I am new to shooting rifles I recently bought a Marlin 925r bolt action .22 LR with a Barska 4x32 scope. I was shooting targets from about 25 yards and I was probably only getting about 20% of the shots on the target it was about a 8"x10" target I bought a sight-in target kit today and I was going to take it to the range sunday and see if I can't get it sighted in. Any tips I can get will be greatly appreciated. I was also looking at the laser bore sights. Any comments on those?
Tips for sighting .22 LR
- Thread starter LEPARD90
- Start date
My boresighting procedure:
Set up paper at 25/50 yards, depending on the target size. I use black circles on a light colored background, which I find make this process easier.
Unload the rifle, remove the bolt and look down the barrel of the gun (this requires that you have the rifle set up on some semi-secure type of rest, sand bags, bipod, etc. You need to be able to make small adjustments to how the entire rifle sits and have it stay still.
As you look down the barrel position the rifle so that at the end of the 'tunnel' you can see the target you've set up down range. You might have to move it around a bit, its a very small 'window' to look through, it could take some time to find the target. I use circles because it makes it easier for me to center everything, just make sure the target (circle) and barrel opening (circle shaped image at end of tunnel) and the chamber opening of the barrel (circle, closest to your face) are all concentric. If you are doing this at 25 yards and your black circle is too big and it is all you can see through the little image at the end of the barrel, then move it out to 50 yards, or use a smaller circular target. I think I use 5.5 inch circles at 50 yards and it works pretty good.
now at this point you want to make sure the rifle does not move. Have a friend hold it for you, put some more sand bags on it, whatever you need to do to keep it as still as possible.
Go back up top to your scope, take a look through and start spinning the dials. Dont over-think this part (up/down, left right) just move the crosshairs so that they fall on the same target that you've aimed at earlier through the barrel of your gun.
Reassemble the gun, load it and take a shot. Depending on the range, if you've come this far without any problems (i.e. rifle moving while adjusting scope, not being centered while aiming through the bore, etc) you should see a bullet hole within 5 or 6 inches of where you were aiming (usually below).
Now look through the scope and center your crosshairs on whatever it was you were TRYING to hit. At this point have your friend hold the rifle, add bags to it where needed, whatever (same as before), and adjust your dials so that the crosshairs move to where you ACTUALLY hit (center the crosshairs over the bullet hole).
This is pretty much a one shot zero if done carefully. Sometimes it helps to take 3 shots before attempting the last step, because you might have made a very lousy shot and the bullet hole might have been a flyer, not indicative of where the actual group would form.
Set up paper at 25/50 yards, depending on the target size. I use black circles on a light colored background, which I find make this process easier.
Unload the rifle, remove the bolt and look down the barrel of the gun (this requires that you have the rifle set up on some semi-secure type of rest, sand bags, bipod, etc. You need to be able to make small adjustments to how the entire rifle sits and have it stay still.
As you look down the barrel position the rifle so that at the end of the 'tunnel' you can see the target you've set up down range. You might have to move it around a bit, its a very small 'window' to look through, it could take some time to find the target. I use circles because it makes it easier for me to center everything, just make sure the target (circle) and barrel opening (circle shaped image at end of tunnel) and the chamber opening of the barrel (circle, closest to your face) are all concentric. If you are doing this at 25 yards and your black circle is too big and it is all you can see through the little image at the end of the barrel, then move it out to 50 yards, or use a smaller circular target. I think I use 5.5 inch circles at 50 yards and it works pretty good.
now at this point you want to make sure the rifle does not move. Have a friend hold it for you, put some more sand bags on it, whatever you need to do to keep it as still as possible.
Go back up top to your scope, take a look through and start spinning the dials. Dont over-think this part (up/down, left right) just move the crosshairs so that they fall on the same target that you've aimed at earlier through the barrel of your gun.
Reassemble the gun, load it and take a shot. Depending on the range, if you've come this far without any problems (i.e. rifle moving while adjusting scope, not being centered while aiming through the bore, etc) you should see a bullet hole within 5 or 6 inches of where you were aiming (usually below).
Now look through the scope and center your crosshairs on whatever it was you were TRYING to hit. At this point have your friend hold the rifle, add bags to it where needed, whatever (same as before), and adjust your dials so that the crosshairs move to where you ACTUALLY hit (center the crosshairs over the bullet hole).
This is pretty much a one shot zero if done carefully. Sometimes it helps to take 3 shots before attempting the last step, because you might have made a very lousy shot and the bullet hole might have been a flyer, not indicative of where the actual group would form.
Last edited:
Tempest 455
New member
If you got 20% on target, that means the scope should be close. You should be able to fine tune it from where the POI is. With a .22 make sure you use the same ammo (for your scope setting) and keep in mind wind will effect a .22 a lot. More so when you get to 50-100 yards.
Since you have a semi-auto, you cannot remove the bolt and look down the barrel from the rear of the rifle. However, you don't need a bore sighting kit.
Put the unloaded rifle with the action locked open (no magazine and an empty chamber) in a rest or vise. Look down the barrel from the rear of the rifle between the scope rings and the rifle (there is usually a little sight picture to allow this) or just to the left or right of the scope bases. Adjust the rifle in the rest or vise to where the rifle is on target (no more than 25 yards). Without moving the rest or rifle adjust the scope so the cross hairs are on target. Load your magazine with three cartridges and fire three shots. Remove the magazine, make sure the chamber is empty, and lock open the action on the rifle. Lock the rifle in the rest or vise so the cross hairs are on the bulls eye. Without moving the rest or rifle, adjust the cross hairs so they are centered on the POI (point of impact) of the target. Load the magazine with three more cartridges and fire them to check the zero.
