Dial in your scope

[Maximus121]

### Dialing in Your Scope: Let’s Get it, Hunters!

Alright ladies and gentlemen , let’s talk about one of the biggest headaches we all face: dialing in that damn scope. I've been working with my Sure Fire scope, and let me tell you, it’s been a battle. I’ve tried the usual tricks—bore sighting, shooting from a solid rest, and tweaking the turrets—but some days, it feels like I’m just chasing my tail.

I’m all about that one-shot one-kill philosophy, so I need my gear to be right. I’ve found that taking my time with each adjustment really helps. I’ll shoot, adjust, and shoot again until I know I’m dead on. And don’t get me started on using good quality ammo; it makes a world of difference.

But I know there’s always more to learn from this seasoned crew. **What techniques do you use to get your scope dialed in?** Any old-school methods or new tricks that you’ve found effective?

Let’s swap some stories or drop your wisdom in!

Stay sharp out there!

#RealHunters #ScopeDialing #HuntingTechniques #FieldReady

 

[bowwild]

The biggest headache for me when it comes to traditional scopes, as opposed to electronic or digitals, is getting the proper eye relief. It is especially difficult for me because I have a lower than average LOP. Air rifles are easier than powder burners because adjustment opportunities are generally more available with airguns.

Once I get the eye relief, by trial and error, off-set bases, long eye relief optics, etc. It's then a matter of getting the cross-hairs adjusted so they are square with the bore of the rifle. I call this my "uncle Wayne" step. My uncle Wayne has never picked up someone else's rifle and declared the scope "straight".

I haven't had difficulty with the sighting in part. I get a large target at 10 yards, big enough it can't be missed. Get on paper and make the first gross adjustments so I'll be on paper at my ideal sight in range (point on). For me that is generally 20-30 yards.I'm a tree squirrel hunter. I don't count adjustment clicks I just use trial and error as I approach dead center. This usually takes less than 5 shots. I trust my form enough that I don't shoot groups until I think I should be dead on. Then I'll shoot a 3-5 shot group. This method can be foiled with bad ammo, including inconsistent ammo or less than stellar shooting skills.

Then, especially with airguns and their loopy trajectory, I set up a 12" vertical cardboard with a 10" vertical line and 3-4 horizontal cross lines. I shoot the first X about half the distance to my sight in range and label the group. This is usually below the POA. Then I drop back 10 and then 20 yards from the sight in range and note the new point of impacts. Usually, for me shooting in the neighborhood of 900FPS with either .22 or .25 pellets, I'll be 1/2-1" high. I dont' generally shoot further than 40 yards because I don't plan on taking shots that long in the squirrel woods., but I should. I think I'll check POI with the same sight in mark at 50-70 yards to see what happens. I expect the POA = POI just like at my sight in range somewhere in this 50-70 yards.

I've never used laser sighting devices. I have done a bit of looking through the barrel without the bolt (powder burners), but I don't generally find that it saves any time.

The biggest mistake I can make is not getting on paper with the first 1-2 shots for a starting point.

 

[skeeekerz]

Once I get a shot on paper and the rifle isn't scattering them, then it's not too hard. I just measure the holdover with my reticle and dial the correct amount of clicks. After you're pretty much dead-on, you can shoot a group and make a final adjustment. My avenger has been giving me practice with sighting in haha

P.s. it certainly helps when you have confidence in your scope to dial the amount you tell it to.

 

[cavedweller]

### Dialing in Your Scope: Let’s Get it, Hunters!

Alright ladies and gentlemen , let’s talk about one of the biggest headaches we all face: dialing in that damn scope. I've been working with my Sure Fire scope, and let me tell you, it’s been a battle. I’ve tried the usual tricks—bore sighting, shooting from a solid rest, and tweaking the turrets—but some days, it feels like I’m just chasing my tail.

I’m all about that one-shot one-kill philosophy, so I need my gear to be right. I’ve found that taking my time with each adjustment really helps. I’ll shoot, adjust, and shoot again until I know I’m dead on. And don’t get me started on using good quality ammo; it makes a world of difference.

