **Reply #2 on:** November 14, 2004, 04:15:43 PM »

Thanks for that fast reply. I just have one other question, and please understand that I'm new to this and that is why I'm asking very elementary questions. If it's approximate 2moa between each row of targets, and I have a 1/4moa scope, I will be going 8 clicks between each row to achieve a 2moa increase? And if I shot chicken at zero, then went to Ram right after, I would click my scope up 32 clicks?
Once again I completely understand that this is just a rough guideline, and that I must do practice shots with my gun, and ammo. I'm just curious if I've got the basic understanding of how to do the adjustments.
Again thank you for your help.

Grasshopper52 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 14, 2004, 04:30:21 PM »

Yes you did interpret what Dave said correctly, with that set up it will be about
8 clicks (2 minutes) from chickens to pigs
16 clicks (4 minutes) from chickens to turkeys
and
32 clicks (8 minutes) from chickens to rams

Don't hesitate to ask any more questions, we always like to get people addicted, I mean started :grin:
Jim

nanaimoman · « **Reply #4 on:** November 14, 2004, 04:58:17 PM »

Great!! and thank you for the reply.
I have now thought of one other thing that I'm unsure of. I know that in my scopes owners manual it mentioned that my scope is 1/4moa, or a 1/4 inch per click at a 100yrds, and that at 200yrds each click will equal a 1/2 inch movement.
My question is if this is correct, then if I'm adjusting my scope let's say at 50yrds, would each click only equal 1/16th of an inch seeing as though it's half the distance to the 100yrd mark?
Sorry for taking this thread to another direction again, I'm sure once I get a handle on this scope stuff it will all make better sense to me :?

dave imas · « **Reply #5 on:** November 14, 2004, 06:26:13 PM »

my apologies for not being more clear. i don't even think in clicks anymore. Grasshopper, thanks for picking me up.

you have the right idea. at 50 yards 1 click on your scope should move your site setting just about 1/8" of an inch. keep in mind that 1/8" is much smaller than the group size you will get at 50 yards... or for chickens, 40 meters. approximately 44 yards. this makes getting an accurate chicken zero just a slight bit tricky for a beginner.

so now lets chat about the tricky part. you want to start with chickens to find zero. because the movement of the scope is so small at the chicken distance you can be wrong by almost a minute and still hit the chicken with a good center break. but... as you work your way out to the farther targets, being a minute off in elevation can be disastrous. the rams, at just shy of 110 yards, are only 2 minutes tall in elevation. if you are a minute off at that distance you will have a very long and dissappointing day.

so... take your time and make sure your chicken zero is correct before moving on to pigs and the rest. if the range provides, get your zero on paper from the bench. then make sure you verify that your bench zero and your off-hand zero are the same. if the range doesn't provide paper targets, paper target stands are about $10/each. it might be worth your while to have 4 to drag along to the matches. That being said, most match directors provide paper targets at each distance.

also keep in mind that ammunition that gives you a nice group at 40 and 60 meters may not give acceptable results at 77 and 100 meters. when you are testing ammunition, test it all the way out.
dave

nanaimoman · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2004, 07:35:07 AM »

Thanks for all your help. I'm going to be trying some CCI stingers this weekend to see how they shoot at the 100yrd mark.
Again, thank you.

dave imas · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2004, 08:05:21 AM »

keep in mind that hyper-velocity ammunition is not allowed in silhouette because of target damage. I believe stingers fall into that category. and... they aren't necessary. typically, if you can touch a smallbore ram anywhere it will fall over. on occassion one of the little buggers will turn on you but not very often.
dave