Scope sighting advice

Odysseus

Hi all,

Attached is my most recent attempt to zero in my 17hmr. As you can see there are five targets, I used a black marker around a two euro coin. I fired two shots at each, distance was 100 yrds. I marked each hit with a red marker to highlight the hit.

What do people think? I relatively new to rifle shooting, but when hunting I want to hit what I aim for; like us all I suppose. I hit four of the targets within the circle, but the missing shots are not consistent: some are to the right high or low, one to the left. There was a medium wind blowing to the left.

I have put 800 rounds through it so far, so I'm not expecting to be a marksman, but I'm interested in peoples opinions. Is it just me? Could the sight be zeroed better? A mixture of both? Or is it impossible to tell from the picture?

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Glensman

That's fine in wind, especially if you haven't had a lot of practice yet...

Cass

I would be happy enough that you would be hitting what you aim at with that shooting. The shots to the right are the wind and don't forget that a strong headwind or wind from behind can drop or raise the bullet slightly. Add this to your ability, the hunting ammo and Yes, you should be happy enough.

All that i could suggest would be to try a few different brands of bullets and try different loads to see if you can tighten the group but honestly at 100yds you're good enough.



By the way the picture is HUGE.

Odysseus

Cheers lads,

Ezridax, your a gent, your always quick to share your experience. Could either of you, or anyone else recommend a site where I could learn more about the effect of wind and distance. I have taken a couple of crows and bunnies with it at 75-100 yrds, but I like to learn about aiming at a distance further than the zero distance, or closer if the case arises.

Though with the 17hmr I won't be going much further, but I understand you could still take a crow or a bunny at 175 yrds with it.

I don't know how the picture got that big, each time I post a pic here it uploads completely different to what I'm expecting:o

Cass

There is no fool proof way of eliminating wind drift, but merely ones ability to read it and try counteract it's effects. Try here for a more detailed read.

All i can suggest is practise. Check which round suits your rifle best then stick to that round. Try it at differnt distances in different conditions while at all times recording your results for future reference. With enough practise and trial and error you will find yourself standing 120 yds from a bunny/fox, in a 10 mph left to right wind and be confident enough to to dial in the necessary clicks or use the appropriate holdover/mil-dot to take the shot.

Try listen/read as much as possible, but have your s**t filter on high as some may baffle you with unneeded info. I personally cannot stress the importance of my range time. I use all my rifles regularly on the range with different loads, heads, etc. I know each gun inside and out and have a fair understanding of the wind (even if the application lets me down at times ). This gives me the confidence to know when i can make (and not make) the shot.

Practise makes perfect.

shanmoll308

Bring your target in to 50yards and zero your .17 at that range, that way your bullet will be less affected by the wind. You will also find a .17 HMR zeroed for 50 yards will be a shade high at 75 yards, bang on at 100yards, 2" low at 150yards and 9" low at 200yards.. And happy hunting;)

Shanmoll308.

Odysseus

Thanks everybody,

Another silly question is I have a Nikko Stirling nighteater 3x9x42. Apart from the windage and elavation; there is another turret on the opposite side for yardage, starts at 10, then 50, 100, 200, 500. Then the is a sign like a sidewards 8. The last three numbers are really close together.

I'm new to sights and never seen one of these before. In general does this type of turret work?

Cass

Odysseus wrote: »

...... there is another turret on the opposite side for yardage, starts at 10, then 50, 100, 200, 500.

This is your parallex turret, turn it to the distance you are shooting at to clear/sharpen the image in your scope.

Then the is a sign like a sidewards 8.

That is the symbol for "infinity" Meaning distances beyond the 500yd setting of your scope.

The last three numbers are really close together.

Just means there is little adjustment for distances between 100 to 500.

I'm new to sights and never seen one of these before. In general does this type of turret work?

Yes. They are on the Nightforce, Swift, Burris, Bushnell, Hawke. They are what it refered to as "Side Parallex". Other scopes for parallex adjusment you have to turn the end of the scope at the objective lens to sharpen the image seen in your scope. Scopes with side parallex are easier to use as they do not require you to come up from the scope to see how you are turning it.

.243

a 17hmr likes a dirty barrel so after cleaning put 2-3 downrange to foul the barrel before your target shots

J. Ramone

shanmoll308 wrote: »

Bring your target in to 50yards and zero your .17 at that range, that way your bullet will be less affected by the wind. You will also find a .17 HMR zeroed for 50 yards will be a shade high at 75 yards, bang on at 100yards, 2" low at 150yards and 9" low at 200yards.. And happy hunting;)

Shanmoll308.

I couldn't have put it better. On a calm day the HMR is a 200 yard round for crows.