Thread: Sighting in a rifle on a short range

Originally Posted by Sarvo

I hear what you are saying and others on here about shooting to "one’s own" capability
You see - on animals I have no problem
I would never shoot at a moving animal or one on the edge of bush/scrub over 100m - only one that was in open terrain and more than likely with someone as back up over 200m

So - not trying to discredit your comments above - but you say ""I use as much bracing or steadys that I can like proper rests""
That isn’t going to be the case out in the wilds shooting at animals – if you get my point. When sighting in you are trying to line the scope up with the barrel so where you point it is where it goes. By taking as much "operator error" out of the equation, you ensure that where the crosshair is, the barrel is pointing at the same point. For practising and improving shooting, then I wholeheartedly agree that you should practise the positions that you will be using in the field. Sighting in I want my rifle as close to perfect as I can get it, but for shooting targets, plinking and technique, I shoot as though I am in the field.

As I said above I have shoot rifle & gun for 55 years now If you are confident at making the shot then you should be easily capable of sighting a rifle in. But if you are not comfortable of hitting targets at that range, you should not be taking shots at animals at the same. I only mentioned that because you stated "I just CANNOT shoot/sight a rifle in past 60m anymore" in your post on page 2. This lead me to think you were saying you cannot hit targets at that range. Sighting in is exxentially pointing the barrel (POI) and the cross in the scope at the same place.
I have never been good at target shooting apart from Trap (shotgun) competitionsMate, I cannot hit the barn from the inside with a shotgun....but I am confident with rifles and hit rabbits running with my 22.

However - I would have shot in excess of 5000 animals in my time and apart from a timeframe with a Mini14 that had the old Wichita base system that was a complete arse - I rarely a wounded animal.

What I still do not understand (call me stupid or just call me dumb) but if I can hit a 20c piece consistently at say 40m (my max comfort distance for sighting in) why should that shot be way off out at 150 - 200 Not stupid at all. It shouldn't be way off. If you can keep the group to an inch at 40 metres, then at 200 the group size should be about 5 to 6 inches which is an adequate for a confident kill shot at that range. Even on smaller animals like goats
If I get the formula for rise correct at 40m (say 1.5" low of bull) it should be a killable shot out to 200m ???

It’s been an interesting read on this thread and I will be trying a few options mentioned that I can do myself here in my limited terrain.

Best method I saw was a Clock target. If you aim to be about an inch high at 100 metres and abut 0 at 200 or even 175 metres, then you picture the 10" clock on the anmal kill zone. If you aim at the point halfway between centre and the 12 the POI will rise from just above centre at the muzzle to about an inch below the 12 at peak (around 100m drop down to the aiming point at 175m and will be about the centre of the clock by 220m dropping to halfway to the bottom by around the 250m. This allows for a 5 inch group at 250m and still theoretically still have all the group inside the 10" clock face. This 10" circle is also about the size of a kill zone on a deer.

And with the reference to Stupid. I only have one point to make. The ONLY stupid question there can be is the one that was not asked. You strike me as a smart individual who is seeking to work out something they cannot quite get their head around and I will never criticise anyone for looking for answers. None of us will ever have all the answers, and the best way to find out something is to ask someone who has the answer to your question. I can only hope I was able to help.