Easy scope zeroing

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Easy scope zeroing

Post by Member-Deleted » 13 Jul 2018, 2:29 pm

I posted this in a reply to a post on another thread, hopefully this may be useful for new shooters, A scope can be zeroed in a few minutes with only two shots.

* Mount the rifle in a stable gun vice/clamp system, make sure the entire rig can't move;

* Remove the bolt, barrel sight on to a target situated at the required distance, (look down the barrel and align with the centre spot on a target);

* Replace the bolt and fire one shot, if the rifle and clamping structure has not moved, all you need to do is adjust the scope settings so as the cross hairs align with where the projectile hit the target, (if you think the rifle has moved, remove the bolt and realign the barrel with the centre spot, then adjust the cross hairs to the hole in the target, you may have to use a couple more shots to check the alignment);

* Fire another shot to check the alignment.

EDIT. OOOPS!!!!! Thanks to a couple of friendly reminders form other contributors, I realised I omitted a very important point, if you are using a heavy caliber, don't completely prevent movement, the firearm has to move to compensate for heavy recoil or, damage will occur, if the outfit moves, simply return the cross hairs to the original point of aim before adjusting.

I have use the above method for years, it saves a lot of time and ammo, the trick is making sure the rifle does not move after the first shot is fired, by aligning the cross hairs to the hole in the target, your scope is accurately adjusted to where the rifle actually shoots, after that, any misses are down to operator error.
Last edited by Member-Deleted on 14 Jul 2018, 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by Apollo » 13 Jul 2018, 4:05 pm

All good except depending on Calibre... don't fire a round with the rifle mounted in a Gun Vice/Clamp System. You are risking some damage to something.

A very good front rest and rear bag on a solid bench for shooting BUT then to make scope adjustments you need the whole outfit to be stable or clamped if that is possible, Even someone to hold the rifle whilst you make scope adjustments.

Yep, 2 shots is all you need to sight in.

I do mine at 100 metres then adjust height to suit where I want a zero which is typically about 25mm high for a 200 metre or so zero giving me my point blank range settings.
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by Gwion » 13 Jul 2018, 4:30 pm

Clamping the rifle too rigidly also changes the way the rifle behaves and may change POI slightly. Best zeroed off good rests. Just be sure to return the rifle to position after the first shot. The cross hairs should be placed back on your original POA BEFORE making any adjustments to the turrets.

I use a home made rest that holds the rifle very steady but allows it to behave more naturally under recoil.
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by bladeracer » 13 Jul 2018, 4:43 pm

Gwion wrote:Clamping the rifle too rigidly also changes the way the rifle behaves and may change POI slightly. Best zeroed off good rests. Just be sure to return the rifle to position after the first shot. The cross hairs should be placed back on your original POA BEFORE making any adjustments to the turrets.

I use a home made rest that holds the rifle very steady but allows it to behave more naturally under recoil.


Yep, this is basically how I do it.
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by bigfellascott » 13 Jul 2018, 8:03 pm

I just shoot a target at around 20m or so, then whilst the xhairs are still on the POA I just adjust the Xhairs to the new bullet hole, works great I find.
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by tom604 » 13 Jul 2018, 10:13 pm

bigfellascott wrote:I just shoot a target at around 20m or so, then whilst the xhairs are still on the POA I just adjust the Xhairs to the new bullet hole, works great I find.



this^^^ but at a 100m :thumbsup:

helps if you get someone moves the dials for you but its only an extra shot or two if your rifle moves a bit :thumbsup:
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by Member-Deleted » 13 Jul 2018, 10:25 pm

Apollo wrote:All good except depending on Calibre... don't fire a round with the rifle mounted in a Gun Vice/Clamp System. You are risking some damage to something.

A very good front rest and rear bag on a solid bench for shooting BUT then to make scope adjustments you need the whole outfit to be stable or clamped if that is possible, Even someone to hold the rifle whilst you make scope adjustments.

Yep, 2 shots is all you need to sight in.

I do mine at 100 metres then adjust height to suit where I want a zero which is typically about 25mm high for a 200 metre or so zero giving me my point blank range settings.



Yep, the two shot method mainly works best for lighter calibre's, for the heavier stuff, you have to return to original point of aim, and I usually use a couple of extra shots to double check the settings, the clamp I use will move to allow for the recoil of heaver calibre's. :thumbsup:
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by Apollo » 14 Jul 2018, 12:43 am

Good onya... :thumbsup:

I just had in my mind to keep people away from the tragic stories I have heard of those using the likes of a Lead Sled with drastic results to the Rifle with split/cracked stocks yet alone using a Vice to test with, with the same result.

For those that don't know the energy in Recoil has to go somewhere and the first place is the rifle stock, if it can't move then ....... :thumbsdown:
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by Member-Deleted » 14 Jul 2018, 8:47 pm

Apollo wrote:Good onya... :thumbsup:

I just had in my mind to keep people away from the tragic stories I have heard of those using the likes of a Lead Sled with drastic results to the Rifle with split/cracked stocks yet alone using a Vice to test with, with the same result.

For those that don't know the energy in Recoil has to go somewhere and the first place is the rifle stock, if it can't move then ....... :thumbsdown:


Yeah I should of mentioned it in the original post, my set up is a home made thingimy, I do a lot of welding and fabrication, it is nothing special but holds the firearm secure, the frame sits on a bench, or the tray of the Quad or ute, while it limits movement, it still gives enough to compensate for heavy recoil, either re sighting using the scope or bore sighting by looking down the inside of the barrel to the target, I do both and have a set of those bore sighting gismo's, once you get used to doing it this way zeroing a scope is pretty easy and quick. :thumbsup:
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Re: Easy scope zeroing

Post by Member-Deleted » 14 Jul 2018, 8:53 pm

Member-Deleted wrote:
Apollo wrote:Good onya... :thumbsup:

I just had in my mind to keep people away from the tragic stories I have heard of those using the likes of a Lead Sled with drastic results to the Rifle with split/cracked stocks yet alone using a Vice to test with, with the same result.

For those that don't know the energy in Recoil has to go somewhere and the first place is the rifle stock, if it can't move then ....... :thumbsdown:


Yeah I should of mentioned it in the original post, my set up is a home made thingimy, I do a lot of welding and fabrication, it is nothing special but holds the firearm secure, the frame sits on a bench, or the tray of the Quad or ute, while it limits movement, it still gives enough to compensate for heavy recoil, either re sighting using the scope or bore sighting by looking down the inside of the barrel to the target, I do both and have a set of those bore sighting gismo's, once you get used to doing it this way zeroing a scope is pretty easy and quick. :thumbsup:



Thanks for the reminder Apollo, I have edited the original post. :thumbsup:
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