But I know there’s always more to learn from this seasoned crew. **What techniques do you use to get your scope dialed in?** Any old-school methods or new tricks that you’ve found effective?

Let’s swap some stories or drop your wisdom in!

Stay sharp out there!

#RealHunters #ScopeDialing #HuntingTechniques #FieldReady

#1 turn magnification to max
#2 adjust diopter to focus reticle to your eyes. Look through the scope onto a white piece of paper or wall.
#3 mount the scope just loosely and begin to find the right eye box for you. Forward and backward first then up and down. The view through the lens should appear maximum without closing in. It must be repeatable, meaning each time you get behind the scope it is immediately right. You may have to also move the rings along the dovetail or picatinny rail.
When done setting your eyebox, return your scope to the lowest magnification.
#4 now you can begin to level the scope by placing the gun at level and aligning the reticle with a plumb bob.
#5 when all level and eye box is set torque rings to specs usually about 18 inch pounds
Hopefully your elevation and windage turrets are in the middle position. If so place a 3 ft by 3ft target about 10 - 15 yards out and aim for a center dot.. correct your windage first but at this distance your point of impact should be 2-3 inches below your point of aim. You can get close by adjusting to that elevation.
#6 move your target to your desired zero which will ideally be your initial high point of your apex; probably somewhere between 22-30 yards. Finish zero with your elevation turret for this desired distance.
Preferably do all of this on a no wind day.
I personally like to use 11”x14” graph paper because the fine lines give me a more precise picture of my point of impact.
#7 lastly I set targets out from 9 yards to 75 yards and shoot groups at each and every yard to determine my holdovers, I use this information to make a dope chart. I repeat this trajectory charting for each type of pellet I intend to shoot.

There are of course lots of other ways to do this but these steps are tried and true.

 

[JungleShooter]

The biggest headache for me when it comes to traditional scopes, as opposed to electronic or digitals, is getting the proper eye relief. It is especially difficult for me because I have a lower than average LOP. Air rifles are easier than powder burners because adjustment opportunities are generally more available with airguns.

Once I get the eye relief, by trial and error, off-set bases, long eye relief optics, etc. It's then a matter of getting the cross-hairs adjusted so they are square with the bore of the rifle. I call this my "uncle Wayne" step. My uncle Wayne has never picked up someone else's rifle and declared the scope "straight".

I haven't had difficulty with the sighting in part. I get a large target at 10 yards, big enough it can't be missed. Get on paper and make the first gross adjustments so I'll be on paper at my ideal sight in range (point on). For me that is generally 20-30 yards.I'm a tree squirrel hunter. I don't count adjustment clicks I just use trial and error as I approach dead center. This usually takes less than 5 shots. I trust my form enough that I don't shoot groups until I think I should be dead on. Then I'll shoot a 3-5 shot group. This method can be foiled with bad ammo, including inconsistent ammo or less than stellar shooting skills.

Then, especially with airguns and their loopy trajectory, I set up a 12" vertical cardboard with a 10" vertical line and 3-4 horizontal cross lines. I shoot the first X about half the distance to my sight in range and label the group. This is usually below the POA. Then I drop back 10 and then 20 yards from the sight in range and note the new point of impacts. Usually, for me shooting in the neighborhood of 900FPS with either .22 or .25 pellets, I'll be 1/2-1" high. I dont' generally shoot further than 40 yards because I don't plan on taking shots that long in the squirrel woods., but I should. I think I'll check POI with the same sight in mark at 50-70 yards to see what happens. I expect the POA = POI just like at my sight in range somewhere in this 50-70 yards.

I've never used laser sighting devices. I have done a bit of looking through the barrel without the bolt (powder burners), but I don't generally find that it saves any time.

The biggest mistake I can make is not getting on paper with the first 1-2 shots for a starting point.

Well, I do the exact opposite of how bowwild goes about adjusting his scope:

I measure the MV of the projectile that has shown the best precision in previous grouping tests.

