ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I dont know why but I always have problems zeroing my riles and I wanted to work on making the process less time consuming and frustrating. I read about one shot zeroing where you get your rifle on a rock solid base, some kind of rile rest, hit the target and then without moving the rile move the crosshairs to the point of impact and that should be it albeit with a few final tweaks! Does anyone have an opinion on this (without taking the **** out of my basic zeroing ability) and more importantly suggest a decently priced rifle clamp/rest whatever you want to call it. I have some sand bag rests but they dont hold the rile anywhere near enough to let me tweak the scope dials without moving the rifle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Sounds great in theory, you would be lucky to get it bang on first time. Even if it went perfectly that would be 2 shots by the time you checked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Yeah I understand it won't really be one shot but will be close! More interested in if anyone does this an how they achieve a firm base for the rifle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Stick the rifle in the base. Remove the bolt and look down the barrel. Then line up the centre of the target with the barrel. Once you think you're perfectly lined up move up to the scope and start winding the turrets until the crosshairs correspond to the bullseye. Whilst it's not a way to get a perfect zero, you'll be pretty close, which is loads better than trying to pull a bullet in from 8" to the right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRDS Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 As above Bore sight it first then when you first zero use an opened out feed bag or similar with a mark in the middle rather than a piddly piece of A4, can save you a fortune especially with a CF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Stick the rifle in the base. Remove the bolt and look down the barrel. Then line up the centre of the target with the barrel. Once you think you're perfectly lined up move up to the scope and start winding the turrets until the crosshairs correspond to the bullseye. Whilst it's not a way to get a perfect zero, you'll be pretty close, which is loads better than trying to pull a bullet in from 8" to the right. This will get there or there abouts, but remeber when you do this the cross hairs will move the opposite directionthe the markers. The big bit of paper is a good tip, ask Steath Stalker Where possible I use squared paper with each square being on click on the scope, but to be honest I can normally get them sorted with a few shots just with a normal target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackley Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I dont know why but I always have problems zeroing my riles and I wanted to work on making the process less time consuming and frustrating. I read about one shot zeroing where you get your rifle on a rock solid base, some kind of rile rest, hit the target and then without moving the rile move the crosshairs to the point of impact and that should be it albeit with a few final tweaks! Does anyone have an opinion on this (without taking the **** out of my basic zeroing ability) and more importantly suggest a decently priced rifle clamp/rest whatever you want to call it. I have some sand bag rests but they dont hold the rile anywhere near enough to let me tweak the scope dials without moving the rifle! one question if you cant zero your rifle how do you manage to hit anyhting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colster Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 This works fine when the rifle is clamped solidly but will it shoot the same when you're using a bipod on a live target... only one way to find out (and no I don't mean by shooting at a live target). Apart from the cost, I never understand why some shooters seem to hate zeroing so much. I enjoy the shooting and learning how different ranges and conditions affect the POI and it gives me more confidence when I am shooting at live targets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 one question if you cant zero your rifle how do you manage to hit anyhting Use it as a baseball bat? I'm still waiting to get my FAC (hopefully this week) but need somewhere to set the rifle up, range dates here in the North East are usually 1 a month and of course I have to go through the MOD certification course first. Is there anywhere I can go with say a 100M range suitable for a .308 to get it sighted in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camokid Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 juat start at 50 yards when hitting the target move it to 100 and just tweek it up should have no probs with the guns of today. 1 click 1/4 so if your out to the left a inch its 4 clicks right. cheap rifle rest.... pod at the front and make a sand bag for the rear i made one out of old camo trouser leg and filled it with rice it keeps the gun rock steady on target without you touching it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 one question if you cant zero your rifle how do you manage to hit anyhting Ah, suprised it took that long! It doesn't say I cant zero, it says I have problems zeroing and want to be better at it! Thanks for your input though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 This works fine when the rifle is clamped solidly but will it shoot the same when you're using a bipod on a live target... only one way to find out (and no I don't mean by shooting at a live target). Apart from the cost, I never understand why some shooters seem to hate zeroing so much. I enjoy the shooting and learning how different ranges and conditions affect the POI and it gives me more confidence when I am shooting at live targets. Yeah your right and I did enjoy this at one time. What I find now is that with small kids at home shooting trips happen less and I want to spend my time shooting and not zeroing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camokid Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 i no you cant zero the gun im not putting you down. but what is the problem are you out a lot out or does it just take a while to get on target in the first place ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 i no you cant zero the gun im not putting you down. but what is the problem are you out a lot out or does it just take a while to get on target in the first place ???? I think its because I do it so infrequently and because I'm really not that good at doing it! I find myself losing track of what I'm trying to achieve based on my last shot and I can take as many as 30 rounds to get it right. It is just technique and experience I'm sure but I've started swapping scopes to meet some NV requirements and its just becoming a pain to get it right quickly. Just looking for a better/easier way