Low mag optics and sighting in

Rifle scopes, iron sights and optics. Spotting scopes and target acquisition devices.

Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Cal-ApeR » 19 Jan 2020, 12:21 pm

Hi all,

Wasn't too sure where to post this so hopefully this will fit under this category.

I'm wondering what SSAA targets people are using for their sighting in/ load development. I ask this as I have pretty ordinary eyes and while i love my 3-9 for hunting, i hate trying to develop loads with. In the field I think the 3-9 is a perfect fit for me so i don't feel the need to alter things and buy another scope. On thought would be to get some Grid targets and use the squares however i don't think SSAA have these. I could be wrong.

What are you guys using?
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Member-Deleted » 19 Jan 2020, 12:29 pm

I use and like the ones on Terminal Ballistics website
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowle ... +free.html
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Blr243 » 19 Jan 2020, 12:59 pm

At Ssaa Belmont I’m pretty sure we are only allowed to use their targets. I generally use the target that offers 6 bullseye circles. This does not give me a precise aiming point for sighting in. I noticed a shooter beside me was useing the same targets but he had drawn bold eg 5 mm Nikko pen cross hairs in the centre of the bulls eye. Not small crosses. Big crosses. Vertical line from top to bottom of page and same with horizontal line. I quickly adopted his method and I find it tons easy to give precise aiming point
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by SCJ429 » 19 Jan 2020, 1:01 pm

Big sheet of paper or cardboard and draw a dot it the middle. Put the target at 50 metres and set the rifle on bags, look down the barrel until you can only see the target. Then move your crosshairs to the middle of your target and fire a shot. You should be on paper and can adjust the elevation and windage to suit. Now fire a shot at 100 metres and adjust again.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by bladeracer » 19 Jan 2020, 1:30 pm

Cal-ApeR wrote:Hi all,

Wasn't too sure where to post this so hopefully this will fit under this category.

I'm wondering what SSAA targets people are using for their sighting in/ load development. I ask this as I have pretty ordinary eyes and while i love my 3-9 for hunting, i hate trying to develop loads with. In the field I think the 3-9 is a perfect fit for me so i don't feel the need to alter things and buy another scope. On thought would be to get some Grid targets and use the squares however i don't think SSAA have these. I could be wrong.

What are you guys using?


I use scopes for load development even on rifles I'm not intending to scope permanently. But I agree that 9-power is not enough for 100m precision as you won't be able to see small-caliber bullet holes. Maybe get yourself a higher-mag scope just for range work, or a sporting scope at least.

For targets, my preference is squares of insulation tape at 45-degrees as "diamonds". I aim at one corner of the tape for a very precise aiming point.

With open sights I make larger "diamonds" of tape that best suit my eyesight at various ranges.

I've never seen any need for grids as the bullet holes themselves, or the A4 page, give you the scale for adjusting fire. And with grids you really need to plumb the target to ensure the lines are vertical.

I printed off several hundred of the SSAA six-target page years ago and still find it useful, especially for testing .22LR ammo, but if I forget to grab some, I just put diamonds of tape around an A4 or A3 page, spaced far enough apart that groups won't overlap.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by JimTom » 19 Jan 2020, 1:49 pm

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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Cal-ApeR » 19 Jan 2020, 2:36 pm

Thanks gents, Jimtom, they are the type of targets i wish i could use at Belmont SSAA. Unfortunately they don't let us use anything but their own targets. I was hoping maybe these type of targets were available at some SSAA clubs.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by SCJ429 » 19 Jan 2020, 2:40 pm

If you have to use a SSAA card target for load development, take a permanent marker to the range with you and draw as many crosses on it as you need. I am sure they would let you do that.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Stix » 19 Jan 2020, 4:36 pm

I dont like black dots or thick black lines on a target as you often cant see bullet holes in the black.

I agreee, 9 power is not enough for testing...

Experiment by making big targets of your own...

Ive made one of my own...did it using an existing one from a website --enlarged & manipulated it in photoshop--its the one i use for 300yds plus, which would give a somewhat similar sight picture to what i imagine you'd see with a 9 power at 100.

Given ive effectively plagerised someone elses work, im not sure if i should post it up here or not.

The file will be too big to upload here anyway...

Ill take a pic of it & pm you if you like...?...
From there, i could email it to you if you want it... :unknown:
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Stix » 19 Jan 2020, 4:44 pm

Ah sorry...just read you cant use other targets...sounds utterly ridiculous to me...and to think us gun nuts complain about nanny state governing bodies & complaining minority groups, yet were told by our very own lot that we cant use a paper target, rather were only allowed to use paper targets... ffs... :roll:

scj is right...a black texta & ruler are your friend...

Take a heap of targets home & experiment with squares & diamonds...
Technically if you turn their target over you are still using their target...

I can still send you the one i use if you like for an idea...
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by JimTom » 19 Jan 2020, 4:47 pm

Mate that sounds terribly restrictive. My local SSAA range doesn’t impose the same fortunately.