Then, with a ballistic calculator, I calculate the zero distance for the optimal point blank range (considering the measured height of the scope over bore, and a realistically sized kill zone for my average prey).

I put my target — a huge white paper, mounted on a cardboard box — at that zero range.

Shoot, adjust turrets, shoot to recheck. Set turrets to zero.

Enter this gun/scope/ammo setup — with a numeric identifier — into my ballistic calculator and a file on my phone.

Then, the ballistic calculator tells me everything I might ever want to know about the projectile.... That info goes onto a card to attach to the gun.

Done.

Matthias

 

[bowwild]

Yep, I'm pretty old school and I recognize I'm not as efficient as some of the more modern methods.

 

[cavedweller]

Well, I do the exact opposite of how bowwild goes about adjusting his scope:

I measure the MV of the projectile that has shown the best precision in previous grouping tests.

Then, with a ballistic calculator, I calculate the zero distance for the optimal point blank range (considering the measured eight of the scope over bore, and a realistic sized kill zone for my average prey).

I put my target — a huge white paper, mounted on a cardboard box — at that zero range.

Shoot, adjust, shoot to recheck.

Then, the ballistic calculator tells me everything I might ever want to know about the projectile.... That info goes onto a card to attach to the gun.

Done.

Matthias

Which ballistic calculator are you using? I have both Strelock Pro and Chairgun Elite but i still go old school and shoot every shot as i always find discrepancies.

 

[jarmstrong]

back to the OP
what is the gun??? how does it group without moving the crosshairs and trying to zero?
How did you align your scope to the barrel? I use the mirror method, simple and trustworthy
basics first

 

[JungleShooter]

Which ballistic calculator are you using? I have both Strelock Pro and Chairgun Elite but i still go old school and shoot every shot as i always find discrepancies.

I try to do everything on my phone....:

️For calculating actual shots in the field:
Strelok Pro
(ChairGun Elite is a pirated copy of Strelok, I'm sorry to say )


️For quickly calculating and comparing different scenarios (BC, weight, power, wind, etc.):
ChairGun Pro
(from Hawke, discontinued for years, but still working on Android, and with a bit of tinkering, on Windows)


️For specific calculations:
•Optimal zero range / maximum point blank range
•How many fills / shots can I get?
•BC calculation
•How much power / velocity / weight do I get or do I need?
•How far will my projectile travel before retuning back to earth?
•Scope tests: actual reticle travel per click / actual magnification?
etc. etc.
GPC Ballistics
Also available for Windows, Mac, Linux

GPC Ballistics Applications for Windows, MacOS and Linux

A few ballistics applications for Windows, macOS and Linux written in the PureBasic programming language.

gpc.fotosoft.co.uk

We are truly fortunate to now have such a wide array of ballistic tools at our disposal — literally in our pockets wherever we go!

Matthias

 

[HogMemberIsOld]

Thank you @JungleShooter ! I was able to download and run the application in Linux and now know my PBR (had to look that up and read about it so I understood).

Now I can visualize my pellet's flight path, kill zone....

Again, thanks for referencing the application!

 

[steve123]

Pick a clam day, use big cardboard box at 15Y or so, zoom to lower magnification, take shot, measure POI to POA with reticle if FFP or SFP on coinciding correct magnification, and adjust scope accordingly. Move back to 25-30Y, zoom scope to higher magnification, repeat and refine.

If this is method is hard to do then the scope, mount, or gun(maybe all three??), has something wrong going on. That's unfun.

 

[LDP]

On my firearms I bore sight by looking down the barrel. Then I shoot one shot onto the target. Then I just hold the rifle on the poa for the shot and adjust my turrets to bring the reticle to the hole. Then I shoot a group to finalize the adjustment. I do the same with my airguns but most cant be bore sighted looking thru the barrel so I setup a target and take the first shot at about 10 yds. With that I can get an adjustment that puts me on at 50 yds for the next shot then repeat the steps I use for the centerfire rifles.