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Question about sighting in rifle with scope
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 Posted: Sat Apr 12th, 2008 12:28 PM
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Kermit
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I've heard that you can sight in a rifle with scope at 25 yards and the settings will be the same at 100 yards. For instance if sighted in 1 inch high at 25 yards it will also be 1 inch high at 100 yards. Is this true?

Reason for my asking is that I'm having a little trouble being able to get to a 100 yard range, but have easy access to a 25 yard range that will handle rifle fire. Thanks for your time.



 Posted: Sat Apr 12th, 2008 12:38 PM
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sdb777
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While this seems logical, it's mostly myth.  Only a very few cartridge combinations will have this occur due to trajectory.  A projectile that is fired from a rifle in an upward trajectory crosses the line of sight twice...once a close range and then again at another undetermined distance.  It would be just luck if it happened at 25 and then 100 yards.

 

Scott (would be great if it happened all the time) B



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 Posted: Sat Apr 12th, 2008 08:39 PM
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264shooter
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   Sighting at 25 yards will get ya close in most instances.But only close enough to get started on fine tuning sight settings at 100 yards.At 25 yards you can get hits on the target that will miss it entirely at 100.Its just a good starting point on a rifle that has not already been sighted in before like a newly  mounted scope.The last rifle I sighted in at 25 yards was about 6 inches high at 100.This varies with caliber and the rifle being used.I have also had point of impact move left or right at 100 yards when it was right on at 25.



 Posted: Sat Apr 12th, 2008 10:12 PM
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ghrit
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What sdb777 said.  The only sure way to be close ahead of time is to get a ballistics table for the caliber, bullet, sights and barrel you are using.  That will get you close, then there is no substitute for range time.  For example, a 25 meter zero with an AR15 with 55 gr ball in a 16 inch barrel, 1:9 twist. will be close at 200 meters, not 100.



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 Posted: Mon Apr 14th, 2008 02:00 AM
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wheezengeezer
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264shooter wrote:    Sighting at 25 yards will get ya close in most instances.But only close enough to get started on fine tuning sight settings at 100 yards.At 25 yards you can get hits on the target that will miss it entirely at 100.Its just a good starting point on a rifle that has not already been sighted in before like a newly  mounted scope.The last rifle I sighted in at 25 yards was about 6 inches high at 100.This varies with caliber and the rifle being used.I have also had point of impact move left or right at 100 yards when it was right on at 25.
pretty much my experience.with a scope and barrel centerline spacing of 2 inches,1 inch low at 25 yards will get you about 2 inches high at 100 yds.a bullet does not travel in a straight line.besides bullet drop it will also arc off in the direction of the twist.



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 Posted: Tue Apr 15th, 2008 04:55 PM
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wheezengeezer
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Kermit wrote: I've heard that you can sight in a rifle with scope at 25 yards and the settings will be the same at 100 yards. For instance if sighted in 1 inch high at 25 yards it will also be 1 inch high at 100 yards. Is this true?

Reason for my asking is that I'm having a little trouble being able to get to a 100 yard range, but have easy access to a 25 yard range that will handle rifle fire. Thanks for your time.

http://www.handloads.com/calc/   make the correct inputs,change to every 25 yds ,set the desired zero range and you can see where to sight in at 25 yd to see where you will hit the paper at 100.using this method i do not have a need for a bore sighter.be sure to sight in at hunting ranges before going hunting.



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 Posted: Mon Jul 21st, 2008 10:49 PM
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nksmfamjp
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You have to shoot at your sight in distance, because it is amazing how I can miss 1 or 2 clicks of windage at 25 or 100 yards and almost be off the paper at 200 or 300.  The same thing happens with elevation also.

Last edited on Mon Jul 21st, 2008 10:50 PM by nksmfamjp



 Posted: Sat Sep 13th, 2008 04:41 PM
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dho3
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A bullet has two sight in points, one near and one far because its travel path is in an arc and crosses the line of sight twice.  One up and one down.  Each caliber and long distance sight in poi will effect the near point where it crosses the line of sight.  So I agree with the above poster, you need a ballistics read out for your caliber and ammunition.  The one inch poi above your bull's eye on your 25 yard target should be occurring when you are aiming with a direct line of sight to a 100 yard target which would be the same as aiming at your near target bull's eye only if you have read your ballistics chart correctly and adjusted your scope to be 1 inch high at 25 yards to be zeroed at 100 yards.  However, remember, this cannot always be done.  Usually your zero at 100 yards dictates your near point zero.  Usually if you zero your scope to be 1 inch high at 25 yards, it will dictate your far zero point which your ballistic table will tell you where it is.



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 Posted: Sat Sep 13th, 2008 09:20 PM
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264shooter
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Click here: Hornady This is a pretty good program.Its free.Download it and you can see how trajectory's equate at 25 and 100 yards.That old sight in at 25 yards rule is not exact but gets one close to the ballpark at 100 yards.I use it as a beginning with a new rifle or scope change.Then I shoot at 100 yards to fine tune it.The only real way to see if it's sighted at whatever range you prefer is to shoot it at that range.You may be surprised how different real world results are compared to any charts or program no matter how good thay are.   



 Posted: Sat Nov 8th, 2008 05:40 PM
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jjb2
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neat program 264 i put it on my favorites...  i had a bit of trouble trying to decide what the b.c. is for my home cast bullets but i think i one pretty close.... 



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