100 vs 200 yd zero?

[Stinky Coyote]

You dont see many guys in competitions missing up and down. Always left right. Dont zero your gun with a problem built into it.

agree completely with this, if it's hunting and you fit in the majority of hunters (sub 600 yards on game) then the 100 yard zero has a problem built into it...should always be 200, anything works for the target rigs

 

[M1D]

My hunting rifles are sighted 3 inches high and 1 inch left at 100 yards.

 

[Lawnboi]

Are you guys zeroing in a tunnel? 3mph if wind at all 200 yards on my 223 is a half a minute.

3mph is nothing. That’s not even mentioning altitude changes on your rifle when you start zeroing further than 200 as mentioned before.

I’d argue if it was a quarter minute like it would be at 100 it isn’t going to make much of a difference, most guys probably wouldn’t even notice. But a half minute of error built into your rifle off the bat is not acceptable by me even for a max range of 400 yards.

300 compounds it even more.

 

[Reburn]

Are you guys zeroing in a tunnel? 3mph if wind at all 200 yards on my 223 is a half a minute.

3mph is nothing. That’s not even mentioning altitude changes on your rifle when you start zeroing further than 200 as mentioned before.

I’d argue if it was a quarter minute like it would be at 100 it isn’t going to make much of a difference, most guys probably wouldn’t even notice. But a half minute of error built into your rifle off the bat is not acceptable by me even for a max range of 400 yards.

300 compounds it even more.

Just the way it is. I chalk it up to too many guys drinking the kool aide and thinking they and their gun can really shoot sub moa all day.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I really can't even believe this is still a discussion. We are in the long-range hunting forum. I'm not sure why anyone would hunt long-range with a scope that won't dial to more than 500 yards. Crazy.

It's way easier to zero your rifle at 100 yards and KNOW that it's affected very little by wind or other atmospheric conditions. Then when you travel to another part of the country or even a different continent, you can check your zero easily.

What if you drive 1000 miles to WY and arrive the day before the season with the wind blowing 20 mph? How are you planning to check your 200 or 300-yard zero? Makes no sense at all.

For those who use a 200 or 300-yard zero because you think it's faster for hunting. Don't you still use a rangefinder and some form of dope for all shots except say under 100 yards? Do you really think you won't have the time to dial a few clicks if needed? I'm genuinely curious because I've been hunting a long time and have never experienced that.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

Your definition of long range hunting please?

 

[mtnwrunner]

Anything longer than 100 yards and THATS why you should zero at 100.

Randy

 

[Justin Crossley]

Your definition of long range hunting please?

Long-range hunting for me is hunting from my max point-blank range and beyond.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

ok just want to be sure it's ok we still discuss these things here as not seeing many rules trying to explain what long range hunting is, as we know it's a wildly subjective thing, we certainly see a trend here of guys who build shoot to 1000 yard type rigs and compete in prs etc. but then limit themselves to ~600 yards or about 3/4's of a second time of flight range when it comes to 'hunting' so lines seem to get blurred, seems only the few at the top of the food chain who put in the time, have the gear, to hunt beyond those trends and have no problem with 1+ second tof's and 20+ feet of arc and 5' feet of wind drift scenarios so until some definitions are labeled for this particular subsection I think you're right then...anything past mpbr may qualify as long range hunting

in my case my 3/4 second tof is around 500 yards as I'm shooting a slow one...equivalent to most short action rigs or stronger to 600-700 yard tof's, 420 yards with a 6.5 Grendel qualified as long range to me, now that we got that out of the way...

why not zero at 25 yards, or 50 yards, or the near zero of your mpbr?, wouldn't that be an easier check when you travel? why 100 yards again?

 

[Justin Crossley]

ok just want to be sure it's ok we still discuss these things here as not seeing many rules trying to explain what long range hunting is, as we know it's a wildly subjective thing, we certainly see a trend here of guys who build shoot to 1000 yard type rigs and compete in prs etc. but then limit themselves to ~600 yards or about 3/4's of a second time of flight range when it comes to 'hunting' so lines seem to get blurred, seems only the few at the top of the food chain who put in the time, have the gear, to hunt beyond those trends and have no problem with 1+ second tof's and 20+ feet of arc and 5' feet of wind drift scenarios so until some definitions are labeled for this particular subsection I think you're right then...anything past mpbr may qualify as long range hunting

in my case my 3/4 second tof is around 500 yards as I'm shooting a slow one...equivalent to most short action rigs or stronger to 600-700 yard tof's, 420 yards with a 6.5 Grendel qualified as long range to me, now that we got that out of the way...

why not zero at 25 yards, or 50 yards, or the near zero of your mpbr?, wouldn't that be an easier check when you travel? why 100 yards again?

