Sighting In Luck Or?

J

Jim567

New member
Last week I put a new scope on my Savage model 11 308.
Bench rested the first shot was off the target. Ugh. Fired again - no luck couldn’t see where it hit in the dirt.
It would have been a real hassle to move everything to 50 yards.
When I say off the target I mean off the cardboard backing also .
I have a very steady rest and I sighted down the bore at the target adjusting for elevation and deflection.
I took a shot and it was about 4 inches high and 5 inches left of the 1 inch bull’s-eye .
Estimated the clicks needed to center on the bullseye and fired again.
4th shot bullseye.
Impressed myself lol!
 
zeroing

You don't mention what distance you were shooting, but "back to 50 yds" makes me think you were shooting at 100. Now you're on target, so good for you. Starting at 100 w/o boresighting is always a role of the dice, but you managed it.

My general practice is to shoot at a target at 25 w/ a large backer, and then adjust accordingly, to print about 1" low. I then move to 100, shoot and adjust as needed to get the zero I desire.
 
I don't use a bore sighter. With a bolt action I remove the bolt and sight down the bore. I have gotten a few zeroed with three shots but that's mostly luck.
 
It was 100 meters. To get on target I just looked through the bore then through the scope and adjusted till it looked good. I didn’t have a bore sight.
Just like Hawg stated above.
I was surprised how well this worked!
This was the first time I’ve mounted a sighting system and been so far off at 100 m that it wouldn’t hit the target or backing.
Usually I can zero with 3 rounds, I have gotten competent judging clicks to inches on target.
This method of bore sighting working so well was a surprise to me.
 
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I dont use a bore sighter either but I start at 50yds with a 3'x3' target by the 3rd shot I am usually hitting the center then move to 100yds to fine tune. Never tried looking thru the bore to the target.
 
You don't mention what distance you were shooting, but "back to 50 yds" makes me think you were shooting at 100. Now you're on target, so good for you. Starting at 100 w/o boresighting is always a role of the dice, but you managed it.
Click to expand...

My experience is that 100 works just fine doing a down the bore look and rested on bags for stability and adjust scope and repeat until cross hairs dead in the middle that the bore hits as well.

Smaller the object you use (or can see) through the bore the better.

Sadly I often hit dead center, then the next ones go someplace else MOA
 
I use a laser bore sighter but still feel warranted in using a 3'x3' cardboard backer for initial 100 yard zeroing. If for some reason I don't use the laser, I start at 25 yards.
 
Give yourself some credit !!

Luck Definition;

A moment when preparedness and opportunity come together.

Be Safe !!!
 
That is how it is supposed to be done. It may have been luck that you figured out how to do it. But the next time it'll be because you are skilled.

I always bore sight bolt guns, or just use a target so big I can't possibly miss at 50 yards with others that don't allow me to see through the bore. All you need is one bullet hole on target and it doesn't matter if it is 1" or 1' from the aiming point.

I fire one shot at 50 and adjust the scope the appropriate number of clicks. Shot #2 is at 100 yards. I know I'll at least be on paper. Once again I can estimate the horizontal and vertical distance I am from zero and once again adjust the scope the appropriate number of clicks. The 3rd shot is always close enough to hunt with at 100 yards.

It is only then that I start shooting groups and fine tune things if needed. I haven't fired more than 4 rounds to zero a rifle in years.
 
The range I belong to has at least a hundred or so 100 and 200 meter positions but only two or 3, 50 meter. It is a total hassle to use them for several reasons.
I will not hesitate to use sighting through the bore again to rough in..
 
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