Watto Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Now then fellas. Need a bit more advice from yur wealth of knowledge. What's the best method of holding the rifle secure with minimum movent so I can zero to 35 yards? Can you bear in mind I haven't got a Black and decker Workmate. A sin I know for somone who has finally completed all the DIY and now has his life back! PS: Axe - your zeroing tutorial has been very useful. Thanks very much. Cheers in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watto Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Sorry should have mentioned I've got a BSa lightning with a Hawke Reflex 4-40 on board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 I have seen a few articles where the gun is rested on bean bags or something similar. Then with a second pair of hands, the gun is held steady whilst the other pair shoot and reload etc. Regards, Axe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roblade Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 just about anything you can think of to hoild the gun nice and level, i always zero my rifle the exact way i will be holding it in the field, as i shoot with a sripng rifle the way i hold it alters my zero up to about 3-4"!!!!! i have heard mentiuonerd that my sitting position is a standard (or very close to) FT shooting position. if your shooting with a PCP rifle hold is not so important as there is very little recoil top contend with, but its always best to zero roughly on a nice bench, then fine tune the zero in you shooting position all the best ROB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 O.k. so the way you hold the rifle can alter the zero? Does this mean that when I zero the rifle for 30yds laying down to minimise movement the zero may change when I hold the rifle standing up? If this is the case why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Snakey, I've found that if I hold the rifle rigid it shoots top left and if rested gently it shoots slightly right. Free standing it shoots straight. I've noticed that the rifle behaves in different ways from the recoil, when it is held differently. I would recomend that you go for a plink and check your groupings in the different positions you use. Hope this helps. Regards, Axe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 (edited) Loads of reasons you will be holding the rifle slightly differently you may be canting the rifle more when standing than in the prone position or the other way around. The rifle will not be secured in same way it will be in a more stable tripod type position crated by your elbows and body when lying down so when you fire the gun the rearward forces will be absorbed in a different way than when standing. The butt will be in a slightly different part of the shoulder. your muscles will be less tense when prone because you are using your skeletal system to support the rifle more than your muscular system. the list goes on. best to zero in the position you will take most shots. What the army tend to do is Zero in the prone position because it is most accurate stable fire position for most people then shoot in other positions kneeling standing sitting and see whare the fall of shot is and aim off apropriately. Dave Edited April 12, 2005 by Devilishdave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watto Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Also fella, At the moment I'm zeroing onto a piece of A4 paper with a 50p size spot in middle. My shots are going high and right by about 6 inch high, 4 inch wide. How many clicks would you say that is to get a zero. At the moment I just seem to be clicking about 7 at a time... but no massive difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 On my Nikko's its one click for 1/4 inch at 100 yards. If your out of adjustment on the scopes you could try shimming the mounts to get more adjustment. Regards, Axe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watto Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 My scope is also 1/4 at 100 yards. So at 35 yards we're looking at just over 1/2 inch for every click? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Also fella, At the moment I'm zeroing onto a piece of A4 paper with a 50p size spot in middle. My shots are going high and right by about 6 inch high, 4 inch wide. How many clicks would you say that is to get a zero. At the moment I just seem to be clicking about 7 at a time... but no massive difference! What range are you shootig at and what does it say the incraments are on top of the adjusting turrets. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watto Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 1/4 at 100 yards - shooting at 35 yards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 The amount of movement would be reduced at a range less then 100 yards. So at 50 yards you would need 2 clicks to get 1/4 inch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watto Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Aghhh comprenday. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 at 35 m each click will be 0.0875 of an inch which is roughly 1/12 of an inch. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roblade Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 with that sort of adjustment you should be using full turns. the way i always zero or tell people to zreo at the club. nobody can shoot a spring rifle good enough to worry about one oir two clicks so go with either full turn half turn quarter turn and then fine tune with about 4 clicks. basic rule of themb i think works pretty well 1/4"@100 yards (4 clicks= 1inch) if you half the distance you doulbe the clicks 1/8"@50 yrds (8 clicks=1 inch) i know its not purfect but its clko9se as a simple answer can get without fidling about with calculators. my favorite zeroing target is a blank piece of A4 paper with one sigle cross easy to see pellet holes and pretty easy to gues how much adjustment is needed all the best ROB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watto Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Thanks for all your replys people. Off out after rabbits with my mate on Thursday. I'll let you know how i get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 When I'm in the field I prefer to take a shot prone. This means I am (theoretically) less visible if I have been laying up and I have a steadier shot. HOWEVER to really float a **** in the pool so to speak if "stalking" I am in a standing position. I think the solution is to just practice more and look to where the shots are going. I know for a fact that my rifle is zeroed for 30 yds (I have measured the distance) and the grouping I get is down to me not the rifle. This is standing. I am guessing that the missed shots are when I'm prone and holding the rifle differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon-Boy Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Easiest way to zero a rifle which i do and works is. Get the gun held down nice and tight, shoot a peice of paper at prefered zero distance. Take the shot and without moving the gun adjust your crosshair onto the point of impact. Your next shot should go through the same hole (or near) depending on if you held the gun still and how accurate your gun is with your choice of pellet. This works very well for pcp as theres no recoil, but a springer may take a couple of shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 of 5 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 A spring gun recoils whilst the pellet is still in the barrel. You have to hold it the same way so it can recoil the same way each time. The pellet exits the barrel at some point in the recoil cycle. If you ensure the recoil is always the same the POI will always be the same. Some springers if zeroed kneeling will simply not shoot from the prone position unless it's dustbin lids you're hunting. For the same reasons you can not get someone-else to zero your spring gun and then expect it to be on zero for yourself. Sticking a spring gun in any vise with a view to zeroing is a waste of effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Having found out the hard way that different hold and positions can effect the way the springer shoots, I've found that the best way for me to keep the grouping close in all positions is to hold the rifle with a minimum of pressure. Rather than hold the gun I let it rest. So when I change position, the rifle responds almost the same. Regards, Axe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Found out last night that when prone the shot goes to the right. This must be due to the fact that I am holding it steadier. When standing I must be moving because the shot is on zero. I have zeroed the rifle when standing. Frustration!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watto Posted April 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 What have I started! I'll be happy hitting the piece of A4 paper at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 of 5 Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Found out last night that when prone the shot goes to the right. This must be due to the fact that I am holding it steadier. When standing I must be moving because the shot is on zero. I have zeroed the rifle when standing. Frustration!! Not necessarily steadier - just different. As I've said the gun is recoiling before the pellet exits the barrel. Holding it differently makes it recoil differently and therefore the pellet will exit the barrel in a different direction. As others have said a gentle hold is usually best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 AAHHHH, going over this in my mind again and again and trying to work out my "routine" when taking a shot I think that I hold the rifle TIGHTER when standing as I am concentrating on holding it all steady. Maybe tensing up a little, I'm not sure. When prone I am able to relax more and that is maybe why the rifle is firing to the right. Who knows? Maybe I'm thinking too much. The only answer is practice I suppose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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