Do it however you like. It makes no difference to me. You clearly have your mind made up on many things and nobody on Rokslide is going to change it.

My posts are for people trying to learn. I have stated reasons I choose 100 yards in the past and if that helps someone starting out, great. If they decided to do it a different way as they get more experience, that's great too.

I have used 100, 200, and 300-yard zeros on my hunting rifles and believe the best option overall is 100 yards.

 

[buzzy]

I’m shooting a very flat and fast shooting bullet. 195gr going just under 3300 FPS out of a 7mm. With a 250 yard 0 I can hold dead on out to 300 yards and not worry about drop. I also know that at 100 yards I’m 1.25” high so it’s easy to confirm 0 in the field.

All my other rifles are zeroed at 100 except for this flat shooting beast of a custom rifle that I have. To each their own but the main thing is to be comfortable with what you are shooting and knowing how to dial if you start to increase the shots you are taking.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

Do it however you like. It makes no difference to me. You clearly have your mind made up on many things and nobody on Rokslide is going to change it.

My posts are for people trying to learn. I have stated reasons I choose 100 yards in the past and if that helps someone starting out, great. If they decided to do it a different way as they get more experience, that's great too.

I have used 100, 200, and 300-yard zeros on my hunting rifles and believe the best option overall is 100 yards.

just try to fill in blanks and offer full perspectives, I do ask questions as well, I was serious about why not the near zero of the mpbr, or 25 or 50? so if anyone wants to chime in on why not then I'm curious to learn still as well, I tend to study, data mine, more numbers and scenarios than most and run more ballistics scenarios at more elevation/temp ranges than most to look for simplest ways with hunting as primary goals and I did this whole zero exercise exhaustively a long azz time ago so trying to see if the other ways to skin the cat that always come along can show me I missed something...

I've also had some fast rigs that I zero'd at 250, never zero'd anything further, we shoot too many coyotes so need to stay in a pretty small sub 6" mpbr window. One was a 204 ruger dedicated coyote rig that dialled up for the hangers and the other a dedicated big game only rig. The multi-purpose do all predator/big game rigs get 200 even though chosen mpbr zero's may be 210-235 yards...200 for simplicity and close to most big game cartridges mpbr zero for easy to remember and also for looking at speed dial turrets as starting from an even round number.

I'm still finding the 100 yard unconvincing as the better option over 200 (for hunting) but I'm trying to understand the logic...really I am. I'd rather check my zero in the field at 200, if you can find 100 you can find 200. We also have a personal typical real world field accuracy (me about 3/4 moa for 3 shots) I'd worry I'd miss seeing a 1/4 or 1/2 minute out at 100 and think I'm good to go. Brought a collapsable gong and some white spray paint for spring bear hunt and everyone shot at camp at 200 on steel before the hunt to make sure. Luckily everyone in camp also zero'd at 200 so it was an easy 1 step process lol, and everyone got their bear, even though nothing long this year so just a formality process and confidence builder.

 

[SDHNTR]

just try to fill in blanks and offer full perspectives, I do ask questions as well, I was serious about why not the near zero of the mpbr, or 25 or 50? so if anyone wants to chime in on why not then I'm curious to learn still as well, I tend to study, data mine, more numbers and scenarios than most and run more ballistics scenarios at more elevation/temp ranges than most to look for simplest ways with hunting as primary goals and I did this whole zero exercise exhaustively a long azz time ago so trying to see if the other ways to skin the cat that always come along can show me I missed something...

I've also had some fast rigs that I zero'd at 250, never zero'd anything further, we shoot too many coyotes so need to stay in a pretty small sub 6" mpbr window. One was a 204 ruger dedicated coyote rig that dialled up for the hangers and the other a dedicated big game only rig. The multi-purpose do all predator/big game rigs get 200 even though chosen mpbr zero's may be 210-235 yards...200 for simplicity and close to most big game cartridges mpbr zero for easy to remember and also for looking at speed dial turrets as starting from an even round number.

I'm still finding the 100 yard unconvincing as the better option over 200 (for hunting) but I'm trying to understand the logic...really I am. I'd rather check my zero in the field at 200, if you can find 100 you can find 200. We also have a personal typical real world field accuracy (me about 3/4 moa for 3 shots) I'd worry I'd miss seeing a 1/4 or 1/2 minute out at 100 and think I'm good to go. Brought a collapsable gong and some white spray paint for spring bear hunt and everyone shot at camp at 200 on steel before the hunt to make sure. Luckily everyone in camp also zero'd at 200 so it was an easy 1 step process lol, and everyone got their bear, the zero check just a formality and confidence builder.

I think you just like to argue.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

I think you just like to argue.

