Help with 25-06 sight in!
- Thread starter rcollier
- Start date
Well that dependends on your optics and your shooting technique, and your rifles mechanics. I use optics that allow me to zero at 100 yds, and then I can dial up turret or I can use BDC, or mildot, or VMR subtensions.
How far, and what purpose the rifle is intended for makes significant differences in a Zero.
25-06 is a fast flat shooting cartridge, and with good powder choices and decent bullets, the sky can be the limit, especially for hunting.
How far, and what purpose the rifle is intended for makes significant differences in a Zero.
25-06 is a fast flat shooting cartridge, and with good powder choices and decent bullets, the sky can be the limit, especially for hunting.
I am going to start out with deer hunting next fall with ranges from 150-200 yds my research seemed to suggest sighting in high at 100 yds which should be dead on at 200. I have a Nikon 3x9 scope with a BDC recticle, I am not exactly surgeon how to use the BDC for different yardage yet.
If you don't plan on shooting any farther than 200 yards zero at 100, you'll be about 2" low at 200. That makes more sense to me than being 2" high at 100. You're going to be off by 2" somewhere anyway, might as well be zeroed at the range you're most likely to shoot. It is much more natural to remember to hold high at longer range than to remember to hold low up close.
In fact with most modern scopes, like the one you have, it is much easier to just zero at 100 and use the scopes long range dots for longer shots.
You can make this as hard or difficult as you want. If you zero the crosshairs at 100 yards the next dot, or cross on the scope is going to be pretty darn close to zero at 200 yards, the 3rd at 300 etc. regardless of which caliber or bullet weight you are shooting. They are all closer than most think.
I use the same scope on my 308, 30-06 and 300 WSM shooting bullets 150-180 gr bullets ranging between 2600 fps up to 3300 fps. Using the dots all are close enough to hit deer size game. The faster loads might be 2-3" higher than my point of aim, the slower loads 2-3" below. With a little practice at extended ranges it is easy to figure out.
In fact with most modern scopes, like the one you have, it is much easier to just zero at 100 and use the scopes long range dots for longer shots.
You can make this as hard or difficult as you want. If you zero the crosshairs at 100 yards the next dot, or cross on the scope is going to be pretty darn close to zero at 200 yards, the 3rd at 300 etc. regardless of which caliber or bullet weight you are shooting. They are all closer than most think.
I use the same scope on my 308, 30-06 and 300 WSM shooting bullets 150-180 gr bullets ranging between 2600 fps up to 3300 fps. Using the dots all are close enough to hit deer size game. The faster loads might be 2-3" higher than my point of aim, the slower loads 2-3" below. With a little practice at extended ranges it is easy to figure out.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
FWIW, I've always zeroed everything for around 2" high at 100 yards. That's a generic zero at 200 to 225 or so yards. From .223 to .220 Swift, .243 to '06. That way, I don't have to think. 
Lets me do Bad Things to prairie dogs, coyotes, Bambi and miscellaneous other critters.
Lets me do Bad Things to prairie dogs, coyotes, Bambi and miscellaneous other critters.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
To answer your question: Yes.
Reduce your bullets point of impact (down) 2" inches from its current 4 inch height so to be 2 inches (high) of dead center.
2" high at 100-yrds = -0- at 200 yrds. (<i.e. spot on bullseye accuracy)
Calculated with the figures of Hornady's White Tail store ammo's speed per 117 gr bullet.
Colorado Redneck
New member
Depends on
http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi
This web page has a trajectory calculator that takes into account your round, which includes velocity and other ballistics info. If you spend some time fiddling around with the calculator you can figure out what you need to know.
http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi
This web page has a trajectory calculator that takes into account your round, which includes velocity and other ballistics info. If you spend some time fiddling around with the calculator you can figure out what you need to know.
You COULD leave the POI @ 4" high @ 100 yards BUT. Do you really need a 350 yard zero?
I just adjusted my old "bait pile" 308 for a usable 360 yards zero(the distance to my coyote bait) while knowing it would be 4"+ high @ 100 and close to 6" high at mid-range. I consider myself an "experienced" shooter and can remember to hold low at intermediate ranges. Less experienced shooters often fail to keep this in mind while hunting and end up shooting over their quarry.
I just adjusted my old "bait pile" 308 for a usable 360 yards zero(the distance to my coyote bait) while knowing it would be 4"+ high @ 100 and close to 6" high at mid-range. I consider myself an "experienced" shooter and can remember to hold low at intermediate ranges. Less experienced shooters often fail to keep this in mind while hunting and end up shooting over their quarry.
