Sighting in for deer/elk
Question:
All ballistics tables, ballistic coefficients, etc. are obtained at sea level. If you live at higher elevations, where the air/barometric pressure/ temp./, etc are different your bullets will shoot quite a bit flatter. In other words, ballistic coefficients are higher as elevation increases. Greg
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> 3rd season opens November 3rd. Yee-haa! > Dave Miller (my elk-hunting buddy) and I sighted in last weekend. We > started on the 100 yard range. My Ruger 7mm Mag had a new Simmons > Aetec scope mounted, so my first job was to get it zeroed. First shot > was 15 down, 9 right. The second shot, after many clicks, was 0 down > and 2 right. A few more shots and it was where I wanted it, about > 2.5" high for a 250 yard zero with Barnes XLC’s. > Dave took two shots with his 7mm Mag and got a .6" group using Speer > Grand Slams. Both shots were 2.9" high (also for a 250 yard zero) and > centered on the vertical centerline. He figured he was ready for the > 200 yard range. > I took a couple of shots with my .44 Mag Browning carbine. Both shots > were about 3" high and centered, good enough. We packed up and headed > to the longer ranges. > There was a steady wind blowing at 10-15mph. The 200 yard range is > across a small drainage, with the low point maybe 30 feet below the > shooting area and the targets. We were both a litle high at 200, as > expected for a 250 yard zero. A couple of shots at the steel target > with the .44 Mag and we backed up to 300 yards. > Funny things started to happen. At 300 yards we were both 3" higher > than we should have been. At 400 yards Dave was 7" higher than the > ballistic tables said he should be. We figure the wind was getting > under the bullets and lifting them up as they crossed the drainage. > (at 400 yards they were 7" left due to the wind.) We threw some .44’s > downrange toward the steel from 300 and 400, getting close but mostly > missing. My last shot at 400 yards (with the .44) rang the steel and > we called it a day. > The next day I decided to go back and try my Super Redhawk. I’ve been > trying for some time to get the Simmons red dot sight zeroed for 100 > yards, but it has been a PITA. The first group at 100 yards was 3" > right, so I dialed in an adjustment. The next couple of shots were > 10" higher and left. (?!) I tapped the sight’s knobs with a live > round and it settled in. The last 6 rounds went into a 4-1/2" group, > with 4 of them in a 3" subgroup in the bottom half of the 4" diamond > bullseye. Even better, 3 of the shots were in a 1-1/8" subgroup in > the lower right of the bull. Good enough! > Next I decided to try something I had never done before. The Browning > .44 carbine has iron buckhorn sights, and I have always used the 2nd > notch with 240 grain bullets. The question on my mind was where each > notch shot at 100 yards. I started in the 1st notch and put 3 shots > 4" low. Each successive notch gave about 4" additional elevation. > Last night I plugged the numbers into a ballistic calculator and > determined that the 3rd notch was a 156 yard zero and the 4th should > be zeroed right at 200. (No, I don’t plan to use it for a 200 yard > shot – 125 is about the max I would try – but is nice to know where > each notch "should" shoot.) > This weekend Dave and I are going to shoot again. We’ll go right to > the 200 yard range and work back to 300 and 400 yards. (There is a > 500 yard range, but neither of us would want to shoot at that range > without a laser rangefinder, which we don’t have, so we won’t waste > any bullets there.) This time we’ll forego the benches and shoot > sitting, kneeling and prone. > The elk are calling! > Jim Rogers > AKA Coyote Hunter > Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: > http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> All ballistics tables, ballistic coefficients, etc. are obtained at sea > level. If you live at higher elevations, where the air/barometric pressure/ > temp./, etc are different your bullets will shoot quite a bit flatter. In > other words, ballistic coefficients are higher as elevation increases. > Greg
I checked the ballistic calculator. The elevation where we were shooting (6000 ft or so) would change things bout 1". Still have 6" to account for. Jim Rogers AKA Coyote Hunter Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
> 3rd season opens November 3rd. Yee-haa!
