Thread: New load zeroing

Just worked up a load of 140gr Interlocks and will be zeroing this weekend. Have chronoed the load at 2550fps or so, after a fouling shot.The fouling shot when I chronoed was 70 fps slower than the other shots.

The rifle is currently zeroed at 200m with 129gr interlocks (factory load) which allegedly go about 300fps faster (in reality it will be less because I have a 22" barrel)

I want a true zero at 200, not x inches high at 100m. My initial thoughts are to do one round at 50 (after a fouling shot) and roughly zero, then 10 shots at 200.

Opinions? Advice?

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Are the 140grn factory loads and what caliber?
As they seem pretty slow.
Once you know the speed it's easy to enter the data in a billistics app to see how high to have it hitting at 100m then fine tune it to be bang on at 200.

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If you're already zeroed at 200, just put a big enough target at 200 so as to see how low the 140 gr shots go and adjust upwards from there. They wont be that much lower. Take a spotting scope otherwise its a lot of walking.

Handloads. It's a 6.5 creedmoor. Happy with the speed - 1gr off book max

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The difference will be 5/8's of fuck all at 200 but just put up a target at 200, fire 3,5,10 shots, whatever and adjust your scope to suit. Then verify your adjustment and you should be done if your initial zero was accurate. You have to verify at range anyway to confirm. Don't rely on an on an app, this is pure folly to me. Doesn't matter if you're running a Kestrel and Applied Ballistics or whatever. Actual verification is the way to go.

Originally Posted by Eat Meater

Just worked up a load of 140gr Interlocks and will be zeroing this weekend. Have chronoed the load at 2550fps or so, after a fouling shot.The fouling shot when I chronoed was 70 fps slower than the other shots.

The rifle is currently zeroed at 200m with 129gr interlocks (factory load) which allegedly go about 300fps faster (in reality it will be less because I have a 22" barrel)

I want a true zero at 200, not x inches high at 100m. My initial thoughts are to do one round at 50 (after a fouling shot) and roughly zero, then 10 shots at 200.

Opinions? Advice?

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The will be differing opinions . . . Situation normal.

These days I've adopted the following routine. . . It is conditional on have a scope that dials reasonably accurately, but just about anything less that ten years old of decent quality will do it (along with many many older good quality scopes). Basically if you're planning to dial on game your scope is good enough.

I carefully bore-sight the rifle at at least 100M (way further is better and you can do this anywhere private, it's not like you're firing a shot). If you're already "on paper" with a current load skip this.

I fire a group at 100M, all the group needs to be is on the paper. I consider 5 shots is an absolute minimum, and 10 is much, much better.

Measure the group using a group analysis tool or app like BallisticX, Range buddy, Hornardy 4DOF etc. These will give you a measurement of the groups centre (all shots counted) to your aim point, usually referred to as an ATZ (adjustment to zero). The ATZ needs to be converted to clicks, crucial to remember that a 1/4 MOA click is 7.25mm at 100M, and a 1/10th Mil is 9.1mm at 100Y. Make the adjustment and then you have a decision.

Your first adjustment has given you a rock solid 100M (or Y) zero. Nowadays I zero all scopes at 100. When I go hunting I dial on my "point blank" range , usually to give a zero of 200, so typically I'll wind on 2 to 2.5 MOA, or whatever my ballistic app says I need for a 200 zero. If a longer shot requiring a dial up presents itself I can go straight to whatever the app or chart is calling for. Ofcourse you can preset this in the app, but when you are switching between rifles with different point blank capabilities e.g. changing from 17HMR for pests with a 90 zero to a CF with a 200 I find this approach results in the least number of cock ups.

If you still want a 200 zero dial it on and reset the turrets.

Why shoot the group at 100 - it minimizes shooter error and environmental factors (wind etc). Do you have to confirm at 200 . . . Well if you're gonna trust your scope to dial past 350 you can surely trust it at 100 - I dont bother anymore. What about correcting BC ( and velocity). The current data supplied by vendors is pretty good, the refined values most apps provide are even better and as long as you enter your data correctly (e.g. things like scope height) then you'll have perfectly acceptable results to 500-600.

Originally Posted by Bos

If you're already zeroed at 200, just put a big enough target at 200 so as to see how low the 140 gr shots go and adjust upwards from there. They wont be that much lower. Take a spotting scope otherwise its a lot of walking.

This seems the simplest approach, you've already got a good 200m zero, so 5 shot group dial up and followed by another 5 shot group, shooter error is going to be exaggerated in the grouping at 200m but that may be less of an issue for you

Originally Posted by Bos

If you're already zeroed at 200, just put a big enough target at 200 so as to see how low the 140 gr shots go and adjust upwards from there. They wont be that much lower. Take a spotting scope otherwise its a lot of walking.

I don't see any point in doing anything other than this.
If its already sighted in for 200, fire a couple and see where it is with the new load. Then adjust from there to get what you are after.
Then check at 100 (and any other range you may be curious about) to see where you are.
You don't need to know your speed for this.
Firing a heap of shots at 100 when you are already sighted in for 200 is just a waste of ammo.

Thanks. For the record, I usually jog. It saves so much time!

Some people at my range take their car up to the 200m targets!

25 rounds loaded and ready to go. Hopefully I won't be tempted to shoot them all!
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That will work. Just do it.

Fck it, I’ll say it. If you’ve already got a good 200 zero then fire maybe 3 shots at 200 with your new load, adjust as necessary. Fire another 3 shots to confirm and call it done. You can fire more shots if you want but even when loading your own ammo the dollar’s mount up quick.

In the event it was windy as. My spotting scope wasn't clear so I thought my first 3 shots missed the paper high to the left. 2 shots at 50m showed I was slightly high so went 2 clicks down. Then did 13 shots at the target. When I retrieved the target all 16 shots were on the paper and the data was screwed up. Best guess group analysis said 4 clicks up, but once I factored in 5 m/s wind (3 clicks down) that was 1 click up.

Net for the day: 19 rounds fired, 1 click down. And I discovered 1 of my reloads had no primer.

It's a good thing I don't take myself too seriously. What a crapshoot, LOL





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