Frenchieboy Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) Is there any such thing as an "Ideal Zeroing Distance" for a 17HMR? I have mine fitted with a 3-9 X 50 scope - I know that a larger magnification scope would be preferable to some but as I use mine mainly for lamping I have to think about target aquisition, which I find harder with my 6-24 X 50 Scope. Anyway, as stated the rifle is used mainly for lamping rabbits from about 25 yards to maybe 70 yards but occasionally for daylight shooting with rabbits and other "vermin (Both Feather and Fur)" out to around 100 yards. I currently have them zeroed in at 100 yards but find that I am having to compensate quite a lot when shooting at rabbits on the lamp which are often much closer. With this in mind what distance would be best to zero the sights at to reach a "compromise" please? Edited December 10, 2009 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 100 yard zero will be on at 35 yrds also ,only needing a small hold under in between :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie223 Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 zeroed mine at 100 meters, a fair distance :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) I think 127 yards is the flattest zero, for Winchester that is. Search the net for ballistic software. You can see for yourself how the bullet will fly at different zeros Edited December 10, 2009 by harfordwmj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Not disputing harford's post, which is most likely worked out from a ballistics table, AFAIK most people, including me, go for 100 yards. ZB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Not disputing harford's post, which is most likely worked out from a ballistics table, AFAIK most people, including me, go for 100 yards. Mine is actually at 100 yards too. However my inability to pace 20, let alone 100 yards may make this +/- 30 yards...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) Hi, Just had a play and 100 yards it is I think. At the top end you are OK out to 115 yards which is beyond your needs. At the bottom end you are 0.9" low at 25, 0.7" low at 30 and 0.5" low at 35 yards. After that forget it until the 115 yards. However, I'm afraid I disagree with magman (sorry, mate): I make your 1st zero 55 yards. Please note that the foregoing relates to a muzzle velocity of 2550 ft/sec and a BC of 0.125 with a sight height of 2". Edited December 10, 2009 by wymberley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Hi,Just had a play and 100 yards it is I think. At the top end you are OK out to 115 yards which is beyond your needs. At the bottom end you are 0.9" low at 25, 0.7" low at 30 and 0.5" low at 35 yards. After that forget it until the 115 yards. However, I'm afraid I disagree with magman (sorry, mate): I make your 1st zero 55 yards. Please note that the foregoing relates to a muzzle velocity of 2550 ft/sec and a BC of 0.125 Still a dead rabbit with a head shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 100 yards for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badshot Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 35 and 125 yards zero. from 15 yds 0.86 inch low to90 yds 0.86 inch high. Obviously heading low again beyond 125yds, to 1.45 inch low at 150yds. This equates to close to the inch high at 100yds that a lot of people go for. No compensation required at your ranges. (For chest shots) It will depend a bit on your scope height etc. but not that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 OK Guys, at the risk of making myself look a complete **** are you saying that if I zero my rifle at 35 yards it should be close on zero at 100(ish) yards also? With the mounts I have fitted my scopes sit 45mm higher than the centre of the barrel's bore line, does this make much difference to the equasion please and if so how much (Roughly)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badshot Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 If you zero at 35 yds, then the bullet will continue to rise to the top of it's trajectory, then start to fall again and will pass through a second zero at about 125 yds. I use the 35 zero as a base then get a proper zero at 125 as a small mistake at 125 shows up clearly but wont at 35. I use the hawke ballistic reticle calculator for this which shows me the poi at different ranges. This can be downloaded for free from their website. Google hawke brc and it will take you to the appropriate page. You can put in your scope height and see the difference it makes, it does a multitude of different calibres too, including .22lr. Hope thats of use frenchieboy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 OK Guys, at the risk of making myself look a complete **** are you saying that if I zero my rifle at 35 yards it should be close on zero at 100(ish) yards also? With the mounts I have fitted my scopes sit 45mm higher than the centre of the barrel's bore line, does this make much difference to the equasion please and if so how much (Roughly)? Yes. A bullet has to counter gravity, therefore your bullet has to go above a horizontal line from your target and land on top. Remember, a bullet doesn't shoot straight, it's a curve. The best way to picture it is like using a hose pipe. To get the water to hit a target further away, you must aim the curve of water higher. I'm sending this