I think maybe this place gets a little too hung up on target gear and set up trying to cross it over to hunting as the 'way to go'. The flav of the day being prs this prs that, mil this mil that, full blow ballistics programs and gear....and yet 98% won't shoot at game past 5-600 while the 2% keep virtue signalling all this target gear and set up that must survive nuclear explosion durability tests as the way to go afield on game. And few guys with actual HUNTING at those actual hunting distances as the primary focus...are speaking up to ensure full perspective, so here I am...you're welcome. Could be that.

 

[SDHNTR]

I think maybe this place gets a little too hung up on target gear and set up trying to cross it over to hunting as the 'way to go'. The flav of the day being prs this prs that, mil this mil that, full blow ballistics programs and gear....and yet 98% won't shoot at game past 5-600 while the 2% keep virtue signalling all this target gear and set up that must survive nuclear explosion durability tests as the way to go afield on game. And few guys with actual HUNTING at those actual hunting distances as the primary focus...are speaking up to ensure full perspective, so here I am...you're welcome. Could be that.

That I actually agree with you on. 100%!

Ergo, chassis “hunting” rifles. Barf!

 

[Lawnboi]

Fwiw one of the biggest problems with a MPRB is it assumes your cone of fire is actually a single spot, when in reality your looking at lets say 1moa shooter and rifle accuracy if your good. So at 300 yards your 6” window just got cut in half.

But this is the internet so we know everyone is shooting .25moa with their factory kimber in 338 win mag.

Is there a time to walk around with your rifle at 200 yards or your mpbr? Yes, I do all the time, I just click up from my 100 yard zero.


As to why 100 and not 50 or 75 or 25. I’m just spit balling but I’m guessing you want the longest range to where atmosphere has a minimal effect. Similar to argue int over a 25 or 50 yard rimfire zero.

 

[aaronoto]

just try to fill in blanks and offer full perspectives, I do ask questions as well, I was serious about why not the near zero of the mpbr, or 25 or 50? so if anyone wants to chime in on why not then I'm curious to learn still as well, I tend to study, data mine, more numbers and scenarios than most and run more ballistics scenarios at more elevation/temp ranges than most to look for simplest ways with hunting as primary goals and I did this whole zero exercise exhaustively a long azz time ago so trying to see if the other ways to skin the cat that always come along can show me I missed something...

Plug a 50 yard zero into your ballistics calculator and you'll see why you don't zero closer then 100 yards. Closer than 100 yards and you'll have to dial DOWN up a certain yardage (caliber dependent) and then have to dial UP past that yardage. My 7 SAUM with a 50 yard zero and a 1.7" sight height has me dialing down out to 160 yards and then I have to dial up past 160. Who wants to remember that?!

 

[SDHNTR]

Plug a 50 yard zero into your ballistics calculator and you'll see why you don't zero closer then 100 yards. Closer than 100 yards and you'll have to dial DOWN up a certain yardage (caliber dependent) and then have to dial UP past that yardage. My 7 SAUM with a 50 yard zero and a 1.7" sight height has me dialing down out to 160 yards and then I have to dial up past 160. Who wants to remember that?!

This is exactly right.

 

[Ryan Avery]

100 yards is the most practical for my needs.

So if a guy zeros at 25 or 50 yards do you develop your load there too?? Or do you develop a load at 100, then re-zero? Sounds dumb to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Stinky Coyote]

some great points, yes I group check/compare at 100 with a new rig finding the right ammo choice, with sub-moa consistency goal as my only requirement, but I zero at 200 after, yes I'm aware and humble enough to admit my routine field accuracy is average 3/4 moa for 3 shots but that means sometimes its 1 moa, off days 1 1/4 and good days 1/2"...my groups typically alternate on the same day from 1/2 moa to 1 moa (3 shots on steel from 200-600 usually)...I usually don't actually see 3/4 moa groups lol, that's just my average...so I know if I shoot that with any new rig/ammo combo then it shoots better than me, I also know I'm really good under pressure on game and the steel/groups is somewhat defeating challenge mentally so I'll likely be more into the 1/2" range when it counts afield, haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise, others maybe not so good like that lol

it's also a point not discussed often enough in the long range hunting discussions, a guys typical field accuracy limits most of this stuff to sub 600 on that alone for live animal shooting, I digress

I'll look at this 100 thing a bit further on paper, don't hold your breath I'll come around , I can see some of the arguments and it isn't awful but for strict hunting set up it adds a step I'd rather take before hunting, especially with a zero lock turret or dust cap set up and even fixed reticle set up...I'm gonna be starting at 200 for hunting regardless as most of it happens 0-250 so the main crosshair you're likely to use on instinct needs to be at 200, and everything beyond that you have time to do your solution. It's a round number, easy to start from or remember, and it hits closest to most mpbr's.