I zero at 50 metres (55yards) with subsonic, check this zero against targets from 10 metres to 50, range and dial at ten metre intervals between 50 - 100 metres, noting all the while where the bullets land in relation to the aiming point (max variation in my setup is just under 3/4" at 30m), but beyond 80metres the groups do open up a bit much for consistent head shots in windier conditions, so I carry a couple clips of high velocity rounds; when my zero with subs is at 50 m, my zero with high velocity, by happy coincidence/chance is exactly 100 m, and very accurate indeed. Wind direction and strength make an increasingly significant impact on shot placement over greater distance, whereas bullet drop/gravity/trajectory is pretty much predictably constant once you know what your rifle does (mine is a 35yr old Brno 452 with 5 1/2" off the original length of the barrel, rethreaded). A sticker on the stock serves as an aide memoire as to the numbers, which over time I've memorised: range, dial, aim, squeeze, RETURN TO ZERO STOP.
Some Scopes have 60 adjustment clicks per revolution, like minutes on a clock, so marklines at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock on the turret give one a quick count of fifteen, thirty and forty five clicks, so eg if the rabbit is ranged at 82m away, I'll turn to 30 and then come back toward 27, but put back on a couple clicks from the 27 in view of the fact that it's a couple metres further than 80 metres, but still some way off 90 metres. More modern dialling Scopes with a ballistic- or diy turret ribbon would work very well used in similar manner, I'm sure, I just haven't gotten round to changing.
If/When shooting hv at 50m, my aim point is marked four dots down my scope reticle, but tbh if the rabbit is this close its unlikely that I have the hi speed rounds in use, it's just to let me know where I
should aim should such a situation ever arise. So much detail not really used, but it's good to know nevertheless.
Zeroed at 50 m, I dial 7clicks up at 60m, 17 at 70m, 27 at 80m, 38 at 90m etc, and dial any inter-distance accordingly. This is all done from actually firing series of 5 to 6 x 5 shot groups on a calm day at the ranged and measured targets, to determine the trajectory of the
actual bullet chosen from the
actual rifle using and dialling the
actual scope; I'm not ashamed to say that I've yet to get to rely on a ballistic calculator, I'd rather have the practice, and anyway it helps with both the (tuned) trigger let-off and justification for/use of ammunition in the calibre every renewal.
Getting to know your own setup
well is, in my opinion very much worth the time spent, at least for me; I'm shooting bunnies for the human consumption market, so it's important that the body of the rabbit doesn't contain bullet fragments.
Gotta love yer .22lr!
, and no I don’t know the holdover, but an estimate is in the yards
