sighting in technique

[ken moran]

I DO have some trouble sighting in sometimes, and Ill think up an idea, then take for ever to try it.

Today I was aiming at a target and decided to shoot at my last pellet hole. And then shoot at the next hole and then shoot at the next hole.

Well I found this method left a string of holes creeping across the target to the left and I would never have seen it, maybe I should notice a tendancy to group left but some land left, some land right, but tend left and its hard to see.

I then clicked it ONE click anti clockwise at a time until the creep slowed and stopped.

Try this method, aim at each subsequent hole and see it it strings left or right and make small adjustments.

And I tried it since posting and shot my best groups ever with this Crusader!!!! (about 1'' at 37 metres) and it seemed far easier to keep it up, heres hoping it keeps up.

[pnuk]

Hi Ken
Not saying this didnt work for you in this instance but I can't see that this works any better than letting off two or three shots at one aiming point, seeing what the group is like, then adjusting accordingly.

The problem with taking a different aiming point each time is that you're introducing more variables i.e. changing your body and rifle position, whereas aiming at one point at least cuts down the variables as much as possible and should give you a better idea of where your sights are set to hit.

[clunge]

I started using the same method a couple of months ago. Works well for me.

Furthermore, I zero to 20 yards, so If I do a string of five, then the click calculation stops being a calculation.

[markyw]

I am VERY new to shooting with a scope (only got my rifle on Friday) and during my research, somehting like the OP's experience was given as a good sighting method if you have a means to hold the rifle still. Aim centre. Shoot. WIHTOUT moving the rifle, realign the scope to the pellet hole, which should account for the drift or aligment diffence.

Any comments before I see if this works for myself?

Regards

Mark

[magicniner]

I mainly shoot conventional paper with open sights so aiming at a pellet hole isn't an option as the sight picture is the black circle of the target over a the front sight with a small light gap.
If you're using optics use a rest for a shot then with the pistol firmly held pointing at your aim point adjust the sight to point at the hit point,
Regards,
Nick

[queens_own]

Hi Ken,
Can't quite see the advantage in your system of shooting at your last hole and then altering the turret, how do you account for flyers? you could be chasing the holes all over the target, the tried and tested way over the years is to shoot a group and then move the group.
But to each his own....I'm always trying new things but take notice of the old stuff that works.
Another Ken

[18 Wheeler]

I use a similar technique to fine tune my zero.

It's explained in the BFTA Technical Manual. Here's a link to the PDF file (850Kb, so not very large), section 3.7 onwards.

[DedIdick]

errr....I thought the scope was calibrated just to make it easy to zero???????????????
2-3 shot group, then do the maths.

[Parabuteo]

The whole point of zeroing using the 5 round group then move the MPI is that it takes into account the variables.

I will shoot a hole, then use it as an aiming point, but that is just out of laziness, i still shoot a group then adjust on the MPI.

As a SAAI, we used to calc the MPI by drawing a box round the holes, draw lines corner to corner, and where these lines crossed was the MPI (Mean point of impact). Ideal with the L1 or the L85 if Iron Sights were being used as it took into account any odd sighting techniques too.

Obvioulsy, if you are a good shot, with consistent, precise ammunition (Be it a centrefire or an airgun) you wont need to do that if your groups are much smaller than the KZ, or a single ragged holes but...

If you are not that great a shot, or your rifle/ammo combo aint that hot, then you need to fire a group to determine MPI to adjust....

Or not

The other problem with this method is that the more shots you shoot, the bigger mess the target becomes, so the harder it is to determine the results....bit like F Class targets, the centres are shot out in no time

[Parabuteo]

I started using the same method a couple of months ago. Works well for me.

Furthermore, I zero to 20 yards, so If I do a string of five, then the click calculation stops being a calculation.

Why?

A minute of angle is a minute of angle at any range, you just need to work out how much it is. I spent ages trying to work out how many clicks I needed at 300...all i had to do was look at plot sheet...look at turret...dial...job jobbed.

How are 10m rifles calibrated? Still in MOA I am guessing

If 1MOA is 1.074"at 100 (approx) then it will be half that at 50, quarter at 25 and so on (although we round it down to an inch, so already there are inaccuracies).

The MOA is a constant angle, wind/inaccuracies aside, it only subtends with distance.

If you need 4 clicks per MOA at 100, then 4 clicks at 25 is 1/4MOA or 16 clicks per inch if you like...at 20yards it wont be far off, certainly enough to get your MPI within a pellets width of the POA.

Or use the 25yd settings and fine tune.

If all you are doing is zeroing, you dont even really need a 5 round group, 3 will do as long as they land close enough to be a group

Another quick/rough zero method you could use with a scope that needs no knowledge of the MOA at all is an old snipers trick called the 2 round zero.

You need a steady base though.

Fire 2 shots using dead centre as a POA.

Keep the crosshairs on the POA, and wind the turrets until the cross hairs lie on the holes. now, when you put the cross hairs back on the POA, you have taken the error out visually rather than mathematically....but you do need to be able to keep the rifle still as if it moves....