I only hunt. All the people I hunt with, and myself, zero at 50. Always have, always will. Works for me.
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Where is your zero?
- Thread starter iAMzehTOASTY1
- Start date
I have my Avenger shooting this way:
And if you go into Chair Gun app tool box you can click Calculation Items then Optimal Zero Range
Then you can set the "kill zone" size
And I am zeroed at 30 yards now but it suggests a 39 yard zero.
My 30 yard zero pellet arc
VS a 39 Zero:
Would be interested in hearing if anyone else does these calculations and actually uses the suggested zeroes. I don't cause I like not having a hold UNDER. But it looks like only .25" under.
What are your thoughts on that?
And if you go into Chair Gun app tool box you can click Calculation Items then Optimal Zero Range
Then you can set the "kill zone" size
And I am zeroed at 30 yards now but it suggests a 39 yard zero.
My 30 yard zero pellet arc
VS a 39 Zero:
Would be interested in hearing if anyone else does these calculations and actually uses the suggested zeroes. I don't cause I like not having a hold UNDER. But it looks like only .25" under.
What are your thoughts on that?
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I “near zero” all of my rifles to 18 yards, the distance of my indoor range. Then I go to 85 yards (max distance of my outdoor range), and 1st using StrelokPro, the adjusting based upon actual shooting verification, document the actual poi and set up my dope charts, again verifying the poi points through actual shooting at approximately 5 yard intervals, noting both click and hold over points on the final dope chart.
By using 18 yards, anytime I want to work on a rifle or a scope, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions, I can get it back to where it needs to be using the indoor range.
By using 18 yards, anytime I want to work on a rifle or a scope, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions, I can get it back to where it needs to be using the indoor range.
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I start with Optimal Zero for a hunting gun & actually go out & check it.
When I got my first PCP the house where I was living allowed 27 yards of shooting indoors. Turns out that was the Optimal Zero for the gun, rings, projectile & tune I was using, assuming a 1/2" kill zone. I had no idea & didn't figure this out for months until I got my second PCP & started tuning, doing barrel swaps, etc.
So that's what I always try for.
I do not do field target or any similar disciplines but can see the appeal of zeroing to trajectory apex.
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Well what is interesting is this isn't suggesting a trajectory apex because it is saying to have my far zero at 39 yards, which is my 2nd zero per the graph. My 1st (close) zero looks like 21 yards. And in between those is the apex. My 30 yard zero is closer to zeroing at the apex.
That's awesome you can shoot 27 yards indoors! I would love that. I have to wait til it is nice out... But then I can do about 94 yards however at that distance I just plink at an old empty balloon helium container. Ping! lol
I do not do competitive shooting either just hit metal targets out far. But whatever we do it is more fun to hit what we aim at, right?
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Only a couple of my scopes actually have click turrets
the rest are set and under caps.Maybe that's where I'm getting lost
However I do get each scope set and use it at that set range. Just have to get my D.O.P.E. lists in order
had to start new books bc I had too many random notes mixed up
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No.. wrong. My target is rarely blocked not that it goes forever even a scope runs out of holdover or under . Also woth a scope that holdover/under is alot more drastic . Like i run my gauntlet its 10m to 75y. Load point shoot. Now if id ise a loopy mortor round pellet maybe your thing holds more true , but i dont.. maybe more to hold under at 25-30y ?Powder gun .. pretty much shot within realistic distance for Irons ....
Pellet gun not so much as your elevation hold quickly has the muzzle of rifle obstructing the view of target your attempting to hit
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@EmptyTin_Tim I feel that if hold-under is the thickness of the given pellet for a few yards right before the apex then the margin for error is low and the benefits would outweigh any possible error in ranging wrong. Plus it stretched out the long range holdover a bit.
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As you know I shoot a bunch of low power pistols, but I sight them at eighty feet, because that is where my backstop is. Almost all of them are at their peak "maxed out" adjustment, and still very accurate.I've noticed that for certain slingers I have the scopes zerod at a distance; others at a different distance.
