Personal Choice of Scope Zero Setup

So what is your preferred setting?

My choice is not so much the zero setting at a specific range say 100yds for my muzzle loader as to the height from zero at 100yds. Example I prefer to have my POI 1-5/8 to 1-3/4” high at 100yd zero point. From this point I shoot at 150 & 200yd to record my continued actual drop to use these values to determine a proper BC for this specific load to further expand a realistic trajectory from a calculator.

This may not be the best method for other shooters but I’m very comfortable using this approach and works well for me.


Ed

Considering im a BP guy my zero is at 100 yards.
No need for anything else as I cant see shooting over 150-175.

I'm not a BP guy. I zero 3" high with rifles or shotguns with rifled barrels. Most shots I would take or anyone else using the guns would be under 100. I find the 3 high helps for 50 yard shots to avoid a low shot. If I didn't help people out and lend the odd gun they all might be zeroed 100.

For a Hunting scenario with my Muzzle Loader, I'm usually short range (less than 100 yds), so I will zero (bull) at 50yds .

The ballistic tables provided for my bullet (Keith Nose) says there is only a .5 " difference between 50 and 100 yds, so compensation is a slight hold over if I have to reach out.

Since shooting may involve free standing on my walk in/out, then it's best to have the bullet go where the cross hairs are set.

Now if I'm just punching holes in paper from the range shack, I will work up load for a bullet like the QT that gives me a <1" group on bull at 50, then adjust reticle 1" high. That sets me up for a 100+ yds scenario to start the day. Then I can adjust out the compensation for drop based on the group results at that range. Same for 200 yds....start with known POA results at 100 then adjust out the trajectory by either increasing the powder or adjusting the reticle to group in at 200 yds.

So I'm not far off what you do Ed....knowing that I will have at least a 3+" drop between 100 and 200 for that bullet, I can easily throw a 2" hold over onto the reticle at 100 and work from there, to at least keep the bullet hitting in the centre of the paper.

Sitting on a chair, supporting your elbows and having the gun in a rest sure helps to stabilize the 100+ yds shots to prove out a load and get the gun set up, but once you take it out to the tree stand, you better make sure you practise some real scenario shooting.

I've had guys set up their scopes for sub 1" groupings in the shack at 100 yds..then walk outside and miss a 6" target at 50 yds freestanding. It's humbling :)

Thanks for your responses to this thread and reasoning for choice.
The reasoning for my choice is as follows using these chosen parameters.
Most believe a 6” dia. kill zone should be considered when hunting deer. Here I opted for a 4” dia. kill zone that in turn influenced my MPBR allowance which is now 2” plus or minus shooting over a specific range.

With my current load for my muzzle loader that represents, 1-7/8” high at 100yds, 0 at 150yds and 2” low at 170yards. So no hold adjustment made for my target out to 170yds.
At 200yds I’m 4-7/8” low so a slight adjustment for bullet drop is made but the cross-hairs never leave the body of the deer.
At 225yds my bullet drop is now 8-3/4” that would force me to basically hold at the top of the back for a quartering shot.
At 250yds my bullet drop is now 13-3/4” that would force me to hold almost half the deer’s body height above the deer.

And yes there usually is a body height difference between a doe and mature buck that I also take into consideration.
As my comfort zone is 200yds that I have practiced I will remain there for harvesting a healthy deer. For spotting a crippled deer I will extend that range to 250yds.

This is not to impress anyone with my technical reference but how my mind works in arriving at a choice of parameters I have adopted with known variables.
Every hunter has to make his own choice for the level of accuracy they seek.
This is not about maximum precision but how precise you want to be.
For me the more precision I use the greater the confidence in my ability to make a possible 1-shot kill.

Ed

Depends where you hunt. Fields I would zero 2 inches high and hunting bush zero at 100 yards.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ET1

With my current load for my muzzle loader that represents, 1-7/8” high at 100yds, 0 at 150yds and 2” low at 170yards. So no hold adjustment made for my target out to 170yds.
Ed

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As a fellow Savage shooter, I concur with your results. My MPBR is in line with your settings. I like the fact that no holdover is needed for the ranges I shoot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ET1

My choice is not so much the zero setting at a specific range say 100yds for my muzzle loader as to the height from zero at 100yds. Example I prefer to have my POI 1-5/8 to 1-3/4” high at 100yd zero point.

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OK, I'll ask. Measuring to an 1/8 (0.125) of an inch deviance? At 100 yards? With a muzzleloader? Is this kind of accuracy really attainable? I have seen LOTS of people that can't shoot this well with a scoped .22 at only 25 yards on a bench with a rest.

I'm a MPBR kind of guy. For deer I like to shoot through a 6" tube all the way out to my MPBR. For moose it would be an 8" tube and 6" again for bear.
No dilly dallying just range, aim and shoot to your MPBR.

I use the same principle for my iron sighted rifles as well.

Now if I was in an area that long wide open expanses I would zero dead nuts at 100 and use a turretted scope to dial in longer ranges.

HA

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wahoo

OK, I'll ask. Measuring to an 1/8 (0.125) of an inch deviance? At 100 yards? With a muzzleloader? Is this kind of accuracy really attainable? I have seen LOTS of people that can't shoot this well with a scoped .22 at only 25 yards on a bench with a rest.

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Wahoo

The zero point is based on your group’s center location, not its size. I check a particular load numerous times before adjusting my scope.
With normal ¼” scope adjustment at 100yds if my group center is 1-5/8” high I obviously can’t adjust it to hit 1-3/4” high.

Also you can’t realistically compare 25yd groups to 100yd groups as well as different calibers. That’s like comparing apples to oranges.


Ed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ET1

The zero point is based on your group’s center location, not its size. I check a particular load numerous times before adjusting my scope.
With normal ¼” scope adjustment at 100yds if my group center is 1-5/8” high I obviously can’t adjust it to hit 1-3/4” high.

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But to my point, are you shooting that accurately at 100 yards with a muzzleloader that you're measuring to 1/8"? Just what kind of groups are you shooting?

Wahoo

Okay now we are talking about group size.
My specific deer load groups with my 10ML-II smokeless are usually slightly less than 1” at 100yds on a normal outing. That’s measured C to C and shot off a bench rest.
Out of the box it did produce 1-1/2” group size at 100yds as advertised. After extensive modifications such as bedding, recessing breech plug, chamfering muzzle crown, etc it now shoots smaller groups. So yes they can be that accurate to measure an 1/8” deviance.

Hopefully this answer is now sufficient.


Ed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wahoo

But to my point, are you shooting that accurately at 100 yards with a muzzleloader that you're measuring to 1/8"? Just what kind of groups are you shooting?

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If 1.5 inch groups are doable with a side lock percussion rifle using peep sights, I don't think it is unreasonable for such fine adjustments with a scoped in-line rifle.

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