Range to zero a .243 at?

[Heym SR20]

The only snag in the plan is that someone with an 18" 243 reads the back of the box without realising that those rounds may actually be several hundred fps slower in their rifle. Always good to have actual velocity readings not just factory blurb

Quite - that's why its quoted with 23.6" barrel length. Knock the 2958 down by 50 to 100 fps per inch of shorter barrel and an 18" could only be doing 2,450 fps

 

[bogtrotter]

I can never understand this idea of people saying they zero1" high or whatever at 100yds or metres ... because surely that is not your zero. All this means is that your bullet strikes 1" high at 100 {please enter your prefered choice of unit of measurement} . Your actual zero is likely to be down range a bit more. So guys impress me when your point of impact is 1" high at 100 yds what really is your zero .

I understand the reasons why you do this , personally I do zero bang on at 100 yds , and now I'm rambling its been a long day goodnight all . Brough

The reason I zero an inch high at 100 yards ? No I do realise that is not actully zero! But what itdoes do is allow me to?shoot from.point blank to a little over 200 yards without having to consider hold over just point and shoot.
it is called the KISS method
KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID

 

[OkieRodBurner]

The reason I zero an inch high at 100 yards ? No I do realise that is not actully zero! But what itdoes do is allow me to?shoot from.point blank to a little over 200 yards without having to consider hold over just point and shoot.
it is called the KISS method
KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID

I may be a dummy, but I've always zeroed my scopes at dead on center, at 100yds. What advantage does zeroing at 1 inch over the center give you? Not, how is it y'all Brits say, "takin the ****"? Just genuinely curious as I just got this .243 and haven't ever heard this method. I was always taught to zero on dead center so on long shots its easier to calculate moa if needed. Any help or insight it'd be appreciated sir.

 

[bogtrotter]

I may be a dummy, but I've always zeroed my scopes at dead on center, at 100yds. What advantage does zeroing at 1 inch over the center give you? Not, how is it y'all Brits say, "takin the ****"? Just genuinely curious as I just got this .243 and haven't ever heard this method. I was always taught to zero on dead center so on long shots its easier to calculate moa if needed. Any help or insight it'd be appreciated sir.

Simple really , it depends on what you call long shots .
In deer stalking in the UK most shots are under 200 yards thats why its called stalking, by zeroing at an inch high at a
hundred yards that allows me to shoot from point blank out to about 220 yards or so with out any calculating no hold
over needed just point and shoot , you will be in the kill zone out to the the previously mentioned distance maybe an inch high or low dependant on that distance but still in the kill area.
I only ever need to consider hold over at distances beyond that which would be very seldom in the case of trying to stop
a wounded animal for instance which hopefully doesn't happen that often .
If its further than 200 yards get closer thats stalking

 

[OkieRodBurner]

Simple really , it depends on what you call long shots .
In the deer stalking in the UK most shots are under 200 yards thats why its called stalking, by zeroing at an inch high at a
hundred yards that allows me to shoot from point blank out to about 220 yards or so with out any calculating no hold
over needed just point and shoot , you will be in the kill zone out to the the previously mentioned distance maybe an inch high or low dependant on that distance but still in the kill area.

Ohh okay, that makes sense. A lot of hunts over here, depending on of ur hunting the plains, or the mountains, or forested areas, ur shot may be at 40 yds, or of ur tracking elk up in high mountain montana or even in say Idaho or Wyoming, or even Canada, with an Elks sense of smell And hearing you may not get closer than 3-350 yds so you have no choice but to calculate moa, BC, bullet drop and velocity and all that pain in the ass math to make the elevation and windage adjustments on ur scope. I see.

 

[EDCM]

Ohh okay, that makes sense. A lot of hunts over here, depending on of ur hunting the plains, or the mountains, or forested areas, ur shot may be at 40 yds, or of ur tracking elk up in high mountain montana or even in say Idaho or Wyoming, or even Canada, with an Elks sense of smell And hearing you may not get closer than 3-350 yds so you have no choice but to calculate moa, BC, bullet drop and velocity and all that pain in the ass math to make the elevation and windage adjustments on ur scope. I see.

You can always have your scope at 1 inch high by zeroing at 100 then adjusting the scope up 1 MOA.
If then you expect longer shots just dial remembering you are already up 1MOA. Or use a BDC reticle
This is my Delta Titanium hold overs with Strelok+

 

[Ade8mm]

This gives 1.5" high at 100yrds fwiw

 

[rem284]

How many of the guys who are 1 inch high at a 100 have actually proved to themselves that they are indeed spot on at 200.

I think a few of you might be a tad low depending on bullet and mv. Are we talking metres or yards.

 

[Ajs]

Hello, what is the best range to zero a .243 at? What size groups should I be looking at being acceptable?

2nd willm

 

[bogtrotter]

How many of the guys who are 1 inch high at a 100 have actually proved to themselves that they are indeed spot on at 200.

I think a few of you might be a tad low depending on bullet and mv. Are we talking metres or yards.