I feel like it is(i base the zero on either use or max range for slinger)...just wondering what you all think/do for zero.
*I have 1 zeroed at 100~
A few at 50, 40, 30....
All comments and such always welcome
The rifles are sighted there for the same reason, eighty foot back stop. Lol. I do have a pipe at 45 yards that I shoot occasionally just to hear the ding. I've also been setting an asprin bottle on it for the Sheridans.
As you may also know, change is in the air, pardon the pun. With my recent acquisition of a .30 cal Crown, I have picked a spot for its pellet trap. It will be a bit of a project, and be near 100 yards. That is where the Crown will be sighted.
I also have a plan to revamp my target trap, with a handel and legs, so that it can be set anywhere.
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27 yards indoors was at my old house. With hindsight, that was a dumb thing to give up, although new house has a lot of advantages for us.
At new house I can shoot about 11 yards in my garage and 14 yards in my basement but it's just not the same.
Yeah I understood that one of the charts you posted above was more or less trajectory apex and the other Optimal Zero.
I'm home with a sick dog and pouring rain outside to I entered your tune and zero into Chairgun.
With the 30 yard zero and a 1/2" kill zone I'm getting a Point Blank Range of 19.4 to 38.3 yards.
With Optimal Zero is calculated as 39.6 yards I'm getting a Point Blank Range of 17.0 to 43.4 yards.
In your situation I would probably use Optimal Zero. I wouldn't mind being 1/4" high at 30 yards for shooting metal targets.
But even then that depends on what you mean by far when it comes to your target shooting.
At new house I can shoot about 11 yards in my garage and 14 yards in my basement but it's just not the same.
Yeah I understood that one of the charts you posted above was more or less trajectory apex and the other Optimal Zero.
I'm home with a sick dog and pouring rain outside to I entered your tune and zero into Chairgun.
With the 30 yard zero and a 1/2" kill zone I'm getting a Point Blank Range of 19.4 to 38.3 yards.
With Optimal Zero is calculated as 39.6 yards I'm getting a Point Blank Range of 17.0 to 43.4 yards.
In your situation I would probably use Optimal Zero. I wouldn't mind being 1/4" high at 30 yards for shooting metal targets.
But even then that depends on what you mean by far when it comes to your target shooting.
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It's one of those open ended situations, debates, decision situations.Only a couple of my scopes actually have click turrets
Maybe that's where I'm getting lost
However I do get each scope set and use it at that set range. Just have to get my D.O.P.E. lists in order
What works for you will always be the first option. Until you decide to try something else
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I dont know. I just set my sight and shoot if i miss alot i check to see why..
If i shoot 10m to 50y its this elevation 50 to 100 i use that elevation . Maybe 7 clicks up or 7 back down. Heck i had a test pictures on my old device of poi at any distance. But naked eye irons i also step my bulls from 1inch close in to 3" at 100 using the 6 oclock hold. .. ibe done it so long i realy never think on it just do it. Still the flatter your pellet shoots the less you got to deal with hold over or under .
Every gun shoots different so all this is a per each on that behavior. I pretty much stick to that one gun and one pellet and know it well
If i shoot 10m to 50y its this elevation 50 to 100 i use that elevation . Maybe 7 clicks up or 7 back down. Heck i had a test pictures on my old device of poi at any distance. But naked eye irons i also step my bulls from 1inch close in to 3" at 100 using the 6 oclock hold. .. ibe done it so long i realy never think on it just do it. Still the flatter your pellet shoots the less you got to deal with hold over or under .
Every gun shoots different so all this is a per each on that behavior. I pretty much stick to that one gun and one pellet and know it well
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I've settled on a 20 meter zero for all my air rifles; springers and PCP's. It gives me a constant from gun to gun as well as a good PBR. For 800-900 fps pellets it gives me a PBR out to 30-40 meters. For my 985 fps slugger it gives me a PBR out to 60 meters.
