Zeroing your Rifles

After reading Mohunters report on his scope failure, he noted that he sighted his rifle in by taking the bolt out, looking down the barrel and then making his first shot. This got me thinking. There are so many different ways people sight in their scopes. I would like to hear all the different ways you all sight in your scopes for the first time.

I will start by my tried and trued method. This was actually taught to me a couple months ago by a 6mmbr shooter friend of mine. I had bought a Luapold magnetic bore sighter for my rifle, yet I still have not figured out how to use it. He told me to stop waisting my money and componants and follow this little simple rule.

Take a huge piece of cardboard out to about 25 maybe 32 yards, don't want it to be too far out. And you want a pretty large piece. The Piece I use, is almost as tall as I am and a bit wider (which makes me feel better about myself ) He told me to then, place a red sticker or something as close to the center as you can. Doesn't matter, your just finding your POI (Point of Impact). He said then, aim for that red sticker making that your POA (Point of Aim) and take a shot. Oh, you pretty much need a good sturdy rest and friend would not hurt either. He then told me to take note of the POI. Go back to your Origninal POA and hold the rifle as still as you can (this is where the friend comes in handy), then carefully as not to move the rifle, move the crosshairs down to your POI. At this point, go back to your original POA and take a second shot. You should be right on the sticker or so dag on close it aint funny. After that, you should be good to go and figure out your yardage and dial in your scope.

I am going to include 3 drawings of this procedure to give you an idea of what I am talking about here. I have done this on the Grendel with factory ammo and it worked great. I also used this method to sight in my crossbow with a scope and wouldn't you believe it, it worked as well, ask infantryjohn49 if you don't believe me hehehe....



Aim at the center, take note of POI down and to the left.


While keeping your rifle at your original POA, move your crosshairs down and to the left at your POI.


Now, go back to your original POA and take a shot. Your new POI should be at your POA....

That way works great if you have a stable rest or can strap you gun in...or like you said a buddy to help.It is actually the "correct" way of doing it.
Thanks for the reminder DW

Usually I do as Mo described...cause I normally don't have any of the above when sighting in a new scope.

my Uncle has the Wheeler Engineering Scope Mounting kit. I had him mount a scope to a new rifle and redo one I attempted for the first time. I then used my Cabelas laser bore sighter and it was close. Went to the range, shot at 100 yards and I was one inch low and one inch right. I was sold after that.

I have since bought my own kit and mounted a friends scope, he was a couple inches low but on paper.

This weekend I mounted my first scope with it but didn't use my bore sighter. Went to the range this afternoon and was 7 inches low and an inch right at 100. In 3 shots I was where I wanted to be.

I really recommend the Wheeler scope mounting kit.