How to Zero Your Hunting Rifle the Easy Way
We are in the thick of hunting season. If you need to re-zero your favorite deer rifle, here is a dead-simple way to zero your rifle in two or three shots. The method is based on the principle of moving your cross-hairs to the point-of-impact (POI) of your first shot. You’ll need a good set of rests that will hold the gun steady while you (or a buddy) clicks the scope.
After bore-sighting, fire one round at the center of the target. Then place the rifle so the center of the cross-hairs is exactly on your original point of aim. Next, without disturbing the gun in any way, dial your turrets so that the center of the cross-hairs moves over the center of your group. That’s it. You’re now zeroed. Having a helper steady the gun as you click the turrets will make this “no-math” method work more effectively.
Click-to-Initial POI Zeroing Method Demonstrated
Simple Sight-In Procedure
Put the center of your cross-hairs on the target and take one shot. Then reposition the rifle in your bags so the center of the reticle is back on the center of the target. Make sure the rifle is secure in this position (have a friend hold the rifle if necessary). Now, using your elevation and windage knobs (while looking through the scope), simply click the center of the cross-hairs to the middle of the bullet hole — without moving the rifle. You are moving the center of the reticle on to the bullet hole. Take a second shot. The second bullet hole should now be in the center of the target. Repeat the process if needed with a third shot. This procedure works at any distance.
Good, as far as it goes. Shooters need to remember that making a small scope adjustment based on one shot is a really bad idea, what you may be seeing is a wide shot in a group that would have formed if you had shot more shots. I see this all the time, fellows making half inch adjustments based on one shot from a factory rifle, with a low power scope, shooting factory ammo, that they would be lucky to shoot an inch and a half three shot group with. Another thing, scope adjustments may not move the point of impact until a couple of shots have shaken the scope a bit. Recently I ran across a fellow at the range that had an old scope, that he had been struggling with for a large number of shots, trying to get it sighted in. The thing that solved his problem was me telling him that all adjustments needed to be finished turning the adjustment in the clockwise direction, as if he was tightening a screw or bolt, and if the adjustment needed to be in the counterclockwise direction, that he needed to turn past his final adjustment at least an inch at 100 yards, or more, and come back to where he wanted to be with a clockwise direction. Doing that, he was able to sight his rifle in. The scope was an old Leupold 3×9.
I recently put a TPS scope rail on my Savage 10 FCP and zeroed my rifle with a few shots since I was by myself ;I’ve been using this zeroing method for years and I’ve always hit dead center after jut a few rounds. Everyone loves it…
I have been doing this since the late 70s. I also zero in at 25 yds. then final zero out at 100. Back in the day I used a tape measure, today I use a range finder.
Glad to see days of old are coming of age.