I do however use the SSAA yellow cardboard with 6 individual circle targets with red concentric circles. These work ok too mate for zeroing.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by JimTom » 19 Jan 2020, 4:49 pm

Hope that was a good enough explanation mate, unfortunately I don’t have one here at present or I would put a picture up so you knew what I was on about.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by GQshayne » 19 Jan 2020, 5:08 pm

For testing I have found the best for me is to have no black bullseye as the crosshairs get lost in it. So I have black crossed lines that I can place the crosshairs of the scop on exactly. Mine also have finer lines at 1cm intervals which is good for determining scope adjustments. Ditching black bullseyes was the best thing I did.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by JimTom » 19 Jan 2020, 5:14 pm

Further to my last I also draw a vertical and horizontal centre line in black Nikko to aid in ensuring you’re aiming for the same spot each time . Hope that helps mate.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by SCJ429 » 19 Jan 2020, 8:43 pm

The best target is a blank piece of card, shot a hole in it and wind your elevation up one inch. Then use your bullet hole as your target, this is very difficult if you only have 3 or 4 power to work with.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by bigfellascott » 19 Jan 2020, 9:09 pm

Just draw some plus symbols on the back of their targets and put your x-hairs over the plus symbol and send em. Simple and you know you are spot on each time.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Medb » 22 Jan 2020, 6:41 pm

Last time I was at Belmont I was sighting in a red dot and took some of my own targets since none of the ones they offer are particularly good for this purpose. Spoke to one of RO's about it and he said to "just buy a couple of targets from the shop and paste your targets over the top of them" that way if anyone calls you out on it you can say you are indeed shooting at a club approved target.

Pretty similar to other suggestions like drawing grids, or sticking small pastie targets on top targets you buy from them, just taking it a step further.

Apart from the no human targets rule, they only really care about the money aspect of it so as long as you buy a few targets to placate them no-one will really care if you stick something else over it.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Am88 » 23 Jan 2020, 1:05 pm

I draw my own, a 2" black circle was plenty and I could see my bullet impacts with my fixed 6 power scope pretty easily on my .222, I had a dark green backdrop behind the targets being sugar cane.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Oldbloke » 24 Jan 2020, 8:49 am

I dont target shoot, just hunt and develop the odd load. I used to print out all sorts of targets. Now i just use 1" red dots.

Buy them very cheap at office works. About 500 to a roll. Stick on 1" red dots

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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Stix » 24 Jan 2020, 10:34 am

Bloody hell...at $8 for a box of spots...someone is making some serious profit there...!!

A printer i know offered me an entire roll of up to 4" wide white self adhesive label for nothing...im talking a roll thats prob 900mm in diameter...enough for all of us here to shoot at & label our freezer bags & ammo boxes for a generation or 2...

Think ill take him up on the offer...!!

Maybe ill ask him to print half of it off in spots... :lol:
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by bladeracer » 24 Jan 2020, 10:51 am

I buy lots of the adhesive dots, although I prefer the smaller ones for shooting at.
They're also great for patching the bullet holes.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Potatoes » 24 Jan 2020, 11:25 am

I got into trouble at belmont for hanging a clay off the 200m target boards. I said don’t worry ill take it down then (with my rifle). Glad old mate didn’t see the ones i had strung up at 300m. He would have had a heart attack. They never seem to have a problem with the birchwood casey targets i get from the lgs though.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by GojiraSteve » 24 Jan 2020, 11:34 am

SCJ429 wrote:If you have to use a SSAA card target for load development, take a permanent marker to the range with you and draw as many crosses on it as you need. I am sure they would let you do that.


Yeah, that's pretty much how I've got around it.

I use target patches (1/2 inch black stickers) for the "dots" though.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by pomemax » 24 Jan 2020, 11:57 am

Go to my targets .com and print your own target when ever I go to a range i use them plenty of different targets
http://www.mytargets.com/ if you have access to an A3 printer all the better.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by bladeracer » 24 Jan 2020, 4:41 pm

pomemax wrote:Go to my targets .com and print your own target when ever I go to a range i use them plenty of different targets
http://www.mytargets.com/ if you have access to an A3 printer all the better.


I have used them as well, but I don't always remember to take them with me. But I always have some A4 and A3 sheets with me, and insulation tape.
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by rc42 » 27 Jan 2020, 1:36 pm

I've never had a problem with my own paper targets at Belmont SSAA, on one occasion I did overhear an RO advising somebody to grab some used SSAA targets from the bin and attach their targets to those first but I think theirs were quite small and it was taking them a long time to attach them out on the range.

I've seen people put clay targets out on the dirt mounds too and it's even in their range safety video.

I haven't seen a list of what an official 'approved target' is for that range though, if anyone knows please respond
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by RoginaJack » 27 Jan 2020, 2:02 pm

For just sighting in, I don't think there is. I just print out targets from above web site, attach them to a very well used SSAA card ( get a couple of A4 targets on, saves on time putting them up) and use a sticker off a Star and Smiley sheet from a "Dollar Dazzler" shop - cheap as chips!
And I've used a piece of clay target on the butt stop to get a rough idea of fall of shot , no worries...
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Re: Low mag optics and sighting in

Post by Ziggy » 27 Jan 2020, 9:27 pm

If I don't have a target, I make one with cardboard and an upside down T in the middle. works for me.
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