and hopefully the experience will come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackley Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Ah, suprised it took that long! It doesn't say I cant zero, it says I have problems zeroing and want to be better at it! Thanks for your input though! Ahh I see well zeroing is just like shooting at a rabbit,you aim at the correct place an squeeze the trigger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) I think its because I do it so infrequently and because I'm really not that good at doing it! I find myself losing track of what I'm trying to achieve based on my last shot and I can take as many as 30 rounds to get it right. It is just technique and experience I'm sure but I've started swapping scopes to meet some NV requirements and its just becoming a pain to get it right quickly. Just looking for a better/easier way and hopefully the experience will come! I try to Zero my 243 at least twice a Month, its not a chore, its rarely needed but I enjoy it and the more You fire the gun the better Your confidence becomes in it - ie more effective and humane You/it becomes in the field. My best mate also has a 243 - so We become competative about the whole job. I check zero with 3 shots - and then We normally end up shooting a carton each at various distances. Get Your self a good target, I use one that is divided into inch squares making adjustments easier, look for a reasonable group and tweek as is needed, for me its no chore, I wouldnt change My brand of factory round and zero on one shot,cant learn anything about your style or how the gun shoots or how the rounds suit the gun, for me I let a few off and view it as good practice. Bore sighting is fine to get You on paper, but not good enough to rely on. The more you practice, the luckier you get. Edited April 20, 2011 by Devon Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I read of this one shot zero a couple of years ago so decided to try it out. Because you need to "hold" the rifle in one position I decided to try it with my HMR clamped up tight in a workmate. I put a different scope on the rifle, bore sighted it in to get the first shot on paper and fired one shot at the target at 100 yds and adjusted the scope to put the X hairs on the bullet hole. It worked, next shot spot on. Not tried it on a c/f but as long as you can hold the rifle in one position I can't see why it would not work. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I read of this one shot zero a couple of years ago so decided to try it out. Because you need to "hold" the rifle in one position I decided to try it with my HMR clamped up tight in a workmate. I put a different scope on the rifle, bore sighted it in to get the first shot on paper and fired one shot at the target at 100 yds and adjusted the scope to put the X hairs on the bullet hole. It worked, next shot spot on. Not tried it on a c/f but as long as you can hold the rifle in one position I can't see why it would not work. Charlie Cool. Thanks for that. Will give it a try then! Might be the answer and I might get better at the whole process as a result! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 As we are talking .308 here you might want to strap it down quite tight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 The way I see this, yes fixing down would work (as above 308 - watch the black & decker dance) - but how do You hold the rifle when You shoot it? Some anchor in to the shoulder, some have a very loose hold - zero one way and shoot another and You will be all over the shop, which ever way you do things, you must try and get a constant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 As we are talking .308 here you might want to strap it down quite tight lol. Mainly talking .22 and .17HMR but I also have a .357 range gun I wanted to try it on. Strapping that down may be in order although I have stumbled on a specific gun vice/rest for zeroing that I might look at getting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steyrman Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 This will get there or there abouts, but remeber when you do this the cross hairs will move the opposite directionthe the markers. The big bit of paper is a good tip, ask Steath Stalker Where possible I use squared paper with each square being on click on the scope, but to be honest I can normally get them sorted with a few shots just with a normal target. surely every scope does not move in in the opposite direction of indication ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellebarto Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 No they don't and that's my other problem. Having different scopes doing different things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Personally I wouldn't hold a rifle in a vice (workmate) but I would get it as rock solid as I can for zeroing. I zero shoot from the truck using a three point brace, the wing mirror suitably padded, my right arm braced against the bottom and back end corner of the window frame and my left against the steering wheel with my left hand under the stock NOT the fore end. Once zeroed, and I rarely need to, and I'm confident the rifle/cartridge combo is capable of 1/2" - 1" groups then I practice with all the other positions I might use in the field, off sticks, off bi-pod, off knees/elbows, off free hand etc etc. I rarely shoot rabbits other than out of the truck so that's no problem and so long as I can hit a tennis ball size area on a deer I'm happy with that. I rarely shoot much over 200m with the CF and no more than 150m with the HMR so hold over/under doesn't even come into it. And before anyone starts to criticise I probably shoot more rabbits in a week than most others on here do in a year and upwards of 100 deer a year, including Munties, CWD, Roe, Fallow and Reds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Highlander You seem to be missing the point. This is a discussion on the one shot zero method and does/will it work not on the best way to zero. In order to test the theory of this method of "one shot zero" one has to be able to keep the rifle perfectly still and supported with the X hairs on the aim point whilst one adjusts the scope to the point of impact. I used a workmate as it was the only thing I could think of at the time i tested the theory. Although I clamped the rifle in the workmate to make the shot, hence using an HMR I later realised that one actually does not need to clamp the rifle to make the shot only to adjust the scope. By firing off one shot at the target one then only needs to clamp the rifle with the X hairs on the aim point then adjust them to the point of impact. If the rifle does not move during this phase it the scope will be zeroed spot on. I will try this out later on with my .243 to see how it works with a c/f. It's all fun you see !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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