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Something to Understand .. While applying as well Reading responses
In ballistic programs you have manual control over HOW LARGE or SMALL the calculated "Zero" window is. As such you are saying that if using a 1/2" acceptable window for POA then errors of 1/4" up or down from a true zero point is used in the calculation of the D.O.P.E. data
So as stated, say your actual trajectory has the pellet / slug passing by intended target on the low side of this 1/2" calculated window, and your ranging is a few yards or more further out .... YUP you may very well hit low or miss entirely. Flip it and say your at the upper end of the 1/2" window & targets closer ... Yup hit high or go right over the top of intended target.
This is WHY in competitive air gun shooting at varied distances every other shot, precision calculated POI is so key !!!!!
Myself and likely others have there POI window at .100" ... or less than a 1/8"
So as we determine a distance to intended target, we always keep track of where ABSOLUTE POI is in theory intended upon target at any determined distance. This makes sneaking in shots that may be in the realm of a ranging error +/- or wind etc that much more under the shooters control.
PRECISION information = your best chance to hit where you actually are aiming.
As we often say in the FT game ... We Live and Die by the accuracy of our D.O.P.E. and being *Level (* another thing many don't fully grasp )
In ballistic programs you have manual control over HOW LARGE or SMALL the calculated "Zero" window is. As such you are saying that if using a 1/2" acceptable window for POA then errors of 1/4" up or down from a true zero point is used in the calculation of the D.O.P.E. data
So as stated, say your actual trajectory has the pellet / slug passing by intended target on the low side of this 1/2" calculated window, and your ranging is a few yards or more further out .... YUP you may very well hit low or miss entirely. Flip it and say your at the upper end of the 1/2" window & targets closer ... Yup hit high or go right over the top of intended target.
This is WHY in competitive air gun shooting at varied distances every other shot, precision calculated POI is so key !!!!!
Myself and likely others have there POI window at .100" ... or less than a 1/8"
So as we determine a distance to intended target, we always keep track of where ABSOLUTE POI is in theory intended upon target at any determined distance. This makes sneaking in shots that may be in the realm of a ranging error +/- or wind etc that much more under the shooters control.
PRECISION information = your best chance to hit where you actually are aiming.
As we often say in the FT game ... We Live and Die by the accuracy of our D.O.P.E. and being *Level (* another thing many don't fully grasp )
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Look, I think it all comes down to what kind of reticle you've got in your scope; if it's a mil-dot/HMD/christmas tree... et cetera, or just about any such BDC reticle, then I'd suggest zeroing your airgun at 25 yards and then using the dots below for referencing further points of impact. You can do well with a Duplex reticle too, or even an 1A (but those are rather rare, Frankonia-Jagd still has them in some of their scopes). However, the power output of the gun is also relevant to some extent. You just can't effectively reference every mil in a mil-dotted scope, all the way out to a 125 yds, with a 5.5 ft/lbs springer... even in .177, the drop becomes way too significant at 50+ yards already, let alone at 80+.
With that said, I've zeroed all my .177 guns at 15 yds, they're all above 12 ft/lbs of muzzle energy, my Hatsan 125 in .22 at 30 yds, and my Gamo Black Bear in .22 at 25 yds. The Black Bear is just an European Swarm-Maxim variant, but with a Storm barrel - stock and internals are the same - from the "Gamo Power/Adult 29mm Cylinder" family of their guns.
With that said, I've zeroed all my .177 guns at 15 yds, they're all above 12 ft/lbs of muzzle energy, my Hatsan 125 in .22 at 30 yds, and my Gamo Black Bear in .22 at 25 yds. The Black Bear is just an European Swarm-Maxim variant, but with a Storm barrel - stock and internals are the same - from the "Gamo Power/Adult 29mm Cylinder" family of their guns.
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Hope your dog gets better!
So by Point Blank Range... does that mean if I just hold true like cross hair intersection right on the target that is the range it will be within 1/2 " of the target??
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