Question on zeroing a scope.....

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  • rb288

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    I put a new scope on my 6.5 creedmoor.
    I want to zero it for 200 yds but am at a place where I only have 75 yards to work with.
    My ballistics program tells me that if zeroed at 200, my point of impact at 75 will be 1 inch high.
    I know it won't be perfect, but if I set it to hit 1 inch high at 75 will that be "close enough" until I can get to a longer range?
    I'm thinking yes, "close enough for government work".
     

    42769vette

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    Oct 6, 2008
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    I put a new scope on my 6.5 creedmoor.
    I want to zero it for 200 yds but am at a place where I only have 75 yards to work with.
    My ballistics program tells me that if zeroed at 200, my point of impact at 75 will be 1 inch high.
    I know it won't be perfect, but if I set it to hit 1 inch high at 75 will that be "close enough" until I can get to a longer range?
    I'm thinking yes, "close enough for government work".


    You will be on paper at 200 yards. You will not be close enough to shoot an animal at 200 yards until you shoot paper at 200 yards.
     
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    Mar 9, 2022
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    Bloomington
    It really depends on what "close enough" means.

    If you're talking about hitting a deer-sized target in the vitals, and assuming you did everything right, probably.

    If it were me, though, I wouldn't go out hunting with "probably close enough" being the only thing I'm relying on to make a clean kill.

    If the longest distance you can shoot your rifle at is 75 yards, then just zero it at 75 yards, and don't make shots past 100 yards or so until you've had a chance to actually shoot your rifle that far. Things in the real world just don't always work the same way they do in ballistic calculators.

    Plus it's just too easy to make a mistake when you're zeroing without actually zeroing. What I mean by that is when you "zero" a rifle you adjust the difference between your point of aim and point of impact to "zero." When you want to "plus one inch" a rifle, you'd never believe how easy it is to forget while walking back and forth to the target whether or not you were actually holding on the center of the target and wanting you point of impact to be an inch high, or were you holding an inch low on the target and wanting the point of impact to be dead center, or wait is that backwards and the point of impact is supposed to be below the point of aim...???

    Just my two cents.
     

    planedriver

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    Since you are using a S.W.A.G. factor and going to tune the scope later. Why not get centered at 75yds and work your way out when you can. Depending on your intended use it may be best to sight the creedmore at longer yardage than 200.
     

    DadSmith

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    I put a new scope on my 6.5 creedmoor.
    I want to zero it for 200 yds but am at a place where I only have 75 yards to work with.
    My ballistics program tells me that if zeroed at 200, my point of impact at 75 will be 1 inch high.
    I know it won't be perfect, but if I set it to hit 1 inch high at 75 will that be "close enough" until I can get to a longer range?
    I'm thinking yes, "close enough for government work".
    Do you know what your actual velocity from your rifle is? If going by what the box says or an online source you'll be surprised by the difference.

    If you know both velocity from your rifle, bullet weight, and BC you can get a proper calculation.
     

    Dean C.

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    Short answer , yes it will get you very close assuming you do your part. I zeroed my AR for 100 yards on a 25 yard indoor range and when I took it to Bass N Bucks after some minor roughly 1/4 inch adjustments I was right on bullseye. That being said I also agree with everyone else as to taking it to 200 and confirming as well. Plus rember to use the exact hunting bullets you will use in the field to zero as well.
     

    rb288

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    Apr 14, 2019
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    After reading replies an amendment.
    Yes, I know the velocity, using a magnetospeed.
    I will NOT be using the rifle to hunt before getting final zero at 200 yds.
    I suppose the idea of zeroing at 75 as a temporary point makes it usable in the interim.
    Thank you for the comments.
     

    ed1838

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    Feb 20, 2022
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    I start at 50 yard zero then shoot 100 ,150 and 200 I dont remember what or cal rifle it was but it right on at 50 and very close at 200 was high at 100
     

    Ahap

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    Jan 27, 2022
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    200 will be your "far zero". Run your ballistic calculator for a 200 yr zero and see what the "near zero" is, likely something around 60-62 yd, and zero there, you'll be closer to 200 than you would be zeroed at 75.
     

    Paul 7.62

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    Mar 21, 2023
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    200 yards is a chip shot with a 6.5 Needsmoor. Me if all I had was 75 yards, I would measure out 50 yards, zero at that range. Then take a tall target and shoot with the come ups at the 50 yard target. So I would have a group fired at 50 yards but with 100 yard come ups, 150 yard come ups and 200 yard come ups. Any deviation you get on the paper from your calculator you have to check it out at 200 yards for corrections. I have done this many times checking zeros on varmint rifles and regular hunting rifles were they don't have a 100 yard range.
     
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