My uncle sights his 264 Win Mag 4" high at 100 and he likes it, and he makes some great shots. I have always sighted my hunting rifles to be 1.5-2" high at 100 and on the rare occasions when I have to shoot farther than that I held high on the animal. I guess it just comes down to what you prefer.
I think I will bring it down another 2" and then see what it does at
200 yds. Still playing with different offerings to see what it likes best.
Have shot Remington 100gr and Hornaday 117gr next is Fusion 120gr
I may have to start reloading though at $30/box this is getting kinda spendy
Thanks for all the advice, this is a great site for us Newbies!!
200 yds. Still playing with different offerings to see what it likes best.
Have shot Remington 100gr and Hornaday 117gr next is Fusion 120gr
I may have to start reloading though at $30/box this is getting kinda spendy
Thanks for all the advice, this is a great site for us Newbies!!
Zero for the maximum PBR or the cartridge you are shooting which is to say that it will not be more than three inches above or below the line of sight. For my 25-06 with a 100 grain Swift Sirocco, the MPBR is 322 yards with a 273 yard zero. Makes things simple, just hold center mass.
I use Strelok for this, I find it to be about dead on.
I use Strelok for this, I find it to be about dead on.
I use an App called Strelok+. It is a ballistic calculator among other things. You can program your rifle, scope, cartridge and reticle in it and it will get you into the ball park or better of where you bullet will be under a given range and conditions. It's not perfect, but it saves a lot of bullets, time, and money getting you real close.
The MPBR really depends on the size of the object that you are shooting at. Strelok will give you what it refers to as a most reasonable distance for the setup that you have. You can also program the reticle that you have and look at what your holdover should look like in your particular reticle.
I use it a lot for long range hunting, and I have NEVER missed with it. It is very accurate. You just have to know the velocity an BC of the projectile that you are using.
You can also set up multiple rifle, scope, cartridge combinations with it.
The last deer that I shot in December was at 435 yards. Using Strelok, with my rifle zeroed at 273, It gave me the number of clicks to come up and windage. Bang, right behind the shoulder. Deer ran 15yards and piled up.
That was with the Browning A bolt 25-06 with the 100 grain Scirocco.
Its pretty cool, and I like it and find it to be very accurate.
BTW 25-06 is a super cartridge. Very impressive kills on deer!
The MPBR really depends on the size of the object that you are shooting at. Strelok will give you what it refers to as a most reasonable distance for the setup that you have. You can also program the reticle that you have and look at what your holdover should look like in your particular reticle.
I use it a lot for long range hunting, and I have NEVER missed with it. It is very accurate. You just have to know the velocity an BC of the projectile that you are using.
You can also set up multiple rifle, scope, cartridge combinations with it.
The last deer that I shot in December was at 435 yards. Using Strelok, with my rifle zeroed at 273, It gave me the number of clicks to come up and windage. Bang, right behind the shoulder. Deer ran 15yards and piled up.
That was with the Browning A bolt 25-06 with the 100 grain Scirocco.
Its pretty cool, and I like it and find it to be very accurate.
BTW 25-06 is a super cartridge. Very impressive kills on deer!
I use the Swift sirocco (SP) because it is really the only 25 cal 100 grain bullet that has a decent BC. It is expensive, hard to find load data for, and very temperamental to get to shoot well. But, when you get it dialed in, it hits like thunder and lightning. It is as emphatic on deer as the 7mm WSM, which is also a screamer. The 25-06 really becomes a mystical type performer that will hypnotize you once you start to fiddle around with it.
Very dramatic kills, and red vapor tornadoes is the best way I can describe it. It is so fast you will often see the impact in the scope before the recoil impulse moves the rifle. That is truly impressive when you see the animal drop before the rifle recoils. Granted, it happens fast, but the impression it leaves on you is quite memorable and emphatic.
I really just can't say enough good things about it (25-06). You just have to own and shoot one to understand what it does. An absolute HAMMER on deer.
Very dramatic kills, and red vapor tornadoes is the best way I can describe it. It is so fast you will often see the impact in the scope before the recoil impulse moves the rifle. That is truly impressive when you see the animal drop before the rifle recoils. Granted, it happens fast, but the impression it leaves on you is quite memorable and emphatic.
I really just can't say enough good things about it (25-06). You just have to own and shoot one to understand what it does. An absolute HAMMER on deer.
reynolds357
New member
I used to be all into the max Point blank range idea. Over the years I have found it to be much more productive to actually aim properly for the range you are shooting at. 3 to 4 inches makes a huge difference between a great shot and a pitiful shot that means a mile of tracking.