off my phone, so I can't paste a picture of a bullet curve in here, so hopefully someone else will be kind enough to do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseldogg Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 My rifles only shoot im meters jat M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 My rifles only shoot im metersjat M One day the country will seccumb to the metric system and I really think this will be the day the UK finally dies after long death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) If you zero at 35 yds, then the bullet will continue to rise to the top of it's trajectory, then start to fall again and will pass through a second zero at about 125 yds. I use the 35 zero as a base then get a proper zero at 125 as a small mistake at 125 shows up clearly but wont at 35. I use the hawke ballistic reticle calculator for this which shows me the poi at different ranges. This can be downloaded for free from their website. Google hawke brc and it will take you to the appropriate page. You can put in your scope height and see the difference it makes, it does a multitude of different calibres too, including .22lr. Hope thats of use frenchieboy. I fionally got out to zero mine yetserday and as above, a zero at 35 metres gave me another zero past 100 metres, POI was high at 100, I wasn't happy with that so I re-zeroed for 100 and its pretty flat until I get very close to the target. Edited December 11, 2009 by kyska Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallysmarksrn Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 100 yards 0.1"height @ 50 2.6"low @150 with 17g v max i usually aim for the neck,gets them one way,or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George1990 Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 My rifles only shoot im metersjat M I assume you mean metres? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallysmarksrn Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 noooooooooooooooooo,yards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Hi, Your 45mm sight height makes a little difference for the better. 25 yards is now 0.7" low and 30 is 0.5 low, after that forget it until the 115 yards as was. Your first zero for the 100 yard zero is now 50 yards. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Given you shoot from 25yards to 70 yards lamping, extending to 100 yards daytime I'd say forget about the 125 yard zero's and accomodate whats suited for your needs rather than someone elses. Nothing wrong with their zero's for their distances by the way. Approximately 48 yards for your initial zeroing session (where you can easily see the bullet holes through your scope) will have the bullet hitting near zero again at near 100 yards. Then fine tune at 100 with a bit of leg work or a spotting scope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Given you shoot from 25yards to 70 yards lamping, extending to 100 yards daytime I'd say forget about the 125 yard zero's and accomodate whats suited for your needs rather than someone elses. Nothing wrong with their zero's for their distances by the way. Approximately 48 yards for your initial zeroing session (where you can easily see the bullet holes through your scope) will have the bullet hitting near zero again at near 100 yards. Then fine tune at 100 with a bit of leg work or a spotting scope. Thanks for that Dave. Coincidentally I went out this afternoon to try a bit of zeroing and checking on hold over/ hold under at different distances. i started with zeroing at 50 yards. All went well and the rifle is now spot on at 50 yards but the fog came down very quickly reducing visibility to about 75 yards so in the inerest of safety I had to stop shooting. I will go out as soon as poss and take it from there but I was thinking that being as my "usual" range is from about 25 yards out to 75 yards then a 50 yards zero would not be too bad as long as I make a mental note of the hold over and hold under at other ranges. Any thoughts or comments please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Perfick, the closer you set the longer one at, which is your primary zero, the flatter your trajectory will be so no need to think of hold over or under within your qouted distances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 i did my CZ last week and messed around with distances. I use Hawke calc as well just as a start. any way 42 meters will give me a zero at 100meters i use a cheap surveys 50 mtr tape for toolstation when zeroing so theres no guess in it. Remington 17gr. CZ 452. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 (edited) Well guys, thanks for all of the advice, it is much appreciated! I've been out this morning and done a bit of Zeroing, here are the results. To help put the size of the target into perspective the Black "Bull" is an inch and a quarter in diameter. These shots were done at a good 75 yards, which I am quite happy with but I did give the scopes 1 click to the right (1/4 inch @ 100 yards) just to bring the shots that little bit more central, all be it that it might have been my shooting that was that little bit off but that 1 click is only minimal. Hopefully this will be suitable for the ranges that I normally shoot at! Edited December 13, 2009 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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