Here is a clip from NSSF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiOpQY2ORo4
Put the unloaded rifle with the action locked open (no magazine and an empty chamber) in a rest or vise. Look down the barrel from the rear of the rifle between the scope rings and the rifle (there is usually a little sight picture to allow this) or just to the left or right of the scope bases. Adjust the rifle in the rest or vise to where the rifle is on target (no more than 25 yards). Without moving the rest or rifle adjust the scope so the cross hairs are on target. Load your magazine with three cartridges and fire three shots. Remove the magazine, make sure the chamber is empty, and lock open the action on the rifle. Lock the rifle in the rest or vise so the cross hairs are on the bulls eye. Without moving the rest or rifle, adjust the cross hairs so they are centered on the POI (point of impact) of the target. Load the magazine with three more cartridges and fire them to check the zero.
Here is a clip from NSSF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiOpQY2ORo4
DISCERN - FWIW, the OP's rifle IS a bolt-action, not an auto-loader.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
[I am new to shooting rifles]
[I was shooting at 25 yards]
[I was getting 20% of the shots on target (8"x10") ]
LEPARD90, please stop right there - and consider:
1) Rifles are new to you - as is that particular gun.
2) While 25yds is a good zeroing distance, even for hunting - please put your targets in the center of a much larger piece (2'x3') of white paper or blank tan cardboard (cut-open box), so you can see where stray shots are going.
3) Instead of throwing a lot of $$ of improvements at something basic - buy some very cheap bulk ammo & practice shooting at least 500 rounds with that rifle.
to break-in both the rifle & you.
4) Realize that the best practice for optimum accuracy with that rifle is to take care while sighting/shooting - shoot only when seated at a steady rest, grasp the stock firmly with both hands & pull the rifle back into the shoulder while floating the scope crosshairs on target center, awaiting a gentle pull (not yank) of the trigger.
5) Realize further that each.every different RF rifle prefers different food (ammo) - even two identical rifles.
After practicing with the 1st brick (500 rounds), I would suggest the purchase of as many small lots (boxes) of all the different brands/types of LR ammo you can lay your hands on and/or afford - then shoot each one at a different target (label each target for later comparison) to see which ammo YOUR rifle prefers.
An ammo showing an accuracy stand-out would be the brand/type to stock up on.
.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
[I am new to shooting rifles]
[I was shooting at 25 yards]
[I was getting 20% of the shots on target (8"x10") ]
LEPARD90, please stop right there - and consider:
1) Rifles are new to you - as is that particular gun.
2) While 25yds is a good zeroing distance, even for hunting - please put your targets in the center of a much larger piece (2'x3') of white paper or blank tan cardboard (cut-open box), so you can see where stray shots are going.
3) Instead of throwing a lot of $$ of improvements at something basic - buy some very cheap bulk ammo & practice shooting at least 500 rounds with that rifle.
to break-in both the rifle & you.
4) Realize that the best practice for optimum accuracy with that rifle is to take care while sighting/shooting - shoot only when seated at a steady rest, grasp the stock firmly with both hands & pull the rifle back into the shoulder while floating the scope crosshairs on target center, awaiting a gentle pull (not yank) of the trigger.
5) Realize further that each.every different RF rifle prefers different food (ammo) - even two identical rifles.
After practicing with the 1st brick (500 rounds), I would suggest the purchase of as many small lots (boxes) of all the different brands/types of LR ammo you can lay your hands on and/or afford - then shoot each one at a different target (label each target for later comparison) to see which ammo YOUR rifle prefers.
An ammo showing an accuracy stand-out would be the brand/type to stock up on.
.
Last edited:
mrawesome22
New member
Loose mounts, broke scope, or a poor shot.
At 25 yards, you should be able to make one ragged hole with any ammo.
At 25 yards, you should be able to make one ragged hole with any ammo.
BTW, before trying to zero in your scope, shoot 1 round for every inch of barrel (I shoot 25 rounds, just to be sure) in order to season the barrel to the lube used by the bullet manufacturer. This is true whether you're shooting from a freshly-cleaned barrel, or one that is seasoned with another type of lube. Further, different ammo versions from the same manufacturer may use a different lube, so don't assume that your barrel is preseasoned when you change to a different ammo type from the same manufacturer
Also, if you should use reasonably high-grade ammo to zero in a scope, because you'll get superior *consistency* (not the same thing as "accuracy"). Wolf Match Target is a good place to start.
If you're truly interested in finding the ammo your rifle likes the best, be prepared to buy at least 50 rounds of several different brands/versions, and take a notepad with you to the range to keep track of how each one performs.
I have a couple dozen partially used boxes from when I went through the same procedure.
Also, if you should use reasonably high-grade ammo to zero in a scope, because you'll get superior *consistency* (not the same thing as "accuracy"). Wolf Match Target is a good place to start.
If you're truly interested in finding the ammo your rifle likes the best, be prepared to buy at least 50 rounds of several different brands/versions, and take a notepad with you to the range to keep track of how each one performs.
I have a couple dozen partially used boxes from when I went through the same procedure.
Thank you guys for all your help I didn't have much time today to really get zeroed in but I got it good enough for now. The scope was way off I wasn't getting anything on paper at 50 yards. I sat the gun on and bench and knelled on my knees. I was very happy with the outcome. I set up 10 clays at 50 yds and I got every last one of them!