Interesting stuff huh? Always good to see some serious hunters who check what they are going to shoot. For my part, I hesitate to shoot on any game past about 200 yards and that with (pardon me) impressive shooting credentials for both rifle and pistol as well as years of commercial guide experience. Hope you do well with the season and I wish I could be there to cook up some liver and sourdough hotcakes for breakfast!! Ol Shy & Bashful – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Dave Miller (my elk-hunting buddy) and I sighted in last weekend. We > started on the 100 yard range. My Ruger 7mm Mag had a new Simmons > Aetec scope mounted, so my first job was to get it zeroed. First shot > was 15 down, 9 right. The second shot, after many clicks, was 0 down > and 2 right. A few more shots and it was where I wanted it, about > 2.5" high for a 250 yard zero with Barnes XLC’s. > Dave took two shots with his 7mm Mag and got a .6" group using Speer > Grand Slams. Both shots were 2.9" high (also for a 250 yard zero) and > centered on the vertical centerline. He figured he was ready for the > 200 yard range. > I took a couple of shots with my .44 Mag Browning carbine. Both shots > were about 3" high and centered, good enough. We packed up and headed > to the longer ranges. > There was a steady wind blowing at 10-15mph. The 200 yard range is > across a small drainage, with the low point maybe 30 feet below the > shooting area and the targets. We were both a litle high at 200, as > expected for a 250 yard zero. A couple of shots at the steel target > with the .44 Mag and we backed up to 300 yards. > Funny things started to happen. At 300 yards we were both 3" higher > than we should have been. At 400 yards Dave was 7" higher than the > ballistic tables said he should be. We figure the wind was getting > under the bullets and lifting them up as they crossed the drainage. > (at 400 yards they were 7" left due to the wind.) We threw some .44’s > downrange toward the steel from 300 and 400, getting close but mostly > missing. My last shot at 400 yards (with the .44) rang the steel and > we called it a day. > The next day I decided to go back and try my Super Redhawk. I’ve been > trying for some time to get the Simmons red dot sight zeroed for 100 > yards, but it has been a PITA. The first group at 100 yards was 3" > right, so I dialed in an adjustment. The next couple of shots were > 10" higher and left. (?!) I tapped the sight’s knobs with a live > round and it settled in. The last 6 rounds went into a 4-1/2" group, > with 4 of them in a 3" subgroup in the bottom half of the 4" diamond > bullseye. Even better, 3 of the shots were in a 1-1/8" subgroup in > the lower right of the bull. Good enough! > Next I decided to try something I had never done before. The Browning > .44 carbine has iron buckhorn sights, and I have always used the 2nd > notch with 240 grain bullets. The question on my mind was where each > notch shot at 100 yards. I started in the 1st notch and put 3 shots > 4" low. Each successive notch gave about 4" additional elevation. > Last night I plugged the numbers into a ballistic calculator and > determined that the 3rd notch was a 156 yard zero and the 4th should > be zeroed right at 200. (No, I don’t plan to use it for a 200 yard > shot – 125 is about the max I would try – but is nice to know where > each notch "should" shoot.) > This weekend Dave and I are going to shoot again. We’ll go right to > the 200 yard range and work back to 300 and 400 yards. (There is a > 500 yard range, but neither of us would want to shoot at that range > without a laser rangefinder, which we don’t have, so we won’t waste > any bullets there.) This time we’ll forego the benches and shoot > sitting, kneeling and prone. > The elk are calling! > Jim Rogers > AKA Coyote Hunter > Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: > http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
Response:
3rd season opens November 3rd. Yee-haa! Dave Miller (my elk-hunting buddy) and I sighted in last weekend. We started on the 100 yard range. My Ruger 7mm Mag had a new Simmons Aetec scope mounted, so my first job was to get it zeroed. First shot was 15 down, 9 right. The second shot, after many clicks, was 0 down and 2 right. A few more shots and it was where I wanted it, about 2.5" high for a 250 yard zero with Barnes XLC’s. Dave took two shots with his 7mm Mag and got a .6" group using Speer Grand Slams. Both shots were 2.9" high (also for a 250 yard zero) and centered on the vertical centerline. He figured he was ready for the 200 yard range. I took a couple of shots with my .44 Mag Browning carbine. Both shots were about 3" high and centered, good enough. We packed up and headed to the longer ranges. There was a steady wind blowing at 10-15mph. The 200 yard range is across a small drainage, with the low point maybe 30 feet below the shooting area and the targets. We were both a litle high at 200, as expected for a 250 yard zero. A couple of shots at the steel target with the .44 Mag and we backed up to 300 yards. Funny things started to happen. At 300 yards we were both 3" higher than we should have been. At 400 yards Dave was 7" higher than the ballistic tables said he should be. We figure the wind was getting under the bullets and lifting them up as they crossed the drainage. (at 400 yards they were 7" left due to the wind.) We threw some .44’s downrange toward the steel from 300 and 400, getting close but mostly missing. My last shot at 400 yards (with the .44) rang the steel and we called it a day. The next day I decided to go back and try my Super Redhawk. I’ve been trying for some time to get the Simmons red dot sight zeroed for 100 yards, but it has been a PITA. The first group at 100 yards was 3" right, so I dialed in an adjustment. The next couple of shots were 10" higher and left. (?!) I tapped the sight’s knobs with a live round and it settled in. The last 6 rounds went into a 4-1/2" group, with 4 of them in a 3" subgroup in the bottom half of the 4" diamond bullseye. Even better, 3 of the shots were in a 1-1/8" subgroup in the lower right of the bull. Good enough! Next I decided to try something I had never done before. The Browning .44 carbine has iron buckhorn sights, and I have always used the 2nd notch with 240 grain bullets. The question on my mind was where each notch shot at 100 yards. I started in the 1st notch and put 3 shots 4" low. Each successive notch gave about 4" additional elevation. Last night I plugged the numbers into a ballistic calculator and determined that the 3rd notch was a 156 yard zero and the 4th should be zeroed right at 200. (No, I don’t plan to use it for a 200 yard shot – 125 is about the max I would try – but is nice to know where each notch "should" shoot.) This weekend Dave and I are going to shoot again. We’ll go right to the 200 yard range and work back to 300 and 400 yards. (There is a 500 yard range, but neither of us would want to shoot at that range without a laser rangefinder, which we don’t have, so we won’t waste any bullets there.) This time we’ll forego the benches and shoot sitting, kneeling and prone. The elk are calling! Jim Rogers AKA Coyote Hunter Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/