Doesn't need to be spot on at 200yards the whole point of zeroing an inch hich at a hundred for me is that I can shoot
from point blank to about 220 yards without thinking about it ,yes it will be a tad low at 200 but its immaterial i will still
In the kill area ,yes it will be a tad high or low dependant on the actually where the target is between between those
Points of point blank and 220 yards but it will still be in the kill area which is good enough for me ,no calculating of
drop no hold over just point and shoot.

 

[TheCornishman]

because zeroing at 1" high at 100 is easier than zeroing at 217 yards 7inches...

That should satisfy even the most pedantic

 

[Foxyboy43]

All down to the size of your quarry I guess. A roe will have a very small vital area compared to say an elk so the distance at which your shots at each will be the kill shot we all want will be a significant variable. Same rifle zeroed at 1" or 2" high at 100yds will be effective on roe out to roughly 175/250 yds (calibre dependent) but will probably be way too low at 500yds even if the target (elk) is many times the size of the roe because of the increasing effect of gravity. Most guys I know in the states zero at 2/250 yds and before the advent of ballistic calculators simply used holdover or "kentucky windage" based on their knowledge and experience of the rifle.
In my own case I use the 100 yds zero and holdover for all rifles from .17 hmr upwards - probably because it is what I am used to over the last 50 years and I am happy with the result. I also think the more scientific (and likely more accurate) BC approach is how stalkng, certainly at range, will go with the coming generations. Change is generally for the best - if it wasn't for calculators we would all be using an abacus. Clumsy ol thing to carry on the hill too!

 

[Kevgun]

Me, i Zero dead on at 62 yards, which gives me a 2nd Zero of 285 yards and 1.5" high at the top of the arc, so a point and shoot rifle to 300 yards, this is my Foxing rifle a .223 with 40 grain Vmax @3800fps but it's dependant on how high your Scope ( Drone 15 in my case ) sits above the bore line.

 

[jer]

Me, i Zero dead on at 62 yards, which gives me a 2nd Zero of 285 yards and 1.5" high at the top of the arc, so a point and shoot rifle to 300 yards, this is my Foxing rifle a .223 with 40 grain Vmax @3800fps but it's dependant on how high your Scope ( Drone 15 in my case ) sits above the bore line.

Your spot on with that, at 62 yds you can consistently and confidently shoot in exactly the same spot and know if your ammo is grouping well with the added benefit of point and shoot out well past 200 yds with most popular calibers. 1.5 high at 100 yds is how I zero everything from 22-250 to .300 win mag

 

[rem284]

Doesn't need to be spot on at 200yards the whole point of zeroing an inch hich at a hundred for me is that I can shoot
from point blank to about 220 yards without thinking about it ,yes it will be a tad low at 200 but its immaterial i will still
In the kill area ,yes it will be a tad high or low dependant on the actually where the target is between between those
Points of point blank and 220 yards but it will still be in the kill area which is good enough for me ,no calculating of
drop no hold over just point and shoot.

I agree with the principle but how many people check it in practice. I use this system myself but it is detailed below

My 270 at 100m is set with a zero hold over of 1.25 inches which gives me a 200m zero. That with 110g. When I was using 130g I had to have 1.5 inch zero hold over at 100m to get it to be a 200m zero.

 

[Heym SR20]

The trouble with simple 1” high at 100 is that it is no good.......

for the optics manufacturers. You need first a rangefinder, then range finding binoculars to measure distances accurately.

you then need expensive ballistic turreted scopes.

and you need long ballistic coefficient bullets the special G powder which needs a fast twist barrel as well.

you then to shoot lots of cartridges to work out the exact drops for every 25 metres from 25 to at least infinity if not further. And at different wind speeds.

and all this takes huge amounts of time and huge amounts of money so no ways can you ever afford the time or the funds to actually go stalking.

But that’s ok because mr blaser, swarovski, leica schmidt, bender, norma, lapua etc are all having fun on their hunting grounds with a well put together mauser 98 or kipplauf with a 6x42 that was built for their grandfathers and great grandfathers and still going strong and somehow still manage to shoot deer.

 

[long_range_rob]

FYI using TDS reticule in FFP and a true 100m zero .......

 

[1894]

I used 1/2" high for 20 years. I' m now using 1cm clicks and find it better. Carry rifle 1 click high. As soon as things get long (over 150) use RF and adjust. Yes it takes longer but its still possible to aim off if required.

Re shooting under 100yds - a slightly high zero at 100 is a help as this reduces the amount you are under on sub 50yd targets

 

[Leroux]

Each to his own but fiddling with dials when you are hunting and about to shoot an animal is the last thing I would want to do. Biggest mistakes I have seen in Africa are usually the guys with overcomplicated scopes. Hard to beat a 8 x 50 or a 6 x 42 with a competent person behind the trigger.

 

[hunta]

Me, i Zero dead on at 62 yards, which gives me a 2nd Zero of 285 yards and 1.5" high at the top of the arc, so a point and shoot rifle to 300 yards, this is my Foxing rifle a .223 with 40 grain Vmax @3800fps but it's dependant on how high your Scope ( Drone 15 in my case ) sits above the bore line.

Just don't squeak them in too close