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What Distance To Sight My Gun To?

pocketpower231

pocketpower231

.22LR
Pretty much what the top says. What distance do you guys think I should sight my 4x32 scope to? I have been told lots of different distances. One answer I got was to sight it in a 25 yards. That would make it dead on at 25 and 50 yards but about 1/2 inch low at 60. Does this sound right to you guys? I'm not shooting it any farther then 75 yards at the very extreme end of the spectrum. What is your recommendations and what do you have your's sighted in at?
 
Battle Zero on a Ar15 with iron sights is 25 yds. Makes it zero at 300 yds as well. I'm not sure on a .22. Would also depend on how high above the barrel the scope is and the ammo velocity as well.
 
Gunny... I don't think I have ever kept a range book for a .22 plinker. Have you?
 
I did once, as a kid. The man instructing me insisted on it. I think just to get me familiar with the discipline of using one.
 
I zeroed my .308 Savage 10 FCP at 50 yards. It shoots a 2 football high at 100 yards and one football low at 300 yards.
 
ScottyB said:
Not to call you out, but I'm pretty sure it's 36 yards. That's what we did in the Marines. I may be mistaken.
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No problem. The latest course I went thru gave us the 25/300. We don't have a 300 yd range here to test but I will on our 200 and see if the ballistic charts mirror the results. You should test any weapon at the distance your going to shoot it to verify its accuracy.
 
nitesite said:
Guys....

We're in the 715T .22 Long Rifle room. Focus.....
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Funny right there!! DUH!!
Goobersmiley.gif
 
nitesite said:
Guys....

We're in the 715T .22 Long Rifle room. Focus.....
Click to expand...
A bullet is a bullet is a bullet...;)

Good point. I think the next time I hit the range I'll sight my .22 in at 25 and see where I'm at 100 and 200.

I guess it doesn't really matter what distance you sight in at as long as you know where it will impact at the distance you are going to shoot.
 
pocketpower231 said:
One answer I got was to sight it in a 25 yards. That would make it dead on at 25 and 50 yards but about 1/2 inch low at 60. Does this sound right to you guys? I'm not shooting it any farther then 75 yards at the very extreme end of the spectrum. What is your recommendations and what do you have your's sighted in at?
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If the math is correct, a 25yd zero would put your impact roughly .65" low @ 50 yd, just under 1.43" low @ 60 yd, and 3.18" low @ 75 yd. This is using data from 40gr HV CCI Minimag (ballistics coefficient of .118, 1235 fps). With a 32-36yd zero as suggested, let's use a mean distance of 34 yd, the math puts your impact at roughly .60" low @ 50yd, @ 1.37" low @ 60 yd, and 3.11" low @ 75 yd. As previously stated your results will vary based on your ammo selection, but looking at the rough data the difference between a 25 yd and a 34 yd zero is negligible.

I'll add another method to what's already been suggested. If this were me with my .22lr rifle and I'm shooting at distances between 25-75 yd, I would zero my optic for 50 yd. Using the same data as above a 50 yd zero will put your impact .33" high @ 25 yd, and 2.2" low @ 75 yd. That's virtually spot on @ 25 yd, dead nuts on @ 50 yd, and with about a 2" hold-over @ 75 yd you'll be on the money.

Again your ammo selection will make a difference. There is a lot of good advice posted in this thread and no matter what method you choose you should be just fine. Have fun getting it figured out. Keep us posted on your results and let us know if you have any other questions along the way...
 
I've tended to sight my .22lr's in for 50 yards. I use them primarily for hunting and that seems to give me the best hold on range for typical distances I will be shooting.
 
Thanks Sniper, I think I will do just that. 1/3 of an inch at 25 yards is still in the eye socket of a squirrel . We have lots of terrorist squirrels and rabbits here in Michigan, and they like to engage at 25 to 50 yard ranges. It just kinda sucks for me because I have all my ammo for my 22 in two buckets, lead round nose and hollow point is the only separation , and there are several different brands and weights of each thrown in together. I hope they dont vary to awful much. I will sort out a few hundred rounds of the same ammo to sight it in with as soon as the 3 feet of snow we still have disappears and then I will see how the other ammo does in comparison . Thanks Again for the insight :)
 
The army zeroes at 25 meters because the round we use puts the round at the same elevation relative to the sight picture at 25 meters as at 300 meters.

300 meters is the range to which the army wants their soldiers to be effective.

Therefore I recommend you determine at what range you want to be effective and then at what closer range you can match that relative elevation.

Zero to that range.
 
pocketpower231 said:
Thanks Sniper, I think I will do just that. 1/3 of an inch at 25 yards is still in the eye socket of a squirrel . We have lots of terrorist squirrels and rabbits here in Michigan, and they like to engage at 25 to 50 yard ranges. It just kinda sucks for me because I have all my ammo for my 22 in two buckets, lead round nose and hollow point is the only separation , and there are several different brands and weights of each thrown in together. I hope they dont vary to awful much. I will sort out a few hundred rounds of the same ammo to sight it in with as soon as the 3 feet of snow we still have disappears and then I will see how the other ammo does in comparison . Thanks Again for the insight :)
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No problem, glad to help.

Let us know how it works out for you...
 
Went back and looked at my notes and the sheets they gave us. Not sure where I got 300 yds from but it was sight-in at 25 yd for a 200 yd battle zero.

Brain fart or senior moment, call it what you want....:confused:
 
.22's rifles are standard LOS1 (bullets upward travel) zeroed at 25 meters. Battle-sight zero is the max effective combat distance your rifle strikes a target on its downward travel.. A scoped .22 has an effective battle-sight zero of only 100 meters - for high mounted scopes such as your handle. 6-6.5" is the max allowed downward drop for combat battle-sight efficiency. Your .22 rifle becomes a designated marksman rifle (DMR) once you mount a scope. You can only extend the .22's combat efficiency out to roughly 140-150 meters with a handle mounted scope & that's pushing it - scope height dependent. In armory's, .22 rifles are to be stored LOS1 zeroed at 25 meters.

The AR-15 & M16A1 & M16A2 are LOS1 zeroed at 25 meters, where the new M4A1 is 50 meters. No, the M16 has an LOS1 of 25 meters & an LOS2 of 375 meters with the L sight flipped up. After you have zeroed with the L sight, you flip up your unmarked short-range sight & fire at a 42 meter target, & target strike #2 will be 250 m (LOS2). The 250 meter battle-sight zero is the setting that remains on the rifle. The AR-15/M16 remains combat effective to 300 meters. Hope this clears up the distances, peace out.

By Distance
LOS1 Zero= Target Strike #1, 25 meters (its upward travel)
LOS2= Battle-sight Zero,Target Strike #2 (its downward travel)
Combat Battle Efficiency= Max 6-6.5" drop
Max Range= Max distance a bullet can hurt an animal or human
 

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